Lehigh graduate programs stand out in NRC study

The National Research Council (NRC) has released its rankings of more than 5,000 doctoral programs at U.S. institutions of higher education. The last time NRC rankings were released was in 1995. (The Chronicle of Higher Education provides an overview of the new ranking system.)

Lehigh’s programs in chemical engineering, civil and environmental engineering, and industrial and systems engineering were recognized for overall excellence in the NRC survey.

Other university programs were recognized for excellence in specific dimensions of program quality identified by the NRC. Economics was cited for outstanding student support and achievement, while electrical and computer engineering and computer science and engineering were touted for high levels of faculty and student diversity.

NRC’s rankings are based on self-reported data from each university for the 2005-2006 year. Data were collected on 20 variables ranging from publications per faculty member to whether the institution provides a health insurance plan for students. These measures were then weighted for their influence, as determined by NRC, on doctoral program reputation in each field.

“We’re pleased to have some of our successes recognized in the NRC study,” said Alan Snyder, vice president and associate provost for research and graduate studies. “As we continue to develop our graduate programs, our main measure of success will remain what our students are able to achieve once they leave Lehigh.”