Villanova’s College of Engineering received a No. 10 ranking in the Best Programs category

VILLANOVA, Pa., August 22, 2008 – Villanova University has again received the No. 1 ranking in the North region (North – Masters) by U.S. News & World Report. For more than a decade, Villanova has held the top spot in this category, which is part of U.S. News & World Report’s America's Best Colleges Rankings. Villanova University also was ranked No. 1 in the University-Master’s North Category for “Great Schools, Great Prices.”

The magazine ranks 572 universities within four geographic areas: North, South, Midwest and West. In 2001, U.S. News and World Report renamed the “regional universities” list to Best Universities - Master's (by region). It renamed the category to reflect these institutions' mission and their ability to provide a full range of undergraduate and graduate programs, as well as doctoral programs.

Villanova’s College of Engineering is also represented in the U.S. News & World Report America's Best Colleges Rankings, receiving a No. 10 ranking in the Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs category. This category ranks engineering schools whose highest degree is a bachelor's or master's.

As part of its America's Best Colleges Rankings, U.S. News & World Report publishes a list of schools with examples of outstanding academic programs that are commonly linked to student success. Villanova was lauded for its learning communities which offer students the opportunity to link academic and residential experiences to form a close connection inside and outside of the classroom with faculty, classmates and residence hall colleagues. This program allows freshman students the option of exploring one of seven learning community themes as part of the first-year seminar course and to live with fellow students who share that interest.

The annual rankings – in which U.S. News groups schools based on categories created by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching – can serve as a resource for parents and students in their college decision-making process. The rankings will be published in the magazine’s August 25 issue.

Villanova University, a co-educational Roman Catholic institution, was founded by the Order of Saint Augustine in 1842. A premier institution of higher education, Villanova provides a comprehensive education rooted in the liberal arts; a shared commitment to the Augustinian ideals of truth, unity and love; and a community dedicated to service to others. A wide variety of undergraduate and graduate degree programs are offered through the University’s four colleges: the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the Villanova School of Business, the College of Engineering and the College of Nursing, as well as the Villanova School of Law. With a total enrollment that surpasses 10,000 undergraduate, graduate and law students, Villanova is the oldest and largest Catholic university in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.