Contact: Kyle Fisher Morabito
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For immediate release:
April 5, 2002

Carnegie Mellon's Computer Science Program Ranks #1 In U. S. News & World Report's Grad School Ratings

PITTSBURGH—Carnegie Mellon University has the best computer science doctoral program in the country along with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Stanford University and the University of California at Berkeley, according to U.S. News & World Report magazine's 2002 analysis of "America's Best Graduate Schools" (www.usnews.com).

Carnegie Mellon moved to a tie for the number one position in computer science after ranking third behind MIT and Stanford in 1999, the last time U.S. News ranked graduate computer science programs.

Carnegie Mellon's graduate programs in engineering and business tied with the University of Texas at Austin to rank 10th and 18th, respectively. The 2002 issue re-issues graduate program rankings from 2001, when Carnegie Mellon's Heinz School of Public Policy and Management was ranked 7th. The latest ratings appear in the April 15 issue of the magazine.

"These rankings certainly point out Carnegie Mellon's established position among the nation's top research universities," said university president Jared L. Cohon, "but they also reflect what sets us apart from many of our peers.

"We're not looking to top the charts in every field. We're looking for those special niches where we can make a substantive contribution to a field and to society. That's why you'll see most of our top rankings in specialty areas, such as artificial intelligence, computer engineering, management of information systems, cognitive psychology, and information technology and policy. We excel in exploring ideas and delivering new solutions in the areas where technology interfaces with business, policy, society and the arts."

Carnegie Mellon's specialty areas were among the top four in: artificial intelligence (ranked 2nd), cognitive psychology (2nd), computer engineering (4th), information technology and policy (1st), management of information systems (2nd), production/operations management (3rd), quantitative analysis in business (3rd) and systems in computer science (2nd).

"Our faculty, students, research partners and government leaders tell us that it is our distinctively multidisciplinary and highly practical approach to information technology that distinguishes Carnegie Mellon from other leading universities," Cohon said.

"Recently Intel cited this as the deciding factor for selecting Carnegie Mellon for a research lab in data storage software development. David Tennenhouse, vice president of Intel's Corporate Technology Group and director of research, said we were chosen 'not just because of great research, students and faculty, but also because of the great collaborative culture here-the way faculty work with each other and with industry.'"

Other rankings highlights include:
—In specialty areas, Carnegie Mellon rated fourth in computer engineering and 10th in the electrical/electronic/communications category. Overall the university's graduate engineering program placed eighth a year ago.

"Our high rankings are a testimonial of our ability to engage in interdisciplinary research and leverage the work of our small but outstanding faculty," said John Anderson, dean of Carnegie Mellon's college of engineering. "The whole is greater than the sum of the parts. Of the more than 300 engineering colleges in the U.S., ranking in the top 10 is recognition of our creativity and hard work."

—In specialty business school rankings, Carnegie Mellon remained at the top of its game by coming in second in management information systems and quantitative analysis behind MIT, and third in production/operations management behind MIT and Stanford. Overall the business school rated 17th last year.

"Our unique approach to business education continues to be a strong advantage for our students and alumni," said Business School Dean Douglas Dunn. "The toolkit we help students build consistently achieves top scores for innovation and real-market relevance, and our world-class faculty research keeps us on the leading edge of global business issues."

Carnegie Mellon was also ranked for its Ph.D. programs in several disciplines (some programs were ranked in 2002; other programs were listed with their 2001 rankings):
—public policy was listed as 7th in 2001 (the Heinz School's information technology and policy specialty area was ranked number one);
—psychology was listed as 9th, tied with the University of Wisconsin, (the department's specialty area of cognitive psychology ranked second behind Stanford);
—applied mathematics ranked 11th, tied with the University of Maryland and the University of Texas at Austin;
—economics was ranked 19th, tied with New York University;
—physics ranked 28th, tied with Brown, Michigan State and Northwestern universities;
—mathematics ranked 34th, tied with Brandeis University and CUNY;
—biological sciences ranked 54th , tied with Ohio State University, Rutgers University, the University of Florida, the University of Georgia and the University of Oregon.

U.S. News & World Report annually ranks graduate programs in business, education, engineering, law and medicine. Most other categories are not ranked annually.