Irvine, Calif., April 4, 2003 -- Three UC Irvine graduate school programs -- arts, business and engineering -- ranked among the top 50 in the nation in the latest U.S. News & World Report's annual listing of graduate schools. The 2004 edition of "America's Best Graduate Schools" will be available at newsstands and bookstores April 7.

Newly ranked this year, the Claire Trevor School of the Arts' master of fine arts program in studio art ranked 34. The school tied with 10 others, including UC San Diego, Otis College of Art and Design and Claremont Graduate University. Master of fine arts programs were last evaluated in 1997, and UCI's program had ranked 45. This year's ranking is based on a 2003 survey of deans and department chairs at more than 200 schools with graduate programs in art and design.

UCI's Graduate School of Management is 46th, tied with University of Wisconsin-Madison. With the exception of last year, the Graduate School of Management has ranked in the top 50 since 1997. For business school rankings, U.S. News surveyed 365 accredited master's programs on quality, placement success and student selectivity.

The Henry Samueli School of Engineering ranked 47 in a tie with Brown University and University of Massachusetts-Amherst. The school last appeared in the top 50 in 1999 when it ranked 48. The ranking is based on a 2002 survey of 185 engineering schools with doctoral programs.

Since 1995, the following other UCI programs and specialties have been ranked among the top 50 in the nation by U.S. News & World Report: literary criticism and theory (1), creative writing program (6), health care management (9), organic chemistry (11), drama and theater (12), third-world literature (12), English program (15), information systems (13), experimental psychology (19), cell biology/developmental biology (21), 19th- and 20th-century literature (22), psychology -neurobiology and behavior (24), computer science (29), chemistry (30), psychology - cognitive science (30), political science (31), biology (36), physics (38), mathematics (47).