The Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan is recognized again as one of America’s top graduate programs in public affairs, according to the latest U.S. News & World Report rankings.
According to the rankings, based on surveys of deans and faculty at 285 programs of public affairs, the Ford School is the number one social policy program in the U.S., a distinction held for nearly a decade. This ranking reflects deep and long-standing strengths in and commitment to research and public policy engagement related to poverty, educational disparities, and vulnerable populations, racial injustice and other structural inequalities, enhanced by the recent inauguration of the Center for Racial Justice and establishment of the Kohn Collaborative for Social Policy, including the first Hermann and Amalie Kohn Professorship of Social Justice and Social Policy.
Overall, the Ford School ranked #8 among public affairs programs, which includes both schools of public policy and public administration. The school improved to #3 in health policy, #3 in public policy analysis, #10 in urban policy, and #11 for international and global policy, and was ranked #7 in environmental policy.
“The Ford School continues to thrive in its mission to educate leaders grounded in service, and conduct mutidisciplinary path-breaking research to advance the public good,” said Michael S. Barr, Joan and Sanford Weill Dean of Public Policy. "Now more than ever, our democracy depends on future leaders with the skills, values, and leadership to bring us together."
The U.S. News and World Report rankings are based solely on peer assessment survey results, of deans, directors, department chairs, and faculty representing 285 master’s programs in public affairs and administration. Two surveys were sent to each school in fall 2021 and early 2022. Respondents were asked to rate the academic quality of master's programs. For specialty ratings, deans, directors, department chairs, and faculty were asked to nominate up to 15 programs for excellence in each specialty.
