Three UCI grad schools in top 50

Christine Carrillo

The rankings are in, and the Anteaters have made quite a showing.

Three graduate programs in the arts, business and engineering at

UC Irvine ranked among the top 50 in the nation, according to U.S.

News & World Report’s annual graduate school listings released

Friday.

The Graduate School of Management and the Henry Samueli School of

Engineering stepped up their rankings and the Claire Trevor School of

the Arts’ master of fine arts program in arts made the list for the

first time. “The arts are very infrequently rated among universities

with master’s programs or doctoral programs by U.S. News & World

Report,” said Nohema Fernandez, the school’s interim dean. “It

mystifies me and has always confused me, because most universities

have programs in the arts.”

Now, after finding its way on the list, the arts school landed the

34th ranking, which it shares with 10 other universities.

“It makes a big difference every step of the way,” Fernandez said.

“We need data, and it provides concrete data against other

institutions. It actually has a significant effect.”

The ranking helps lure talented students, officials said.

“This latest ranking survey confirms what we at [the Graduate

School of Management] already know -- that we are one of the nation’s

top management schools,” said Jone Pearce, the school’s dean.

“Ranking surveys may not accurately reflect a school’s educational

and academic quality. But being in the top 50 is important because

prospective MBA students use rankings surveys to make decisions on

where to apply.”

The business school ranked 46th, along with the University of

Wisconsin, Madison. With the exception of last year, the school has

been consistently ranked in the top 50 since 1997.

Having jumped 11 spots since last year’s listings, the school of

engineering made its first return to the top 50 since 1999. The

school ranked 47th this year, tied with Brown University and the

University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

“I believe we belong there and even higher,” said Nicolaos

Alexopoulos, dean of the school of engineering. “We are being noticed

much more seriously and I think this is very good for our future.”

The 2004 edition of “America’s Best Graduate Schools” will be

available at newsstands and bookstores Monday.

* CHRISTINE CARRILLO covers education and may be reached at (949)

574-4268 or by e-mail at christine.carrillo@latimes.com.