Kansas University’s law and education schools gained spots in the graduate school rankings released today by U.S. News & World Report.

The School of Law jumped 16 spots to tie for 35th among public law schools. The School of Education gained five places to tie for 15th among public universities.

“The rankings speak for themselves. We’re obviously doing very well,” KU Chancellor Robert Hemenway said.

KU now has 26 graduate programs ranked in the top 25 in the nation – and 13 in the top 10 among public universities. KU’s special education and city management and urban policy programs were each rewarded with No. 1 rankings. Paleontology retained its ranking of third.

The new rankings push KU closer to the administration’s goal of becoming a top 25 public university, Hemenway said.

“There’s achievement across the board,” he said.

Rick Ginsberg, the School of Education’s dean, credited high-quality students, faculty, researchers and staff for the 10-point jump in two years.

The School of Law recovered from a year ago when its rankings fell from 33rd to 51st. The school changed the way it reported scores to match other schools, Hemenway said.

Interim Dean Michael J. Davis credited a high assessment score from lawyers and judges.

“The legal profession itself considers KU well within the top-tier of American law schools,” Davis said.

The school’s new dean, Gail Agrawal, will begin work this summer.

KU programs ranked

Several other KU programs ranked in the top 25 among public universities:

¢ Community health, second, tie

¢ Paleontology, third

¢ Public management, fourth

¢ Occupational therapy, fourth, tie

¢ Public affairs, fifth, tie

¢ Audiology, fifth

¢ Speech-language pathology, sixth

¢ Sedimentology and stratigraphy, seventh

¢ Social work, eighth, tie

¢ Petroleum engineering, eighth, tie

¢ Physical therapy, 10th, tie

¢ Nursing-midwifery, 12th, tie

¢ Music, 12th, tie

¢ Nursing-anesthesia, 14th, tie

¢ Education, 15th

¢ Pharmacy, 16th

¢ Public finance and budgeting, 17th, tie

¢ Rural medicine, 17th, tie

¢ Health services administration, 18th, tie

¢ Clinical child psychology, 19th, tie

¢ Nursing, 20th, tie

¢ Clinical psychology, 23rd, tie

¢ Drama and theater, 23rd, tie

¢ History, 24th, tie