Northwestern University's School of Education and Social Policy (SESP) ranks number eight in the nation, according to the new 2011 ranking of graduate schools of education by U.S.News & World Report. For the past 10 years, SESP has consistently ranked among the top 12 schools nationwide.
SESP posted the second highest GRE scores of all graduate schools of education in the United States. Its doctoral students' verbal scores averaged 656, and their quantitative scores averaged 717.
SESP is also distinguished by a high amount of funded research per faculty member and a low student/faculty ratio. Funded research totaled $13.2 million in 2009, an increase of $1.7 million over the previous year. Research funding increased to $488,900 per faculty member, putting SESP fifth highest in this category.
The ratio for doctoral students to faculty members is 2.5:1, which is the School's best ratio in the past 10 years and the second best ratio among the top 10 schools. Overall, SESP ranked fourth in the nation for the selectivity of its doctoral program. The program has an acceptance rate of 11.9 percent.
For 2011 SESP received the highest assessments by education school deans and school superintendents it has ever received. SESP maintained its high overall ranking despite being the smallest of all the schools of education in the top 10. Larger schools are able to earn more points in categories such as total research dollars and number of doctorates granted.
The U.S. News ranking is based on indicators including assessments by education school deans and school superintendents, GRE scores, selectivity, funded research and student/faculty ratio. The most weight is given to the quality assessment by education school and graduate school deans.
The top 10 education schools for 2011, according to U.S. News, are as follows:
1. Vanderbilt University
2. Teacher's College, Columbia University
3. Harvard University
3. Stanford University
5. University of Oregon
6. Johns Hopkins
7. University of California - Los Angeles
8. Northwestern University
9. University of Wisconsin - Madison
10. University of California - Berkeley
10. University of Texas - Austin