Excellence at St. John’s University has been reflected in new success rates and high rankings that exemplify continued academic distinction and robust study abroad participation.
January 30, 2018
ONLINE RANKINGS AMONG BEST IN THE COUNTRY
Reflecting its commitment to quality in online learning, St. John’s University has earned recognition once again from U.S. News & World Report, whose 2018 listings rank the University’s web-based graduate business and education programs among the top 50 nationwide in those categories.
This is the third year that U.S. News & World Report has placed St. John’s among the country’s 50 best online programs in business (non-M.B.A.) and education. “Our focus on academic quality, small class size, and highly qualified, well-prepared online instructors contributes substantially to continued success and consistent ranking in those categories,” said Elizabeth Ciabocchi, Ed.D., Vice Provost for Digital Learning and Executive Director of Online Learning and Services at St. John’s.
The University’s performance in the 2018 listings is especially impressive when compared to other private institutions, Dr. Ciabocchi noted. “The majority of universities with ranked online graduate programs are public institutions with a very large share of the online graduate program market,” she explained. “St. John’s University stands out as one of only two private universities ranked by U.S. News & World Report within the top 45 for both online graduate education and non-M.B.A. business programs.”
The publication weighed several criteria in its rankings: student engagement, admissions selectivity, peer reputation, faculty credentials and training, and student services and technology.
“Overall, the 2018 rankings assessed 165 non-M.B.A. business programs and 309 education programs,” said Eric Brooks, Senior Data Analyst at U.S. News & World Report. “The top-ranked programs are those that best serve remote students and have academic standards commensurate with those at quality, traditional brick-and-mortar programs.”
THE SCHOOL OF EDUCATION JUMPS IN NATIONAL RANKING
St. John’s School of Education’s graduate programs ranked #93 in the 2018 edition of U.S. News & World Report Best Education Schools. This is up from #115 in the 2017 edition. “Year after year, we strive to offer the very best education for those seeking high-quality graduate course work and degree opportunities,” noted Michael Sampson, Ph.D., Dean of The School of Education at St. John’s. “This latest ranking is a testimony to that fact.”
Each year, U.S. News ranks professional school programs in business, education, engineering, law, medicine, and nursing. The Best Graduate Schools rankings in these areas are based on two types of data: expert opinions about program excellence and statistical indicators that measure the quality of a school's faculty, research, and students.
TOBIN COLLEGE EARNS OUTSTANDING RECOGNITION
The Peter J. Tobin College of Business at St. John’s University was recently ranked #79 by Poets&Quants in their second annual ranking of the “Best Undergraduate Business Programs of 2017.” The methodology used by Poets&Quants places equal weight on three components of a business program that are critical measures used to determine the quality of the educational experience: admission standards, the full academic experience as judged by recent alumni, and employment outcomes.
The new ranking is a fitting culmination to an exciting semester for the entire academic community at the Tobin College of Business. The fall semester saw the first classes being held in the renovated home of the Tobin College of Business, and the opening of both the Lesley and William Collins Business Analytics Lab and the Paul and Carol Evanson Career Services Center.
“We take great pride in this ranking of the Tobin College of Business at St. John’s University—and we believe it reflects the high quality of our students, their career placement, and the dedication of our faculty and staff to ensure student success,” said Norean R. Sharpe, Ph.D., Dean of The Peter J. Tobin College of Business and Joseph H. and Maria C. Schwartz Distinguished Chair. “We also believe it validates the transformative impact of a Tobin College educational experience as evidenced by employment outcomes and the career guidance students receive at the College’s Paul and Carol Evanson Career Services Center.”
“The external recognition of The Peter J. Tobin College of Business by Poets&Quants demonstrates the impressive progress being made by the College to ensure the success of our students and alumni,” observed Dr. Gempesaw. “The past year has seen a physical transformation of the Tobin College of Business facility with technology-enhanced new classrooms, laboratories, and faculty and administrative offices, along with meeting and study spaces for students. But the Tobin College of Business transformation has not been limited to the new facilities; it has included changes to the curriculum, the addition of eight new faculty in the past two years, the expansion of alumni and corporate partnerships, and a strategic focus to ensure student success.”
THE SCHOOL OF LAW OUTPACES THE COMPETITION
As reported by the New York Law Journal, St. John’s University School of Law saw a dramatic improvement in bar passage rates, from 76.5 percent in July 2016 to 89.2 percent in July 2017—the largest increase of any law school in the state. In addition, the School outpaced the statewide bar passage rate of 86 percent.
New York State administered the Uniform Bar Exam (UBE) for the second consecutive year and was one of 27 states to use the new test. Many other states have announced that they are switching to the UBE in the next two years.
“We and our students have adjusted to the elimination of the New York bar exam,” said Michael A. Simons, J.D., Dean of the School of Law and John V. Brennan Professor of Law and Ethics. “However, in many ways this is the result of admission decisions we made three years ago.”
Dean Simons also told the Journal that the School of Law raised admission standards, revised curricular offerings, and changed a number of its assessment methods. The School also increased academic and personal support to students over the summer to keep them focused during the intense weeks of bar exam preparation.
The School of Law was ranked #72 by U.S. News & World Report in their list of “2018 Best Law Schools.” Additionally, 92 percent of 2016 School of Law graduates were employed within 10 months of graduation.
The School of Law is also ranked 28th in the nation for placing graduates in full-time, long-term legal positions, according to the 2016 American Bar Association Employment Summary. Further, St. John’s School of Law is ranked 38th nationwide for placing graduates in the 100 biggest law firms, making St. John’s a 2017 National Law Journal “Go-To Law School.”
STUDY ABROAD PARTICIPATION ON THE RISE
With more than 44 percent of St. John’s undergraduates choosing to earn credit by living and learning in other countries, the University has risen to 27th place nationwide in study abroad participation among doctorate-granting American universities, according to the Institute of International Education (IIE).
The organization’s 2017 Open Doors® Report on International Educational Exchange listed doctorate-granting American universities with the greatest proportions of undergraduates studying abroad.
St. John’s was among the nation’s leading schools, with 839 undergraduate students participating in at least one study abroad opportunity during the 2015–16 academic year. The new ranking marks a rise of four spots for the University, which was listed at 31 in last year’s report.
“St. John’s quick movement up the IIE rankings clearly shows the dedication of our faculty and staff in New York and abroad, the engagement of our students, and the support of our Board of Trustees and senior leadership,” said Matthew Pucciarelli, Associate Provost of Global Studies.
Mr. Pucciarelli added, “St. John’s students also commit approximately 5,000 hours to service sites worldwide—true to our Catholic and Vincentian mission—and making a difference in many areas around the globe.”
THE COLLEGE OF PHARMACY AND HEALTH SCIENCES CITED FOR DIVERSITY
The College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences has claimed the top spot for two of its undergraduate programs in a new ranking of institutions by Diverse: Issues in Higher Education. The ranking recognizes institutions of higher education that confer the most degrees to minority students in its report entitled “Top 100 Producers of Minority Degrees.” The College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences ranked a prestigious number one in the nation on the 2017 list for the “Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions,” recognizing the Radiologic Sciences and the Physician Assistant programs for graduating the most Asian-American students with bachelor’s degrees.