Points of Distinction

Graduate study in the areas of both elementary and secondary education at Michigan State University has ranked #1 in the nation for more than 32 straight years, according to the U.S. News & World Report ranking of education graduate programs.

In addition, the college ranks #19 (tied) overall, its highest placement since 2016. MSU is tied for #10 among public universities and ranks #4 among Big Ten universities.

Several College of Education graduate program areas are listed among the best in the nation in the latest rankings:

• #1 – Elementary Teacher Education
• #1 – Secondary Teacher Education
• #1 – Curriculum & Instruction
• #2 – Educational Administration & Supervision
• #2 – Higher Education Administration
• #2 – Rehabilitation Counseling*
• #4 – Educational Psychology
• #8 – Special Education
• #9 – Education Policy
• #13 – Student Counseling 

The U.S. News & World Report ranks doctoral degree-granting graduate education schools across the nation. The rankings are based on measures such as institutional capacity, reputation and research funding. The Rehabilitation Counseling rankings are part of a separate ranking from the Education rankings; they are traditionally ranked every five years.

For a complete list of the rankings, visit the U.S. News & World Report website.

Online program rankings (U.S. News & World Report)

In addition, in 2026, U.S. News & World Report recognized MSU as one of the best institutions to earn an online master’s degree in education. In fact, MSU is ranked in the top 10 in the U.S. in four program areas.

Global rankings (U.S. News & World Report)

MSU’s Education and Educational Research subject ranking earned a #11 ranking globally and #1 in the nation, according to U.S. News & World Report (2026). 

Note: The global rankings are separate from the graduate program and online master's rankings.

Where We Rank Globally (International Organizations)

MSU consistently ranks among the best in the nation for education.

• #6 – Shanghai Ranking, Global Ranking of Academic Subjects 2025 (Education)
• #13 - Quacquarelli Symonds, World University Rankings by Subject 2026 (Education & Training)
• #15 – Times Higher Education, World University Rankings by Subject 2026 (Education Studies) 

Our doctoral program in Kinesiology is heralded as one of the top in the nation. In 2023, the National Academy of Kinesiology ranked our program #11 nationwide. The rankings are renewed every 3-5 years. 

In 2026, Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) ranked MSU as #6 in the nation and #42 globally in their 2026 University Subject Rankings (Sports-Related Subjects). Compared to Big Ten Institutions, MSU is ranked #4. 

• Michigan State University was a pioneer when it launched a full-year teaching internship for students in 1993. Since then, nearly 14,000 Spartans have been certified as new teachers through MSU. The Teacher Preparation Program continues to evolve today.
• The Urban Educators Cohort Program prepares students exclusively for teaching careers in high-need urban schools through special course sections and experiences starting their first year.
• The Global Educators Cohort Program, which is also available for first-year students, is designed to prepare teachers committed to educating global citizens and working in culturally and linguistically diverse classrooms.
• The College of Education was one of the first to offer an online master’s degree program in education. Today, several of our master’s programs are now offered completely online.
• The College of Education has national accreditation from several organizations, including the
  • Teacher Preparation Program by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), which requires a commitment to continuously assess program effectiveness;
  • our programs in Counselor Education and Rehabilitation Counseling by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP);
  • our doctoral program for School Psychology by the Commission on Accreditation of the American Psychological Association (APA) and the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP);
  • and our M.S. in Athletic Training Program by the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE).
• Doctoral students in the College of Education previously had the opportunity to participate in the Fellowship to Enhance Global Understanding, a faculty-led international study trip with most expenses paid by the college.
• Combined with its graduate degree programs, the Michigan State University College of Education has also earned competitive training grants to provide paid fellowship opportunities in key areas in recent years. This includes the
  • Michigan State Interdisciplinary Training in Education and Social Science (MITTENSS) Fellowship (funding concluded 2026),
  • Project Hi2LD (Hybrid Interdisciplinary Training to Address High Intensity Needs of Students with Learning Disabilities) (funding concluded),
  • fellowships funded through the national Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) and
  • fellowships funded through the National Center for Leadership in Intensive Intervention-2 (NCLII-2), funding concluded.
• MSU was one of the first pioneering universities selected to participate in the Teachers for a New Era (TNE) initiative, a landmark effort by the Carnegie Corporation to restructure teacher education and set national standards for excellence.

• The CREATE for STEM Institute is a hub for innovation and collaboration among researchers committed to improving science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education from grades K-16. CREATE for STEM is a joint endeavor of the colleges of Education and Natural Science at MSU.
• Several College of Education faculty members have been inducted into the National Academy of Education, a society honoring distinguished scholars for pioneering efforts in educational research and policy development.
• Several current College of Education faculty (and emeriti faculty) have been inducted into the National Academy of Kinesiology. Representation as a Fellow highlights these scholars as a distinguished leader in the field.
• The Education Policy Innovation Collaborative, or EPIC, launched in 2017 and became the go-to research center for the Michigan Department of Education as it seeks to learn how reforms work best. EPIC has received over $12 million in grants, including one to study the state’s controversial read by grade 3 law.
• The College of Education’s Office of K-12 Outreach provides professional development and resources for educators across Michigan in support of school improvement efforts.
• The Early Learning Institute, created by faculty from the College of Education, provides a novel model of early intervention for low income students with autism in multiple locations. Kids spend half the day in one-on-one therapy and half in a regular preschool classroom with peers who do not have autism.
• Michigan State University became the host institution for the national research organization on school leadership, the University Council for Educational Administration (UCEA), in 2020. UCEA influences the work and training of K-12 educational administrators and represents scholars from over 100 member institutions.
• Michigan State University scholars hold leadership roles with journals that are influential in their respective fields, such as lead editor of Education Administration Quarterly (Gerardo López).
  • Past leadership roles include one of the editors-in-chief of include Higher Education (Brendan Cantwell), co-editor of American Educational Research Journal (Madeline Mavrogordato) and editor-in-chief of Measurement in Physical Education and Exercise Science (Nicholas Myers). Lisa Linnenbrink Garcia previously served as co-editor of Educational Psychologist.
  • MSU served as home to the leading journal in the teacher education field, the Journal of Teacher Education, from 2015–2021. From 2015–2018, the Senior Editors were Dorinda Carter Andrews, Gail Richmond, and Bob Floden. From 2018–2021, the Senior Editors were Dorinda Carter Andrews, Tonya Bartell, Gail Richmond, and Bob Floden. MSU was home to the journal for six years.
• College of Education faculty members are often named leaders of major national organizations. Currently, Karin Pfeiffer is the president of the American College of Sports Medicine. Previous leaders include:
  • North American Society for the Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity (Leapetswe Malete, 2025-26),
  • University Council for Educational Administration (Gerardo López, president 2019-2020 and Terah Venzant Chambers, president 2018-2019) and the
  • American Educational Research Association (Barbara Schneider, president 2013-14).
• The Office of International Studies in Education has been in operation since 1984 and serves as a nexus of information and opportunity to encourage faculty and student growth in international research and partnerships. Today, OISE maintains active partnerships or projects in over 20 countries globally.
• The Department of Kinesiology is dedicated to the study of physical activity and sport across the lifespan, with a special emphasis on youth. In our research labs, MSU kinesiology scholars study topics ranging from the impact of physical activity for babies, re-learning how to move after a stroke, the effects of concussions and how exercise affects one’s ability to think clearly. One of our labs has operated for decades: The Human Energy Research Lab was established in 1953.
• The MSU Institute for the Study of Youth Sports was originally created by the Michigan Legislature and is known as a respected source of knowledge on coaching and maximizing the benefits of sports for kids. It has operated continuously since 1978. 

Former projects and highlights from the college's history include: 

• More than 100 teachers in Chicago and other urban areas participated in a fellowship focused on training leaders among STEM teachers. The program was funded by a $2.8 million grant from global tech company Wipro Ltd.
• Michigan State University researchers led the first-ever international study of mathematics teacher preparation, the Teacher Education Study in Mathematics (TEDS-M), which generated data from 17 countries.
• Sixty school districts and 300,000 students participated in the $35 million PROM/SE (Promoting Rigorous Outcomes in Mathematics and Science Education) project, which was led by faculty at MSU.
• The Spartan Motorsport Performance study lasted more than 30 years and included over 1,200 participants from Michigan. The study examined how children and adolescents acquired and mastered skills, including running, jumping and throwing.