University of Maryland, Baltimore County - Rankings

Rankings

The University is ranked 157th in the latest 2012 U.S. News and World Report rankings of "National Universities" across the United States, and it is ranked 83rd nationally among public universities.UMBC ranks fourth among U.S. research universities in the production of IT degrees and certificates, according to U.S. Department of Education data. The data shows UMBC ranking #21 in MS, and #31 in PhD IT degree production. The Carnegie Foundation classifies UMBC as a research university with high research activity.

UMBC is one of 50 public institutions in the United States recognized by The Princeton Review as a “Best Value College” offering a combination of educational excellence and affordability.The honor is the third major national distinction UMBC has received from leading higher-education rankings publications this academic year. For the second year in a row, UMBC was named America’s #1 “Up-and-Coming” national university by U.S. News and World Report.

The Princeton Review recognizes UMBC, a research university with nearly 13,000 students, for attracting serious students and supporting them with undergraduate research opportunities throughout the Baltimore-Washington region and beyond. The campus location near BWI-Marshall Airport gives students access to internships with government agencies, nonprofits and leading private-sector companies. Approximately 77 percent of students at UMBC receive some financial aid in the form of scholarships, loans and grants.

UMBC has earned an honorable mention on The Princeton Review’s recently released list: “Top Schools to Study Video Game Design for 2012.” The recognition places UMBC among schools like Georgia Institute of Technology, UC Santa Cruz, and Northeastern University.Released annually, the list features 50 schools from around the country, including their “top ten” undergraduate and graduate schools in this category. The rankings were based on a survey administered by The Princeton Review during the 2011-2012 academic year that consulted administrators at 150 schools and universities. The winning schools were judged on the quality of their curriculum, faculty, facilities, and infrastructure, as well as their scholarship, financial aid, and career opportunities.Both UMBC’s Computer Science and Electrical Engineering Department and its Visual Arts Department offer programs for students interested in pursuing a career in video game development. Artists can concentrate on “Animation and Interactive Media,” while computer programmers can pursue the “Game Development” track within the Computer Science major. In addition, UMBC has a Game Development club, and has been a host site of the International Development Association’s Global Game Jam for the past four years.