Duke and JHU seem ranked a bit high considering they're not really known for having strong programs across the board. Are they being carried by their medical schools? It seems medical schools can distort ratings like this since medical research is so much more expensive than other academic fields. It's that much more impressive when schools without single campus medical schools (e.g., Berkeley) are ranked highly. UT Austin vs UCLA is another example. In most academic fields, they're ranked almost the same, with each having strengths over the other. Yet UCLA has a medical school and is ranked much higher than Austin. Will be interesting to see the effect, if any, when UT Austin opens its medical school in the near future.
JHU is best known for Medicine. But it's very well ranked ranked in Education, Bio, chemistry, Physics, History, Public health, engineering (most of its engineering fields are within the top 20 or top 15), international relations, english, economics and statistics. Several of the prior mentioned fields are ranked among the top 10 or top 5.
It seems medical schools can distort ratings like this since medical research is so much more expensive than other academic fields... UT Austin vs UCLA is another example. In most academic fields, they're ranked almost the same, with each having strengths over the other. Yet UCLA has a medical school and is ranked much higher than Austin. Will be interesting to see the effect, if any, when UT Austin opens its medical school in the near future.
UCLA's medical school isn't the only health science it does well in. UCLA's hospital ranks 5th in the nation. It also has the best hospital on the west coast, a position it's had for nearly 30 years.
It's dental school is also among the best in the nation, and its medical school will likely increase significantly in quality due to Geffen's 100m donation for scholarships.
Sure, UTA and UCLA may not be much different in graduate programs, but there are a number of other programs universities can have other than just graduate programs. I imagine that health sciences generate a ton of research, and this is what gives UCLA an edge in the THE ranking.
Furthermore, UCLA is in the second tier of universities (also includes Princeton, TokyoU, and Yale) with strong reputations, which certainly gives it a boost within the ranking. UCLA's reputation scores it 35 points; Austin reputation gives it around 11 points.
UCBChemEGradRegistered UserPosts: 10,277Senior Member
JWT is the UT-Austin version of me. :-)
I always agree with what he says...he makes such logical arguments.
Ut-Austin will have their own med school in several years thanks to Mr. Dell.
Berkeley's is still across the Bay.
UCLA has absolutely no renowned majors. It may be known for film, but USC and NYU trump that.
In the NRC-95 rankings, UCLA was:
#3 in linguistics
#4 in psychology
#5 in philosophy
#5 in sociology
#6 in history
#8 in political science
In the current QS World University rankings, UCLA is:
#3 in linguistics
#6 in sociology
#7 in psychology
#8 in history
#10 in mathematics
#12 in english language & lit
#16 in politics and international studies
#17 in philosophy
In the current USNWR department rankings, UCLA is:
#2 in psychology
#8 in mathematics (#2 in logic, #2 in applied math, #3 in analysis)
#9 in history
#9 in sociology
#10 in political science
#10 in english
Then there's film, in which Hollywood Reporter pegged them at #4.
I don't know what is the threshold for "renowned", but I would think top 10 or so ought to qualify.
UCBChemEGradRegistered UserPosts: 10,277Senior Member
I said "renowned" not merely good. When you think of UCLA what majors is it known for? It's mostly known as the more fun sports UC. The Southern Branch.
Even lower UCs are known for their academic majors. UCSD = Bioengineering; UC Davis = Veterinary sciences, agricultural; UCSB = physics and creative studies. UCLA = ???? Film?
Even lower UCs are known for their academic majors. UCSD = Bioengineering; UC Davis = Veterinary sciences, agricultural; UCSB = physics and creative studies. UCLA = ???? Film?
UCLA has a strong and robust alumni network in film. In terms of representation, it's probably second only to USC.
I don't think people come to UCLA for a particular major, and that's probably a good thing. They come for a well rounded college experience, with great opportunities, and top academics in several fields. I actually did come for a major (UCLA was a very important institution in the history of analytic philosophy due to its relationship with Rudolph Carnap.) However, I can't say that i knew many others that did.
But yes, many of UCLA's alums are pre-professional, which is why is also why it's not known for drawing students from a particular major. The university has the largest undergraduate representation in the California bar, is generally one of the top 2 ABA feeders (in terms of applicants,) and one of the top 2 med school feeders (in terms of applicants.)
Talking with the students, you'd find out that many liberal arts majors are pre-law/pre-graduate school; science majors are either pre-med or some other health science related profession (pre-dent/pre-nurse); Comp. sci and engineering students will likely look for work in their major fields afterwards; Biz-econ students go into business (perhaps later getting an MBA); communications students go into marketing/PR, etc.
But even if UCLA isn't particularly well known for a major, its students still do well even in fields the university may not be 'renown' for.
^it's alright. I will always hold UCLA with greater esteem than berkeley. And that's before I even graduated from Stanford. Unlike berkeley, UCLA doesn't have to game its undergraduate admissions with spring admits.
I said "renowned" not merely good. When you think of UCLA what majors is it known for?
When you think of Yale, what majors is it known for?
Hmm, I'd have to think.
When you think of Georgetown, what majors is it known for?
International Relations immediately comes to mind.
When you think of Harvard, what majors is it particularly known for?
Again, I'd have to think.
When you think of Chicago, what majors is it known for?
Economics immediately comes to mind.
How about the University of Iowa?
Its Creative Writing program is rather renowned.
As is the English department at tiny Kenyon College.
Yet I can't think of any one program in particular for which Brown University is renowned.
In driving up the THE rankings, what matters more than anything else is "research influence". The key factor is journal citations.
Replies to: Top 100 World Universities 2013-14 (THE Rankings)
JHU is best known for Medicine. But it's very well ranked ranked in Education, Bio, chemistry, Physics, History, Public health, engineering (most of its engineering fields are within the top 20 or top 15), international relations, english, economics and statistics. Several of the prior mentioned fields are ranked among the top 10 or top 5.
http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/johns-hopkins-university-162928/overall-rankings
Even without medicine, JHU would more than hold its own against other schools on that list.
Are you pulling these statements out of thin air?
UCLA's medical school isn't the only health science it does well in. UCLA's hospital ranks 5th in the nation. It also has the best hospital on the west coast, a position it's had for nearly 30 years.
It's dental school is also among the best in the nation, and its medical school will likely increase significantly in quality due to Geffen's 100m donation for scholarships.
Sure, UTA and UCLA may not be much different in graduate programs, but there are a number of other programs universities can have other than just graduate programs. I imagine that health sciences generate a ton of research, and this is what gives UCLA an edge in the THE ranking.
Furthermore, UCLA is in the second tier of universities (also includes Princeton, TokyoU, and Yale) with strong reputations, which certainly gives it a boost within the ranking. UCLA's reputation scores it 35 points; Austin reputation gives it around 11 points.
I always agree with what he says...he makes such logical arguments.
Ut-Austin will have their own med school in several years thanks to Mr. Dell.
Berkeley's is still across the Bay.
UCLA has absolutely no renowned majors. It may be known for film, but USC and NYU trump that.
That's funny, I don't see "University of CaliforniaBerkeley" in either of these lists for best/top medical schools.
Best Medical Schools | Research Rankings | Top Medical Schools for Research | US News Best Graduate Schools
Best Medical Schools | Primary Care Rankings | Top Medical Schools for Primary Care | US News Best Graduate Schools
This leads us to one of two conclusions:
1) Berkeley has no medical school or
2) Berkeley's medical school is not a best/top medical school.
Either conclusion is fine by me ;)
In the NRC-95 rankings, UCLA was:
#3 in linguistics
#4 in psychology
#5 in philosophy
#5 in sociology
#6 in history
#8 in political science
In the current QS World University rankings, UCLA is:
#3 in linguistics
#6 in sociology
#7 in psychology
#8 in history
#10 in mathematics
#12 in english language & lit
#16 in politics and international studies
#17 in philosophy
In the current USNWR department rankings, UCLA is:
#2 in psychology
#8 in mathematics (#2 in logic, #2 in applied math, #3 in analysis)
#9 in history
#9 in sociology
#10 in political science
#10 in english
Then there's film, in which Hollywood Reporter pegged them at #4.
I don't know what is the threshold for "renowned", but I would think top 10 or so ought to qualify.
Even lower UCs are known for their academic majors. UCSD = Bioengineering; UC Davis = Veterinary sciences, agricultural; UCSB = physics and creative studies. UCLA = ???? Film?
UCLA has a strong and robust alumni network in film. In terms of representation, it's probably second only to USC.
I don't think people come to UCLA for a particular major, and that's probably a good thing. They come for a well rounded college experience, with great opportunities, and top academics in several fields. I actually did come for a major (UCLA was a very important institution in the history of analytic philosophy due to its relationship with Rudolph Carnap.) However, I can't say that i knew many others that did.
But yes, many of UCLA's alums are pre-professional, which is why is also why it's not known for drawing students from a particular major. The university has the largest undergraduate representation in the California bar, is generally one of the top 2 ABA feeders (in terms of applicants,) and one of the top 2 med school feeders (in terms of applicants.)
Talking with the students, you'd find out that many liberal arts majors are pre-law/pre-graduate school; science majors are either pre-med or some other health science related profession (pre-dent/pre-nurse); Comp. sci and engineering students will likely look for work in their major fields afterwards; Biz-econ students go into business (perhaps later getting an MBA); communications students go into marketing/PR, etc.
But even if UCLA isn't particularly well known for a major, its students still do well even in fields the university may not be 'renown' for.
UCLA math students place third in prestigious North American competition / UCLA Newsroom
When you think of Yale, what majors is it known for?
Hmm, I'd have to think.
When you think of Georgetown, what majors is it known for?
International Relations immediately comes to mind.
When you think of Harvard, what majors is it particularly known for?
Again, I'd have to think.
When you think of Chicago, what majors is it known for?
Economics immediately comes to mind.
How about the University of Iowa?
Its Creative Writing program is rather renowned.
As is the English department at tiny Kenyon College.
Yet I can't think of any one program in particular for which Brown University is renowned.
In driving up the THE rankings, what matters more than anything else is "research influence". The key factor is journal citations.
Harvard? of course law and business.
Yale? I can immediately say law and english.