COLUMBUS -- Ohio State’s strategy to boost the university’s academic visibility is beginning to pay off. Led by a strong showing in education, humanities and social sciences, Ohio State graduate programs are cited among the best in Ohio and the nation, according to U.S. News & World Report’s annual ranking of selected graduate programs released today.

Among programs the magazine ranked this year, four that are considered among the nation’s best are also recipients of Selective Investment awards from Ohio State. Over the last three years, Ohio State has chosen thirteen programs for selective investments – additional resources for leading-edge programs to enhance their academic visibility. U.S. News rankings confirm that Ohio State’s investment is paying dividends: Ph.D. programs in history, political science and psychology, have broken into the top 25 in the nation, while the university’s overall law program continues to rank among the nation’s best.

“The consistent high-quality performance of Ohio State in these annual rankings shows that we are on the right track,” said Susan Huntington, dean of the Graduate School. “Ohio State’s programs compare well to schools and states with much more favorable financial environments than ours. It is an indication of the dedication and creativity of faculty here,” she said.

The high marks come despite analysis that shows low state support for public universities in Ohio. According to State Profiles: Financing Public Higher Education 1998 Rankings, state appropriations to Ohio’s public universities rank 40th in the nation and lowest in the Big Ten. Wisconsin state appropriations are most generous (8), followed by Michigan (13), Minnesota (15) Illinois (17), Iowa (21), Pennsylvania (27), and Indiana (34).

In specific rankings of graduate programs, Ohio’s public school districts need look no further for resources than the university’s College of Education, whose program is ranked second in secondary education and third in elementary education.

“The College of Education faculty has worked with our colleagues in kindergarten through-12th grade education to improve urban schools in Ohio and elsewhere,” said Dean Donna Browder Evans. “The U.S. News survey is just one indication of our ability to prepare the best-qualified teachers to meet the challenges of our large, city school districts.”

Ohio State’s investment in rising programs paid dividends in the rankings of social science and humanities programs The Ph.D. program in history is rated 25th best in the nation. Another selective investment department, political science, is ranked 15th, and the specialty program in American Politics ranked 7th. Two programs in psychology were cited: the overall Ph.D. program was rated 25th, and the clinical psychology program was rated 36th best among the health sciences.

According to Michael J. Hogan, dean of the College of Humanities (and former chair of the History Department), the College of Humanities is taking major strides to continue to expand its research and teaching profile. “Our faculty and student recruitment, has been marvelously successful, especially in recent years. That History has been named a top program in the country is sure proof that our efforts are succeeding.”

The Fisher College of Business is ranked 23rd in the nation. The college tied for sixth among major public university-based business programs in the top 10, and is the only Ohio business school ranked in the top 25.

Joseph A. Alutto, dean of the college, credits the rise in rankings to the college’s commitment to building a model management education complex with solid academic programs led by nationally recognized faculty.

“The rankings are one indication of the strong return on the investment that our students – and Ohio’s taxpayers – are receiving from Fisher College,” Alutto said. “Our students benefit not only from our quality faculty and facilities, but also from the personalized programs that our small size makes possible,” he said.

A new U.S. News category on diversity at law schools across the country finds that the student body at Ohio State’s College of Law is among the nation’s most racially diverse. The diversity index for the law school is based on the total proportion of minority students and the mix of racial groups on campus. The magazine notes that ten percent of the college’s students are African-American, the largest minority group among the mix of ethnic groups that comprise the diverse student body.

In addition, the College of Law continues to rank in the first tier of law schools nationwide, with the specialty program of dispute resolution ranked 4th in the nation.

“Ohio State continues to have one of the top Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) programs in the country,” said College of Law Dean Gregory H. Williams. “We are ranked among the top 20 public law schools in the country, and continue to build our academic reputation,” he added. “One of our great strengths is the quality of our programs and faculty. This will be enhanced by the receipt of the Selective Investment Award ”

For most categories, the magazine bases its decisions on: the degree of admission selectivity, faculty resources, institutional reputation, and research activity.

Other criteria are added in specific instances.

Rankings of graduate schools and doctoral programs released for 2001-02 cover only a small portion of the programs offered at Ohio State. Five programs are ranked each year; others are ranked every three or four years. This year, in addition to annual rankings in business, education, engineering, law and medicine, the magazine offers new rankings for programs in social sciences, humanities and public affairs. However, the magazine reprints earlier years’ ratings in some fields that note previous high marks to Ohio State’s graduate programs in nursing, social work, and veterinary medicine. Here are Graduate Program rankings (information on the number of programs in comparison pool is included where provided by U.S. News):

· College of Business: ranked 23rd overall among 341 institutions with MBA programs.

· College of Education: Ohio State ranked 11th overall out of 182 graduate education programs. Specialty programs in vocational/technical education ranked 1st; secondary teacher education ranked 2nd, elementary education ranked 3rd, counseling/personnel services ranked 2nd, administration/supervision ranked 4th, and curriculum/instruction ranked 5th.

· College of Engineering: Ohio State ranked 24th overall out of 186 institutions with graduate engineering programs.

· College of Humanities: Ohio State ranked 25th in history.

· College of Law: ranked 40th in the nation out of 174 ABA-accredited law schools. The College of Law program in dispute resolution ranked 4th. In a new category on law school diversity, U.S. News identified the College of Law as one of the most racially diverse student bodies in the nation.

· College of Medicine and Public Health: ranked 40th overall among 125 accredited medical schools. Ohio State’s specialty program in primary care ranked 50th.

· College of Social and Behavioral Sciences: Ohio State ranked 15th in political science, with the specialty program in American politics ranked 7th . The psychology program ranked 24th , tied with Harvard, Duke, Johns Hopkins, and the universities of California and Michigan. Sociology ranked 21st, with the specialty program of Social Stratification rated 10th best in the nation. Within the category of public affairs programs, Ohio State’s program in public policy and management ranked 35th out of 259 programs nationwide, with the specialty area of information and technology management rated 8th.

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