Patton College of Education’s graduate programs ranked second in Ohio and top 100 in the U.S.
Ohio University’s Patton College of Education graduate programs were ranked second in the state of Ohio and tied for 89th in the country in the 2023 best education schools in U.S. News and World Report’s Best Graduate Schools ranking, up from 125th last year.
The Patton College prepares educators, practitioners, and human service professionals to be leaders. In the school’s 136-year history, the Patton College has built a nationally recognized clinical model of educating and supporting students as educators, such as a teacher, counselor, student affairs professional, hospitality professional, coach, outdoor recreation manager, or leader in a formal or informal setting.
“Graduates of our graduate programs have made significant achievements in their fields, everything from winning school district teacher of the year awards, being recognized nationally for their research, being the first in their field to meet a significant milestone, to becoming a university president,” Sara Helfrich, interim dean of the Patton College, said. “We have always known of the good work we've done in the College and how it helps prepare our graduates for their future careers, and it's nice to see our new ranking reflect that.”
Graduate programs in the Patton College include Adolescent to Young Adult; Art Education; Coaching Education; College Student Personnel; Computer Education and Technology; Counselor Education; Counselor Education and Supervision; Curriculum and Instruction; Educational Leadership; Educational Research and Evaluation; Higher Education; Instructional Technology; Mathematics Education; Middle Childhood Education; Reading Education; Parks, Recreation and Leisure Studies; Science Education; Special Education/Intervention Specialist; Social Studies Education; and Teaching and Learning.
“Over the last two years amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the Patton College’s graduate programs have graduated a substantial number of master’s and doctoral students, showing the high-level of commitment from the faculty to supporting students during their graduate programs to completion,” Dave Nguyen, associate professor and interim associate dean for research and graduate studies, said.
According to Nguyen, part of the increase in the rankings comes from the administrator/expert assessment score which is provided by school superintendents, school hiring contacts and professionals who hire graduates from graduate education programs. These individuals rate the academic excellence of graduate education programs, taking into account research programs as well.
“What this assessment signifies is that the people hiring our students are acknowledging the high-quality preparation of our students for their careers after OHIO,” Nguyen added.
Another area supporting the increase in rankings is receiving grants from external sources. Recently, faculty in the Patton College of Education have also received large grants that help support student learning.
The OHIO Center for Equity in Mathematics and Science received a grant from the National Science Foundation focusing on making elementary mathematics meaningful and applicable inside and outside of the classroom by connecting math to real-world topics, including current events and societal issues that are relevant to students’ lives. Faculty within the Department of Teacher Education have received funding from the U.S. Department of Education for a program that prepares practicing teachers to gain licensure and transition into the field of special education. Faculty within this department have also received funds from the National Science Foundation to prepare teachers in the STEM (science, technology, education, mathematics) fields.
The Patton College also offers opportunities like applying to be a Holmes Scholar to graduate students. Holmes Scholars are supported by the AACTE Holmes program that supports students who self-identify as racially and ethnically diverse and are pursuing graduate degrees in education. The program also provides mentorship, peer support, and professional development opportunities.