Sculpture program ranked among top 10 by U.S. News

Sculpture program ranked among top 10 by U.S. NewsApril 07, 2003Cynthia J. Moritzcjmoritz@syr.edu

In its first-ever ranking of masters of fine arts programs, U.S.News & World Report has ranked the College of Visual and Performing Arts’ sculpture program among the top 10 in the country. The program is tied for 10th place with the California Institute of the Arts. Overall, SU’s MFA program is tied with 10 other schools for 34th in the nation.

This was the first time that the magazine has ranked MFA programs.

“We are extremely pleased, but not surprised, to be ranked among the top MFA programs and the best sculpture programs in the country,” says Barbara Walter, director of the School of Art & Design in VPA. “This national recognition confirms what we already know to be true – that much of the success of our programs is due to the hard work and achievements of the faculty and students.”

Of the sculpture program, Walter says, “This program attracts some of the best sculpture students in the country, who list the faculty, alumni and facilities as main reasons they came to study at SU. Sculpture courses are very popular among art majors, graduate students and non-art students because of the high standards, individual attention and expertise of the faculty.” She points out that 28 graduate of the sculpture program are currently teaching at the college level, and many have exhibited their work in prestigious museums around the world.

In other new rankings, the School of Education moved up three places, from 44th last year to 41st this year, tied with two other schools. Its rehabilitation counseling program moved up to 15th, tied with four other programs, from 18th in 2001.

“We’re pleased that the School of Education has once again moved up in the U.S. News rankings, into the top 22 percent of the 188 graduate schools of education that are ranked by the report,” says School of Education Interim Dean Emily Robertson. “The 80 percent increase in our graduate applications this year suggests word is getting out that Syracuse has high-quality programs in education. Our rehabilitation counseling program’s new ranking reflects the impact of new faculty members in that program, and it speaks well for the commitment of our faculty that these improvements in our rankings have come during three years of interim leadership.”

The College of Law is ranked 97th among the nation’s law schools. Previously, only the top 50 law schools were listed.