Baylor Graduate, Professional Programs Across Disciplines Ranked by U.S. News

Contact: Lori Fogleman, Baylor University Media & Public Relations, 254-709-5959
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WACO, Texas (April 9, 2024) – Highlighted by Top 20 graduate programs across disciplines ranging from physical therapy and nursing to entrepreneurship and trial advocacy, Baylor University graduate and professional programs were among those nationally ranked in the 2024 Best Graduate Schools rankings, released today by U.S. News& World Report.

NOTE: U.S. News has announced a delay in publication of rankings for Best Engineering Schools and Best Clinical Psychology programs after receiving questions about the bibliometric data used for Best Engineering Schools and which accrediting body was used as a reference for Best Clinical Psychology programs.

Hankamer School of Business

Among U.S. News Best Business Schools, the full-time MBA program in Baylor’s Hankamer School of Business moved up to No. 57 overall, highlighted by the graduate program in entrepreneurship, which is ranked No. 16 nationally.

In addition, U.S. News highlighted a pair of business graduate programs among the nation’s Top 20 in healthcare administration:

• The U.S. Army-Baylor master’s degree program in healthcare management at No. 12; and
• The MBA in healthcare administration, a specialized Baylor MBA, at No. 19.

Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences

In the U.S. News Best Public Health Schools rankings, two U.S. Army-Baylor programs in the Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences moved up:

• U.S. Army-Baylor Doctor of Physical Therapy at No. 11 nationally; and
• U.S. Army-Baylor Doctor of Occupational Therapy at No. 41. 

Robbins College also offers an innovative hybrid Doctor of Physical Therapy for civilians as well as an Orthopedic Physical Therapy Residency program, and a civilian Doctor of Occupational Therapy, which is ranked No. 53 by U.S. News. This program offers two doctoral tracks using innovative, learner-focused, elevated instructional technology – the Entry-level Doctor of Occupational Therapy Program and the Post-professional Doctor of Occupational Therapy Program.

U.S. News ranked Baylor’s public health graduate program No. 78 for both its Master of Public Health (residential and online) and a Ph.D. in Public Health with focuses in either epidemiology or social and behavioral health science.

In addition, U.S. News ranked Baylor’s speech-language pathology graduate program that offers both a master’s degree (residential and online) and Ph.D. in communications sciences and disorders at No. 78.

Louise Herrington School of Nursing

In the U.S. News Best Nursing Schools rankings, the Doctor of Nursing Practice in Baylor’s Louise Herrington School of Nursing in Dallas was ranked No. 66 in the nation.

In specialty rankings, two Baylor LHSON graduate nursing programs are noted by U.S. News:

• The U.S. Army graduate program in anesthesia nursing, which operates at the U.S. Army Medical Center of Excellence at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, at No. 2 nationally; and
• The nurse-midwifery program at No. 22 in the nation.

Baylor nursing’s Doctor of Nursing Practice program offers eight tracks, including Family Nurse Practitioner, Nurse-Midwifery, Neonatal Nurse Practitioner, Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, Executive Nurse Leadership, Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner and U.S. Army Anesthesia Nursing.

Baylor Law School

Among the U.S. News Best Law Schools, Baylor Law moved up to No. 46. In the law specialty rankings, Baylor again is one of the top law schools in the country for trial advocacy, with the program ranked No. 3 nationally.

Baylor Law’s trial advocacy program puts litigation students to the test in actual courtrooms, with real cases, before sitting judges — through Baylor Law’s Trial Advocacy Clinic. Open to third-year students, the clinic connects volunteers to clients through two programs: Juvenile Court and Municipal Court.

Baylor School of Education

The Baylor School of Education’s graduate programs moved up to No. 122 in the U.S. News Best Education Schools rankings. The School of Education offers:

• Ph.D. programs in curriculum and teaching, educational psychology, higher education studies and leadership, school psychology and P-12 educational leadership;
• Ed.D. programs in K-12 educational leadership and learning and organizational change; an Ed.S. (education specialist) in school psychology through programs in Waco and Dallas; 
• Master’s degrees in teaching, curriculum and instruction, educational psychology and school leadership;
• A joint M.A./M.S.Ed./M.Div that combines the faculty and resources of the Baylor School of Education and Baylor’s George W. Truett Theological Seminary; and 
• M.S.Ed. programs in curriculum and instruction, educational psychology, higher education and student affairs and sport management.

Diana R. Garland School of Social Work

In the U.S. News Best Schools for Social Work rankings, the social work graduate program in Baylor’s Diana R. Garland School of Social Work is ranked No. 51 in the nation.

The GSSW offers the Master of Social Work with residential and online options and the Ph.D. in social work, which is designed to develop leaders and educators who can lead visionary social work education or service programs and conduct original research addressing today’s complex social issues. It also provides a distinctive focus on the integration of religion and faith with the ethics, values and practices of the social work profession.

U.S. News Best Graduate School methodology

U.S. News first published a reputation-only graduate school ranking in 1987. The annual “America’s Best Graduate Schools” report began in 1990.

The annual rankings evaluate professional school programs in business, education, law and nursing, among other fields, plus specialties in each area. The Best Graduate Schools rankings in these areas are based on two types of data: expert opinion about program excellence and statistical indicators that measure the quality of a school's faculty, research, and students and their post-graduate outcomes.

U.S. News' annual rankings of graduate programs in public affairs, public health schools and programs, and computer science are calculated from qualitative ratings on academic quality submitted by top officials at these schools. Periodically, U.S. News ranks programs in the sciences, social sciences and humanities, health and many other fields.

The most current rankings are listed on usnews.com.

ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY

Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked Research 1 institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for more than 20,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 100 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions.