UIC programs move up in grad school rankings

UIC earned high marks in U.S. News & World Report’s Best Graduate Schools rankings.

The 2018 edition features information and rankings in business, law, education, engineering, medicine, health and nursing, as well as other specialty rankings and doctoral programs. Not all programs are ranked every year, but the U.S. News website presents the most recent rankings for every program in their database.

UIC’s master’s in nursing program improved to No. 20, up from 23. The Doctor of Nursing Practice program rose to No. 15 (up from 26), and the college’s Family Nurse Practitioner specialty program ranks No. 11.

“Our spot among the top 20 programs is an accurate expression of our distinction as a college,” said Catherine Vincent, the College of Nursing’s associate dean for academic affairs. “UIC’s nursing college draws students from all over the world; we offer a breadth of concentrations and clinical experiences; and our faculty researchers are discovering the knowledge that’s being taught in other nursing programs.

“These rankings serve as a guidepost for students seeking great programs, and we value their ability to help those students find us so we can show them first-hand the excellence reflected in our high rank,” she said.

The College of Nursing implemented a revised curriculum for both the MS and Doctor of Nursing Practice in fall 2014. The change, Vincent said, is evidence of the college’s responsiveness to the new dynamics in health care and its commitment to preparing the most sophisticated and skilled nursing professionals for today and the future.

The nursing programs were not the only UIC programs to see gains. UIC’s part-time MBA jumped 12 spots, to No. 66. That program, in UIC’s Liautaud Graduate School of Business, is a practical management degree that gives students a thorough, research-based understanding of the core aspects of business and management. Students can customize their degree from among a dozen concentrations or work toward a combined MBA/MS in accounting, business analytics, finance, marketing or management information systems. The part-time MBA allows students to take classes during the day, at night, or on Saturdays. Students set their own pace and can finish in as little as 18 months — or as long as five years.

“The rise in positioning of our part-time MBA program is a reflection of our commitment to empower students with a dynamic, proven business education, and an immersive city experience full of opportunities,” said Michael Mikhail, dean of the College of Business Administration. “We appreciate the need for flexibility, especially in today’s demanding and changing business environment, and we offer our students program options at a convenient Chicago location to help achieve their professional goals.

“Furthermore, we provide the key combination of innovative curriculum and world-class faculty instruction at a value price point to yield a high-value return on investment.”

Other ranked programs at UIC are the Ph.D. in English at 35th; the Ph.D. in psychology at 75th; the College of Education, 48th; the College of Engineering, 63rd; and the College of Medicine (research), 52nd.