Maclean’s rankings showcase excellence in many U of A programs

The University of Alberta’s nursing program was ranked first amongst other nursing programs in Canada in Maclean’s 2024 ‘Best Programs by Reputation’. Additionally, the U of A received high rankings in computing science (fourth), education (third), engineering (fifth), and business (sixth). Rankings showcase the top 20 universities for each program. 

According to Maclean’s, the rankings were curated by surveying academics and requesting their views on the best universities offering the programs listed above. As per the ranking article, over 1,000 professors, deans, and chairs at 70 universities responded to Maclean’s online survey. 

The faculty of nursing places first in Canada again

Dean of Nursing Shannon Scott said she feels “incredibly proud” of the high placement nursing received.

“I believe that this galvanizes our place as a powerhouse for nursing education in Canada and around the world,” Scott said. 

Per the faculty of nursing website, in 2022–23 the nursing program’s enrolment included 1,429 undergraduate students, 133 master’s of nursing students, and 70 doctoral students. This makes the U of A’s nursing program one of the largest in Canada. Additionally, it is the only Canadian member of the National Hartford Centers for Gerontological Nursing Excellence. 

The U of A’s nursing program was also the first in Canada to offer bilingual programs, as well as the first in Alberta to offer a nursing master’s program. However, according to Scott, the nursing program at the U of A stands out for another reason altogether.

“What really stands out at the faculty of nursing is our focus on students and the focus on recruiting the best instructors possible,” Scott said. 

Another factor that makes nursing such a reputable program in Canada has to do with a focus on leadership, according to Scott.

“We have a strong emphasis on leadership development. We know that our nurse graduates are going to be clinical leaders. So we start with that purposeful education and nursing leadership throughout their four-year program,” Scott said. 

Education ranks highly in Canada, coming in at third

Jennifer Tupper has been dean of education since 2017. She feels the rankings illustrate the quality of education being given to students in her faculty.

“We are very proud of where we stand nationally based on Maclean’s rankings, to be in the top three faculties of education in the country and the top 100 globally,” Tupper said. 

The U of A’s faculty of education is one of the largest in Canada. The faculty has nine undergraduate degree programs and a multitude of graduate degrees. Additionally, it houses the English Language School, which provides English language education and professional development programs to students. 

One program that has seen exceptional growth is the Aboriginal Teacher Program (ATEP). 

 “The growth of ATEP is something worth highlighting as well. We’re very proud of the work of our Aboriginal teacher education program,” Tupper said. 

According to Tupper, the program has grown from two community-based cohorts with around 45 students to 210 students across eight cohorts across campus and online. 

Research is another factor in why education was ranked so highly, Tupper said. 

“Having faculty members that are research-intensive and are creating knowledge that is actually influencing and impacting the field of education broadly, enables our undergraduate students to have a really unique experience here,” Tupper said. 

Computing science ranks fourth in Maclean’s rankings

Dean of Science, Declan Ali, spoke about his thoughts on the rankings and commented on the strength of the department’s research teams.

“Our computing science department is one of the strongest and one of the best computing science departments in Canada and in North America,” Ali said. 

According to the computing science department’s website, the department is the oldest of its kind in Canada, founded in 1946. Formed on April 1, 1946, with five staff and a secretary, the department now has 51 faculty members, 1352 undergraduate students, and 326 graduate students. 

“A lot of work has gone into trying to build a strategic area of research,” Ali said. 

The computer science department currently has over 40 faculty members involved in a wide variety of research projects. 

“To have the rankings come out with them in such a positive place is not surprising, but also something that we are extremely proud of.”