Elon is recognized for excellence in all eight high-impact curricular and co-curricular academic programs highlighted in the nation’s top-selling college guide.
College presidents and top higher education administrators across the nation have recognized Elon for excellence in all eight student success programs in the annual U.S. News & World Report feature on academic “Programs to Look For.” The report was released Sept. 10 as part of the U.S News 2019 “America’s Best Colleges” rankings. Elon is ranked #1 among 148 Southern master’s universities and #1 for undergraduate teaching and innovation.
For the past 15 years, U.S. News has asked college executives, chief academic officers and deans to name schools that are outstanding on eight academic programs that lead to student success. The program categories were identified by education experts, including staff of the Association of American Colleges and Universities.
For the fourth straight year, Elon is recognized in all eight categories:
- Study Abroad
- Undergraduate Research/Creative Projects
- Internships/Co-ops
- Learning Communities
- Service Learning
- Writing in the Disciplines
- First-Year Experiences
- Senior Capstone
Other colleges and universities recognized in multiple categories include Agnes Scott in eight programs; Duke and Stanford in seven programs; Yale, Princeton, Brown, Davidson, Butler and Belmont in six programs; Harvard, MIT, Carleton, Rice, Cornell, Dartmouth, Bates, Bowdoin, Abilene Christian, Boston College and Northeastern in five programs; and UNC-Chapel Hill, Michigan State, Michigan, Wisconsin and others in four programs.
Elon has a long history of excellence in co-curricular programs, with high participation rates in programs known collectively as the “Elon Experiences.” Elon annually ranks as the nation’s #1 master’s-level university in study abroad.
Participation rates for members of the Class of 2017 are as follows:
- Service: 89%
- Internships: 87%
- Study Abroad: 79% + Study USA: 16%
- Leadership: 45%
- Undergraduate Research: 27%
In addition, Elon has a wide array of living-learning communities in its eight residential neighborhoods. And Elon’s selection for excellence in writing is the result of a major initiative to promote writing skills for students in all majors.
The undergraduate Core Curriculum includes an interdisciplinary Capstone Seminar to help students integrate and apply what they have learned during their Elon education. More than 40 different seminar topics are offered each academic year.
First-year students at Elon participate in numerous opportunities coordinated through the New Student and Transition Programs and the Core Curriculum includes First-Year Foundations courses that challenge students to think critically, engage globally and communicate effectively.