University of San Diego Ranked in Top 20 of "Up- and -Coming Schools" by U.S. News

University of San Diego Ranked in Top 20 of "Up- and -Coming Schools" by U.S. News

The University of San Diego is one of twenty national universities ranked as “Up-and-Coming Schools” by U.S. News & World Report in a new rankings list released last Friday.  USD also jumped to 102 from 107 on the overall list of national universities. USD’s engineering programs jumped to 21st from 25th in the nation for school’s whose highest degree is a bachelor’s or master’s.

USD was ranked ninth among the top 20 national colleges and universities by U.S. News for making “promising and innovative changes in academics, faculty, students, campus or facilities.”  The top three up-and-coming schools were George Mason University, Clemson University and the University of Southern California.

“The University of San Diego is pleased to be recognized by our peers and included among the nation’s top universities on the move.  Our students and faculty work hand-in-hand with administration to create ground-breaking programs that meet the needs of today’s inquiring students,” said USD President Mary E. Lyons.

USD’s programs in and out of the classroom have made major achievements over the past year. The university responded to students’ interest in new and cutting-edge academic programs by adding an array of new majors and minors for business students and increased opportunities for research and internships in the natural sciences. 

USD has also recognized the need for a greater emphasis on global education with the inauguration last fall of the Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies as well as expanded study-abroad opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students.

The university is continuing to add state-of-the-art facilities with the completion last fall of a new School of Leadership and Education Sciences (SOLES). Construction is now underway on a 55,000-square-foot Student Life Pavilion that directly responds to input from students.  The new facility will offer an outdoor amphitheater, office space for student organizations, recreational space, a campus grocery story and expanded dining options.  Completion is set for August of 2009.

USD’s science programs offer hands-on research opportunities with faculty, and internships with many of the regions top scientific institutions.  In the last year, science programs have received more than $2 million in grants from the National Science Foundation and other public and private organizations.

Successful men’s and women’s athletic programs have also added to the national recognition USD has received. Earlier this summer, USD was awarded the West Coast Conference Commissioner’s Cup as the top-performing school in conference play. USD’s men’s basketball team made it to the second round of this spring’s NCAA Division I basketball tournament.

For a complete list of the U.S. News & World Report rankings, go to http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/college

The University of San Diego is a Catholic institution of higher learning chartered in 1949; the school enrolls approximately 7,500 students and is known for its commitment to teaching, the liberal arts, the formation of values and community service. The inauguration of the Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies brings the university’s total number of schools and colleges to six. Other academic divisions include the College of Arts and Sciences and the schools of Business Administration, Law, Leadership and Education Sciences, and Nursing and Health Science.

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About the University of San Diego

Strengthened by the Catholic intellectual tradition, we confront humanity’s challenges by fostering peace, working for justice and leading with love. With more than 8,000 students from 75 countries and 44 states, USD is the youngest independent institution on the U.S. News & World Report list of top 100 universities in the United States. USD’s eight academic divisions include the College of Arts and Sciences, the Knauss School of Business, the Shiley-Marcos School of Engineering, the School of Law, the School of Leadership and Education Sciences, the Hahn School of Nursing and Health Science, the Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies, and the Division of Professional and Continuing Education. In 2021, USD was named a “Laudato Si’ University” by the Vatican with a seven-year commitment to address humanity’s urgent challenges by working together to take care of our common home.