The University of North Carolina Wilmington’s master’s degree programs in nursing and public administration each moved up 12 places on the U.S. News & World Report list of 2020 Best Graduate Schools, according to an announcement from UNCW on Tuesday.
 
Three other programs – social work, education and part-time M.B.A. – also made the Best Graduate Schools list, the news release stated.
 
“UNCW’s commitment to growth with quality is exemplified by our graduate programs which aim to meet the needs of the current and future workforce in North Carolina and beyond,” said Chancellor Jose Sartarelli in the release. “With the recent elevation to the Carnegie classification 'Doctoral Universities: High Research Activity,' we fully expect to continue this trajectory of success.”
 
For the rankings, U.S. News considered graduate programs that are not conducted exclusively online, the release stated. The nursing, education and part-time M.B.A. rankings were based on academic and institutional data submitted by the schools, as well as peer assessment, according to the release. The public administration and social work programs were ranked based on peer assessment.
 
According to the release, in addition to the U.S. News rankings, UNCW was named a Best Southeastern School by The Princeton Review and was one of four UNC System schools featured in the Fiske Guide to Colleges 2019, a publication that highlights the nation’s “best and most interesting” colleges and universities.