Boston College’s graduate programs performed well in all areas in the U.S. News and World Report 2018 “Best Graduate Schools” rankings, reflecting the University’s continued rise in academic reputation.
Boston College Law School rose four points in the rankings to 26th overall, an eight-point improvement over the past two rankings cycles. Among specialty rankings, BC Law placed 20th in Tax Law and 22nd in Clinical Training.
The Connell School of Nursing also improved in the rankings, rising two places to 31st among schools of nursing. Its Nursing Anesthesia program was ranked 22nd out of 107 ranked programs.
The Carroll School of Management rose six places among full-time MBA programs to 44th overall. Its Finance program was ranked 18th.
The Lynch School of Education held on to its previous ranking of 23rd, the highest placement of any Jesuit or Catholic school of education. Its specialty programs continued to perform well with Student Counselling and Personnel Services ranked 10th, Elementary Education ranked 14th, and Secondary Education ranked 17th.
Social Work schools were not ranked this year, resulting in the School of Social Work retaining its position as the nation’s 10th ranked program.
The Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences performed well in specialty rankings of humanities and social sciences programs. (Natural Sciences programs were not ranked this year). In particular, Economics was ranked 25th out of 95 ranked programs; History 41st out of 142 programs; Sociology 42nd among 106 programs; English 51st among 143 ranked programs; Psychology 53rd out of 220 programs; and Political Science 61st out of 101 ranked programs.
Provost and Dean of Faculties David Quigley said the rankings showcase the ever-improving reputation of Boston College’s graduate programs.
"This year's results affirm the strength of Boston College's graduate and professional programs, and point to the enhanced impact that our faculty and recent graduates are having across a range of fields and professions,” said Quigley. “The Light the World campaign enabled the University to make substantial investments in graduate education, and those investments are yielding significant, positive returns."
Law School Dean Vince Rougeau praised his faculty for contributing to the Law School’s success.
“I am very pleased to see the effort and dedication of the entire BC Law community recognized in BC Law's ongoing rise in the U.S. News and World Report rankings,” said Rougeau. “Our approach to these rankings has been—and will continue to be—an emphasis on those things that are at the core of our mission. We are dedicated to providing a rigorous and academically excellent legal education; we are committed to the personal, ethical, and professional formation of our students; and we strive to combine tradition and innovation to create a dynamic learning environment rooted in a strong sense of community, mutual support, and respect.”
“The Connell School's rise in the U.S. News and World Report ratings is a result of the excellent faculty, staff and students we are blessed with at BC, but is also attributable to the resources provided as part of our move to Maloney Hall,” said Dean Susan Gennaro. “Our new lab, simulation and student-learning commons all provide faculty and students with state-of-the-art equipment and space that truly enhances experiential learning.”
Boston College was ranked 31st overall among national universities in the U.S. News survey of undergraduate institutions, released in September.
—Jack Dunn | University Communications