Michigan Tech Graduate Engineering Specialties on the Rise in US News Rankings

Six graduate engineering programs at Michigan Technological University rose in the annual graduate engineering specialty rankings released Tuesday, March 10 by US News and World Report.

Environmental engineering was ranked 38^th in the nation, compared to 52^nd last year. Electrical engineering was ranked 92^nd, up from 114^th last year. Mechanical engineering ranked 53^rd, an 8-point rise over 2014, and biomedical engineering also saw an 8-point increase, to 63^rd from 71^st.   Civil engineering rose five points to 63^rd, and computer engineering rose two points to 95^th in the nation.  

“We are pleased that most of our graduate programs in engineering have risen in these rankings, reflecting continued progress in research, graduate education, and of course in reputation, said Wayne Pennington, dean of Michigan Tech’s College of Engineering.  “Six of our eight ranked programs have moved ahead, some of them significantly, and we are proud of their ongoing success.” 

Biomedical Engineering

Tech’s Department of Biomedical Engineering, which was ranked for the first time just last year, has climbed quickly to become one of the highest-ranked biomedical engineering programs at a university that is not affiliated with a medical school.

Overall, Michigan Tech’s graduate engineering programs ranked 104^th of 140 ranked, tied with Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis and the University of Alabama.

“I am happy that the majority of our programs in engineering saw an increase in their rankings this year, said Jacqueline Huntoon, dean of the Graduate School. “As we all know, the rankings have a strong reputational component, meaning that what people think about us is as important as what is really going on here at the University. The programs that saw an increase in ranking are getting some much deserved recognition, and this is due to the research accomplishments of faculty, staff and students in those programs.

“I hope that in the coming years we can continue to all work together to promote Michigan Tech as the home of major advancements in research, so that the University as a whole gets wider recognition as a center for research and innovation,” Dean Huntoon went on to say.

US News’ annual graduate and professional school rankings are based on two types of data, according to the magazine’s web site: statistical data such as graduate entrance exam scores, acceptance rate, research expenditures and enrollment, and expert opinions about program excellence. Deans, program directors, senior faculty and employers who hire new graduates are surveyed for their opinions on the academic quality of graduate programs in their fields.

Michigan Technological University is a public research university founded in 1885 in Houghton, Michigan, and is home to more than 7,000 students from 55 countries around the world. Consistently ranked among the best universities in the country for return on investment, Michigan’s flagship technological university offers more than 120 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in science and technology, engineering, computing, forestry, business and economics, health professions, humanities, mathematics, social sciences, and the arts. The rural campus is situated just miles from Lake Superior in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, offering year-round opportunities for outdoor adventure.