SMU grad schools excel in US News rankings

DALLAS (SMU) – Three SMU graduate schools are listed among the top 50 graduate schools in the U.S. News & World Report 2024 Best Graduate Schools. SMU’s Simmons School of Education and Human Development, Dedman School of Law and Cox School of Business have been recognized for their excellent performance in relation to other U.S. graduate schools.

The Simmons School of Education and Human Development moved up one spot to No. 48 of 255 – placing it among the top 19 percent of participating public and private graduate schools of education around the country. Simmons maintains the #11 spot among all private universities on the list.

Dedman School of Law moved up three spots to No. 42 of 196 of law schools ranked by U.S. News & World Report. That position among the top 21 percent of law schools reflects the school’s success in employment outcomes, including placement at top law firms and prestigious judicial clerkships.

The Cox School of Business full-time MBA ranks No. 34 out of 124 – in the top 27 percent of such programs – and continues to boast record-breaking outcomes for its graduates, including job placement and average base salary.

“We are pleased that the U.S. News rankings recognize the strength and breadth of our graduate programs,” said SMU President R. Gerald Turner. “The professional programs offered through the Cox School and Dedman Law have long been sources of pride at our University. While we’ve offered education programs for many years, the Simmons School was not formally established until 2005. It’s remarkable for a school that’s less than 20 years old to have reached this level of prestige.”

“Our faculty and staff are highly motivated to support outcomes and success for our students in these graduate programs,” said Elizabeth G. Loboa, provost and vice president for academic affairs. “We can see their world-changing impact as they take their skills into classrooms, courtrooms and the business world.”

The Simmons School is focused on the development of professionals across many fields of education, counseling, dispute resolution, applied physiology, and wellness. Data-driven by definition, the school is committed to creating and disseminating evidence-based knowledge. Simmons is ranked No. 1 in external research funding per faculty member among all colleges of education in Texas.

Dedman School of Law, preparing to celebrate its centennial in 2025, offers innovative ways for its students to gain practical legal experience in areas that complement curricular strengths, including business and corporate law, international law, intellectual property, energy law, and family law and advocacy. The school supports 11 legal clinics and projects serving diverse community needs with free or low-cost legal service.

The Cox School of Business was founded in 1920 as the Department of Commerce at SMU. With the May 2024 opening of the $140 million David B. Miller Business Quadrangle, new and renovated facilities will support the school’s data-based focus on business education. Four new buildings will connect existing renovated facilities to create a cohesive space that will support collaboration for students, faculty and the Dallas business community.

To rank graduate schools, U.S. News & World Report considers many factors including research activity, academic quality, faculty resources, student selectivity, doctoral degrees granted, as well as peer assessment scores.