Duke, UNC grad programs rank high

Both Duke University and UNC Chapel Hill can take a bow after the release today of the newest rankings for graduate and professional schools by U.S. News & World Report.

The schools continued to score among the nation’s best in the annual rankings compiled by the magazine.

Duke’s top results included the Fuqua School of Business rising to 11th in the nation, according to the rankings, while the university’s law school remained 11th. The medical school was tied for eighth for research, up from ninth last year; and the Pratt School of Engineering remained ranked at 28th.

The magazine also ranked Ph.D. programs in the social sciences and humanities for the first time in several years. Duke programs that were ranked included English (tied for 10th); political science (tied for 10th); history (tied for 14th); sociology (tied for 14th); economics (tied for 19th) and psychology (tied for 21st).

Among the best medical specialty programs, Duke was recognized in geriatrics (fourth), internal medicine (fifth), AIDS (sixth), women's health (eighth) and family medicine (eighth). It tied for 44th in primary care, up 13 spots from last year.

UNC’s best results included its School of Medicine primary care program, which was ranked best in the nation, and the master’s degree program at the School of Information and Library Science, which was ranked 2nd.

Among other results, the medical school’s family medicine program was ranked No. 2 and the graduate sociology program was No. 6. 

The Kenan-Flagler Business School at Carolina came in at No. 20 and the School of Law was ranked No. 31.

The magazine makes its rankings based on what it calls “expert opinions” as well as statistical indicators that measure the quality of a school’s faculty, research and students.