Academy programs rank among nation's best

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U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. (AFPN) --  The U.S. Air Force Academy has one of the nation's top undergraduate engineering programs, according to U.S. News & World Report.

The national news magazine just released its America's Best Colleges 2003 edition, which rated universities in a number of general areas. In terms of specific academic programs, U.S. News & World Report rated engineering and business programs as it has done in previous years.

In the overall engineering rankings among undergraduate institutions, the Air Force Academy tied for fourth place with West Point. It was edged out by Indiana's Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, California's Harvey Mudd College and New York's Cooper Union, respectively.

The academy has nine engineering majors that if offers: aeronautical, astronautical, civil, computer, electrical, environmental, mechanical and general engineering, and engineering mechanics.

In U.S. News & World Report's rankings of aerospace, astronautical and aeronautical undergraduate engineering programs, the academy ranks second behind Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, edging out the U.S. Naval Academy and Cal-Poly-San Luis Obispo. The Air Force Academy uses Embry Riddle as a subcontractor for its introductory flight training program.

In mechanical engineering and engineering mechanics, the Air Force Academy came in ninth in the nation.

In electrical, electronics and communications engineering, the academy electrical engineering program tied Cal-Poly for 5th place, edging out all other service academies.

In civil engineering, the academy came in eighth in the nation.

The only other engineering sub-specialties rated by U.S. News and World Report were chemical, industrial/manufacturing and computer engineering.

The rankings of undergraduate engineering programs are based solely on a peer assessment survey, according to U.S. News & World Report. Surveys were sent last year to the deans and senior faculty of colleges with engineering programs that are accredited by the Accreditation Board of Engineering and Technology. Survey participants nominated up to 10 of the best programs in each engineering specialty area.