Accounting Specialty Jumps in 2005 U.S. News Ranking

PROVO, Utah — Aug 23, 2004 — Brigham Young University’s undergraduate accounting specialty ranked 6th in U.S. News & World Report's annual survey, "America's Best Colleges." The undergraduate management program placed 38th among "Best Business Programs." Both are housed in the Marriott School of Management.

The school’s accounting program rose 10 spots in this year’s business specialties. The magazine’s program and specialty rankings are based solely on a survey of deans and senior faculty at undergraduate business programs accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.

“As one of the largest undergraduate business programs in the country, we’re particularly pleased to be recognized for the quality of our education,” says Joan Young, program director. “We hope our continuous improvement efforts with students, faculty and alumni will help us maintain this high standing.”

The university as a whole is ranked 74th in the magazine’s annual survey.

Hitting newsstands today, the magazine ranks about 1,400 four-year accredited colleges and universities by mission and region. BYU falls into the category of "National Universities," which includes schools that offer a full range of undergraduate majors, plus master's and doctoral degrees. Graduate programs, including top law and MBA schools, will be ranked in a future issue of the magazine.

BYU's high scores in the areas of freshman retention rate and graduation rate, as well as its improvement in a category measuring class sizes, contributed to the overall ranking.

The university is also listed 25th under the "Great Schools, Great Prices" category, which considers the academic strength of a school compared to its average cost per student. Also on the financial front, BYU ranked ninth in the country in a category called "Least Debt," which compares the average debt carried by departing graduates.

Harvard and Princeton tied for first overall for the second year in a row, followed by Yale and the University of Pennsylvania.

The Marriott School is located at Brigham Young University, the largest privately owned, church-sponsored university in the United States. The school has nationally recognized programs in accounting, business management, public management, information systems, organizational behavior and entrepreneurship. The school’s mission is to prepare men and women of faith, character and professional ability for positions of leadership throughout the world. Approximately 3,000 students are enrolled in the Marriott School’s graduate and undergraduate programs.