emergency and crisis management Archives | ��ֱ�� News

UCF Graduate Programs Climb in U.S. News’ 2026 Rankings, Reflecting Strength in Serving National Needs

UCF — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 13:01:22 +0000

UCF continues our upward momentum in the 2026 U.S. News & World Report Graduate Programs Rankings, earning 14 recognitions in the top 50. From emergency management and counseling to nursing and aerospace engineering, ��’s rise highlights a university-wide focus on faculty excellence, hands-on learning, and preparing graduates to lead in high-impact careers across critical workforces.

Boardman Endowed Professor of Environmental Science and Public Administration Christopher Emrich (left) and founding Director of UCF’s Emergency and Crisis Management Program Claire Connolly Knox (right) in the university’s Emergency Operations Center.

The National Leader in Emergency and Crisis Management

UCF earned the No. 1 Homeland/National Security and Emergency Management Graduate Program ranking in the nation for the third consecutive year.

At the forefront of this year’s ranking is the College of Community Innovation and Education (CCIE)’s online emergency and crisis management program, signaling ��’s long-standing leadership in programs that keep people safe from disasters of all kinds.

“To maintain the U.S. News No. 1 ranking of graduate programs in homeland security and emergency management is truly a team endeavor,” Associate Professor of Public Administration Yue ‘Gurt’ Ge says. “It reflects our nationally and internationally renowned faculty in education and research, our stellar students and alumni — who have become the backbone of the emergency management profession in Florida and beyond — and our signature staff members and advisory board representing government, nonprofit, and business sectors across Central Florida.”

That strong connection to practice is central to the program’s success. Faculty research influences policy nationwide, while students gain real-world insight through close partnerships with emergency managers at the local, state and federal levels. Graduates leave prepared to respond to complex crises, from natural disasters to public health emergencies, at a time when the need for highly trained professionals continues to grow.

Sejal Barden helps counselor education students gain real-world counseling experience through initiatives like Project Harmony and the UCF Community Counseling and Research Center.

A Top-10 School Preparing Student Counselors

UCF’s College of Community Innovation and Education also earned the No. 9 ranking for Student Counseling and Personnel Services Graduate Programs in the nation.

Recognition for CCIE’s student counseling graduate program reflects ��’s high-touch faculty mentorship model and its emphasis on integrating research, service, and professional preparation.

For Benoit Aubin, a first-year doctoral student in counselor education, that support has been transformative. A former firefighter and medic, Aubin now works as a mental health clinician for his former fire station while serving as a graduate research assistant with ��’s Marriage and Family Research Institute (MFRI).

With guidance from Department of Counselor Education and School Psychology Chair and MFRI Executive Director Sejal Barden, Aubin has conducted clinical research focused on trauma and relationship stress among first-responder couples. His work has already contributed to a funded grant, conference presentations, a published book and the development of a training program — achievements he credits to a highly supportive learning environment.

“UCF knows how to prepare us to compete professionally,” Aubin says.

Acute care nurse practitioner DNP students demonstrate skills in the health assessment lab during the opening tour of the Dr. Phillips Nursing Pavilion in Lake Nona.

A 34-Spot Rise in Advanced Nursing Education

UCF’s College of Nursing jumped 34 spots to No. 37 for Doctor of Nursing Practice Graduate Programs in the nation — the highest ranking in the college’s history.

UCF’s Doctor of Nursing Practice program (DNP) improved ranking reflects a continued investment in academic rigor, faculty expertise and hands-on clinical training designed to address the nation’s growing need for nurse practitioners.

Graduates from the DNP program consistently outperform national first-time pass rates on nurse practitioner certification exams. They also often receive job offers before they even complete their degrees, according to Christopher Blackwell ’00 ’01MSN ’05PhD, director of ��’s adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioner program. All full-time faculty hold at least one doctoral degree, more than half remain actively practicing clinicians and many are nationally recognized fellows. Through partnerships with healthcare organizations across Central Florida students gain applied experience alongside expert preceptors in varied clinical settings.

“The incredible amount of support I’ve received from ��’s nursing professors and the opportunities to make an impact through my research and clinical practice solidified that I made the best choice in my graduate degree,” says Mimi Alliance ’21, a family nurse practitioner doctoral student who provides care and conducts research on the UCF Mobile Health Clinic.

Some of that training is anchored in the college’s Helene Fuld Health Trust STIM Center, an internationally recognized simulation facility that strengthens clinical skills and decision-making before students enter patient-care environments. The STIM Center, as well as ��’s nursing programs, are housed in the Dr. Phillips Nursing Pavilion, which opened in Lake Nona in Fall 2025 thanks to generous state and industry support — a proof point of UCF’s ability to solve real-world issues.

Postdoctoral scholar and alum Rachel Hyvotick ’24MS ’25PhD (left) working with Trustee Chair Professor Kareem Ahmed in the UCF HyperSpace Center.

Building on a Legacy of Aerospace Engineering Excellence

As Florida’s Technological ��ֱ��, UCF continues to build on our strength in technology-driven fields by ranking No. 38 for Aerospace Engineering Graduate Programs in the nation.

The UCF College of Engineering and Computer Sciences‘ aerospace engineering graduate program ranking reinforces the university’s legacy in a field deeply tied to Florida’s Space Coast and NASA’s recent Artemis II launch.

“It is gratifying to see the hard work and exciting research of our faculty and students recognized by our peers,” says Associate Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Jeffrey Kauffman, noting that since launching the aerospace engineering doctoral program in 2019, UCF has steadily climbed in rankings while program enrollment has grown to more than 100 doctoral students.

Fueling that growth are advances in hypersonic flight, space exploration and defense research, with ��’s HyperSpace Center serving as a catalyst for interdisciplinary collaboration. Faculty success in securing competitive federal research funding has strengthened infrastructure and expanded opportunities for both graduate and undergraduate students.

The result is a vibrant research environment where students engage directly in cutting-edge projects and build industry connections well before entering the workforce.

Across disciplines, ��’s growth in the U.S. News & World Report’s graduate rankings reflects a shared commitment to student success — driven by faculty who mentor closely, curricula that align with real-world needs and an institutional culture focused on impact. As ��’s graduate programs continue to climb, they reinforce the university’s role as a national leader preparing professionals to tackle society’s most urgent challenges.

From Engineering to Counseling, Graduate Programs Highly Ranked by U.S. News Propel UCF Alumni to Thrive in Career

Mark Schlueb ’93 ’21MA — Tue, 08 Apr 2025 13:07:16 +0000

While pursuing a doctoral degree in aerospace engineering at UCF, Tommy Genova ’20MS ’20PhD worked alongside Professor Kareem Ahmed, one of the world’s foremost researchers in hypersonics and combustion. He played a leading role in designing and measuring outcomes of combustion experiments and collaborated regularly with engineering partners from GE and other companies.

Genova credits Ahmed, as well as renowned professors Jayanta Kapat and Subith Vasu, for helping to propel him to a highly successful career. He now works as the lead engineer of combustion at GE Aerospace, one of the nation’s aviation and aerospace component manufacturing companies.

“I attribute most of my success to the degree I got from UCF,” Genova says. “The technical skills I built and connections I made in my graduate studies and research have been invaluable to get me to the point I’ve gotten to in my career.

Like Genova, the U.S. News & World Report Best Graduate Schools rankings recognize the high quality of ��’s aerospace engineering graduate program, which advanced seven spots and now is among the top 40 in the nation.

Overall, 13 UCF graduate programs rank among the top 50 in the nation. Among public universities, nine programs in engineering and computer science rank in the top 50.

��’s emergency and crisis management program ranks No. 1 in the nation, counselor education is No. 9 and nonprofit management is No. 15.

UCF is the ideal home for graduate students looking to advance their careers and gain new skills in those fields and many others. In addition to working alongside world-class faculty, students benefit from the university’s location in Orlando and strong partnerships with industry.

The city is home to many leading engineering firms, a world modeling and simulation hub and the hospitality capital of the world, as well as a short drive from the Space Coast.

Orlando also is one of the most dynamic regions in the country, securing the No. 1 ranking among the 30 most populous metro areas in job growth, population growth and GDP growth. In 2024, Orlando led the nation in employment expansion, driven by thriving industries such as healthcare, tech and financial services.

A UCF education combines the strong advantages of Orlando with world-class faculty like Ahmed, Vasu and Kapat who bring strong industry and academic experience into classrooms and research labs.

“��’s rise in U.S. News & World Report’s Best Graduate Schools rankings reflects our strategic commitment to becoming a national leader in engineering,” says Michael D. Johnson, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs. “Across our academic enterprise, we are investing in exceptional faculty, expanding research capabilities and deepening industry partnerships — all with the goal of preparing our students to excel in high-impact careers and to help address the world’s most pressing challenges.”

Nation’s Top Pipeline to Aerospace Industry

Advances in engineering rankings at Florida’s Premier Engineering and Technology ��ֱ�� have come as the university has launched a bold faculty hiring initiative to prepare leaders for the future of industry.

UCF also has consistently been ranked by Aviation Week Network as the No. 1 provider of talent in the nation to aerospace and defense companies.

For GE, Genova is far from the only example of that strong talent pipeline. He says his division of GE has hired many UCF graduates who are making substantial contributions to the company.

“UCF has invested a lot into its aerospace engineering program, and it has shown,” he says. “There is a lot of exciting research going on that make it an attractive destination for someone interested in the aerospace field. This is not only evident from the strong growth of the program, but the increased number of UCF graduates in the field.”

“Graduate school at UCF was a challenge but rewarding. The course work was quite informative and helpful in understanding aerospace concepts at a deeper level.” — Nik Patel ’19MS, alum

Many UCF aerospace engineering graduates go on to prominent roles at NASA and — at a time when private spaceflight is rapidly growing — the nation’s leading private spaceflight companies.

Nik Patel ’19MS worked in Tarek Elgohary’s lab on his path to a master’s degree in aerospace engineering. He completed a co-op at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which led to a full-time job as flight director and mobility subject matter expert for the Mars Curiosity Rover.

“Eventually, I was recruited by Blue Origin to work on their lunar lander program as the verification and validation lead for mission operations systems,” Patel says. “I have been here at Blue Origin for three years now and we are quite excited to see the lander land in the coming future. I am now working as one of the leads on the lunar mission.”

“From the master’s classes, I learned the soft skills required to do my job. For example, balancing multiple priorities, communicating with teams efficiently and focusing on the entire system of an aerospace project,” Patel says.

Helping Students through UCF Counselor Education Program

Emily Ferrand ’20 graduated from the counselor education program with a focus on school counseling. The program now ranks No. 9 in the country after moving up three spots this year.

Ferrand says she learned a lot in the graduate program, particularly from senior lecturer Stacy Van Horn and Associate Professor J. Richelle Joe. Ferrand has worked five years at Horizon West Middle School, including three years as the school’s lead counselor.

“UCF knows how to produce really solid counselors. The professors are really supportive, and they don’t shy away from giving feedback, which is really important,” Ferrand says. “If I’m not doing something well, then I want someone to let me know that, so I can continue to grow and become a better counselor.”

“I’m still friends with some of the people in my master’s program, and I see them flourishing as counselors, too. It’s a really great program, and I would always recommend it to anyone who asks,” she says.

UCF has also been recognized as a top 40 Best Education School, improving 30 spots in 5 years.

UCF Emergency Management Remains No. 1 in the Nation

Lauren Gros ’22 is an alumna of the master’s in emergency and crisis management program, which equips students with the knowledge and skills needed to practice as highly trained emergency management professionals.

The emergency management program at UCF continues to rank No. 1 in the nation, with graduates who have outstanding training and knowledge courtesy of highly skilled faculty.

“The program’s stellar reputation and national ranking made it an obvious choice for pursuing these goals,” Gros says. “One of the highlights was working at Seminole County Emergency Management, an opportunity made possible by the university’s strong connections.”

Gros now works as a professional staff member in the U.S. House of Representatives’ Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, which has emergency management as part of its jurisdiction.

“UCF equipped me with a robust foundation in emergency management and public administration, which I apply daily in my career,” Gros says. “I’d enthusiastically recommend UCF to anyone considering a career in emergency management.”

Other UCF programs ranked highly in the public affairs category include:

Nonprofit Management — No. 15
Public Management and Leadership — No. 21
Public Finance and Budgeting — No. 27
Public Affairs — No. 46

Three Health Programs Rank Among Top 50 Nationally

When Jeff Schmidt evaluated where he wanted to pursue his Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree, he focused on programs’ academic excellence, cost and location.

UCF ranks No. 42 in the nation for graduate physical therapy programs. The cohort graduating in 2024 had a 100% employment rate.

“It was clear UCF met all of those criteria,” he says. “During the interview process I realized a fourth item would be just as important: the faculty. It was immediately clear how caring, supportive, down-to-earth the UCF DPT faculty are. This really resonated with me, and I knew right away I wanted to be a part of this program. I could see myself growing significantly as a student and as a person over the next three years under their guidance — and I was absolutely right.”

Today, Schmidt is a senior physical therapist at AdventHealth Sports Med & Rehab. He treats patients with neurologic conditions at a rehabilitation clinic and also serves as a mentor within AdventHealth’s neurologic residency program and a clinical instructor for DPT students. He also collaborates with his Ph.D. mentor Ethan Hill and the UCF Strategies for Therapeutic Rehabilitation and Optimization for Neuromuscular Growth (STRONG) Lab to examine the effects of blood flow restriction on resistance and walking training for people with multiple sclerosis.

“The UCF DPT program is highly ranked because of its exceptional faculty, rigorous curriculum, clinical focus and emphasis on research,” Schmidt says. “In my experience working with UCF DPT students and new graduates, their readiness to excel in the physical therapy field is evident. This is a direct result of the program’s commitment to facilitating academic and professional excellence.”

��’s healthcare management program ranks No. 41 in the country, and speech language pathology is No. 48.

Matt Atkins ’20 ’22MHA earned a ��ǰ�’s in health services administration and master’s in health administration. He credits his UCF education with helping him become executive director of Spring Haven Senior Living in Winter Haven, Florida — where he successfully leads of a team of more than 100 people who care for more than 200 residents.

“I have had an extensive relationship with the faculty that didn’t just end once I walked across the stage at commencement,” he says. “The biggest thing that sets [��’s faculty] apart, [which] is obvious as soon as you walk into a classroom and start interacting with [them], is they’re all about developing their students and impacting their future.”

UCF Emergency Management Professor Inducted as National Academy of Public Administration Fellow

Danielle Hendrix ’15 — Thu, 14 Nov 2024 15:00:36 +0000

Each year, the National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA) inducts a new cohort of academic and industry professionals in the public administration field to serve as academy fellows. The 2024 cohort comprises 42 inductees — and , professor of emergency and crisis management, is one of them.

NAPA fellows are tapped to provide insight and experience to address current and emerging issues in government, from overseeing academy projects and lending expertise to providing guidance and contribution to discourse on government.

“The 2024 class of academy fellows reflects a wide range of professional experience, including dedicated civil servants and accomplished academics,” says Terry Gerton, president and CEO of NAPA. “These 42 leaders will be an enormous asset to the academy in the years ahead, and we look forward to working with all of them to help create a bright future for our country.”

Fellows are selected based on a rigorous review of an individual’s contributions to the field of public administration and policy. The Fellows Nominating Committee makes its recommendations to nearly 1,000 existing fellows, who then vote on which candidates to induct. Those currently serving in the academy include former cabinet officers, members of Congress, governors, mayors, state legislators, prominent scholars, executives, nonprofit leaders and more. A new cohort of academy fellows is inducted annually during NAPA’s fall meeting.

Knox is one of only 24 NAPA fellows in Florida — a distinction she says she finds both rewarding and humbling. As a first-generation college student hailing from coastal Louisiana, Knox says she doesn’t take any of her educational or research-based accomplishments for granted. Knox, who also serves as the academic program coordinator for ��’s emergency and crisis management master’s program, is the fifth professor in the to be named a NAPA fellow. Her induction to the academy follows those of in 2015, in 2020, Pegasus Professor in 2021 and in 2023.

“To have this amazing honor is extremely humbling, and I could not have done this without the support of friends, family, mentors and colleagues who have guided me on the path that got me to where I am now,” she says. “So much of my research and mentorship approach has been focused on lifting up the next generation. … This academy allows us the opportunity to work with the elite of public administration — from all levels of government and academia — to tackle wicked problems by pushing for good governance through the study and practice of public administration.”

Knox says that one of the greatest responsibilities that comes with being a fellow is providing recommendations for consideration by federal government.

Grant Hayes, dean of the UCF College of Community Innovation and Education, says Knox’s expertise in emergency management will be a valuable contribution to the NAPA fellowship.

“I am pleased that Dr. Knox has been invited to join an elite group of academy and industry professionals in public administration, reflecting her dedication to conducting impactful research and informed advocacy,” Hayes says. “This strong commitment to engaging in transformative research aligns well with our college’s central mission of collaborating with community stakeholders to create innovative solutions to complex … issues.”

Into the Heart of a Crisis

Robert Stephens — Mon, 27 Apr 2020 15:31:13 +0000

Few of us, if we’re honest, paid full attention to the actions of task forces or crisis and emergency managers — until mid-March. Now, the world practically turns on their every move. At a most coincidental time, UCF is about to graduate its first three students from the Masters of Emergency and Crisis Management (MECM) program. They happen to be at the leading edge of an oncoming wave.

“Because the program is so young, we can adjust the lessons to reflect whatever is going on in real time.” – Claire Connolly Knox, director of the program.

“Students are attracted to the program because they’ve been directly impacted by recent disasters — , the BP oil spill, the Pulse Nightclub massacre, and now the pandemic,” says Claire Connolly Knox, director of the program. “Interest has taken off almost exponentially.”

Both the ��ǰ�’s and master’s programs in emergency management launched in Fall 2018. Initial projections of 20 students taking up the major by 2020 has been raised to 150 for the coming fall. And U.S. News and World Report ranked ��’s MECM program No. 2 in the nation.

The first three graduates, and Knox, provide a wide-lens picture of who is at the heart of emergency and crisis management.

The Director

It takes only a few seconds before Knox’s passion for the environment can be heard clearly. A minute later, the Louisiana Cajun accent also sneaks in.

“Growing up in the coastal wetlands, I understood how fragile our relationship is with nature, and the impact it can have when it breaks down. The wetlands are the first line of defense against hurricanes.”

Still, she had no idea how bad it could be. While studying for her master’s in public administration at Florida State ��ֱ�� in 2005, Hurricane Katrina devastated her beloved Bayou State. The scrambled response became a series of tragic lessons learned — communication, collaboration, basic preparedness. The aftermath also kick-started Knox on a path that drew her to UCF, in a region with more than its share of crises and at a school willing to adopt new ideas.

“Because the program is so young, we can adjust the lessons to reflect whatever is going on in real time. That’s essential in this dynamic and complex profession,” she says.

At the moment, she and other program faculty are literally creating new teaching modules derived from the ongoing COVID-19 experience. The team in the MECM curriculum includes some of the most published and cited scholars in this discipline, as well as an advisory board of practitioners from every sector. Knox also points to a group just as valuable: the students.

“Something other than fancy titles and hats is driving them,” she says. “It’s their hearts. They make the program real because of their own experiences.”

The Security Specialist

Jaime Garcia first recognized a whole new world opening in his field of expertise, ironically the same day he had to close himself off.

Jamie Garcia is an intern at Osceola County Office of Emergency Management and a part-time security guard to Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom.

On March 16, Garcia was thinking about graduation, job prospects, and finishing up his internship with the Osceola County Office of Emergency Management. At the door of the county building, he was asked if he’d been in any crowds the previous weekend. As a then part-time security guard at the Magic Kingdom, Garcia had. He spent the next 14 days in quarantine watching the news. What he saw and heard from Ecuador, where he was born and raised, only emboldened his reasons for pursuing his MECM.

“People were dying, the morgues were full, and they didn’t know what to do because there had been no planning,” says Garcia. “Here, even though I didn’t like being quarantined, I knew there was a good reason. The contrast proves why we need good people making decisions before and during a crisis.”

Garcia’s first lessons came from his father, a doctor. While many people in authority, including doctors, used their positions in Ecuador to hoard essentials and profit from them, Garcia’s father would drive into rural areas and distribute vaccines and treatments for free.

“He said helping people was always the right thing to do.”

As a teenager, Garcia coordinated a group of classmates to collect food and clothes for families following a mudslide. After moving to Charlotte, North Carolina, he took a group of security colleagues to deliver water to evacuees in the Superdome following Hurricane Katrina.

“We have so many blessings in the U.S., but that made me realize we can never take them for granted.”

All of these experiences led Garcia to enter the MECM program when it launched in 2018. “It’s a continuation of what I love doing,” he says. “We discuss how things are always changing and how to prepare for anything.”

At work he’s been in discussions about crises like water contamination or a second outbreak of COVID-19.

“We’re also preparing for the possibility of severe weather later this week.”

The Meteorologist

It’s 8:30 a.m. and Maureen McCann is in full stride. A meteorologist for Spectrum News 13, she’s already been on the air 20 times this morning to give weather updates. In the midst of Central Florida’s singular focus on COVID-19, McCann needs to find a way to alert us that, yes, a severe storm is a distinct possibility in the next 72 hours. Weather events pay no attention to lockdown orders.

Maureen McCann is a meteorologist for Spectrum News 13 and is among the first graduates of UCF’s Master’s of Emergency and Crisis Management program.

“Our motto is, ‘Don’t be scared, be prepared,’ ” she says. “That’s true in any emergency situation — the virus, the weather, a severe storm. The more I know about crisis management, the better I can communicate preparedness to viewers.”

“Watching the meteorologists on TV made me less scared,” she says. “I decided that’s what I wanted to do — warn people and calm them at the same time.”

After earning a ��ǰ�’s degree from Cornell ��ֱ��, McCann’s television career led her around the country. Whether she was in Austin or Denver, something about Central Florida intrigued her. Specifically, the storms. When she moved here in 2013, she also had an unfinished master’s degree. The launch of ��’s MECM in 2018 seemed fortuitous.

“I liked that it’s a fresh program and the instructors are willing to adjust so we can collaborate on real-time events.”

She and her cohorts have gleaned lessons from hurricanes Irma, Maria, Michael and Dorian. Even the meteorologist has had her light-bulb moments.

“I’m a scientist with an opportunity to communicate directly with people who will be impacted by an event. That’s a form of emergency management in itself.

“Another big takeaway is the need to network before a disaster, not during. My network has expanded through the program to include security, conservation, a first responder. The boots on the ground … that’s an interesting perspective.”

The Paramedic

Chris Goodson is catching his breath. He’s just finished a workout near his neighborhood on the south side of Chicago, and now he’s foraging for what we’ve all come to know in recent weeks as a PPE kit. A risk and safety specialist for Superior Ambulance, he’s waiting to find out where he’s needed next.

“I like to be on the move,” Goodson says.

Chris Goodson is a paramedic in Chicago and a soon-to-be graduate of UCF’s Master’s of Emergency and Crisis Management program.

He’ll transfer COVID-19 patients to rehab facilities or to McCormick Place, which FEMA has set up as a field hospital downtown. “The situation we’re facing isn’t one that I enjoy, but the chaos is putting my education into practice.”

His winding route involved uprooting from his home to enter a brand-new graduate program 1,200 miles away at UCF. “I’m glad I took the chance,” he says. “Leaders in Central Florida have been at the forefront of disasters in terms of coordination, action, protocols, leadership. I’d like to use those lessons here at home.”

Goodson grew up in “The Hole,” the most oppressive section of Chicago’s notorious Robert Taylor Homes public housing project. Gunshots became everyday noise. “Police might come or they might not. At some point I thought, ‘Chris, you could provide the help.’ ”

After high school, he completed two years at Eastern Illinois ��ֱ�� before enlisting in the Army, spent time in Afghanistan, delivered aid to Haiti, helped the recovery following Hurricane Sandy, and eventually moved to Roseland in the south-side of Chicago as a paramedic. At UCF he learned about cultural competency as a central concept in crisis management. Back home, it’s more than a concept.

“Hospitals near my neighborhood are underfunded and understaffed. More black people are dying because of underlying health conditions, a lack of resources, and slow response. You have to know how things work at the local level to effectively help.”

Goodson plans to take a grant writing class to round out his credentials. In five years, he sees himself in a role with FEMA or a local governing body. But for now, he’s checking his gloves and mask. He doesn’t know where he’ll be 20 minutes from now. And that’s just fine with Goodson. He’s ready for anything.

27 UCF Graduate Programs Ranked Among the Top 100 in the Nation

Tue, 12 Mar 2019 15:04:52 +0000

Twenty-seven UCF programs were nationally ranked today in the top 100 of their fields by U.S. News & World Report, and 35 graduate programs total were included in the publication’s 2020 Best Graduate Schools edition. This is a record number of programs ranked for the university.

“The new rankings reflect our focus on student success and faculty excellence and puts us one step closer to reaching our goal of becoming a 21st-century university committed to fueling the talent, ideas and innovation that will drive our community and state forward.”

The list shows the university’s upward trajectory in the number of programs on the top 100 list; there were 18 programs ranked in 2017. The rankings measure the quality of 800 schools’ faculty, research and students, and are based on peer and expert opinions.

“From our growing academic reputation to our successful athletic programs, the ��ֱ�� has made impressive gains over the last decade,” says Elizabeth A. Dooley, provost and vice president for academic affairs. “The new rankings reflect our focus on student success and faculty excellence and puts us one step closer to reaching our goal of becoming a 21st-century university committed to fueling the talent, ideas and innovation that will drive our community and state forward.”

��’s top-ranked program this year, Emergency and Crisis Management, tied for No. 7, above programs at Texas A&M ��ֱ��, American ��ֱ�� and George Washington ��ֱ��. The program is under the direction of Associate Professor Claire Connolly Knox, who says the course builds on the strength of the faculty, advisory board and alumni who mentor students.

“Effective emergency and crisis management is vital for every community,” Knox says. “Since 2016, four hurricanes — Matthew, Irma, Maria and Michael — and three mass casualty events — Pulse nightclub, Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School and Fort Lauderdale Airport — have greatly impacted Florida communities. There is an increasing need for emergency management specialists to expand their knowledge, skills and abilities through an advanced degree so they can more ethically manage emergencies and crises.”

The next highest UCF rankings are the Nonprofit Management at No. 8 (moving up from 12) and Counselor Education at No. 9 (moving up from 10).

Other programs ranked in the top 50 are: Optics and Photonics (No. 12), Elementary Education (No. 22), Public Administration (No. 23), Criminal Justice (No. 26), Industrial Engineering (No. 36) and Health Administration (No. 46).

UCF programs with the biggest point-gain improvements this year were in nursing. ��’s master’s nursing school ranked No. 61 overall, moving up 26 points, and the Doctor of Nursing Practice ranked No. 72, improving by 29 points.

Other programs in the top 100 are:
Computer Engineering (No. 52)
Communication Sciences and Disorders (No. 53)
Electrical Engineering (No. 53)
Overall best public administration graduate school (No. 53)
Materials Science and Engineering (No. 57)
Physics (No. 61)
Environmental Engineering (No. 63)
Civil Engineering (No. 65)
Mechanical Engineering (No. 65)
Social Work (No. 70)
Overall best graduate engineering school (No. 75)
Overall best graduate education school (No. 78)
Computer Science (No. 82)
Overall medical research school (No. 88)
Part-time MBA (No. 89)

This was the first time in the top 100 for the part-time MBA, which includes both the UCF Evening MBA and the UCF Part-time Professional MBA.

U.S. News & World Report: 25 UCF Programs on List of Top 100 Graduate Schools

Tue, 27 Mar 2018 19:30:04 +0000

Twenty-five UCF programs were ranked in the top 100 of their fields by the recently released U.S. News & World Report’s Best Graduate Schools of 2019, a total gain of three programs from last year.

UCF has experienced an upward trend in the number of programs on the top 100 list. There were 18 programs ranked in 2017 , followed by 22 in 2018.

��’s top-ranked program this year is Emergency Management and Homeland Security, which is ranked No. 6 in the nation. The ranking category is new this year for the magazine. The university’s program is in the School of Public Administration under the direction of Claire Connolly Knox.

The next highest UCF rankings were Counselor of Education at No. 10, and Nonprofit Management and Optics & Photonics, both at No. 12.

Other programs this year ranked in the top 50 were: Public Management and Leadership (23), Criminology (26), Public Budgeting and Finance (29), Public Policy Analysis (34), Health Administration (38), Industrial Engineering (39), Public Administration (44), and Materials Engineering (50).

The biggest point-gain improvement in the rankings was Physics, which moved up 24 points to No. 61. Materials Engineering jumped 21 points, and Public Administration advanced 19 points.

Other programs in the top 100 were: Computer Engineering (53), Communication Sciences and Disorders (53), Electrical Engineering (55), College of Engineering & Computer Science (75), Mechanical Engineering (75), Civil Engineering (76), Environmental Engineering (76), Computer Science (82), Medical Research (86), Nursing (87), Social Work (88), and College of Education & Human Performance (89).

In addition to Emergency Management and Homeland Security, there were three other programs that appeared in the top 100 for the first time: Public Finance and Budgeting, Public Management and Leadership, and Public Policy Analysis. Those are all new specialty categories in the magazine’s rankings.

U.S. News & World Report’s rankings in business, education, engineering, law, medicine and nursing are designed for prospective students looking to continue their education and advance their careers. More than 800 institutions are reviewed based on peer and expert opinions about the quality of programs and statistical data that measures the quality of a school’s faculty, research and students.

View the full list of ��’s rankings.

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