News
Wilder School advances in 2023 U.S. News & World Report rankings
The 2023 U.S. News & World Report rankings show the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs at Virginia Commonwealth University rose to No. 35 in the nation among public affairs graduate schools (up from No. 38 in 2022). The Wilder School’s public management and leadership program also climbed to No. 29 (rising from No. 34 in 2022) in the report’s specialty program rankings.
Since 2018, the Wilder School’s public affairs graduate school position has risen 21 spots. The 2023 distinctions mark the school’s highest rankings since its creation in 2004 and place it within the nation’s top 15 percent of schools of public affairs and public management and leadership programs. The Wilder School is proud to continue to lead as a top-ranking public affairs graduate program in Virginia and across the nation.
Susan Gooden, dean of the Wilder School, said the 2023 rankings are indicative of the upward trajectory and longstanding academic excellence present at the Wilder School.
“The Wilder School has seen tremendous growth in national reputation in the past few years,” said Gooden. “Our faculty are the standard-bearers for social equity scholarship and research in diverse disciplines across an array of pressing public policy issues. Our centers and institutes are likewise providing highly valued leadership training and analytical expertise.”
Innovations in program offerings, like the MPA online program which launches in the fall, are designed to help meet the ever-evolving needs of today’s working professionals, eliminating barriers to education for public servants in the commonwealth and beyond. The Wilder School’s nationally-ranked M.P.A. program has a rich history as the first accredited M.P.A. program in Virginia.
“Graduate enrollment for our flagship M.P.A. program has likewise grown, nearly doubling since 2019, a development which we hope to expand with our new fully online M.P.A. complement,” said Gooden. “The high visibility and respect of our work and the latest U.S. News and World Report ranking affirm that the Wilder School is making teaching, research and service impacts nationally and globally.”
The U.S. News & World Report rankings 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. View the full list of VCU top program rankings.