UC pharmacy college jumps up in rankings

The James L. Winkle College of Pharmacy rose an impressive three spots in the U.S. News & World Report’s best graduate school rankings.

In the latest issue of the magazine’s influential guide, Winkle College now ranks at No. 30, up from No. 33 in 2019.  

“We passed five other pharmacy schools in the new rankings, all five of which are excellent schools, and at the same time there has been an increase in the overall number of pharmacy schools in the country, now approaching 150 schools,” says Neil MacKinnon, dean of the pharmacy college.

Pharmacy colleges are ranked by U.S. News & World Report every four years.

A portion of the ranking process includes peer-to-peer voting by college deans and administrators. Other factors are kept confidential; however, studies have shown there is a relationship between the research productivity of pharmacy schools and their rankings, says MacKinnon.

Research funding at the college has risen 225% since 2014.

“We have made significant investments in the research enterprise of the college over the past few years, including several new faculty hires, hiring the college’s first associate dean of research and innovation, and creating a new grants administrator position,” in order to grow the college’s research mission, says MacKinnon.  

The college’s research aligns with UC's strategic direction, Next Lives Here, emphasizing discovery by investigating problems and innovating solutions.

“This past year was the best year in the 170-year history of the college for research funding," says MacKinnon. "So, much of the credit goes to our research faculty and the staff and students in their labs.” He says he strives to serve as an example to faculty as a research-active dean, with 37 peer-reviewed publications since becoming dean in 2013.

Since the last ranking, the college has launched several new programs specific to the pharmacy profession and industry. Among them are an online certificate and master’s degree in pharmacy leadership program, a partnership with UC’s Carl H. Lindner College of Business; three new bachelor's-to-master’s dual-degree co-op programs in cosmetic science in partnership with UC’s College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Engineering and Applied Science; as well as a new joint master's degree program in drug development with Xiamen University in China. Also added have been several new certificate programs for doctoral students.

The cosmetic science degree program at UC is the oldest and largest in the country and was the first to offer a doctorate in cosmetic science. It was also the first to offer a completely online certificate and master’s degree program in cosmetic science.

The University of Cincinnati College of Pharmacy (originally called the Cincinnati College of Pharmacy) was the first of its kind established west of the Allegheny Mountains. It was granted a charter by the Ohio Legislature in 1850 and operated as a private college until July 1954 when it became an integral part of the University of Cincinnati.

Featured image at top: Kowalewski Hall, home to the James L. Winkle College of Pharmacy. Photo by Colleen Kelley/UC Creative Services