UCLA Engineering Ranks Among Top 15 Engineering Schools in U.S. News and World Report

The UCLA Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science is among the top 15 graduate engineering schools in the country, according to the latest annual U.S. News & World Report rankings. Among public institutions the School ranks ninth.

The 2007 U.S. News & World Report rankings are published in the magazine’s April 10 issue and the book “America’s Best Graduate Schools.” Both are available on newsstands now.

Rankings are based on a combination of peer reviews and quantitative measures. Statistical indicators include average GRE scores, peer assessment, acceptance rates, PhD student-faculty ratios, faculty membership in the National Academy of Engineering, research expenditures in total and per faculty member, enrollment, and PhDs granted.

UCLA also is ranked in the specialty areas. Among all universities, aerospace engineering ranks 15; biomedical at 42; chemical engineering at 24; civil engineering at 24; computer science at 13; electrical engineering at 13; materials science and engineering at 19; and mechanical engineering at 16. Rankings for individual specialty areas are based solely on nominations by educators at peer institutions.

“It’s always wonderful when our good work is recognized,” said School of Engineering Dean Vijay K. Dhir. “However, the things we focus on, the things that make us truly successful, are our exceptionally talented students, faculty, and staff, and our pioneering collaborations with other top institutions, industry, and government. We can all be exceedingly proud of the important work we are accomplishing together at UCLA Engineering,” Dhir added.

Dhir pointed to a number of indications of the School’s continued growth and stature, including the many faculty who are members of the National Academy of Engineering, the numerous prestigious awards won by faculty over the past several years, and major honors such as the Turing Prize, the highest award of distinction in computer science, having been garnered by both faculty and alumni.

Last year alone, the School received more than $88 million to support engineering research. The School also has been awarded six major interdisciplinary research centers in recognition of its worldwide reputation in research and education. These centers, funded by federal agencies and industry, bring more than $100 million to Southern California and support significant research and educational activities.

Twenty-two faculty affiliated with UCLA Engineering are members of the National Academy of Engineering, which places the School among the top eight institutions in the United States with that many members. Three faculty are members of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and one is a member of the National Academy of Sciences. Approximately 60 faculty are fellows of one or more professional societies, and in the last three years, 12 junior faculty have received National Science Foundation (NSF) CAREER awards. One of the School’s faculty also has been among a select 20 young NSF-supported scientists and engineers chosen to receive the prestigious 2005 Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers.

The UCLA Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science now enrolls roughly 2,270 undergraduates and about 1,260 graduate students. In 2005, the School awarded 615 BS degrees, 406 MS degrees, and 137 PhDs – positioning the School among the top three institutions in the country in awarding PhDs per faculty. In 2005, UCLA Engineering placed 17 PhD graduates and six postdoctoral students in academic positions at universities around the world.

Established in 1945, the UCLA Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science offers 28 academic and professional degree programs, including an interdepartmental graduate degree program in biomedical engineering.

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