Steve Carpenter, Professor of Zoology and Director of the Center for Limnology, holds strands of native pondweed in Madison's Lake Mendota. Carpenter won the Stockholm Water Prize in 2011. Photo by Jeff Miller, University Communications

Steve Carpenter, Professor of Zoology and Director of the Center for Limnology, holds strands of native pondweed in Madison's Lake Mendota.  Carpenter won the Stockholm Water Prize in 2011.  Photo by Jeff Miller, University Communications

L&S Rankings & Awards

Rankings consistently show that University of Wisconsin-Madison is one of the world's best public research universities.  As the largest academic unit, the College of Letters & Science is proud to be a major player in the University's preeminence and excellence.

Rankings vary study-to-study, but are considered national tools used by students, families and faculty when choosing an institution of higher education. 

These rankings also show the caliber of faculty, staff and students, and breadth and scope of our teaching, research and public service. 

For questions about these lists, please contact us at lsnews@ls.wisc.edu.

Recent Notable Awards:

2012 - Rhodes Scholar - Alexis Brown, Honors Student in History & English.

2012 - Poets and Writers magazine ranked the Masters of Fine Arts Program in Creative Writing third in the country, while also ranking specialities in poetry (sixth) and fiction (second) in 2010.

2011 Stockholm Water Prize - Professor Stephen Carpenter (Limnology and Zoology)

2010 David and Lucille Packard Foundation - Professor Li Zhang (Computer Sciences)

2010 Truman Scholarship - Steven Olikara, Political Science

2010 Udall Scholarship - Steven Olikara, Political Science

2010-11 Churchill Scholar Award - Daniel Lecoanet (BS'09, Physics and Math)

2010 Science Visualization Challenge - Informational Graphics, 1st Place - Kandis Elliot, Botany Senior Artist

2010-11 Phi Beta Kappa-Romanell Professorship - Professor Dan Hausman, Herbert A. Simon Professor of Philosophy

NASA Exceptional Public Service Medal (2010) - Professor Steve Ackerman (Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences)

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Academic Rankings of World Universities

In 2010, UW-Madison was ranked #19 overall in a worldwide ranking of universities by the Academic Ranking of World Universities.

L&S contributed to the university's overall rankings with programs represented in the fields and individual department rankings:

#20 Overall - Natural Sciences and Mathematics
#28 Overall - Engineering/Technology and Computer Sciences
#24 Overall - Social Sciences

#12 in Mathematics
#23 in Physics
#48 in Chemistry
#34 in Economics

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National Research Council Rankings (2010)

Twenty-three doctoral programs at UW-Madison were ranked in the top 15 percent by the National Resource Council in 2010.  An additional 13 programs landed in the top 25 percent.

Twenty-three doctoral programs at UW-Madison were ranked in the top 15 percent by the National Resource Council in 2010.  An additional 13 programs landed in the top 25 percent.

Doctoral programs are used to gauge the overall vitality and health of a program.  In total, L&S programs represented 13 of the 23 doctoral programs in the top 15 percent and four of the 13 in the top 25 percent.

Letters & Science Programs in the top 15 percent

Letters & Science Programs in the top 25 percent
For more information, see UW-Madison Ph.D. Programs near top of doctoral class.

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Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE)

2011- Professor Daniel Fredrickson (Chemistry)

2009 - Professor Martin Zanni (Chemistry)

2009 - David Amodio, Ph'D'03, Psychology and Professor of Psychology, New York University

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U.S. News & World Report

In 2010, UW-Madison was ranked 10th among public institutions released in the U.S. News & World Report's 2012 edition of America's Best Colleges.

The methodology used to produce the 2012 rankings are a significant shift from how earlier rankings were generated. High school counselors’ ratings were included in the university’s academic reputation score, and greater weight was put on graduation rate performance.

Other criteria used included peer assessment, student selectivity, faculty resources, financial resources, graduation and retention rates, and alumni giving.

L&S programs in the ranking include:
* Bolded categories indicate overall field

#7 Chemistry
#8 Analytical
#5 Biochemistry
#9 Inorganic
#8 Organic
#7 Physical
#9 Theoretical

#15 Biological Sciences
#3 Microbiology

#1 Clinical Psychology

#11 Computer Science
#10 Programming Language
#7 Systems
#12 Theory

#13 Earth Sciences
#8 Geochemistry
#8 Geology

#14 Economics
#11 Econometrics
#10 International Economics
#11 Labor Economics

#17 English
#16 American Lit After 1865
#12 Gender and Literature

#14 History
#2 African History
#13 European History
#3 Latin American History
#7 Modern U.S. History
#2 Women’s History

#10 Librarian and Information Studies
#8 Archives and Preservation
#11 School Library Media
#5 Services for Children and Youth
#8 Archives and Preservation

#16 Mathematics
#11 Algebra/Number Theory/Algebraic Geometry
#10 Analysis
#5 Logic

#17 Physics
#12 Elementary Particles/Field/String Theory
#2 Plasma

#15 Political Science
#10 American Politics
#17 Comparative Politics
#17 International Politics

#8 Psychology
#5 Behavioral Neurosciences
#16 Cognitive Psychology
#7 Developmental Psychology
#13 Social Psychology

#14 Public Affairs
#10 Environmental Policy & Management
#16 Health Policy and Management
#27 Public Finance and Budgeting
#17 Public Management Administration
#11 Public-Policy Analysis
#3 Social Policy

#12 Social Work

#2 Sociology
#7 Economic Sociology
#9 Historical sociology
#5 Sex and Gender
#6 Social Psychology
#1 Social Stratification
#1 Sociology of Population
#2 Speech-Language Pathology
#12 Statistics

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