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Adverse

Adverse: !TEST! !TEST! 2025-04-08 08:50:20

University News

UNC-Chapel Hill graduate programs ranked among best in nation

U.S. News & World Report's 2025 “Best Graduate Schools” list names multiple Carolina graduate degree programs in the Top 10.

By University Communications, Tuesday, April 8th, 2025
Old Well in front of South Building
“We are always proud to have our graduate and professional programs recognized for the exceptional, world-class education they provide,” said Chancellor Lee H. Roberts. (Jon Gardiner/UNC-Chapel Hill)

Numerous UNC-Chapel Hill graduate programs received high rankings — 24 were among the top 10 in the nation in their respective categories — as part of U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Graduate Schools” list.

The Gillings School of Global Public Health was tied for second out of 219 schools and programs of public health in the U.S. This is the eighth consecutive rankings period the school has been ranked second. Gillings has also maintained its position as the top public school of public health and has been ranked among the top schools and programs of public health by U.S. News since the magazine first ranked public health schools in 1987.

The School of Information and Library Science ranked third overall, including six specialty programs in the top 10.

The School of Law improved two spots to 18th out of 195 law schools, its highest ranking since U.S. News & World Report began ranking law schools in 1987. This also marks the second consecutive time the law school has reached the top 20. The school is ranked fourth among public law schools.

The School of Medicine rose to Tier 1 status in both Primary Care and Research this year with seven specialty programs ranked in the top 10.

“We are always proud to have our graduate and professional programs recognized for the exceptional, world-class education they provide,” said Chancellor Lee H. Roberts. “These rankings by U.S. News & World Report only confirm what we already know: Carolina’s graduate and professional programs — and the dedicated students they represent — are key to our success as a leading public research university.”

The new Graduate School rankings include:

  • Audiology tied for first among public institutions and tied for second overall.
  • Speech Language Pathology ranked third in master’s programs among public institutions and tied for fifth overall.
  • Sociology tied for fourth in master’s programs among public institutions and tied for ninth overall.
  • School of Nursing ranked sixth in master’s programs among public institutions and tied for 12th overall.
  • Physical Therapy ranked sixth for doctoral programs among public institutions and tied for 10th overall.
  • Political Science ranked fifth for doctoral programs among public institutions and tied for 15th overall.
  • History ranked fourth for doctoral programs among public institutions and tied for 13th overall.

Additional UNC-Chapel Hill rankings for 2025 are below.

Note: Not all graduate programs are ranked by U.S. News & World Report every year. For a complete list of rankings for UNC-Chapel Hill, visit the U.S. News & World Report website.

Gillings School of Global Public Health

Overall

  • Public Health programs, tied for first public, tied for second overall

Specialty Areas

  • Social Behavior, third
  • Health Policy and Management, third
  • Biostatistics, fourth
  • Environmental Health Science, fourth
  • Epidemiology, tied for fifth

UNC School of Medicine

Overall

  • Primary Care, Tier 1
  • Research, Tier 1

Specialty

  • Audiology, tied for second
  • Healthcare Management, second
  • Speech Language Pathology, tied for fifth
  • Occupational Therapy, seventh
  • Rehabilitation Counseling, tied for seventh
  • Physical Therapy, tied for 10th
  • Most Graduates Practicing, Primary Care, 56th
  • Most Graduates Practicing, Rural Areas, 67th
  • Most Graduates Practicing, Health Professional Shortage Areas, 82nd
  • Physician Assistant, tied for 93rd

School of Information and Library Sciences

Overall

  • Tied for third

Specialty Areas

  • Health Librarianship, first
  • Services for Children and Youth, tied for fifth
  • Archives and Preservation, fifth
  • Digital Librarianship, sixth
  • School Library Media, tied for seventh
  • Information Systems, ninth

School of Nursing

Overall

  • Nursing Schools, Master’s Programs, tied for 12th
  • Nursing Schools – DNP Programs, tied for 14th

Specialty Areas

  • Nursing Master’s, Nurse Practitioner: Psychiatric/Mental Health Across the Lifespan, tied for fifth
  • Nursing Master’s, Administration, tied for sixth
  • Nursing Master’s, Nurse Practitioner: Family, tied for sixth
  • Nursing DNP, Nurse Practitioner: Family, eighth

UNC School of Law

Overall

  • Tied for 18th

Specialty Areas

  • Legal Writing, 10th
  • Tax Law, tied for 18th
  • Contracts/Commercial Law, tied for 19th
  • Criminal Law, tied for 21st
  • Constitutional Law, tied for 23rd
  • Business/Corporate Law, tied for 23rd
  • Most Grads in Federal Clerkships, 26th
  • Health Care Law, tied for 30th
  • Intellectual Property Law, tied for 31st
  • Dispute Resolution, tied for 48th
  • Environmental Law, tied for 50th
  • Clinical Training, tied for 53rd
  • International Law, tied for 55th
  • Trial Advocacy, tied for 112th

School of Government

  • Public Affairs, tied for 21st

As part of the public affairs category, U.S. News ranked Carolina programs and specialty areas based in the School of Government and the College of Arts and Sciences’ department of public policy.

Specialty Areas

  • Local Government Management, second
  • Public Management and Leadership, 10th
  • Leadership, 10th
  • Public Finance and Budget, 18th
  • Public Policy Analysis, tied for 23rd

UNC School of Education

Overall

  • Tied for 27th

Specialty Areas

  • Student Counseling, 13th
  • Special Education, 14th
  • Education Psychology,15th
  • Education Policy, 15th
  • Educational Administration, 15th
  • Secondary Teacher Education, 17th
  • Elementary Teacher Education, tied for 18th
  • Curriculum and Instruction, tied for 24th

UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School

Overall

  • Best Business Schools, 28th

Specialty Areas

  • Real Estate, tied for eighth
  • Real Estate MBA, tied for eighth
  • Accounting, 12th
  • Executive MBA, 14th
  • Management MBA, tied for 16th
  • Entrepreneurship MBA, tied for 23rd
  • Finance MBA, tied for 23rd
  • Marketing MBA, 26th

College of Arts & Sciences

Clinical Psychology

  • Tied for second

Computer Science

Overall

  • Tied for 27th

Specialty Areas

  • Artificial Intelligence, 26th

Economics

  • Tied for 32nd

English

  • Tied for 19th

History

  • Tied for 13th

Political Science

  • Tied for 15th

Psychology

  • Tied for 14th

Public Policy

  • Tied for 23rd

Engineering

Overall

  • Tied for 64th

Specialty Areas

  • Environmental, tied for 26th
  • Biomedical, tied for 36th
  • Materials, tied for 50th

Engineering rankings are spread across several schools. Environmental engineering is in the Gillings School of Global Public Health. Biomedical engineering is in the School of Medicine. Material engineering is shared among the chemistry and applied physical sciences departments in the College of Arts and Sciences.

Excellence in graduate education
Group of UNC-Chapel Hill graduate students and faculty and staff gathered near the fountain outside of Bynum Hall during a get-together.

As Carolina celebrates 2025 Graduate and Professional Student Appreciation Week April 7-11, learn about their vital contributions to our University.

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