In its annual rankings of leading graduate and professional programs at American universities, U.S. News & World Report magazine has rated among the country’s leaders UC Santa Barbara’s Gevirtz Graduate School of Education and the College of Engineering. The Ph.D. programs in the biological sciences and in chemistry were also highly rated.

“We are always pleased when our programs are recognized in the various rankings for their outstanding quality,” said Chancellor Henry T. Yang. “Such rankings are a reflection of our first-rate faculty and the academic leadership on our campus, and I congratulate my colleagues on this recognition.”

The College of Engineering was ranked in 19th place (in a tie), up from 21st place one year ago. In addition, two of the college’s specialized graduate programs were ranked among the top 10 in the country: materials, ranked 4th (in a tie), and chemical engineering, ranked 9th.

Noting the steady rise in the College of Engineering’s rankings, Matthew Tirrell, the Richard Auhll professor and dean of engineering, said, “It is gratifying to be recognized as among the top 20 engineering schools in the country, and 12th among engineering colleges in public universities. We are highly motivated to build on this recognition and deliver our unique brand of graduate education to future groups of world-class graduate students.”

The Gevirtz Graduate School of Education was included among the top 50 such programs in the country. It was ranked 49th over all and 35th among schools at public universities.

“Our energies are devoted to eliminating achievement problems for the children of California, and supporting educators to use the latest research-based evidence to facilitate academic, social, and emotional success for learners,” said the dean of the Gevirtz School, Jane Close Conoley. “We appreciate the national recognition that the rankings provide and plan to increase our efforts to make a difference for families, educators, and young people in our region and state.”

U.S. News ranks Ph.D. programs in various disciplines, but it does not compile new rankings in all fields every year. This year the only new rankings were in the biological sciences and chemistry. UCSB’s Ph.D. program in the biological sciences was ranked 58th (in a tie), while its Ph.D. program in chemistry was ranked 26th (in a tie).