Five University of Colorado at Boulder graduate specialty programs were ranked in the top 10 nationally in a new but limited U.S. News & World Report graduate school rankings report scheduled for release March 28.
The CU-Boulder physics department garnered three specialty rankings in the top 10 in the nation in 2008. They include atomic/molecular/optical physics No. 1, quantum physics No. 4 (tie) and plasma physics No. 10. The physics department was ranked in a tie for 20th in the nation.
The CU Boulder School of Law's environmental law specialty program was ranked No. 6 in the nation in 2008. Overall, the CU law school was ranked in a tie for 32nd in the nation, up from 36th in 2007.
CU-Boulder's program in physical chemistry was ranked the No. 10 program in the nation, with the chemistry department ranked No. 28 overall. These rankings were conducted in 2007 but remain in place.
"These rankings underscore the national and global excellence of many of our graduate offerings," said CU-Boulder Chancellor G.P. "Bud" Peterson. "To have moved from two to five programs in the top 10 rankings in a year demonstrates the progress we are making as a comprehensive research university. Our students, our faculty and the state of Colorado will all be beneficiaries of these and the many other excellent programs at the University of Colorado at Boulder."
Magazine officials said specialty rankings for additional selected disciplines would be released on March 28.
Professional school programs in education, engineering, law, business and medicine were newly ranked in 2008. Doctoral programs in the health disciplines and the sciences, and graduate programs in fine arts and public affairs were newly ranked in 2008. Not all disciplines are newly ranked each year.
In 2008, other CU-Boulder professional school rankings include the School of Education (tied for 31st, up from 38th in 2007) and the College of Engineering and Applied Science (tied for 39th, up from 40th in 2007).
In addition, the CU-Boulder master's degree program in speech-language pathology was tied for 25th in the nation and the doctoral program in audiology was tied for 33rd in the nation in 2008.
Also included were degree programs that were previously ranked, including earth sciences (tied for 25th in 2006), psychology (tied for 28th in 2005) and biological sciences (33rd in 2007).
The results will appear in the 2009 edition of U.S. News & World Report's America's Best Graduate Schools, slated to reach newsstands on April 1.