FSU graduate programs among nation's best according to U.S. News & World Report

Graduate programs at Florida State University are among the nation’s best, according to U.S. News & World Report’s 2023-2024 edition of “Best Graduate Schools” released April 25.

Programs in education, public affairs, business, nursing and engineering saw improvements in the rankings, highlighted by the College of Education’s five-spot jump to No. 21 among all public and private universities.

“Florida State University is one of the top public research institutions in the nation,” said Jim Clark, provost and executive vice president for Academic Affairs. “These rankings are a reflection of our excellent faculty, the rigorous programs we offer, and the high-quality students we attract.”

Mark Riley, dean of The Graduate School, said the FSU’s rising graduate rankings can be attributed to the positive momentum the university has enjoyed recently.

“This is really the most exciting time I’ve ever known at Florida State, and I’ve been here for 32 years,” he said. “We are hiring amazing faculty, our graduate students continue to be phenomenal, and the applications have continued to rise because people are hearing about what a great place this is. Students here know a good thing, and they are our great ambassadors.”

“Florida State University is one of the top public research institutions in the nation. These rankings are a reflection of our excellent faculty, the rigorous programs we offer, and the high-quality students we attract.”

— Jim Clark, provost and executive vice president for Academic Affairs

The College of Education continued its ascent, rising to No. 21 overall and No. 13 among publics. In addition, four education specialties placed in the Top 20 among public universities — Student Counseling (No. 13), Curriculum and Instruction (No. 18), Special Education (No. 19) and Education Administration (No. 20).

“I’d like to congratulate our faculty, staff and students for achieving their highest-ever U.S. News and World Report ranking of No. 13 among public universities,” said Damon Andrew, dean of the College of Education. “Our multi-year climb in the rankings is a testament to our continued commitment to be student-focused and innovation-driven.”

The College of Business’ MBA specialty in Real Estate maintained its No. 16 ranking overall while it climbed a spot to No. 8 among public school programs — the fourth straight year placing No. 9 or better.

“Once you’ve achieved an elite spot among the nation’s best real estate programs, it’s remarkable to maintain that position – much less improve – in that competitive space,” said Michael Hartline, dean of the College of Business. “We do not take this kind of success for granted, and instead focus on providing business students with the knowledge and skills that prepare them to thrive in any profession or industry they pursue.”

Public Affairs, housed in Askew School of Public Administration and Policy within the College of Social Sciences and Public Policy, moved up six spots to No. 26 among public universities and up seven places to No. 39 overall. The school’s Public Management and Leadership specialty ranked No. 12 among publics and No. 19 overall, while the Local Government Management specialty placed No. 13 among public universities and No. 15 overall.

“Given ongoing investments in our faculty and programs, I am not surprised to see our exceptional public affairs programs rise in U.S. News and World Report’s rankings,” said Tim Chapin, dean of the College of Social Sciences and Public Policy. “Our world-class faculty in the Askew School of Public Administration and Policy, as well as affiliated faculty in Urban & Regional Planning and Emergency Management and Homeland Security, continue to impact Florida and the planet through their academic research and graduating students with the skills to make a difference in their communities.”

The College of Nursing’s Doctor of Nursing Practice program vaulted 17 places to No. 33 overall and 13 spots to No. 24 among publics. The DNP program, which has risen 44 places in just two years, is now tied with the University of South Florida for the top program in Florida.

“The College of Nursing is proud to share another big win,” said Jing Wang, dean of the College of Nursing. “It has been an immense period of growth and transformation at the college, and achievements like this are a testament to the hard work and dedication of our faculty, staff and students. We all share a common goal in our pursuit of excellence. It is an honor to be ranked at the top in Florida and among the top programs in the country, and we plan to continue building off this momentum.”

The FAMU-FSU College of Engineering also improved, climbing three spots among public and private institutions to earn a No. 92 ranking. The graduate program in Industrial Engineering moved up three places to No. 42 among public institutions, Civil Engineering leapt 21 spots to No. 77 among public universities, and Electrical Engineering climbed 13 places to No. 84 among publics.

“We are pleased to see our graduate rankings in the top 100 doctoral-granting engineering colleges nationwide,” said Suvranu De, dean of the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering. “This is just a piece of the story of our continued success, but it’s an important one. As we continue to attract and graduate highly qualified engineering students in our program, we will take our rightful place in the top 50 among peer institutions in the U.S. These rankings are key to that vision for us and our parent institutions.”