Dear Friends of the Design Department,

For several decades U.S. News and World Report has published rankings of different university programs. Every year this process (much like that of the BCS and other poll rankings in sports) generates all kinds of controversial discussions, based on issues around arbitrariness, easily manipulated methodologies, subjectivity, etc. A recent article in the ABA Journal blasted the rankings of U.S. News, albeit for the rankings of law schools, and subsequent discussions again ensued. One participant in the plethora of postings observed that, for better or worse, rankings are influential and are here to stay. 

This year the U.S. News rankings placed the overall MFA program at Ohio State at #21 in the nation, up from #28 in the last rankings. The influential publication also placed the OSU Design Department graduate program at #5 in the nation, and #1 among public institutions. Last year, DesignIntelligence rated OSU as the 10th best graduate program, and #3 in the nation in Industrial Design. As expected, these observations have started a new round of conversations, prompting me to comment.

First, I would like to state that we are extremely excited about this recognition (and other recent ranking announcements). The U.S. News numbers are based on a compilation of feedback from academic leaders at over 220 of our peer institutions; the DI rankings were based on a survey done by the Design Futures Council of leaders of 270 corporations. Both assessments make a strong statement about something we have known for a long time: our students do extremely well in the profession when they graduate from our program, and it reflects the high quality education that they get while they are here. I can't be prouder of our faculty, staff and students for each of their individual and collective contributions toward making this positive external view a reality.

Secondly, and this is a fact, schools that receive a high ranking work extremely hard at keeping that ranking or increasing it over subsequent years. We acknowledge the hard work that has resulted in this recognition this year, and we pledge to work even harder in the future. We value what a rigorous program contributes to the quality of an education, but also value the personal attention to student needs, and we will maintain the high standards that are associated with a design degree from Ohio State. The level of accountability that reports like the U.S. News ratings issue impose on schools is good for design schools everywhere... not just to get and keep the rating, but to assure that their students are receiving the very best education that can be provided.

Thirdly, reputation is an extremely important attribute of any university or program. This reputation is built on many levels of foundation, and one very important building block is in reality how you are viewed by the outside world. These rankings are a result of, but also contribute immensely to that view. However, rankings aren't everything. We have to pay close attention to the quality of our facilities, the climate that is created for our students, the quality and contributions of our faculty, the level of state and private support and funding, the integration of emerging technology, etc. Our reputation requires constant internal scrutiny and attention, not just the external evaluations that rankings provide.

The bottom line: each student should make a decision as to where to get the best graduate education, based on what is best for him or her. The rankings provided by these prestigious organizations provide at least some external opinion about the quality of the program, and may convince a potential student to look more closely. Once you look at a ranked program like the Design program at Ohio State, the supporting evidence of program quality is clear. We can't be happier that others in both business and education are coming to the same conclusion.

-Wayne