JMU Engineering ranks 18 in US News Reports
News
By: Lynn Radocha
JMU’s Engineering program is ranked 18 in Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs at schools where doctorates are not offered, according to U.S. News Reports.
Last year, JMU’s Engineering Program was ranked 22nd. “We’re really excited — this ranking is a sign of national respect for the work of our Engineering faculty and students, especially for such a young program,” says Bob Kolvoord, Dean of JMU”s College of Integrated Science and Engineering (CISE).
“Our program has been designed to serve our students and help them develop into the kind of engineer that society needs. The ranking is a testament to recognition from our peers about the quality of that effort,” said Kolvoord. “However, we’re not going to rest on our laurels. We’ll keep improving our curriculum, striving to provide the best program for our students and the best environment for faculty to do their work.”
Engineering programs are ranked based on peer assessment surveys. To appear on an undergraduate engineering survey, schools must have an ABET-accredited undergraduate engineering program.
“Our program features a distinct approach to undergraduate engineering education,” says Adebayo Ogundipe, Head of JMU’s Engineering Department. “Our rise in the rankings validates our active learning, project-based model for training engineers that can tackle today’s interdisciplinary challenges.”
“Focusing on the unique and specific nature of undergraduate engineering education means we pay special attention to diverse learning needs, providing choices within the curriculum as well as co-curricular opportunities,” said Ogundipe, who credits JMU’s project-based curriculum as factors in JMU’s high ranking.
