September 2013

School of Engineering rises to top 10 programs nationwide

Santa Clara, Calif., Sept. 10, 2013-- Santa Clara University’s School of Engineering is now in the top 10 undergraduate engineering programs offered by master’s universities across the country. In the newly released U.S. News & World Report rankings, SCU jumped four spots to No. 10.

“This is an important milestone for our engineering program as we continue to gain national recognition for our commitment to engineering with a mission,” says School of Engineering Dean Godfrey Mungal. “With our mix of Jesuit, Catholic values, rigorous coursework, and hands-on, project-based learning, Santa Clara University educates engineers of integrity, who are engaged citizens of the world."

Santa Clara University maintained its second place overall among master’s universities in the West. Santa Clara’s overall score has dramatically increased to 99 out of 100 from a score of 90 just five years ago. At 94 percent, SCU has the highest freshman retention rate of any master’s university in the country and maintains an 86-percent graduation rate.

SCU also made great strides in several key areas this year.

• 81 percent of SCU freshman were in the top 25 percent of their high school class in 2012, up from 75 percent in 2011.
• More students recognize the quality of an SCU education and are applying. SCU’s acceptance rate dropped 3 percent.
• SCU cultivates proud and generous alumni and saw an increase in average alumni giving from 18 percent to 20 percent.
• Santa Clara University also made the list of “Great Schools at Great Prices.”

The Top Five Master’s Universities in the West
1. Trinity University (Texas), score: 100
2. Santa Clara University (Calif.), score: 99
3. Loyola Marymount University (Calif.), score: 92
4. Gonzaga University (Wash.), score: 87
5. Mills College (Calif.), score: 86

About Santa Clara University

Santa Clara University, a comprehensive Jesuit, Catholic university located 40 miles south of San Francisco in California's Silicon Valley, offers its 8,685 students rigorous undergraduate curricula in arts and sciences, business, and engineering, plus master's and law degrees and engineering Ph.D.s. Distinguished nationally by one of the highest graduation rates among all U.S. master's universities, California's oldest operating higher-education institution demonstrates faith-inspired values of ethics and social justice. For more information, see www.scu.edu.

Media Contact:

Marika Krause | SCU Media Relations | mekrause@scu.edu | 408-829-4836