Auburn's graduate programs in business, education, engineering and public administration were ranked among the top sixth in the nation March 15.
U.S. News & World Report publishes an annual report that highlights the nation's best master's and doctoral programs.
Nationally, public administration ranked 57th; business, 63rd; engineering, 70th and education, 71st.
"I think that Auburn's traditional strengths that really make graduate programs stand out are a commitment to outreach in addition to instruction and research," said Jessica Nelson, director of recruiting and marking for the graduate school. "I've heard many students remark on the accessibility of faculty as well as the collaborative spirit at Auburn."
More than 600 colleges and universities with graduate schools were evaluated by the report.
"While our research and teaching are world-class like you would expect, I think one of Auburn's unique gifts is promoting an atmosphere of collaboration and support," Nelson said. "There is a strong commitment to interdisciplinary cooperation as well that I think is a key part of the strength of AU graduate programs."
Each graduate school was given a national rank and a rank including only public universities.
Factors used for the rankings include Graduate Record Examination scores, acceptance rates and student-faculty ratio.
"We enrich the academic experience so our students get the proper mentoring," said Michael Tullier, director of external relations for the College of Education. "We want to give our students a well-rounded experience."
Graduate students are encouraged to intern with area schools.
"Our efforts to partner with schools helped our rankings," Tullier said, "especially partnerships with Auburn city schools."
The College of Engineering ranked 41st among public universities.
"Although our goal is to enhance rankings every year, current cutbacks in funding have made it difficult to recruit and retain faculty," said Larry Benefield, dean of the College of Engineering.
"At the same time, we have seen a rise in the number of students.
"It is a testament to our hard-working faculty that we have been able to hold rankings consistent."
Do you like this story? The Plainsman doesn't accept money from tuition or student fees, and we don't charge a subscription fee. But you can donate to support The Plainsman.
