clinical phd uni innsbruck

General Information

Director of Clinical PhD Studies : Assoz. Prof. Priv.-Doz. Dr.med. Bernhard Glodny Deputy of Clinical PhD Studies: Univ.-Prof. Dr. Dominik Wolf

Clinical PhD Broschüre

The postgraduate study program “Clinical PhD – Doctor of Philosophy” (Q794445) at the Medical University of Innsbruck (MUI) currently comprises six programs: “Applied Morphology and Regeneration” (AMR), “Clinical Cancer Research” (CCR), “Clinical Neurosciences” (CNS), “Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine” (ICE), “Cardiovascular Medicine” (CVM), and “Clinical Imaging Science” (CIS). Many students have already passed through the program in its now ten-year history of success, and interest is growing, especially for research activities in the core research areas of MUI, including: oncology, neurosciences, genetics, epigenetics, and genomics, as well as morphology, infectiology, immunology, and organ and tissue replacement. Research also includes clinical areas of expertise and rapidly developing capabilities that are prerequisites or even necessary complements. The programs deepen the fundamentals of scientific work, are integrative with each other, offer access to the most modern technical and scientific procedures, and provide tools for the full breadth of successful clinical research. The Clinical PhD of the Medical University of Innsbruck (MUI) resides at the highest level of the European Qualifications Framework (EQF), qualifying according to the Bergen criteria with “knowledge at the most advanced frontier“, the “most advanced and specialized skills and techniques”, and the highest levels of “responsibility and autonomy” for clinical sciences. The six adaptive programs, which can be tailored to individual research projects, give clinically oriented students the opportunity to pursue a scientific career as a clinical physician in a competitive environment, integrated into their specialist clinical training. Excellent research is combined with the best possible patient care within the framework of the Bologna requirements for the completion of the highest level of academic degrees. Therefore, the doctoral program Clinical PhD of the Medical University of Innsbruck (MUI) can only be undertaken by graduates of human medicine and dentistry programs. The Clinical PhD serves as targeted postgraduate advancement, and it prepares the academic future of clinically oriented physicians in terms of  “Clinic – Science – Career“.

Innsbruck PhD School

Biomedical phd.

The mission of the PhD School for Biomedical Science is to train excellent PhD students to become tomorrow’s leading life scientists or physician scientists. Our six PhD programs offer exciting and interdisciplinary research at the highest level, and we support the development of our students with a comprehensive training program. We welcome applications from MSc and MD students alike.

Clinical PhD

The postgraduate study program "Clinical PhD – Doctor of Philosophy" at the Medical University of Innsbruck is dedicated to graduates of human medicine and dentistry programs. The extra-occupational design combines best possible patient care and excellent research, serves the purpose of targeted postgraduate advancement, and prepares the academic future of clinically oriented physicians in terms of “Clinic-Science-Career”.

Living in Innsbruck

Innsbruck’s unique location in the heart of the Alps makes up an exceptional place to pursue a career in biomedical sciences.

Why Innsbruck?

The Medical University of Innsbruck is one of the largest facilities that connects basic- and clinical research in Austria. The range of studies covers human medicine and molecular medicine and offers access to state-of-the-art research and core facilities. In addition, the location in the ‚Heart of the Alps‘ offers an international flair and a wide range of outdoors activities with a high quality standard of living.

good to know

Moving to a new place can be difficult sometimes. To make sure you have a smooth start in Innsbruck, we’ve collected some useful information for you.

Founded in 1946, The Austrian National Union of Students ‘ federal body of Representatives is the legal representative of all students to the competent ministries.

Especially the website of the Tyrolean ÖH representatives offers a lot of useful information for students in Innsbruck. Even though the webpage is available in German language only, in particular both the ÖH job portal and the ÖH accommodation portal are very useful tools if you are looking for a side job or a new apartement.

• 122    fire brigade
• 133   police
• 144   medical ambulance
• 112    European emergency hotline other important phone numbers can be found here .

If you are interested in learning German, you can apply for a course at the language center of the Leopold-Franzens-University (LFU) Innsbruck . The center offers different courses during the semester as well as blocked summer courses .

Also, there are some private institutions offering certified language courses in different levels:

• german courses at the WIFI (Wirtschaftsföderungsinstitut Innsbruck)
• german courses at the BFI (Berufsförderungsinstitut Innsbruck)
• german courses at the VHS (Volkshochschule Innsbruck)

For people working in Austria it’s mandatory to have a national health insurance which covers most of the costs for medical treatment, medication and hospital stays. Your employer will register you there automatically and you will receive an e-card which you have to bring to all your doctor’s appointments.

If you want to visit a doctor, you should call there to make an appointment first. Also, make sure that the doctor of your choice has a contract with your health insurance company, otherwise you will have to pay the amount by yourself (even though a part of it might be refunded by your health insurance company afterwards). Additionally, you can also take out private health insurance which covers more of the costs.

emergency services

In case of an emergency, you can also visit the University Clinic – State Hospital of Innsbruck , In ugent cases please call the emergency ambulance under the number 144 or the European emergency hotline under the number 112 (both without area code).

Also, please note that on weekends and on holidays there are always emegency services available for general health issues and also for dental emergency treatments .

Even though pharmacies are open accordingly to the regular shop opening hours, they also provide an emergengy service during the night hours and weekends.

Start now in your new, independent life in Innsbruck: There are the right housing options – on especially favorable terms:

The Austrian opening hours are regulated by law. Shops are closed in the evening/night hours. Most of the grocery stores are open on working days from approx. Monday to Friday from 08:00 AM to 6:00 PM (or longer) and on Saturday from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. However, on some days of theThe retail trade is closed on Sunday and on weekdays in the evening. Usually, only smaller stores have a lunch break.

Some bakeries and tourist shops are open on Sundays, too. Restaurants, museums and other services such as hairdressers have individual days of rest. Please inform yourself about the opening hours before your visit.

Innsbruck provides a large network of public transfer operated by the IVB (Innsbrucker Verkehrsbetriebe) . To use bus or tram within the city area, you have to buy a ticket. You can purchase them directly from the driver, but it’s recommended to buy a day ticket/an eight-trip ticket in advance from the vending machines at the bus stops or in tobacco shops/kiosks, as they are cheaper.

The IVB offers different tariff models and discounted semester tickets for students, so it’s worthwile to compare the prices.

If you live outside the city center, you might need another ticket which also covers the surrounding communities. The Verkehrsverbund Tirol (VVT) provides tickets for different regions (fare zones) in Tyrol and also an annual ticket for the whole Tyrol region.

Once you have arrived at your new living address in Innsbruck, you have to register at the resident’s registration office within three days at the town hall (“Stadtmagistrat”) .

The detailed registration steps and a list of all required documents including the registration form can be found here . Please note that you can only register your residence once you have a valid rental contract for your apartment and the registration form signed by your landlord.

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Welcome to the PhD Graduate Degree Program in Molecular Cell Biology

The cell is the basic building block of life. It is capable to live and multiply independently, while at the same time each cell contains all the information necessary to specialize and perform a multitude of tasks in complex organisms. Molecular cell biologists at the Medical University Innsbruck use state-of-the-art techniques and animal models to study a wide range of cell functions with a strong emphasis of intracellular signaling mechanisms and the pathophysiology of human disease.

The goal of the “Molecular Cell Biology” doctoral program is to equip young researchers with the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to pursue an independent scientific career in the basic and applied bio-medical sciences.

The “Molecular Cell Biology” program offers a well thought-out system of lectures and hands-on laboratory courses to train doctoral students in current concepts and up-to-date approaches of molecular cell biology. Peer-reviewed research projects, dedicated supervision by a three-member thesis committee and a lively seminar program create a stimulating research environment, conducive for the successful pursuit of a doctoral thesis.

Molecular Cell Biology

Assoc. Prof. David Teis, PhD Biocenter, Division Cell Biology Innsbruck Medical University Innrain 80/82 CCB Building

A-6020, Innsbruck, Austria tel: +43(0)512900370191 fax: +43(0)512900373100

MCBO Office Tel.: +43 (0)512-9003-70818 E-Mail:  [email protected]  

Innrain 80-82/I. 6020 Innsbruck, Austria

Office hours:  Mo-Fr: 9 pm - 5 am

Medical University of Innsbruck

In the heart of Tyrol, and consequently in the heart of the Alps, the Medical University of Innsbruck provides the best conditions for successful research, studies and teaching at an attractive location. The main objectives of the Medical University of Innsbruck are to provide top quality teaching and training, world-class research and continuous advancements in top-flight medicine. The organisational units of the Medical University are divided into medical theory, clinical practice and further (service) facilities. The University clinics are located at the Provincial Hospital. The close integration of theoretical instruction and practical hospital environment has always been a special feature of medicinein Innsbruck. The city of Innsbruck is one of the oldest centres of academic medicine in Austria and has been a central component of the university– first as a faculty (1674) and, since 2004, as an independent medical university.

Faculties and programmes

Degree programmes. Molecular Medicine – Bachelor’s Programme | Molecular Medicine – Master’s Programme | Medicine | Dental Medicine | Pharmaceutical Sciences - Drug Development and Regulatory Affairs – Master's Programme PhD programmes. PhD Programme Biomedical Sciences (contains 6 programmes) | PhD Programme Clinical Sciences (contains 6 programmes) | Other Courses

The Medical University of Innsbruck is one of the largest educational facilities for doctors and medical researchers in western Austria. On average over 3,000 students participate in the courses. Roughly 300 PhD postgraduates take one of the 12 PhD programmes offered. In addition, a part-timedoctoral programme – the Clinical PhD – is offered for graduates of the Medicine and Dentistry degree programmes. We also offer wide range of courses, from professional further education courses to medical lectures for people without medical training. Like every university, the Medical University of Innsbruck is mostly associated with research, which is one of its three core activities (research, teaching and patient care). Research focuses on oncology; neurosciences; infectiology, immunology & transplant and as an interface with genetics, epigenetics and genomics. Scientific research is also carried out in other areas. Our researchers assert themselves well in this extremely competitive field and obtain funding both on a national and international scale. The Medical University of Innsbruck has a unique campus structure where the research institutes are centrered around the university hospitals. This fosters medically relevant research and provides the grounds for developing personalised medicine in Innsbruck. The organisational units of the Medical University are divided into medical field theory, one clinical area and in other service facilities. Important roles in this context are played by the Province of Tyrol and Tirol Kliniken, with whom the University clinics are jointly operated.

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PhD programme in Education and Educational Science

The doctoral programme in Educational Science belongs to the humanities and cultural studies.

Graduates are able to conduct theoretical and empirical research in education and educational science.

They contribute to the analysis and conception of problems in the field of education, develop questions further and publish nationally and internationally. Furthermore, they acquire the ability to teach in educational science and to act pedagogically in subject-relevant organisations and institutions. This includes, among other things, leading work teams, planning and analysing work processes and the ability to design, implement and evaluate educational measures or programmes.

Curriculum "Doctor of Philosophy"-Doctoral Programme Education and Educational Science

OLAT Course PhD Educational Science

Edu­ca­tion & Edu­ca­tional Science

Doc­tor of Phi­lo­so­phy Dok­to­rats­s­tu­dium

Before studies/start of studies

In order to enrol in the PhD programme, you need to have completed a relevant university diploma or master's degree programme. In any case, these are the following studies at the University of Innsbruck:

• Diploma programme in Education
• Master's degree in Education and Educational Science
• Master's degree in Secondary Education (General Education) Specialisation in Media Education

Studies of other universities or universities of applied sciences must be equivalent. The equivalence of the degree of a Master's programme at a university of applied sciences, a diploma programme at a university of applied sciences or a Master's programme similar to a degree programme at a university of applied sciences must be checked individually. This is done in the course of the application for the degree programme. A preliminary equivalence check is not carried out.

If the equivalence is basically given and only individual supplements to the full equivalence are missing, examinations can be set as a requirement, which have to be taken during the doctoral studies.

If you have any questions, please contact the Dean of Studies.

Before you enrol in the PhD programme, you should answer some questions for yourself and think about why you want to do a PhD programme. It is also worthwhile to consider possible dissertation topics before enrolling. The faculty has developed a self-questioning guide that you can use to ask yourself if a PhD programme is really for you and what resources are available to you.

The professional fields of activity after completion of a doctoral programme are at universities, research institutions, post-secondary educational institutions, research departments of private and public institutions, advocacy groups and NGOs, psychosocial institutions, educational and training institutions including the political and media sector, professional representations and administrations.

With the doctorate, you demonstrate the ability to work independently on a topic in education and educational science, and to contribute to the discourse of the subject community. Therefore, much of the work in research and on the dissertation will be done independently, accompanied by a supervisor and/or peers.

At the Faculty of Education, we organise regular get-togethers for PhD students so that they can get to know each other and network with each other. You can find the next dates here.

No. Employment at the University of Innsbruck is not necessary to start a PhD programme. Of course, an employment as a pre-doc is a very good possibility to write a dissertation, as the integration into the institute and other financial resources is helpful.

However, you can also obtain the necessary financial support to work on your dissertation through various funding opportunities and scholarships.

Funding opportunities at the University of Innsbruck:

• Scholarships and grants of the University of Innsbruck
• Announcements and awards of the Office for Research Promotion

In addition, there are various other scholarships that are awarded by funding bodies on the basis of exposés:

Please also talk to your (possible) supervisor about scholarships, they usually have further ideas or know of other possibilities!

People who have completed their habilitation in the field of educational science can supervise a dissertation. A list of people and their subject areas will help you get in touch with the right people to supervise your dissertation.

At the beginning of your PhD studies, you will work on and revise your research proposal in several courses (the so-called dissertation seminars). By presenting the synopsis to your fellow students several times, you will receive important feedback to improve your research project. A separate checklist on how to write an exposé [LINK] will help you to find and narrow down your research topic.

In the course of your PhD studies, you will present your research results at various research congresses and conferences. By means of the confirmation of participation in the conferences and meetings as well as the conference programme, you can prove this elective module to the extent of 5 ECTS credits.

A publication on your research also counts as evidence in this module. Here, the supervisor confirms that the publication is related to the dissertation research and that the published results contribute to the professional discourse. This confirmation and the contribution are then annexes to the examination protocol.

Information and instructions for (further) credits can be found here:

https://www.uibk.ac.at/fakultaeten/bildungswissenschaften/studium/pruefungen-und-fristen/anerkennung-von-pruefungen-seite-2.html

At the end of the study

The dissertation programme is completed with a dissertation thesis and viva voce. Here, too, some deadlines must be observed.

• Submission of the dissertation to the Examinations Office, including the examination protocol and any attachments.
• Assessment of the dissertation: The dissertation paper is reviewed and evaluated by at least two reviewers. Only one of these may have previously been the supervisor! Note: The legal deadline for the assessment/review of the dissertation is 3 months, but it can also be done in a shorter period of time. In their own interest, students are asked to coordinate their scheduling in consultation with the reviewers so that the written reviews reach the Examinations Office at least 1 month before the viva.
• Receipt of the expert opinions and registration for the viva: The written expert opinions and the planned date of the viva must be received by the Examinations Office at least one month before the viva (the date of the examination must be arranged by the student with the Examination Senate). Attention: The examination senate consists of three persons. As a rule, these are the two examiners (one of whom is a supervisor) and a third examiner, who usually takes the chair. Please note that this third person must not have been a supervisor before!
• Confirmation of the examination date: At the latest 2 weeks before the viva is held, the examination date will be confirmed to the student by the Examinations Office via e-mail (provided that the registration requirements have been proven) and announced publicly (by the faculty).

When you hand in your dissertation, you will receive the form "Registration for the viva voce examination" from the Examinations Office. You only have to clarify the time and place of the viva with the three-member committee and hand in the form, signed by all participants, to the Examinations Office.

Heal, Research and Study in the Heart of the Alps.

Medical University of Innsbruck | University Clinic - State Hospital of Innsbruck

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Information

The University Hospital of Innsbruck provides research and teaching combined with patient care at the highest level. The cooperation of the Medical University of Innsbruck and the hospital operator Tirol Kliniken guarantees a high quality standard and a continuous improvement of a state-of-the-art medicine.

Patient Care

The cooperation of the Medical University of Innsbruck and the general country hospital of Innsbruck provides a maximum patient care at a modern level. The University Hospital guarantees access to all state-of-the-art procedures. more

Studies & teaching

The Medical University of Innsbruck is one of the largest educational facilities for doctors and medical researchers in Austria. The range of offered studies includes human medicine, dentistry and molecular medicine. In addition theoretical and clinical PhD programs are carried through. more

Innsbruck provides a broad and large-scaled professional environment to medical doctors and staff. In addition the “Heart of the Alps” offers an international flair, a wide range of outdoor sport and leisure activities, and thus a high standard of living. more

DOC 110 Image-guided Diagnosis and Therapy (IGDT): Integrating multimodal strategies for clinical research)

The newly designed, internationally oriented DocFunds programme “image guided diagnosis and therapy (IGDT) – integrating multimodal strategies for clinical research” qualifies young scientists with both medical and basic science background in the highly interdisciplinary and rapidly evolving field of digital medical imaging and image guided therapies. The multi- and interdisciplinary research programme integrates innovative aspects in applied mathematics, biomedical physics, computer science, clinical imaging and therapy. The programme combines training in basic science, translational and clinical science. The already existing PhD programme ( Image-guided Diagnosis and Therapy (i-med.ac.at ) provides a solid basis for the new programme.

The planned PhD projects are designed to improve image guided diagnosis and therapies and, therefore, patient care. The curriculum offers lectures and courses in basic and medical sciences in order to improve the mutual understanding of medical and basic scientists. Each PhD student is, therefore, supervised by a medical and a basic scientist. Scientists with a background in medical and basic sciences are in high demand, because innovative imaging and interventional procedures are increasingly important. This programme supports the education of next-generation scientists with excellent career opportunities in science, patient care and industry. It is a joint initiative of the Medical University Innsbruck (MUI), the Leopold-Franzens-University Innsbruck (LFUI) and the „Private Universität für Medizinische Informatik und Technik“ (UMIT).

Coordinator: Elke R. Gizewski ( Department Radiologie – Wissenschaft – Forschung (tirol-kliniken.at) ) Deputy Coordinator: Clemens Decristoforo ( Clemens Decristoforo (i-med.ac.at ) )

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Opening a New Front Against Pancreatic Cancer

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A new type of investigational therapeutic in development for pancreatic cancer has shown unprecedented tumor-fighting abilities in preclinical models of the disease, suggesting it has the potential to offer novel treatment options for nearly all pancreatic tumors, a comprehensive study has found. 

Kenneth Olive (photo by Diane Bondareff for Columbia University Irving Medical Center)

The inhibitors in this new class of oral medications, being developed by Revolution Medicines Inc., target the oncogenic or active cancer-causing form of RAS proteins (such as KRAS, NRAS, and HRAS). These RAS “oncoproteins” drive up to a third of all human cancers. The research findings—conducted by a consortium of academic researchers led by Columbia scientists and the scientific team at Revolution Medicines—were published in a paper appearing today in Nature . 

Currently the third leading cause of death from cancer, pancreatic cancer kills about 50,000 people annually in the United States alone. Despite decades of research, the disease continues to stymie drug developers and oncologists. What’s especially frustrating is that scientists know exactly what causes most cases at the cellular level. “For over four decades, we have known that there’s one particular RAS protein, called KRAS, that’s mutated and drives about 95% of all pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cases, and we’ve had no direct tools to attack it for most of that time,” says Kenneth Olive, PhD , associate professor of medicine at Columbia University’s Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons and Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, one of the study’s senior authors. 

When the study’s co-senior author, Mallika Singh, PhD, vice president for translational research at Revolution Medicines, told Olive the company had invented a class of inhibitors that had the potential to target all RAS mutations , he was incredulous. “My immediate reaction was skepticism,” says Olive. “But I was curious, and we quickly established a collaboration.” 

Study results

Preclinical studies soon launched in the Olive lab at Columbia, led by Urszula Wasko, a PhD student in the molecular pharmacology graduate program. Early pilot experiments with RMC-7977 were remarkably effective. “We immediately knew we were working with something entirely different,” says Olive. At the same time, Olive and Revolution Medicines worked to bring together pancreatic cancer experts from other academic institutions, including the University of Pennsylvania, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and Memorial Sloan Kettering. “Rather than compete against one another, we established a consortium and agreed to share data in real time. That was transformative,” says Olive.  

Pancreatic cancer researchers have developed many different preclinical models of the disease over the years, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. Rather than pick one, the expanded team tested RMC-7977 in all of them. “By unleashing a consortium of scientists on this problem, we were able to examine active RAS inhibition in every major class of model for pancreatic cancer, and this inhibitor performed really well in all,” says Olive. 

The preclinical tumor model Olive’s lab has long favored is widely recognized for its broad resistance to treatment. “RMC-7977 as a single agent outperformed the best combination regimen that has ever been reported in the literature in that model system,” he says, adding that it’s the first time he’s ever seen tumors routinely get smaller in those systems. Other models the consortium tested yielded similar results. 

Because RMC-7977 also inhibits wild-type RAS proteins essential to the health of many normal cells, the scientists also carefully examined normal tissues in the treated animals. This work showed that tumor cells are uniquely sensitive to the inhibitor, while the impact in normal cells was minimal. 

Though the initial responses in preclinical tumor models to the inhibitor were impressive, Olive hastens to point out that the tumors were not eliminated. 

“In almost every case, the tumor came back,” he says. In tissue culture, the investigators identified another oncogene, called MYC, that was altered in most of the resistant tumors, then developed a combination treatment that was effective against tumor cells that had developed resistance to the active RAS inhibitor. Those results suggest a combinatorial approach that is worth exploring in patients in the future. 

In a field with a long history of failed drug development efforts, the new results are cause for optimism, Olive says. “I’ve been working on pancreatic cancer for almost 20 years, and I’ve never seen preclinical results like these. I think there is a real chance this approach will help change the standard of care for pancreatic cancer patients, but only clinical trials can determine that. I’m excited that Columbia is one of many institutions participating in the clinical development of these new agents."

More information

The study, titled " Tumor-selective effects of RAS-GTP inhibition in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma ," was published on April 8, 2024, in Nature. 

The full list of authors is included in the article.

The study was supported by the National Institutes of Health (T32GM119999, F31CA275260, T32CA009156, F32CA232529, T32CA009156, T32 CA071341, 1R01CA266558, 1U01CA274312, 5P01CA129243 and 5P30CA008748, R01CA276268, R01CA229803, P50CA257911, and R35CA232113), the American Cancer Society, the Lustgarten Foundation, Break Through Cancer, the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, and the Department of Defense (W81XWH2110692).

Disclosures are included in the article.

Department of Psychology College of Social Science

Clinical science graduate student receives the caldwell award.

April 9, 2024 - Shelly DeJong

The Caldwell award recognizes a psychology graduate student who exemplifies public-spirited attitudes and actions that encourage bridging divides to discover unity in common purpose and to be a positive force for hope and possibilities.   

“We are proud to have Alex represent our graduate program,” said Dr. Ann Marie Ryan, director of the psychology graduate programs. “Alex’s nominators – peers, faculty and community partner – noted her dedication to service, her elevation of marginalized individuals within our community, her high-quality mentorship, as well as her own research focus.”  

Vazquez’s research focuses on the origins and development of resilience, and identifying factors that help individuals from historically disadvantaged backgrounds overcome environmental adversity. In addition to her research, Vazquez co-chairs the Clinical Area’s Diversity Sciences Committee and has been active in The Alliances for Graduate Education and Professoriate (AGEP). For years, she has also been dedicated to mentoring undergraduate and graduate students.  

“It’s such an honor to get this award and to be recognized for the work that I’ve been doing for the past few years,” said Vazquez. “I could not be where I am today without a lot of the support from my community and from different mentors that I've had. I really try to pay that forward to my peers and to students that are carving out a path of their own."  

Research & Mentorship  

Originally from Chicago, Vazquez was in the McNair Scholars program at DePaul, which helps prepare first-generation students for further education. Vazquez credits that mentorship as crucial to her success.  

“I really needed that support to move beyond an undergraduate education and pursue graduate studies. That mentorship was invaluable for me,” said Vazquez. “Now that I’m in graduate school, I really try to help undergraduates by exposing them to research and helping them with their applications to graduate school. I find it really rewarding to give back.”  

As an undergraduate student, Vazquez worked with her mentor, Dr. Cecelia Martinez-Torteya, an alum of the MSU Clinical Science program, to study the socio-emotional development of children. As a post-baccalaureate, she also worked on the Violence Prevention Project at DePaul University’s Center for Community Research, which worked to implement and assess an intervention to promote well-being among high school students in the Chicagoland area, particularly in urban, low-income areas.  

As a graduate student, Vazquez works with Dr. Alex Burt , the co-founder of the MSU Twin Registry. They use behavioral genetics methods to narrow in on environmental and genetic factors influencing youth resilience. In her second year, Vazquez was awarded a Graduate Research Fellowship for her master's thesis project through the National Science Foundation. Last year, Vazquez was awarded a National Research Service Award for her dissertation project through the National Institute of Health which allowed her to stay for a 6 th year in the Clinical Science program to do further research.  

As the co-chair of the Clinical Area’s Diversity Sciences Committee, Vazquez has worked to create a space for conversations about diversity, equity, and inclusion within their program. They’ve also tried to increase initiatives—including successfully proposing a new DEI brown bag series that will begin in the fall. 

Last year, they also made community service a part of their mission. After exploring potential collaborations, they began working with Haven House, a local organization that supports unhoused families. They’ve run charity drives and have also used their clinical expertise to train staff on how to navigate interpersonal challenges, assess therapy needs, and make therapy referrals.  

Recently, Vazquez matched for an internship with a medical center called Denver Health, the biggest safety-net hospital in Denver that works with under resourced folks and underserved populations. She’ll be working with substance use populations, as well as having the opportunity to work with Spanish-speaking populations.  

“A lot of the research that I work on can take years to see any effect. Being able to do something where you can see an immediate effect in your community is important to me. It really drives me,” said Vazquez. “I’m in a very privileged position where I can leverage my expertise, time, and knowledge to help the community. That’s something I’m passionate about.”

UT’s Excellence and Impact On Display in Latest Graduate School Rankings

AUSTIN, Texas — The University of Texas at Austin continues to be one of the premier schools for graduate studies, according to U.S. News & World Report’s partial release of its most recent “Best Graduate Schools.” UT made gains in several disciplines, including the College of Education’s jump into the top 10.

U.S. News has delayed release of its engineering, medicine and clinical psychology rankings, areas in which the University has historically achieved No. 1 and top 10 rankings.

Even with the partial release of the graduate rankings, UT maintained its top 10 spot for five colleges and schools: the College of Education (No. 8); the School of Information (No. 5); the Steve Hicks School of Social Work (No. 8); the College of Pharmacy (No. 6); and the Jackson School of Geosciences (No. 7), ranked under Earth Sciences. Three specialties ranked No. 1 in the country: Accounting, Latin American History and Sociology of Population. Overall, the University has 42 graduate schools and specialty programs ranked in the top 10 when combined with previous years.

“These rankings are striking and reflect our ability to continue to attract exceptional faculty and students. Our excellence is evident in our set of more than 40 schools, programs and specialties ranked in the top-10 in this partial release alone, including several that are the best in the country, if not the world,” said President Jay Hartzell. “Our talent is what puts UT at the leading edge of discovery in AI and robotics, life sciences, population research, and many other disciplines that are at the forefront of solving many of the world’s most pressing problems and bettering society.”

Among the highlights in this year’s rankings:

• The College of Education is now ranked in the top 10, moving up eight spots to No. 8.
• The McCombs School of Business moved up four ranks to No. 16 overall.
• The Information Systems MBA program in the McCombs School of Business is ranked No. 4 this year, marking 31 years that it has ranked in the top 5. Accounting has been ranked No. 1 for 18 years.
• The College of Pharmacy moved up one spot to No. 6. Computer Science moved up one rank to No. 7.
• The Nursing master’s program rose six spots to No. 14.

U.S. News & World Report’s graduate rankings, which are published separately from the yearly ranking of undergraduate programs, are considered the gold standard of graduate and professional rankings. They are based on surveys of academic leaders and, for select programs, additional quantitative measures including placement test scores, student/faculty ratios, research expenditures, salary by profession and job placement success.

The publication updates some of its specialty rankings each year and republishes the most recent rankings in other areas. The rankings for engineering, medicine and psychology will be released at a later date, according to U.S. News.

Graduate schools, programs and specialties that U.S. News ranked in the top 25 are listed below.

Business – 16

• Accounting – 1
• Business Analytics – 8
• Entrepreneurship – 10
• Finance – 13
• Information Systems – 4
• Management – 11
• Marketing – 11
• Production/Operations – 15
• Project Management – 4
• Real Estate – 8
• Supply Chain/Logistics – 16
• Executive MBA – 15
• Part-Time MBA – 7

Education – 8

• Counseling – 15
• Curriculum/Instruction – 12
• Education Policy – 9
• Educational Administration/Supervision – 5
• Educational Psychology – 6
• Elementary Teacher Education – 10
• Higher Education Administration – 14
• Secondary Teacher Education – 10
• Special Education – 7

Health Disciplines (other than Nursing)

• Audiology – 12
• Pharmacy (College of Pharmacy) – 6
• Social Work (Steve Hicks School of Social Work) – 8
• Speech-Language Pathology – 14
• Business/Corporate Law – 17
• Constitutional Law – 11
• Contracts/Commercial Law – 15
• Criminal Law – 20
• Intellectual Property Law – 15
• International Law – 25
• Tax Law – 13

Library and Information Studies Schools (School of Information) – 5*

• Archives and Preservation – 4*
• Digital Librarianship – 7*
• Information Systems – 8*
• Master’s – 14

Public Affairs – 13

• Public Policy Analysis – 15

The Sciences

Biological Sciences – 25*

• Ecology/Evolutionary Biology – 8*

Chemistry – 16*

• Analytical – 4*
• Inorganic – 14*
• Organic – 20*
• Physical – 14*

Computer Science – 7

• Artificial Intelligence – 9
• Programming Language – 7
• Systems – 10

Earth Sciences (Jackson School of Geosciences) – 7*

• Geochemistry – 13*
• Geology – 2*
• Geophysics and Seismology – 5*
• Paleontology – 3*

Mathematics – 13*

• Algebra – 19*
• Analysis – 8*
• Applied Math – 7*
• Topology – 8*

Physics – 13*

• Cosmology/Relativity/Gravity – 10*
• Condensed Matter – 22*

Statistics – 27* 

Social Sciences and Humanities

Economics – 22*

English – 17*

• American Literature After 1865 – 18*

History – 11*

• African American History – 10*
• Latin American History – 1*
• Modern U.S. History – 16*

Political Science – 19*

• American Politics – 20*
• Comparative Politics – 18*

Psychology – 23*

• Behavioral Neuroscience – 8*
• Social Psychology – 9*

Sociology – 11*

• Sociology of Population – 1*
• Sex and Gender – 6*
• Social Stratification – 13*

Fine Arts – 23*

• Sculpture – 6*

*Ranking not revised for 2024-25. Based on latest available ranking.

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2025 Best Graduate Schools

Article by UDaily Staff Photo by Evan Krape April 09, 2024

UD programs remain among the best in the nation, according to U.S. News and World Report

In the 2025 edition of Best Graduate Schools , U.S. News and World Report ranked the University of Delaware's graduate programs among the best in the nation.

“As we continue to enhance and expand our excellent graduate programs to meet the needs of our students and society, it is gratifying to see the expertise and hard work of our faculty and staff nationally recognized,” said UD President Dennis Assanis. “We are proud of the positive impact that our graduate students are making on the world, and we look forward to even greater successes ahead empowered by their UD education.”     

UD’s consistently top-ranked physical therapy program remained in the top three nationwide. This is the first year U.S. News and World Report ranked speech-language pathology programs with UD’s inaugural ranking at #32.

“Excellent graduate preparation is central to the University of Delaware's mission as a world-class research institution," said Louis Rossi, dean of UD’s Graduate College and vice provost for graduate and professional education. "Our graduate programs are producing the thinkers, leaders and innovators who are tackling the world's greatest challenges. We are excited about these rankings, which indicate their excellence."

Physical Therapy, 2

Non-profit Management, 16 (up from 23)

Public Management and Leadership, 18 (up from 23)

Public Finance and Budgeting, 21

Speech-Language Pathology, 32

Education Schools, 34

Public Affairs Schools, 34

Computer Science, 70 (up from 77)

Nursing: Master's, 79 (up from 82)

Nursing: Doctor of Nursing Practice, 110

Part-Time MBA, 150

The preceding list only includes subject areas evaluated in this year's edition published to date. U.S. News and World Report has delayed the announcement of two programs that were slated to be included in the rankings: Best Engineering Schools and Programs, and Best Clinical Psychology Programs. The lists will be updated as soon as the data are available.

Other UD graduate programs have been ranked in previous years. The full listing of UD graduate programs ranked by U.S. News and World Report is available on the Institutional Research and Effectiveness Rankings  webpage . Please note the programs and specialties used by U.S. News might vary slightly from the names of degree programs used by UD.

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