The rankings below have been compiled on the basis of a number of factors. In terms of academic excellence, the schools on the following list maintain a superior level of instruction, quality relationships with top-tier colleges, and additional academic awards and honors. The majority of students who attend these day schools attend Ivy League universities or the colleges just underneath the Ivies in college ranking materials.

Because diversity of the student body is integral to preparing students for living and working in a connected, global society, we factor this into our criteria for the rankings. The diversity of a student population, as well as opportunities to connect to the world, are telling factors of a school’s commitment to preparing its students for the world outside of the school environment.

The third aspect assessed for this listing consists of intangible factors, such as innovative degree programs in the arts, current student satisfaction with their high school, quality and experience of the faculty, or modern lab or athletic facilities. Also, we have striven for as much geographical diversity as is consistent with our other criteria.

Note about boarding schools: Schools that receive day students along with boarding students will be included in a follow-up article on boarding schools. This article focuses on private high schools that do not provide boarding facilities.

Note about tuition: The tuition price comes from the most current figure posted on the school’s websites. Most of the numbers listed are exclusive of textbooks, lunches, and other fees.

Note about alumni/alumnae: In some cases, notable persons who attended a school, but did not graduate, are also listed.

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1. Trinity School (New York, NY)

Trinity School, founded in 1709, is an independent, co-ed school located on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. Trinity consistently ranks as the foremost private day school in the country, and for good reasons: over 80% of its faculty holds an advanced degree and the school funnels out students to the best colleges in the nation.

In addition to housing a full Classics department, Trinity also offers a huge array of special programs to ensure that students develop their interests outside the classroom.

Awards, Ranking, Alumni, Tuition:

• Consistently ranked in the top ten of the Wall Street Journal’s Best High Schools Awards
• Named #1 school in the country by Forbes Magazine in 2010
• Alumni include tennis star John McEnroe, fashion consultant Stacy London, actors Humphrey Bogart and Larry Hagman, singer-songwriter Sophie B. Hawkins, cellist Yo-Yo Ma, novelists Truman Capote and Colson Whitehead, and filmmaker Oliver Stone
• Tuition: $39,125, grades 9–11; $39,625, grade 12

2. Roxbury Latin School (Boston, MA)

Located in southwest Boston, the all-men Roxbury Latin School is known for turning out National Merit Scholars, as well as Ivy-bound students.

Founded in 1645, Roxbury Latin is one the oldest, operating private schools in the country. Its rankings speak to its rigorous academic preparation and excellent faculty.

For a small school, the musical groups on campus are impressive: a glee club, an a capella group, a junior chorus, a jazz band, and various chamber ensembles are available for student participation.

Awards, Ranking, Alumni, Tuition:

• Ranked #5 prep school by Forbes Magazine
• The top SAT average of any school in the country, according to Peterson’s Private Secondary Schools
• The highest matriculation rate to all 8 Ivies plus Stanford and MIT, according to a study by PrepReview.com
• Alumni include landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, experimental psychologist E.L. Thorndike, educator James B. Conant, and anthropologist Jared Diamond
• Tuition: $24,300

3. Brearley School (New York, NY)

The Brearley School, an all-women’s, non-denominational school located on Manhattan’s Upper East Side,  is a champion of diversity.  Forty-four percent of the student body is comprised of students of color.

Brearley’s emphasis on academics is witnessed by its high Ivy League/MIT/Stanford placement rate of 37%.

The school encourages its students to take advantage of its many study abroad and exchange programs, which include countries like India, China, and Vietnam, as well as the more traditional European study abroad destinations.

The school also has a thriving arts program.

Awards, Ranking, Alumni, Tuition:

• Ranked #1 all-women’s school by Forbes Magazine
• Alumnae include anthropologist Mary Catherine Bateson, novelists Anne and Katie Roiphe, actresses Jill Clayburgh, Sigourney Weaver, and Kyra Sedgwick, and philanthropist Caroline Kennedy
• Tuition: $36,800

4. Horace Mann School (New York, NY)

In the Riverdale section of the Bronx, one will discover the 18-acre campus of the Horace Mann School, which is recognized as one of the top feeder schools to the Ivies.

Horace Mann seeks to educate the whole person inside and outside of the classroom: In addition to offering an assortment of co-curricular activities, students are required to pass a swim test, learn CPR, and complete community service hours as part of their graduation requirements.

Awards, Ranking, Alumni, Tuition:

• Ranked #2 school in the U.S. by Forbes Magazine in 2010
• Ranked #4 by the Wall Street Journal
• Most of its 21 student publications have earned recognition from the CSPA (Columbia Scholastic Press Association) and ASPA (Association of Specialized and Professional Accreditors)
• Alumni include composer Elliott Carter, poet William Carlos Williams, novelist James Salter, philosopher John Searle, economist Robert Heilbroner, Pultizer Prize–winning author Robert Caro, New York Governor Eliot Spitzer, and jazz pianist Peter Cincotti
• Tuition: $39, 100

5. Winsor School (Boston, MA)

The Winsor School, founded in 1886, is one of the top all-women’s prep schools in the country. Its academic excellence is evidenced by its high average combined SAT score of 2100 and its Ivy League/MIT/Stanford matriculation rate of 35%.

Winsor enrolls approximately 430 students from diverse cultural, racial, and ethnic backgrounds. For further enrichment, the school offers off-campus programs, exchanges to China and France, and semesters at the Mountain School in Vermont.

Awards, Ranking, Alumni, Tuition:

• Ranked #10 on Forbes Magazine best prep list
• Alumnae include figure skater Tenley Albright and Harvard Law School Professor Martha Field
• Tuition: $37,100

6. College Preparatory School (Oakland, CA)

College Prep of Oakland, a co-educational, private school, is one of the most selective private day schools in the country, with a population of only 320 students.

The highly-selective admissions process guarantees a high-caliber student upon entrance, which typically results in these students’ becoming freshmen at the nation’s top colleges—22 students from College Prep have become Stanford students upon graduation during the last five years alone.

Students participate in Intraterm each year, a specialized program for enrichment the week before spring break.

Awards, Ranking, Alumni, Tuition:

• 59% of the class of 2013 were recognized as either National Merit Semi-Finalists or Commended
• Ranked #17 private school in the country by Forbes Magazine in 2010
• Alumni include filmmaker Miranda July, Deputy U.S. Assistant Secretary of State David Marchick, and Cher Wang, co-founder of smartphone manufacturer HTC
• Tuition: $35,410

7. Collegiate School (New York, NY)

Collegiate School, an all-men’s private school located in Manhattan’s Upper West Side, traces back its history to 1628, making it one of the oldest schools in the U.S.

In addition to boasting a stellar average combined SAT score (2195) and Ivy League/MIT/Stanford acceptance rate (41%), Collegiate is distinguished by having the best soccer team in the state among private schools.

Students are also encouraged to take advantage of the school’s prime New York City location by enrolling in CITYterm, which uses the Manhattan cityscape as its classroom.

Awards, Ranking, Alumni, Tuition:

• Named it the #1 school in the world for getting into the Ivies by the Wall Street Journal 
• Ranked #7 prep school in the country by Forbes Magazine
• Alumni include film directors Peter Bogdanovich and Whit Stillman, actor David Duchovny, and John F. Kennedy, Jr., son of the former president
• Tuition: $39,400

8. Spence School (New York, NY)

An all-women’s school on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, the Spence School offers a global learning community within its campus.

Over 33% of the student body consists of students of color, and the curriculum at Spence is designed so that a student can identify herself and sees her culture and heritage reflected in her studies. The English Department hosts an array of classes focusing on literature from specific regions around the world.

Upper School students can choose from among 40 clubs and activities.

Awards, Ranking, Alumni, Tuition:

• Ranked #9 by Forbes in the best prep schools list
• Alumnae include philanthropist Helen Cray Frick, author Francine du Plessix Gray, and actress Gwyneth Paltrow
• Tuition: $39,200

 9. Harvard-Westlake School (Los Angeles, CA)

Harvard-Westlake (H-W) is a private, co-ed school that spans two campuses on the west side of Los Angeles, between Bel Air and Beverly Hills.

A distinguishing feature of the school is its focus on character education and ethical leadership, which is built into the curriculum.

H-W allows for directed study and independent study. Travel is encouraged, both abroad or domestically (at the Mountain School or the High Mountain Institute).

Awards, Ranking, Alumni, Tuition:

• Over 1/3 of students in the class of 2011 received National Merit Recognition
• Ranked as one of America’s best prep schools from prepreview.com in 2008
• Ranked as #12 on the Forbes Best Schools list for 2010
• Alumni include actors Myrna Loy, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., Shirley Temple, Candice Bergen, Elizabeth Montgomery, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Maggie and Jake Gyllenhaal, as well as film director Jason Reitman and astronaut Sally Ride
• Tuition: $31, 350

10. Dalton School (New York, NY)

The Dalton school, on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, is the home of the Dalton Plan, an educational model adopted by schools globally. The plan comprises three parts (Home, Assignment, and Lab), as well as programs designed to meet a student’s individual needs.

Seniors stay busy at Dalton: On top of the senior initiative and project, the school mandates an internship program in the senior year to give students hands-on experience for post-grad life.

Awards, Ranking, Alumni, Tuition:

• Ranked #13 on the Forbes Best Prep Schools list
• Alumni include actors Chevy Chase and Claire Danes, author Frances Fitzgerald, science fiction writer Samuel R. Delany, journalists Eric Schlosser and Matt Yglesias, and TV personalities Anderson Cooper and Andrew Zimmern
• Tuition: $40,220

11. Chapin School (New York, NY)

The Chapin School is an all-women’s school on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. All students attend school under one roof to maintain a sense of continuity and community.

Chapin has an extensive network of partnerships for students to complete summer internships, including a partnership with the Foreign Policy Association.

Students may also enroll in an elective service-learning course that is designed to incorporate meaningful community service into teaching and learning about civic responsibility and social issues.

Awards, Ranking, Alumni, Tuition:

• Ranked #3 in college placement by the Wall Street Journal in 2007
• Alumnae include author Anne Morrow Lindbergh, New Jersey Governor Christine Todd Whitman, actresses Stockard Channing and  Sigourney Weaver, and fashion designers Lilly Pulitzer and Vera Wang
• Tuition: $36,500

12. Princeton Day School (Princeton, NJ)

Princeton Day School (PDS) is a private, co-educational day school.

PDS is naturally a feeder school for nearby Princeton University; however, many graduates go on to attend other top-ranked colleges such as NYU, Cornell, Tufts, and Georgetown.

Not only does PDS more than adequately prepare students for the best colleges in the country, it incorporates a number of special programs to nurture the student as a complete individual. There is a two-day celebration of creativity featuring guest artists and a five-week seminar for seniors, “A Life That Works,” which gathers seniors to investigate spiritual and practical dimensions of life relevant to shaping their futures.

Awards, Ranking, Alumni, Tuition:

• A third of the 2011 graduating class were honored as National Merit Semi-Finalists or Commended Scholars
• Alumni include actor Christopher Reeve, singer-songwriter Mary Chapin Carpenter, and rock musician Trey Anastasio
• Tuition: $30,230

13. Saint Ann’s School (New York, NY)

Saint Ann’s School is a non-sectarian, co-educational, private day school located in the Brooklyn Heights section of New York City.

There are a couple of keys that separate Saint Ann’s school from the other schools on this list.

First, the school doesn’t have a grading system and prefers to have its teachers prepare full-page reports on each student to give what they deem a more accurate reflection of the learning that took place.

A spotlight on the arts is another feature unique to Saint Ann’s, in that the school considers the arts to be central elements to a student’s education.

Juniors and seniors help design their own curriculum.

Awards, Ranking, Alumni, Tuition:

• Named one of the top 50 high schools by the Wall Street Journal in 2007
• Alumni include actresses Jennifer Connelly and Lena Dunham, and rap musician Mike D (Mike Diamond)
• Tuition: grades 9–11, $32, 400; grade 12, $33,100

14. Germantown Friends School (Philadelphia, PA)

Germantown Friends School is a co-educational, private day school located in Philly’s historic Germantown neighborhood. The school maintains has its roots in, and maintains strong connections with, the Society of Friends.

Germantown Friends is known for its strong academic preparation: 10–20% of graduates enroll at the prestigious University of Pennsylvania.

The school keeps it values close in mind both inside and outside of the classroom, making for a rich education in the development of the individual students.

In keeping with its spiritual values, Germantown Friends does not calculate GPA for class rank and does not have a Valedictorian or Salutatorian. Instead, graduating classes elect a faculty member and a classmate to deliver ceremonial speeches.

Awards, Ranking, Alumni, Tuition:

• Alumni include Nobel Prize-winning physicists Owen Chamberlain and Saul Perlmutter, television producer Kara Vallow, and music producer and author Sandra Boynton
• Tuition: $29,795

15. National Cathedral School (Washington, DC)

The National Cathedral School (NCS)  is a private, all-women’s Episcopal day school in the McLean Gardens neighborhood of our nation’s capital.

NCS was built before the National Cathedral itself, and maintains its heritage through weekly chapel services by school division and ecumenical, thematic Friday services.

Thirty-five percent of the student body is made up of students of color.

Athletic participation, which includes dance and yoga classes as well as outdoor recreation, is mandatory for all students.

Awards, Ranking, Alumni, Tuition:

• Alumnae include American U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice and U.S. Congresswoman Beverly Byron
• Tuition: $35,120

16. University of Chicago Laboratory Schools (Chicago, IL)

The Lab School (as it is universally known), which is located on the campus of the University of Chicago in the Hyde Park neighborhood of the city, is a private, co-educational day school that takes pride in its diverse campus culture.

The school was founded in 1896 by Professor John Dewey, one of the foremost philosophers, educators, and public intellectuals in America’s history.

Students learn about cultural, communicative ethics, and civility education, and participate in an outstanding World Languages program.

Students at the Lab School are known for their excellence in scholastic journalism, as well.

Awards, Ranking, Alumni, Tuition:

• Ranked #4 in the nation for its record of sending graduates to elite colleges and universities
• Alumni include U.S. Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens, composer Ned Rorem, historian William McNeill, philosopher Leon Kass, biologist Lynn Margulis, and U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan
• Tuition: $28,290

17. Collegiate School (Richmond, VA)

Collegiate School, which is located in Virginia’s state capital (and should not be confused with the New York City school of the same name), is a private, co-educational day school committed to academic and personal excellence.

All students participate in community service projects; seniors complete short internships prior to graduation as a graduation requirement. To prepare students for the world beyond academia, Collegiate weaves both economics education and global education into its entire curriculum.

Recently, Collegiate initiated a Global Education Mission, creating partnerships with schools in China, India, Mexico, and Spain, and expanded its oral proficiency requirements for foreign language study. It is also home to the International Emerging Leaders Conference.

Awards, Ranking, Alumni, Tuition:

• The class of 2012 produced three National Merit Semi-finalists, one Achievement Semi-Finalist, and 14 Commended Scholars
• Alumni include U.S. Representative and current House Majority Leader, Eric Cantor, film producer Michael Gottwald, TV writer Mike Henry, and Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson
• Tuition: $21,520

18. St. Andrew’s Episcopal School (Ridgeland, MS)

St. Andrew’s Episcopal School, which is located just north of Jackson, Mississippi (and should not be confused with several other schools of the same name in other states), is an independent, co-ed, college prep school for students in grades pre-K through 12.

St. Andrew’s consistently leads the state in the percentage of National Merit Semi-finalists.   In addition to a fine academic tradition, St. Andrew’s students grow as individuals in a variety of ways, one of which is that they complete an astounding 100 hours of community service projects before graduation. The school has established a focus on global studies through the St. Andrew’s International Society, the Global Speakers program, and by providing exchange programs with schools in Japan, China, Mexico, Ghana, Scotland, Spain, France, and India.

Awards, Ranking, Alumni, Tuition:

• The Class of 2011 included 12 National Merit Finalists, three National Achievement Finalists, and five Commended Students
• The Class of 2010 included 18 National Merit Finalists (more than any other school in the state), three National Achievement Finalists, and two Commendations
• St. Andrew’s has produced four Presidential Scholars in the last four years
• Thirty-five of 39 of Mississippi’s AP State Scholars have been St. Andrew’s students
• Tuition: $14,605

19. Delbarton School (Morristown, NJ)

Delbarton is a Catholic, all-men’s school located just west of Newark, New Jersey.

In addition to its commitment to academic excellence, Delbarton promotes the values of cooperative living in a global society.

Through its study abroad programs, notable international guest speakers, and an award-winning Model U.N., students gain significant insight into the outside world.

Awards, Ranking, Alumni, Tuition:

• Ranked #9 among the nation’s schools by the Wall Street Journal in 2007
• Alumni include playwright Christopher Durang, actor Peter Dinklage, computer scientist Robert Tappan Morris, and Wall Street trader/martial arts fighter John Cholish
• Tuition: $30,200

20. Commonwealth School (Boston, MA)

Located in Boston’s Back Bay East neighborhood, Commonwealth is a private, co-ed day school with a prestigious academic standing. Historically, two-thirds of each graduating class is recognized by the National Merit Scholar program.

The school views community service as an integral part of developing the whole person; therefore, students are required to complete 70 hours of service by the beginning of their junior years.

Additionally, the school mandates that students participate in the on-campus Jobs Program, in which students sign up to complete a variety of practical, common tasks on a regular basis.

Awards, Ranking, Alumni, Tuition:

• Three members of the Class of 2012 were Presidential Scholar Semi-finalists
• Physics department named best in the country by the College Board in 2004
• Ranked best private high school by Boston Magazine in 2009
• Alumni include historian Daniel Pipes, diplomat Peter Galbraith, film directors Kasi Lemmons and Jesse Peretz, actor Hamish Linklater, and model Cameron Russell
• Tuition: $34,704

21. Lakeside School (Seattle, WA)

A private school in the north part of Seattle, the Lakeside School presents an intense academic program that exceeds the rigor of AP classes; thus, AP classes are not offered.

Lakeside has one of the most diverse student populations, with over half of the student body comprised of students of color.

The history of engaging students in global affairs dates back to the famous 1984 chess match against Moscow School students. Today, the school’s Global Service Learning Program “aims at helping students gain a broader view of the world while helping the underprivileged around the world.”

Students also have numerous opportunities for study abroad, both domestically and internationally.

Awards, Ranking, Alumni, Tuition:

• The class of 2012 produced 31 National Merit Semifinalists, 40 National Merit Commended, four National Achievement Scholar Award winners, and three National Hispanic Recognition Award winners
• Alumni include Microsoft founders Bill Gates and Paul Allen, and TV actor Adam West
• Tuition: $27,250

22. Regis High School (New York, NY)

An all-men’s, Catholic day school on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, Regis High School has a rigorous set of criteria for acceptance, and is widely regarded as a feeder school to the Ivies and other top U.S. colleges and universities.

Run by the Jesuit order, Regis combines a commitment to academic excellence with a focus on religiously guided values.

Annual class enrollment is limited to approximately 135 male students from the NY/NJ/CT  tri-state area. All students receive a tuition-free education.

Awards, Ranking, Alumni, Tuition:

• Alumni include immunologist Anthony Fauci, writer and critic Luc Sante, book publisher and editor Robert Giroux, journalists Pete Hamill and Mark Mazzetti, and author Edward Conlon
• Tuition: $0

23. Rye Country Day School (Rye, NY)

Rye Country Day School, which was founded in 1869, is a co-ed day school in a town on Long Island Sound, north of New Rochelle on Connecticut border.

While Rye Country Day has a consistent rate of students who matriculate into top-tier schools, it also maintains a deep commitment to community service.

Diversity also plays a prominent role on campus: Out of the many co-curricular clubs and activities Rye offers, nine are student clubs that promote diversity on the campus.

The school requires a Senior Term mandatory graduation project. .

Awards, Ranking, Alumni, Tuition:

• Ranked #21 on a list of top schools by the Wall Street Journal in 2007
• Alumni include Pulitzer Prize–winning playwright Edward Albee, first lady Barbara Bush, and TV actor Nick Kroll
• Tuition: $34,600

24. Crystal Springs Uplands School (Hillsborough, CA)

Crystal Springs Uplands School, is an independent, co-ed private school located south of San Francisco, near San Mateo.

The school was among the first private schools to wave goodbye to the College Board’s AP courses. This was done so that teachers could design even more challenging coursework and students could initiate projects, internships, investigative research, and global experiences. However, students may elect to take the AP exams.

In terms of diversity, over 50% of the student population are students of color.

Awards, Ranking, Alumni, Tuition:

• Alumni include heiress Patty Hearst, hip hop music producer Charlie Kubal, and TV actress Polly Draper
• Tuition: $35,700

25. Buckingham Browne & Nichols (Cambridge, MA)

The Buckingham School (1889) and Browne & Nichols School (1883) merged in 1974, creating a dynamic co-educational institution (BB&N). The three separate campuses are located within a few miles of each other in the western part of Cambridge, between the Charles River and historic Mt. Auburn Cemetery.

BB&N’s excellent academics prepares students for acceptance and success at the nation’s top colleges. Participation in sports is mandatory for all students.

BB&N students produce several publications, which have received national recognition.

Awards, Ranking, Alumni, Tuition:

• 27 Presidential Scholars from Massachusetts
• Ranked #5 top private school in the Boston area by Boston Magazine in 2009
• Ranked among the top 50 schools in the world for university preparation by the Wall Street Journal in 2007
• Alumni include actor Anthony Perkins, Prison Fellowship founder Charles Colson, NPR radio broadcaster Sylvia Poggioli, U.S. Representative Joseph P. Kennedy, III, billionaire businesswoman Abigail Johnson, and Netflix founder Reed Hastings
• Tuition: $38,030

26. St. Mark’s School of Texas (Dallas, TX)

St. Mark’s School of Texas is a nonsectarian, all-men’s day school located in the Preston Hollow neighborhood of north Dallas. The school’s academic performance record shines in the light of its many graduates who attend the nation’s best colleges.

St. Mark’s makes concerted efforts towards environmental sustainability, for which the school has received accolades.

Outdoor education is an integral part of the St. Mark’s experience and is required of all students.

Awards, Ranking, Alumni, Tuition:

• 22 National Merit Scholars in the Class of 2011
• 35 Commended Scholars from the National Merit Program in the Class of 2011
• Seven Presidential Scholars since 2003
• Alumni include National Lampoon co-founder Robert Hoffman, singer-songwriter Boz Scaggs,and actors Tommy Lee Jones and Luke and Owen Wilson
• Tuition: $25,258–$26,914, depending on the grade level

27. San Francisco University High School (San Francisco, CA)

San Francisco University High School (popularly known as “University”) opened in 1975 as a co-ed private school in the Pacific Heights neighborhood of the city.

Independent learning and self-directed projects are a valuable and unique asset to the excellent curriculum the school offers.

At University, community service learning requirements are mandatory. Over 40% of the student body is composed of students of color.

Awards, Ranking, Alumni, Tuition:

• Ranked #21 best high school based on university preparedness by the Wall Street Journal in 2007
• Ranked #8 best high school in the country for matriculation rate and success at top colleges and universities by the Washington Post in 2013
• Alumni include writer Ethan Canin, filmmaker and actor Ari Gold, National League pitcher Tyler Walker, and actor John Morris
• Tuition: $35,440

28. Marlborough School (Los Angeles, CA)

Founded in 1889, Marlborough School is a private, all-women’s day school located in the Hancock Park neighborhood of Central L.A. It is the oldest school for women in Southern California.

Marlborough hosts a premiere Visiting Scholars program. While Marlborough does not require community service from its students, it is a valued, encouraged, and integral part of daily student life.

Awards, Ranking, Alumni, Tuition:

• Science program has received national recognition
• Honors research program was featured in a 2005 New York Times article
• Alumnae include novelist Nell Freudenberger, author Anne Fadiman, actress and playwright Zoe Kazan, and MSNBC anchor Alex Wit
• Tuition: $28,950

29. Riverdale Country School (New York, NY)

Home to the largest campus in the New York City area, Riverdale Country School is a co-ed, private school located in the Riverdale section of the Bronx.

The school has decided to forgo AP course offerings so that more challenging and innovative classes would be available to students.

Additionally, all students are required to have three arts credits towards graduation—a nod to the emphasis on a strong and thriving arts program.

Awards, Ranking, Alumni, Tuition:

• Alumni include U.S. Senator Edward M.Kennedy, singer-songwriter Carly Simon, science writer James Gleick, NFL running back Calvin Hill, Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell, restaurant critic Tim Zagat, and actors Cesar Romero, Chevy Chase, and Sarah Michelle Gellar
• Tuition: $35,500

30. Latin School of Chicago (Chicago, IL)

Latin School of Chicago (known locally as “Latin”), founded in 1888, is a private, coeducational college preparatory school located in the city’s affluent Gold Coast neighborhood. It is the oldest independent day school in the city of Chicago.

Latin School’s mission is to provide students with an academically rigorous and innovative educational program in a community that embraces diversity of people, cultures, and ideas. Latin’s aim is “to inspire its students to pursue their passions and lead lives of purpose and excellence.”

Latin offers many innovative electives in every subject area, in addition to the core requirements. Many classes have a real-life-experience component, which helps to bring the material to life, including mock trials, hands-on labs, and a Model U.N. simulation.

Awards, Ranking, Alumni, Tuition:

• Alumni include sculptor Claes Oldenburg, singer-songwriter Roger McGuinn, actor and producer Bob Balaban, first lady Nancy Reagan, U.S. Senator Adlai Stevenson, III, and U.S. Supreme Court Justice John Marshall Harlan, II
• Tuition: $28,985

31. Ethical Culture Fieldston School (New York, NY)

Ethical Culture Fieldston School (popularly known as “Fieldston”) was founded in 1878 with the goal of educating New York City’s working class children.

Located on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, Fieldston is sponsored by the secular humanist Society for Ethical Culture. True to its heritage in the Progressive Era movement, Fieldston mandates courses in ethics and philosophy, as well as a minimum of 60 documented hours of community service.

The school no longer offers AP coursework, in an effort to go above and beyond teaching-to-the-test, and chooses to implement more innovative and challenging classes instead.

Awards, Ranking, Alumni, Tuition:

• Alumni include physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer, AI pioneer Marvin Minsky, critics Christopher Lehmann-Haupt, David Denby, and Andrew Delbanco, photographer Diane Arbus, poets Howard Nemerov and Muriel Rukeyser,  conductor Alan Gilbert,  composer Stephen Sondheim, film producer Jeffrey Katzenberg, fim directors James Toback and Sophia Coppola, and TV broadcaster Barbara Walters
• $39,525

32. Potomac School (McLean, VA)

Just outside of Washington, D.C., lies the 90-acre campus of the Potomac School.

This private, co-educational school presents students with the opportunity to complete a concentration in Visual and Performing Arts in music, theater, or visual arts.

Character development and community service are integral parts of the standard curriculum, as well.

Awards, Ranking, Alumni, Tuition:

• Alumni include actresses Frances Sternhagen and Keshia Knight Pulliam, documentary filmmaker Rory Kennedy, and music critic Alex Ross
• Tuition: $33,345

33. Branson School (Ross, CA)

Branson School, which is located near San Rafael in Marin County, 11 miles north of San Francisco, was founded in 1920. Today, Branson is a private, co-educational, college-preparatory day school with only 320 students enrolled in grades 9 through 12.

Through the vitality, breadth, and rigor of its programs, Branson encourages students to think critically, communicate clearly, develop their individual talents and interests, and pursue a lifelong passion for learning. Foreign language requirements are rigorous, with three years in one language, and two years each of two different languages required.

Community service is also a priority: Freshmen must complete five Core and 10 Support hours, and sophomores, juniors, and seniors must complete 15 Core and 10 Support hours each year (where Core hours = hours spent working directly with people in need, and Support hours = hours spent indirectly helping those in need).

Awards, Ranking, Alumni, Tuition:

• Student/faculty ratio 8-to-1
• Average class size 13
• Alumni include author and TV personality Julia Child, Olympic skiier Jonny Moseley, and documentary filmmaker Jennifer Siebel
• Tuition: $35,000

34. Brunswick School (Greenwich, CT)

Brunswick School is an all-men’s, college preparatory, private day school located just over the NY/CT state line.

Brunswick has a high matriculation rate to the country’s most competitive colleges. However, competition does not end at the classroom doors: Participation in sports is required of all students.

Brunswick students have unique study abroad opportunities, including an Arabic year abroad, and a choice of six single-semester programs, notably in the Bahamas and in Switzerland.

Awards, Ranking, Alumni, Tuition:

• Alumni include Peter Fonda, sports columnist Bill Simmons, and social networking pioneers Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss
• Tuition: $35,700

35. Maret School (Washington, DC)

Maret School, founded in 1911, is a private school on a single campus in the Woodley Park neighborhood of our nation’s capital.

Over 40% of Maret students identify themselves as students of color.

Foreign language instruction is a focus of the curriculum, and students have the opportunity to travel to Honduras, India, and France for summer course credits.

Each student is expected to take visual and performing arts classes, as well.

Awards, Ranking, Alumni, Tuition:

• Alumni include film composer Theodore Shapiro, and educator and author Rosalind Wiseman
• Tuition: $32,745

36. Baldwin School (Bryn Mawr, PA)

Baldwin School, an all-women’s, private day school located west of Philadelphia on that city’s historic “Main Line.” The school’s main building is included in the National Register of Historic Places.

Baldwin no longer offers AP coursework and chooses instead to present an even more rigorous curriculum to students. Baldwin students care deeply about environmental sustainability, the arts, athletics, and diversity. Over 35% of students are persons of color.

Baldwin requires its students to participate in athletics or physical education.

Awards, Ranking, Alumni, Tuition:

• The Class of 2011 had 18 students recognized by the National Merit Scholar program
• The same class boasted a recipient of the annual National Latin Exam Scholarship
• Alumnae include actress Cornelia Otis Skinner, writer Andrea Lee, and philosopher Martha Craven Nussbaum
• Tuition: $28,000

37. Haverford School (Haverford, PA)

Haverford School is an all-men’s, nonsectarian, private college preparatory day school located nine miles outside of Philadelphia on that city’s historic “Main Line.” Its reputation as a pillar of academic excellence is long-standing and graduates gain admission into America’s top colleges year after year.

Haverford incorporates the idea of service learning into its curriculum; each student needs to complete an entire service project each school year.

The school emphasizes environmental sustainability on campus and within the Montgomery County community.

Awards, Ranking, Alumni, Tuition:

• Six Rhodes Scholars
• National Merit Scholarship Competition, Classes 2008–12: 46 Commended; 37 Semifinalists, 31 Finalists
• Alumni include painter Maxfield Parrish, physicist Britton Chance, astronaut Pete Conrad, political scientist John DiIulio, and Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper
• Tuition: $34,800

38. Nightingale-Bamford School (New York, NY)

Nightingale-Bamford School is an all-women’s day school located on Manhattan’s Upper East Side.

Diversity plays an important role on and off campus: More than 30% of the student population is made up of students of color and students are encouraged to go on the various study abroad trips that span the globe.

Curricular enrichment includes a freshman class trip to the U.K., specialized programs in science, creative writing, visual education, and theater, taking full advantage of the school’s prime New York City location.

Awards, Ranking, Alumni, Tuition:

• Three Semi-finalists in the National Achievement Scholarship Program in 2008
• Ranked in the top 80 of 31,700 schools nationwide for placing students in the Ivies, according to Worth magazine
• Alumnae include U.S. Representative Millicent Fenwick, political consultant Mandy Grunwald, actress Sarah Thomson, and children’s author Cecily von Ziegesar
• Tuition: $38,820

39. Hopkins School (New Haven, CT)

Hopkins is a private, co-ed, college prep day school located across town from Yale University. Founded in 1660, it is one of the oldest schools in the nation.

Hopkins boasts both academic and artistic excellence through its wide assortment of course offerings and co-curricular programs in the arts.

Students are introduced to the concept of ethical leadership early on in their Hopkins careers.

Awards, Ranking, Alumni, Tuition:

• Ranked #19 on the top 20 best prep schools list by Forbes
• Alumni include physicist Josiah Willard Gibbs and composer Charles Ives
• Tuition: $32,100

40. Boston University Academy (Boston, MA)

Boston University Academy (BUA), founded in 1993, is a private, co-ed high school operated by Boston University (BU) and located on its campus. BUA allows juniors and senior students to take BU classes for college credits.

BUA does not focus on teaching-to-the-test or college admission. Rather, the school provides ample opportunities for students to be exposed to the western tradition of critical thinking, both inside and outside of the classroom.

Awards, Ranking, Alumni, Tuition:

• The Class of 2012 had 39 members qualify for National Merit Commendations
• Numerous student activities include art, drama, dance, film, math, chess, and robotics clubs
• Tuition: $33,574

41. St. John’s School (Houston, TX)

St. John’s School is an independent, coeducational, college preparatory day school located in Houston’s River Oaks neighborhood.

The school’s mission is to create excellent citizens and leaders, particularly for the Houston area and for the U.S. in general. One hundred percent of students participate in community service, although the school does not require it.

Students are encouraged to complete both independent and directed study projects.

Awards, Ranking, Alumni, Tuition:

• Featured in the Wall Street Journal’s November 2007 article, “How to Get Into Harvard”
• Nine percent of graduates in 2007 went to one of the most eight highly selective colleges
• Alumni include humorist Molly Ivins and publisher and film producer Christy Haubegger
• Tuition: $21,550

42. Pingry School (Martinsville, NJ)

The Pingry School is a private country day school located not far west of New York City, just north of New Brunswick.

Pingry is home not only to an excellent academic reputation, but also to championship athletic teams and a strong tradition in scholastic press.

Approximately 86% of Upper School students participate in a variety of sports on 55 varsity and junior varsity boys and girls teams.

A multicultural curriculum and cultural competency are valuable part of campus life.

Awards, Ranking, Alumni, Tuition:

• Alumni include World War II correspondent and author Richard Tregaskis, physicists Howard Georgi and James A. Yorke, economist N. Gregory Mankiw, filmmaker Todd Solondz, actor Andrew McCarthy, and U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff
• Tuition: $33,040

43. North Shore Country Day School (Winnetka, IL)

North Shore Country Day School is a private, coeducational, college preparatory day school, which was founded in 1919 and is located near Lake Michigan just north of Chicago.

Through a range of experiences in and out of the classroom, North Shore students are immersed in science, mathematics, humanities, language, and the arts. The school’s broad and ever-evolving curriculum challenges and engages students to strive for personal growth and academic excellence.

North Shore also prides itself on the fact that each student is a part of a community “where each has a voice, is known and is valued.” In addition, “Teachers use global connections to tie learning to real life applications. And students receive a well-rounded education including participation in the arts, athletics and service.”

Awards, Ranking, Alumni, Tuition:

• Alumni include actress Jessica Harper and pop music singer Richard Marx
• Tuition: $26,800

44. Sidwell Friends School (Washington, DC, & Bethesda, MD)

Sidwell Friends School is a private, co-ed day school founded in 1883 by Thomas Sidwell, who had formerly taught in a Baltimore school run by the Society of Friends. Sidwell Friends now has two campuses, in Washington, D.C., and in Bethesda, Maryland.

Guided by its Quaker values, students commit to practice environmental stewardship and to appreciate the differences in one another; there is no class ranking system.

Sidwelll Friends offers a unique and extensive Chinese Studies program. Graduates matriculate at the nation’s top universities.

Awards, Ranking, Alumni, Tuition:

• Highest scores in the nation on the 2005 AP English exam (even though AP English is not offered as a course)
• Alumni include aviation pioneer Charles Lindbergh, Nobel Prize–winning chemist Walter Gilbert,  novelist Gore Vidal, Pulitzer Prize–winning playwright Margaret Edson, economist George Akerlof, CIA Director John Deutch, TV news anchor Charles Gibson, TV personality Bill Nye, and Presidential daughters Julie and Trisha Nixon, Chelsea Clinton, and Sasha and Malia Obama
• Tuition: $34,268

45. Gilman School (Baltimore, MD)

A private, all-men’s school founded in 1897, the Gilman School has the distinction of being the nation’s first country day school.

Gilman is committed to the development of the individual, both inside and outside of the classroom.

Students are required to take visual and performing arts classes, as well as religion courses. They are also required to participate in athletics and community service projects.

Awards, Ranking, Alumni, Tuition:

• Rated one of the top 30 feeder schools to the Ivies by Worth magazine
• Alumni include author Walter Lord, sportswriter and radio commentator Frank Deford, and U.S. Representative John Sarbanes
• Tuition: $26,180

46. Greenhill School (Addison, TX)

The Greenhill School, a co-ed, non-denominational private day school, lies just outside the city limits on the northwest side of Dallas.

Greenhill offers students the unique chance to shape their own course of study, working with advisers to make class selections pertinent to their needs and interests after the first two years of core study.

The school’s core principles are honor, respect, and compassion, which are instilled in each student, and, “combined with the balanced education, fully prepare them for success throughout their lives.”

Awards, Ranking, Alumni, Tuition:

• 84 AP Scholars
• Class of 2012 produced 10 National Merit Finalists and 17 Commended Scholars
• Rated as one of the top 40 schools in the nation by the number of matriculants to Harvard, Princeton, and Yale, by Worth magazine
• Alumni include singer-songwriters Martie McGuire and Emily Robison, TV sports commentator Rob Stone, and fashion designer Lela Rose
• Tuition: $24,850

47. Tower Hill School (Wilmington, DE)

Founded in 1919 with a commitment to progressive education methods, Tower Hill School is rated one of the best college preparatory schools in Delaware.

Students not only excel academically, but also must play at least 10 seasons of interscholastic sports. They are also asked to complete 40 hours of community service, as well as a full credit of Fine Arts classes drawn from the music, theater, and art departments.

AP courses are not offered; instead, students are presented a more rigorous and challenging curriculum.

Awards, Ranking, Alumni, Tuition:

• Ranked #24 in the nation, and #1 in Delaware, in percentage of students attending eight top colleges by the Wall Street Journal
• Alumni include TV personality Dr. Mehmet Oz and DuPont CEO Ellen J. Kullman
• Tuition: $26,425

48. John Burroughs School (St. Louis, MO)

John Burroughs School (known as “Burroughs”) is a co-ed, private day school located on the west side of St. Louis. Its rankings and production of Nation Merit–recognized students speak to the school’s high quality of academic instruction.

In addition to excellent academics, Burroughs—which is named after the famed nineteenth-century naturalist and essayist—seeks to enrich the student outside of the classroom. The school has an appointed office of diversity and multicultural education to ensure that awareness and inclusion spans across the curriculum.

Burroughs does not have a community service requirement for its students, yet more than half of the senior class participates in community service.

Awards, Ranking, Alumni, Tuition:

• Class of 2013 includes 30 National Merit Semi-finalists and 16 Letters of Commendation
• Ranked among the nation’s top 50 high schools in sending graduates to eight top universities, by the Wall Street Journal
• Alumni include novelist Jane Smiley and restaurateur Danny Meyer
• Tuition: $22,900

49. Blake School (Minneapolis, MN)

The Blake School is a private, co-educational day school, which was founded in 1900 and is located in the Lowry Hill section of Minneapolis.

Prizing ethics and integrity as well as academic excellence, students are required to take a course in communication before graduating.

Seniors must also complete an approved project as a graduation requirement.

Awards, Ranking, Alumni, Tuition:

• Three-time recipient of the Blue Ribbon Award
• Ranked #41 in the nation by the Wall Street Journal in 2007
• Alumni include writers Robert Pirsig, Charles Baxter, and Arthur Phillips, film director George Roy Hill, and comedian and U.S. Senator Al Franken
• Tuition: $24,450

50. University School Nashville (Nashville, TN)

University School Nashville (USN), founded in 1888, is a private, co-ed day school located near the Vanderbilt University campus. USN offers students two campuses: a main campus for academics and an 80-acre campus for extra-curricular purposes.

USN  has a long-standing commitment to the arts and students enjoy the culture of Nashville.

Belief diversity does not happen in isolation; USN presents a cultural dialogue series to promote multiculturalism on its campus.

Awards, Ranking, Alumni, Tuition:

• The class of 2012 produced 12 National Merit Semi-Finalists and 13 National Merit Commended Scholars
• Three Presidential Scholars, 2010–2012
• Alumni include Noble Prize–winning chemist Stanford Moore, Pulitzer Prize–winning historian Robert K. Massie, country music singer Shooter Jennings, and NPR radio broadcaster and MacArthur Fellow Jad Abumrad
• Tuition: $19,250

Individuals with a Master of Public Administration degree gain the skill set required to become an effective and highly in-demand leader, with the flexibility to move between government and non-governmental careers. Individuals with a Master of Public Administration degree have opportunities to make an impact on the issues and problems affecting the general public.

According to the notable PublicServiceCareers.org, the MPA degree offers the highest level of education needed for careers in the profession. Earning an MPA degree opens doors to a wide variety of career options—in government, public management, health and human services, and other public or nonprofit organizations.

With many of the 500,000-plus federal employees preparing for retirement, the need for emerging leaders in the public sector will be increasing. The expected job growth of public service career professional is 14% through 2018.

In today’s increasingly global world, institutions of higher learning recognize the need for creating public leaders of today and tomorrow—leaders adequately prepared and astutely skilled to tackle frontiers of public leadership not yet formed. A strong Master of Public Administration degree program advances the development of public leaders.

The online Master of Public Administration programs vary significantly across the colleges and universities providing them. Some of the MPA programs offer a general course of study based on NASPAA (National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration) standards. Others offer specific areas of concentration and/or specialization. Some online MPA programs focus on practical application, others focus on theory, and still other online MPA programs create a balance of the two.

Online Master of Public Administration Degree Program Ranking Guidelines

We selected the online Master of Public Administration programs based on the quality of the program, the types of courses offered, the faculty, rankings, awards, and reputation, including the school’s reputation for effectively providing online degree programs.

1. University of Southern California (Los Angeles, CA)

Founded in 1880, the University of Southern California (USC) enrolls more international students than any other U.S. university.

One of the world’s leading private research universities, USC offers extensive opportunities for internships and study abroad. Located in downtown Los Angeles, the school has a strong tradition of integrating liberal and professional education and nurturing a commitment of public service.

Established in 1929, the MPA program at the USC Sol Price School of Public Policy is one of the oldest and most recognized programs of its kind in the United States. The online MPA program connects cutting-edge research to the practice of public policy and management. The program strives to prepare leaders for all levels of government, as well as for public service and nonprofits. The MPA program prepares students to create passionate solutions to difficult leadership, financial, human resource, and project/program management problems.

Beyond the core courses, online MPA students may select the Local Government, Nonprofit Management, or Public Management specialization as part of their study.

The Master in Public Administration program at USC has received NASPAA accreditation.

USC’s Sol Price School of Public Policy was ranked #6 overall among 262 schools of public affairs, as well as #5 in public management, #4 in city management, and #7 in nonprofit management by U.S. News & World Report, all in 2012. USC was also ranked #24 in the 2013 edition of the Best Colleges in National Universities list by U.S. News & World Report, and was listed in the 2013 edition of Best 377 Colleges by Princeton Review.

2. Indiana University (Bloomington, IN)

Indiana University-Bloomington (IU), established in 1820, is the flagship campus of Indiana University’s eight institutions. IU’s School of Public and Environmental Affairs is the nation’s largest school of public affairs.

The Master of Public Affairs program prepares students for management and policy roles in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. Students learn to work well with teams of professionals and effectively communicate and work with colleagues.

Some of the areas of concentration are Local Government Management, Public Financial Administration, Nonprofit Management, and Policy Analysis.

The Master of Public Affairs program comprises 48 credit hours. The Master of Public Affairs degree program has received accreditation from NASPAA.

The Master of Public Affairs degree program includes core classes such as:

• Statistical Analysis for Effective Decision-Making
• Public Management Economics
• Public Management
• Public Financing and Budgeting
• Law and Public Affairs
• Capstone in Public and Environmental Affairs

IU was ranked #3 in the 2012 Public Management Administration list, and #83 in the 2013 edition of Best Colleges in National Universities, by U.S. News & World Report. The university is ranked #58 among research universities by Forbes.

3. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (Chapel Hill, NC)

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC), a public research university situated in North Carolina’s famed Research Triangle, is the core institution of the University of North Carolina and the second largest university in North Carolina.

UNC provides its undergraduates with a liberal arts education. The university offers both online and traditional degree programs and provides over 70 bachelor degrees, 100+ master degrees, and 74 doctoral degrees. UNC has more than 29,000 students.

With courses ranging from management and leadership to public policy analysis and project evaluation, the Master of Public Administration online degree program at UNC trains leaders for local, state, and federal governments and nonprofit organizations.

In January of 2013, UNC began offering its MPA program online. The school’s Master of Public Administration program is accredited by NASPAA.

The MPA degree program provided by UNC was ranked #23 nationally out of 277 accredited schools of public affairs  by U.S. News & World Report, in 2012.

4. University of Colorado Denver (Denver, CO)

The University of Colorado Denver (UCD), located in downtown Denver, along with the Anschutz Medical Campus, is part of the University of Colorado’s four-campus system under the direction of The Regents of University of Colorado. The Denver campus, founded in 1912, provides over 130 accredited degree programs.

The online Master of Public Administration program at UCD requires 36 credit hours (or 39 credit hours, if a student does not have work experience in the public or nonprofit arenas). Students complete six core courses, five elective courses, and a capstone course. They must also complete a client-based capstone project or a two-semester thesis.

Students pursuing the MPA degree completely online can complete the general MPA or study concentrations in Nonprofit Management or Homeland Defense.

UCD’s Master of Public Administration degree program received accreditation from NASPAA.

The MPA program at the UCD was ranked #29 out of 277 accredited schools of public affairs nationally by U.S. News & World Report, in 2012. The University of Colorado was also ranked #34 on Forbes Magazine‘s public colleges list.

5. University of Nebraska Omaha (Omaha, NE)

The University of Nebraska Omaha (UNO) was founded in 1908 as a private, coeducational college by the Presbyterian Theological Seminary. The institution was established to provide “sound learning and practical education” to anyone seeking higher education. Accessibility is a commitment which continues to be an essential part of the school’s vision for the future.

UNO became part of Nebraska’s higher learning system in 1968, and has become the state’s premier metropolitan research university, offering nationally recognized bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees.

UNO’s School of Public Administration, College of Public Affairs & Community Service, provides the online Master of Public Administration program. All MPA students are required to take seven core courses. The Capstone Project is the required ending course to complete the MPA degree, unless students select the thesis option.

Students in the online Master of Public Administration program at UNO have five concentration options:

• Aviation Administration
• Local Government
• Nonprofit Management
• Public Management
• Public Works Administration

The online MPA curriculum also allows for one area of specialization: the Criminology and Criminal Justice Specialization.

The Master of Public Administration program at UNO has received accreditation from NASPAA.

UNO’s MPA program was ranked #33 nationally out of 277 accredited schools of public affairs by U.S. News & World Report, in 2012.

6. University of Illinois Springfield (Springfield, IL)

The University of Illinois Springfield (UIS) is located in the Illinois state capital. The university was established in 1969 as Sangamon State University by the Illinois General Assembly, and became a part of the University of Illinois system in 1995. UIS offers 44 degree-granting programs at the undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral levels.

The Master of Public Administration online program at UIS covers subjects such as:

• Budget and finance
• Policy analysis
• Organizational behavior
• Quantitative and statistical analysis
• Human resource management
• Program evaluation

The MPA online program emphasizes ethical behavior, as well as an appreciation for the basic values and processes of American democracy.

In addition to the online MPA program, a nonprofit management certificate, a certificate in homeland security, and a joint-degree in MPA/MPH are also available online.

The Master’s of Public Administration program at UIS has received accreditation from NASPAA.

UIS has been ranked the #2 public regional university in the Midwest Region in the 2013 edition of America’s Best Colleges by U.S. News & World Report. The school was ranked #4 in the same category for the previous three years: 2010, 2011, and 2012. The MPA program at UIS was also ranked #87  nationally out of 277 accredited schools of public affairs by U.S. News & World Report, in 2012.

7. Villanova University (Villanova, PA)

Villanova is a coeducational, Roman Catholic institution, founded in 1842 by the Order of Saint Augustine. The university, located on Philadephia’s famed “main line,” provides a wide array of undergraduate and graduate degree via the Villanova School of Business, the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, the College of Engineering, the College of Nursing, and the Villanova School of Law.

Villanova’s online Master of Public Administration program features a video-based, e-learning system, which utilizes recognized scholars and practitioners to help students develop their analytical, decision-making, management, and leadership skills, providing them with the knowledge needed to influence organizational change, develop programs, and solve problems.

The online MPA program entails 36 credit earned through 12 classes.

The Master’s of Public Administration program at Villanova has received NASPAA accreditation.

Villanova’s online MPA program was ranked #97 nationally out of 277 accredited schools of public affairs in 2012 by U.S. News & World Report, while the university as a whole is ranked #1 in the 2013 edition of that magazine’s Best Colleges in Regional Universities (North). Villanova is also included in the 2013 edition of Best 377 Colleges by Princeton Review.

8. University of Baltimore (Baltimore, MD)

The University of Baltimore (UB), founded in 1925, is a public institution offering undergraduate, graduate, and professional education in downtown Baltimore. In 1988, the university became part of the University System of Maryland.

UB offers numerous undergraduate, graduate, and professional degree programs and several joint degree programs focusing on business, law, public affairs, and the arts and sciences.

The Master of Public Administration online program at the University of Baltimore, which is presented by the Schaefer Center for Public Policy, is a two-year, 42-credit program that can be completed entirely online through the web-MPA program.

Students in the Master of Public Administration program can choose from among four specializations:

• Public Policy and Administration
• Health Care Policy and Administration
• Budgeting and Fiscal Administration
• Public and Nonprofit Management

UB also offers a dual JD/MP degree, in which students obtain both degrees with 18–21 fewer credits than needed to obtain the two degrees independently.

The College of Public Affairs’s Master of Public Administration program has received accreditation from NASPAA.

UB’s College of Public Affairs is ranked #73 nationally in  2013 edition of Best Grad Schools by U.S. News & World Report.

9. University of San Francisco (San Francisco, CA)

The University of San Francisco (USF), established in 1855 by a small group of Jesuit priests, became the first university in the city of San Francisco. The Jesuit values of the school continue to put a strong focus on social justice, commitment to service, diverse governance, and ethical responsibility.

USF has five schools: the College of Arts and Sciences, the School of Education, the School of Law, the School of Management, and the School of Nursing and Health Professions. All are powered by a dual emphasis on academic rigor and social justice.

The Leo T. McCarthy Center for Public Service and the Common Good is dedicated to inspiring and preparing USF students to pursue lives and careers of ethical public service and the common good.

In the Master’s in Public Administration online degree program, USF students learn to develop their managerial skills, apply management theory, enhance their understanding of ethical practices in the public sector, and build their competencies in planning, organizing, staffing, and evaluating the work of public agencies. USF’s Master degree in Public Administration program includes 39 credits.

NASPAA provides accreditation for the Master of Public Administration program at USF’s School of Management.

The Public Affairs grad school was ranked #121 nationally out of 277 accredited schools of public affairs, and the university overall was ranked #106 among the nation’s Best National Universities, by U.S. News & World Report in 2013. USF is also cited as one of the Best 377 Colleges by Princeton Review in 2013, and was included among the country’s top 50 universities by Washington Monthly in 2011.

10. Penn State World Campus (State College, PA)

Pennsylvania State University’s University Park campus—located in the town of State College, and better known as “Penn State”—is the flagship campus of the Pennsylvania State University system.

Penn State World Campus is the university’s online campus. Penn State World Campus has partnered with Penn State’s School of Public Affairs to offer an online MPA program.

The online Master of Public Administration program helps students manage more effectively and promote positive change in the public and nonprofit sectors.

Besides combining theoretical and applied concepts, the MPA curriculum at Penn State covers subjects such as finance, organizational governance, and administration, while also providing “real-world” experiences for the novice administrator. The Master in Public Administration degree includes 36 credits.

Many MPA graduates work as administrators for government agencies, larger corporations in the public and private sectors, community organizations, or in a number of other areas such as tribal politics, charities, criminal justice, and academia.

NASPAA has accredited Penn State’s Master of Public Administration program.

Penn State is ranked in the Top 25 for its online undergraduate and graduate programs, and #19 for its online graduate business program, in the 2013 Best Online Education Program Rankings of America’s Best Colleges, by U.S. News & World Report. Penn State is also included the 2013 edition of Best 377 Colleges by Princeton Review.

11. Marist College (Poughkeepsie, NY)

Marist College, chartered in 1929, is a small, private, liberal arts college located on the east bank of the Hudson River about half way between New York City and Albany.

The college offers more than 60 bachelor’s and master’s degree programs. Marist’s online learning includes courses, certificates, and bachelor’s and master’s degree programs via their iLearn distance learning system.

Marist’s Master of Public Administration program is especially relevant for health care, criminal justice, and human service professionals and those interested in public sector and nonprofit administration.

The online MPH program covers the legal, political, social and ethical context of administration regarding pertinent process and theories. Students learn how to effectively use an array of management and administrative techniques. The online MPH program provides the skills required to effectively manage public and nonprofits.

Students can take their electives in one of three focus areas:

• Ethical leadership
• Public management
• Healthcare administration

Marist College is ranked #8 among Regional Universities (North) by U.S. News & World Report in the 2013 edition of their annual Best Colleges report. The school is also listed in the 2013 edition of the Best 377 Colleges by Princeton Review.

12. University of North Dakota (Grand Forks, ND)

University of North Dakota (UND) is located on the Red River of the North, which forms the border between North Dakota and Minnesota, not far from the Canadian border. The university, which was founded in 1883, is the oldest and largest university in the state.

UND offers more than 200 fields of study, from baccalaureate through doctoral and professional degrees.

The online Master of Public Administration degree at the UND School of Business and Public Administration provides a Health Administration track for students interested in health-related careers. The online MPA degree at UND requires 35 credits. Students also may pursue a fully online graduate certificate in Health Administration, Public Administration, Policy Analysis, or Social Entrepreneurship.

The Master of Public Administration program at the UND has received accreditation from NASPAA.

UND is included in the 2013 edition of Best 377 Colleges by Princeton Review. The MPA program was listed among nationally accredited schools of public affairs by U.S. News & World Report, in 2012.

13. Florida Institute of Technology (Melbourne, FL)

Florida Institute of Technology, also known as Florida Tech, is a private, research university situated near the Kennedy Space Center and Florida Tech Research Park. The university has five academic divisions with strong emphases on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Florida Tech consistently ranks among the best national doctorate-granting universities in the United States.

Florida Tech’s Master degree in Public Administration program thoroughly covers the ethical and sociological behavior within public organizations. The core competencies of Florida Tech’s online MPA program include teamwork, leadership, decision-making, communication, ethics, and diversity. The MPA program involves 36 completed credits.

Graduates from the Florida Tech Master of Public Administration program work for federal, state, and local government agencies, including the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency), NASA (national Aeronautics and Space Administration), the EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission), FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency), and the SBA (Small Business Administration), as well as non-profit organizations.

Florida Tech has been ranked a Tier 1 Best National University, and has also been included on the Top Online Education honor roll list for bachelor’s and graduate programs, by U.S. News & World Report. The university has also been rated one of the nation’s best schools in the Fiske Guide to Colleges, as well as being named a “best buy” in Barron’s Best Buys in College Education and one of the Southeast’s best universities by Princeton Review.

14. Walden University (Minneapolis, MN)

Walden University, established in 1970, is a private, for-profit university and a leading provider of distance learning in the United States. The school is part of a network of campus- and online-based universities owned by Laureate Education, Inc. Walden University focuses on relevant, actionable learning.

Walden University consists of five colleges offering more than 60 online degree programs and over 300 specializations and concentrations. The school also provides online certificates, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in a variety of subjects.

Students in the online Master of Public Administration degree program learn effective ways to balance budgets, develop and negotiate contracts, manage conflict, and build community partnerships.

In addition to a general Master of Public Administration degree, students can earn the MPA degree in 11 different specializations, including Terrorism, Mediation and Peace, Emergency Management, and Homeland Security Policy and Coordination.

15. Post University (Waterbury, CT)

Post University, founded in 1890 and located about halfway between Danbury and Hartford, is a small university providing on-campus and online undergraduate and graduate degrees in an array of subjects.

Post University provides accelerated online degree programs and professional certificates. An early leader in online education, Post became the first college in Connecticut and in New England to provide accredited, accelerated degree programs fully online.

Unlike some online MPA Degree programs which focus almost exclusively on the public sector, the program at Post integrates its MBA curriculum into its online Master of Public Administration degree program to help students enhance their executive administration skills and make an immediate difference in their roles.

Students in the MPA online degree program learn to use business knowledge, planning techniques, and decision tools to lead and manage change in organizations. The program covers how global, national, regional, and local trends affect and shape innovation in government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and public sector programs.

Post University’s highly interactive classes are offered in eight-week modules, six times a year, enabling students to complete the online Master of Public Administration degree in less time without sacrificing quality.

16. DeVry University (Downers Grove, IL)

DeVry University—founded in 1931, with headquarters near Chicago—is a division of DeVry, Inc., a proprietary institution of higher learning.

DeVry University is a private, for-profit institution with more than 80,000 students. The school has over 95 locations across North America and also provides online education. Students can obtain graduate degrees online, onsite or a mix of both through 8-week sessions offered six times per year.

The Master’s of Public Administration program, offered through DeVry University’s Keller Graduate School of Management, requires 45 credit hours. Keller’s specialized Master of Public Administration degree program emphasizes practical applications.

Students in the MPA program are required to choose one of three areas of emphasis:

• Healthcare Management
• Government Management
• Nonprofit Management

DeVry’s online bachelor program is ranked #61 among the Best Online Bachelors Program by U.S. News & World Report, in 2013.

17. Upper Iowa University (Fayette, IA)

Upper Iowa University (UIU), founded in 1857, is located in a rural community in the northeastern corner of the state. The fully accredited private university has numerous learning centers in the U.S., online programs, and centers in Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Singapore.

Several of UIU’s U.S. locations are located on military bases to better serve active military personnel and civilians in the area. Because of the numerous locations, military personnel can easily shift the format through which they pursue their education depending on whether they are based in the United States or deployed overseas.

The Master of Public Administration online degree program at UIU offers a General Studies degree, as well as a degree with an emphasis on Government Administration, Health and Human Services, Emergency Management and Homeland Security, Nonprofit Organizations, or Public Personnel Management. The online MPA degree requires 42 credits of graduate coursework.

The program has a mission to provide a diverse population of adult learners with an opportunity to develop the analytical, administrative, leadership, and managerial skills required to promote the public good and strengthen the core democratic values via service in government agencies and nonprofits.

18. Strayer University (Manassas, VA)

Strayer University, established in 1892 as Strayer’s Business College, is an accredited network of more than 90 campuses throughout 20+ U.S. states.

The school has evolved over the years to provide diploma, certificate, bachelor’s, and master’s degree programs in a broad selection of subjects. In December of 2011, the university acquired the Jack Welch Management Institute, which provides a fully online Executive MBA program.

Students can take a combination of online and on-campus courses. However, over 50% of the students enrolled take all of their courses online. Strayer University is a GoArmyEd, NCPDLP, and Air University ABC school.

The university’s online MPA program offers students the theory and practice needed to succeed in the management and operation of government and nonprofit agencies, nongovernmental organizations, political offices, lobbying and consulting firms, and activist organizations.

The MPA online program covers the structures, processes, and functions of the executive branch agencies of local, state, and national governments and of the nonprofit sector. Students learn about the methods, models, processes, and concepts of public policy analysis, and develop skills to apply analytical techniques.

The program covers methodologies for designing evaluation studies, gathering data, and evaluating and disseminating findings.

19. Kaplan University (Davenport, IA)

Kaplan University, a part of the Kaplan Higher Education Corp., is headquartered in the largest of the Quad Cities along the Mississippi River, with numerous locations across the United States. The university provides an array of online and traditional undergraduate and graduate degrees, as well as certificates and diplomas.

Kaplan’s Master of Public Administration online degree program provides practicing and inspiring administrators the important management skills required to provide effective leadership in a wide variety of public service fields. The program covers subjects such as leadership in the public sector, human resource management in the public sector, and finance and the administration of public funds.

The MPA online degree program includes intensive study in areas such as:

• Criminal Justice
• General MPA
• Health Care Management
• Governmental Management
• Fire Science and Emergency Services

20. Capella University (Minneapolis, MN)

Capella University, established in 1993 and a subsidiary of the publicly traded Capella Education Company, is an accredited online university.

Capella University Online offers more than 130 graduate and undergraduate specializations and close to 50 online degree programs. The university provides certificates, bachelor’s, master’s, education specialist, and doctoral degree programs.

The online Master degree in of Public Administration program, grounded in national public administration curriculum standards, focuses on building public value through establishing collaborative networks, improving professional communication skills, promoting ethical performance standards, and creating and achieving solutions to the challenges of public protection, policy, and governance.

Students can choose to study for the online Master of Public Administration degree with a program concentration focus.

Austrian economics, of course, is the school of thought which holds that the free market is basically self-regulating and that the government’s role should be limited to providing a reliable and predictable legal structure within which all citizens are treated equally. According to this mode of analysis, any intervention by the government in the economic life of a society beyond the protection of individuals and their property from violence and fraud will inevitably lead to unequal treatment, perverse incentives, distorted price signals, misallocation of resources and investments, boom and bust cycles, and, in general, impairment to one degree or another of the society’s productive capacity.

Boettke was born in Rahway, New Jersey, in 1960. His father was a businessman with a love of basketball, which his son inherited. Boettke has noted the influence on him of his father’s philosophy of life, which laid stress on independence and personal responsibility.(2) He has quoted his father as often telling him: “I was not put on this earth to praise you, but to raise you.”

In the fall of 1978, Boettke entered Thiel College in Greenville, Pennsylvania, with the intention of playing basketball and eventually becoming a high school basketball coach. A broken ankle early that fall—and a resulting spiritual crisis—changed his plans. The following year, he transferred to Grove City College,(3) where he took courses with Hans Sennholz, a pupil of the great economist and social theorist, Ludwig von Mises. It was under Sennholz’s influence that Boettke decided to change his career plans, and become an economist.

After obtaining his bachelor’s degree from Grove City in 1983, Boettke entered graduate school in economics at George Mason University (GMU), in Fairfax, Virginia. There, he studied under Don Lavoie, an important young Austrian theorist whose career was tragically cut short by cancer. While at GMU, Boettke also studied with such distinguished professors as Nobel Prize–winner James M. Buchanan, public choice–theorist Gordon Tullock, and self-organizing systems–theorist Kenneth E. Boulding. He wrote his Ph.D. dissertation on the political economy of the former Soviet Union. Boettke is one of the world’s foremost experts on the causes of communism’s economic collapse, and the transition from a centrally planned to a market economy.(4)

Ludwig von Mises

After taking his Ph.D. in 1989, Boettke held several teaching positions, including one at New York University, where he was influenced by Israel Kirzner, another pupil of Mises’s. Since 1998, he has taught at his alma mater, GMU, where he is today University Professor of Economics and Philosophy. In addition, he serves as the BB&T Professor for the Study of Capitalism and Director of the F. A. Hayek Program for Advanced Study in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics at GMU’s Mercatus Center.

In recent years, Boettke has turned his attention from Sovietology to Austrian economics more generally. He is a prolific author who has (among his many published volumes) co-authored a popular textbook and edited an important journal and two major reference works on that subject.(5)

Most recently, Boettke has published a collection of essays aimed at a general audience, which we heartily recommend to all: Living Economics: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow (Independent Institute, 2012).

All in all, Professor Boettke is without a doubt one of the world’s leading living proponents of Austrian theory. He is a very busy man, and TheBestSchools is fortunate indeed to have caught up with him for the following interview.

* * *

TheBestSchools: You have a new book out, Living Economics. What did you hope to accomplish with this book? Who is its main audience? What has been its reception, so far?

Peter J. Boettke: The book was inspired by a visit to the Universidad Francisco Marroquin (UFM) in Guatemala City, which is an amazing community of economic educators. Living Economics was written with advanced students in mind—those who are deciding on whether they would like to pursue a career as an economist, and those who are about to embark on a career as economic educators. The idea was to capture for these audiences a vision of what type of economist one could be, and what type of teacher one should aspire to be like.

The book is divided into three sections. The first is a discussion of what are the enduring principles of economics; the second is a set of biographical case studies of great teachers of those economic principles; and third is some suggestions on how economics would be practiced differently if those principles were consistently and persistently followed. The title of the book communicates three meanings, as does the cover art of a healthy and growing tree.

First, economics is a living body of scientific thought, constantly evolving and branching out in new directions. My book should be seen as an invitation to inquiry for the would-be economist to join this scientific conversation and contribute to it.

Second, the tree depicted on the cover—a healthy and growing tree—is deeply rooted. Similarly, the science of economics is deeply rooted in the historical contributions of such master teachers of economics as Adam Smith and David Hume, Jean-Baptiste Say and Frédéric Bastiat, Ludwig von Mises and Friedrich A. Hayek, and James M. Buchanan, Vernon L. Smith, and Israel M. Kirzner.

Third, once you understand the principles and the deep historical tradition of these scientific insights into the working of society, then you cannot stop thinking about economic questions. Economics is not a 9-to-5 job, but a 24/7 way of viewing everything in the world.

TBS: Milton Friedman famously said that there is no Austrian economics, only good and bad economics. You yourself prefer the term “mainline economics,” to emphasize the continuity between Adam Smith, the French liberal school of Say and Bastiat, and the Austrian school of Carl Menger, Mises, Hayek, and their American followers. Could you please give our readers a brief summary of the principles which distinguish this “mainline” economic tradition in your sense from what you call the “mainstream” (Keynesian, or interventionist) school of thought?

Adam Smith

PJB: Well in Living Economics, I distinguish between mainline economics and mainstream economics, where “mainline” refers to a set of principles of economic science that trace back to at least Adam Smith, and “mainstream” simply represents a sociological description of what is currently fashionable and what is not fashionable in the academic discipline. Sometimes, the mainline is the mainstream, and at other times the mainline is wildly out of favor with the mainstream. I summarize mainline economics as the rationality postulate and the invisible hand theorem, which are reconciled through institutional analysis. From Smith to Hayek, that is what they viewed as the defining theoretical project of economic science. Throughout this history there were always those who challenged this project, but until John Maynard Keynes, they were largely considered outside of the main body of economic thinking. After Keynes, much of mainstream economics moved way from mainline economics. When the mainstream deviates significantly from the mainline, in my narrative, schools of thought arise to re-engage the community of economists with the mainline teachings of economics.

One of the things that really inspired me on my trip to UFM was a mural they have with the great economists (see video below). As a thought experiment, think about who is up on that wall and why, and then contemplate who isn’t up on that wall and why they aren’t. That pretty much captures what I was trying to get folks to think about in Living Economics, and what the implications are for the way we teach and practice economics.

TBS: Your technical work has focused on the Soviet command economy and its transition to a market economy. Where do you see Russia today? What could have been done differently that might have led to a better outcome?

PJB: Yes, my original studies in economics were in the economics history of the founding of the Soviet Union: The Political Economy of Soviet Socialism, and this was followed up by Why Perestroika Failed. A collection of my studies was later published as Calculation and Coordination. In my work on the failure of the Soviet system, I blend the economic calculation argument of Mises with the dispersed knowledge argument of Hayek and the logic of political decision-making from Buchanan and Gordon Tullock to explain the perverse consequences of socialism in practice.

The socialist experiment resulted in economic deprivation and political tyranny, not due to any accidents of history, but because of pursuing an economic policy regime that cannot work. However, laying bare the internal contradictions of socialism and the corruption of the system that filled in its place is one thing; laying out how to transition from that system to a functioning market economy is quite another. Like many other economists in the late 1980s and throughout the 1990s, this question preoccupied my scholarly endeavors. What I argue is that we, as economists, moved through three phases of analysis during this time.

Phase 1: Getting the price right. Here, the emphasis was on letting prices adjust to market-clearing levels. But we realized during this phase that getting the prices right is only possible within a set of institutions (namely, defined and enforced private property rights). So, we entered the next phase.

Phase 2: Getting the institutions right. Here, the focus was on property rights and the supporting institutions of contract, etc. But during this phase, economists also started to realize that institutional acceptance is a function of a deeper set of issues associated with trust and, ultimately, beliefs—what we call culture. So, this led us to the final phase.

Phase 3: Getting the culture right. And this is a very hard issue to deal with, though a lot of good work is being done related to trust and trustworthiness.

Milton Friedman went to China in the 1970s and was asked what the Chinese should do to reform their economy. Friedman said: “Privatize, privatize, privatize.” A few months before he passed away, Friedman was asked if he would change his advice about “Privatize, privatize, privatize,” and he said: “Yes, I would say today ‘Privatize, privatize, privatize—provided there is a rule of law.” Like in most things, Friedman basically hit the nail on the head in terms of what we have learned in the 25+ years since the collapse of Communism.

Now, you ask about how things could have gone differently. That is another big issue we have learned—leadership matters, and contingency is acute when leadership matters.

So, the collapse of Communism has taught political economists several things: first, that economic policy is always nested within a set of institutions—that there are economic/financial, political/legal, and social/cultural issues, which all must be taken into account; second, that leadership matters throughout the transition process; and third, that historical contingency can either work in your favor or cut against the successful transition. And I would add a fourth one: that political power corrupts even the most informed and idealistic of individuals, such that you cannot count on ideological alignment to win the day. You have instead a small window of opportunity in which ideological alignment can be utilized to establish institutions that make it difficult for even bad men to do much harm.

In other words, the goal of our political/legal institutions should not be to ensure that the best and the brightest can govern, but instead that if the worst get in power, they can do little damage. This is the idea of a “robust political economy”. In 2011, a collection of my ideas on this topic was published in the Czech language.(6)

TBS: From about 1974 up until 2008, the mainline, or Austrian, tradition underwent a remarkable revival and became broadly influential, both academically and politically.(7) Why did this happen? Did truth simply win out, or were there special historical circumstances which made the resurgence of mainline principles possible?

PJB: Well in science, like in most human endeavors, it requires entrepreneurial action. In this regard, there were two main characters on the American scene: Murray N. Rothbard and Israel M. Kirzner.

At first, they were working with one another to orchestrate an Austrian revival in the 1970s after the passing of Ludwig von Mises, and, with the aid of the Institute for Humane Studies, they started a series of conferences for aspiring economists interested in the Austrian tradition. It was also a very interesting time politically and public policy–wise in the US and the UK, as the Keynesian hegemony was fracturing and there was a counterreaction to the warfare state of the Johnson and then Nixon administrations. So, Libertarianism (more associated with Rothbard) was very attractive to many young people.

So, you have the stagflation of the 1970s and the anti-state sentiment of the anti-War generation, and with that Austrian economics seemed to be attractive to those who wanted to change the existing status quo in economics and politics. After the 1980s, the alliances shift, and Rothbard and Kirzner clearly go in different directions. Kirzner is developing his program at NYU to train PhD students to pursue academic jobs, and Rothbard, together with Lew Rockwell, establishes the Mises Institute which has a strong academic vision, but wider social goals, as well.

Folks influenced by both Kirzner and Rothbard begin to develop their own careers, and throughout the 1980s and 1990s new programs at the undergraduate and graduate level are established, new journals are begun, professional associations, etc. Everything that is associated with an intellectual community is established and there are varieties of these established throughout the world.

So, yes, I believe truth does win out, but it requires entrepreneurial action on the part of pivotal players at pivotal times, and folks like Rothbard and Kirzner provided that.

Rothbard passed away in 1995, and Kirzner retired in the early 2000s, so the past decade the movement they have inspired has gone in multiple directions and is continually evolving. The financial crisis of 2008 also saw a renewed appreciation of the Austrian theory of the trade cycle and its explanation for financial instability due to the manipulation of money and credit by the government.

TBS: In spite of this recent period of flourishing, the mainline tradition continues to be treated as a pariah both in academia and in much of the mainstream media. For example, there is hardly any mention of the Austrian viewpoint in the article on philosophy of economics in the online Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, and Paul Krugman regularly dismisses Austrians as a “cult” on the op-ed page of the New York Times (for example, here). What are the reasons for this paradoxical situation? How can it be possible?

PJB: Well, I think there are several reasons. First, the mainline-versus-mainstream issue that I talked about earlier is certainly at work. But second—and this is very important—is that there are at least two communities of Austrian economists: the academic/scientific community, who work to publish their work in scientific journals and with academic publishers; and the internet/public engagement community, who often eschew the scientific community, but are very vociferous and express strong opinions on everything from public policy (which is their right at citizens) to refinements of technical economics (which sometimes they are not qualified to talk about).

The Austrian School became a banner for Ron Paul, and to some extent the Tea Party—both of which raised serious red flags to establishment types like Krugman. But let me not overstate this issue. Krugman sees red flags with significant economists who have won the Nobel Prize, just as he did. Hayek, Friedman, and Buchanan all are viewed by Krugman as intellectually wrong, and, to be honest, most of us believe that Krugman as a journalist/pundit is wrong, and Krugman as a scientist has some very strong contributions, but also some so-so contributions. That is the nature of science—we disagree. But he blurs the line between disagreement and efforts to discredit, and he often tries to use the political enthusiasms of supporters of Ron Paul and the Tea Party for the free market ideas of Mises and Hayek to discredit a long and legitimate intellectual tradition in economic science. It is a shame and he should know better.

The Web has great benefits in the spread of knowledge, but it also has some bumpy parts, which means that you get a lot of amateur “experts” who don’t really have to invest the time and energy to earn that expertise and can pontificate. As a radical free market supporter myself, I have great sympathy with their enthusiasm for these ideas, and as someone disillusioned with the current state of US politics, I share their frustration. But I don’t believe that the vast majority of these folks have invested enough time to have a detailed position on the nature of monetary policy in the US. The “End the Fed” movement devolves into a sick form of a conspiracy theory, and it discredits legitimate probing into alternative monetary regimes in the wake of the historical record of the Fed.

Frédéric Bastiat once warned that “The worst thing that could happen to a good cause, is not to be artfully criticized, but to be ineptly defended.” I fear that we free market folks have been ineptly defended too often during the recent past. We must do better.

TBS: How big of a setback was the 2008 financial crisis for mainline economics? Given that mainliners have a better explanation for the crisis, why do you think interventionists have been able to stage such a stunning political comeback?(8)

PJB: In addition to what I said above about inept defenses, I think there are important issues related to political structure that make it very difficult to change policy in a free market direction. Think about how difficult it is to have a real conversation about our fiscal situation. If you take the literature on the “fiscal gap” seriously, we are staring at a $211 trillion dollar fiscal gap. This means that we are bankrupt now, not 25 years from now. But our political culture will not allow us to have this conversation. And if we do, it is all about questions of the size of government, when really we need to be addressing the scope of government. It is not about starving the state of resources, it is about starving the state of responsibility.

We need to have the market and civil society doing much more than the state to address social ills, if we hope to get the fiscal situation under control. We haven’t provided strong enough evidence that the market and civil society can address these issues. So, we have to work harder to prove our case and we have to be more principled in our approach.

The problem in Washington, DC, is decidedly not that there is political division and gridlock; the problem is that there is a wide and enduring consensus among both parties that we are going to have a large and ever-expanding generous welfare state, and are not going to pay for it. This cannot continue.

TBS: You have written that “[t]ruth in economics, as in all scientific endeavors, ultimately matters much more than popularity and power.”(9) Amen to that! However, you have also noted that “[e]conomics . . . gives us the key intellectual framework for understanding how we can live better together.”(10) This fact gives the teaching of good economics great practical urgency. What can be done to improve economics education in this country, both in the universities and with the public at large?

PJB: First, I think within the economics curriculum, we need to re-engage our students with the history of the discipline and with the history of economic practice. My colleague Larry White’s book, The Clash of Economic Ideas (11), is just a brilliant example of the blending of both the history of ideas and the policy history of the debates. If our students saw economics in this light, they would see its importance and also the beauty of the ideas.

Second, despite what I said above about the Web and information that is too cheaply earned, I do think public engagement is an important part of what it means to be an economist. So, I think a major role of the economist is to think clearly about economic principles, speak clearly about economic principles, and write clearly about economic principles, to our peers in the science, to our students in the classroom, to public-policy makers, and to the general public.

I stressed “think, speak, and write,” but I also repeatedly stressed clearly. We need to learn to communicate across audiences and not hide behind our specialized jargon of the professional economist. There are issues that are for the specialists and professional discourse, but there is no need for that mode of discourse to completely cloud our ability to communicate with the public. Milton Friedman is the exemplar here. The tight connection between his scientific contributions and his public engagement is also to be emulated.

TBS: You have also written eloquently about the inherent contradiction between good economics and “good politics” (in the sense of politics likely to get an office-seeker elected, i.e., by distributing favors to special-interest groups).(12) Can nothing be done to make politics good in the proper sense of the word—that is, a politics that incentivizes politicians to act for the long term in accordance with the principle of equality under the law? What reforms would help most to make a “good politics” in this sense possible?

PJB: My teacher, James Buchanan, divided economic policy analysis into two realms: analysis over the rules, and analysis within rules. We can only change the outcomes if we change the rules of the game. Given the existing rules of the game, the incentives are aligned in such a way that we are going to get the policy outcomes we have independently of what party is in power. So, we need to focus our intellectual energy on changing the rules, such that the incentives are aligned differently.

If we think about how to improve, first, let me say that government can raise revenue in only three ways: by taxing, borrowing, and inflating. When government has monopoly control over the printing press, what politicians prefer is to run deficits, accumulate public debt, and then debase the currency in an effort to monetize the debt. This results in the economically unhealthy cycle of deficits, debt, and debasement. Adam Smith warned about this, and we are living proof that the problem hasn’t been abated.

So, we need to fix the crisis in our fiscal state through binding rules on the government’s ability to engage in this cycle of deficits, debt, and debasement (Adam Smith referred to it as the juggling trick that all governments practice). How do you stop the juggler from juggling?

First, take the balls out of their hands, and, second, tie their hands. This is what we must do.

Additionally, both Hayek and Buchanan strongly advocated a “general norm” to guide political decision-making, namely: No policy can be adopted which benefits some without benefiting all. So, no discriminatory politics.

Ultimately, we want a political system that exhibits neither dominion nor discrimination. This is the goal which a constitutional order of a free people should strive for.

TBS: This year marks the 100th anniversary of the Federal Reserve banking system. Some have argued that it is time for conservatives to make their peace with Leviathan, since it is not going away.(13) On the other hand, the rise of the Tea Party movement might be taken to indicate that mainline principles have more political purchase than ever before. Do you believe a true rollback of the interventionist state and the institution of a minimalist, “night watchman” state is politically feasible at this point in history? If not, is it something we ought to strive for anyway?

PJB: Yes, we should strive for it. Whether it is the “best” solution, or if a better, more perfect vision of a free society is possible, should not deter us from pushing right here and now for a minimalist state.

The bottom line is, we want a society of free and responsible individuals who have the opportunity to prosper in a market economy based on profit and loss, and who can live and be actively engaged in caring communities. An obtrusive state prevents that. We must unleash not only true capitalism, but also civil society. The American ideal of self-government should once again capture citizens and guide their actions.

On the history of the Fed, I recommend the work of George Selgin and Larry White, as well as my good friend and graduate school classmate, Steve Horwitz. I think the history of the Fed does not bode well for any claim to policy perfection. We can, and must, do better.

In Capitalism and Freedom (14), Milton Friedman has a great line where he says basically that any political institution where a sincere error by those in charge can threaten the entire society is perhaps an institution we cannot afford to have. I agree with Friedman. I think the time is ripe for us to reconsider alternatives to the Fed. But I think the time is ripe for us to consider alternative political arrangements for a lot of the Progressive Era institutions that were established around the same time as the Fed.

TBS: Interventionists point to the tremendous growth in our prosperity over the past 60 years, while the welfare state was rapidly expanding. How should a mainline economist respond to this historical argument? Adam Smith said “there is a great deal of ruin in a nation,”(15) but even so, can we go on indefinitely as we are, or is a real catastrophe inevitable? What is the time horizon of the “long run” which Keynes famously dismissed?(16)

PJB: I think the more appropriate passage from Adam Smith is as follows:

The natural effort of every individual to better his own condition, when suffered to exert itself with freedom and security, is so powerful a principle, that it is alone, and without any assistance, not only capable of carrying on the society to wealth and prosperity, but of surmounting a hundred impertinent obstructions with which the folly of human laws too often incumbers its operations; though the effect of these obstructions is always more or less either to encroach upon its freedom, or to diminish its security.(17)

This explains the past 60 years in my mind. As long as the gains from trade and the gains from technological innovation outpace the stupidity of government policies, economic growth will continue. Not as great as otherwise would be the case, but still to such an extent that tomorrow will be better than today.

But as the obstructions go from a hundred to thousands, there are costs of this stupidity. And if the stupidity outpaces the gains from trade and the gains from technological innovation, then we enter into a stagnation period. Read carefully my colleague Tyler Cowen’s book, The Great Stagnation (18), and note that his examples are from government-heavy-involvement industries (health, education, and governmental services).

If we take the fiscal gap literature seriously, and we are facing a $211 trillion gap between our future fiscal obligations and our ability to pay for those obligations, then we have to take very seriously the costs that the age of economic illusion has forced upon us. We have constantly traded off long-run growth for short-term relief from necessary economic adjustments.

We have to wake up, and but fast.

TBS: In a remarkable essay published in 1978, Louis Spadaro called on Austrians to spend less time critiquing mainstream economics and more time developing their own theory.(19) Has his advice been taken over the past 35 years? What areas of mainline economics still need the most work?

PJB: Great question about the science of economics and political economy. We have to work much harder on the integration of money and capital theory, and I would say that there is still much work to be done at the level of institutional theory. But I think our most important current battles are methodological, rather than method-specific.

The battle that Mises and Hayek waged against scientism (the inappropriate application of the methods of the natural sciences to the sciences of man) is still with us, and it destroys the discipline.

TBS: Is economics a science? How can a field that includes viewpoints as diametrically opposed as yours and Paul Krugman’s deserve the name of “science”? If economics is a science, what sort of science is it?

PJB: It is a science, but it is a philosophical science. I recommend that folks look at Michael Polanyi’s “The Republic of Science”(20) and also his Personal Knowledge (21) , to get a sense of what science is all about.

Michael Polanyi

Economics is definitely a science, but it is a science that follows different epistemological procedures than physics—precisely because it is a science where we are who we study. Fritz Machlup, in answering a similar question years ago, wrote an essay with a title that asked us to imagine “If Matter Could Talk.”(22)

TBS: Though he showed some familiarity with early developments in the theory of self-organization, nevertheless famed Austrian economist and Nobel Prize–winner F.A. Hayek leaned heavily on Darwinian selection theory to underpin his notion of “spontaneous order.” Apart from a few volumes coming out of the Santa Fe Institute, not much seems to have been done to bring Hayek’s insights up to date in this respect. Why is this? Do you see dynamical systems theory, nonequilibrium thermodynamics, and similar disciplines as potential resources for a deeper understanding of praxeology, Mises’s term for the science of human action(23)?

PJB: Great question again. I think the future of complexity science is one positive direction that followers of Mises and Hayek could go, but so is a more anthropological direction for empirical research. The key issue to me is not the methods of analysis, but the substantive propositions being explored: rational choice, invisible hand, and reconciliation of individual interest and the common good through institutional analysis.

How do you study how the purposive behavior of individuals that is oriented toward social cooperation and away from violence and conflict? Works such as Scott E. Page’s Diversity and Complexity (24) point in one direction—to study how the gains from social cooperation can be realized—but so do the field studies of Lin Ostrom on common-pool resources (25), or Deirdre McCloskey’s work on bourgeois virtues (26), or my colleague Virgil Storr’s work in cultural economy (27).

I am a more traditional economist and political economist—and one greatly influenced by Mises—so in my own work, I tend to focus on conceptual clarity in theory, an appreciation of the history of thought on these issues, and applications to economic history and/or contemporary affairs. I am a verbal economist, who relies on natural language primarily in exposition, as opposed to formulas, graphs, etc. But I do strive to follow the strictures of deductive logic in my theorizing, and thus produce sound economic arguments.

TBS: I asked before how we could improve education in mainline economics. What about education, more generally? Do mainline principles provide any guidance for us, as we struggle with the abysmal situation in our public schools?

PJB: First, I think our school problem can begin to be addressed with one simple policy: tuition tax credits. Give parents and kids a choice in education. Second, we are witnessing a great social awakening in the home-schooling movement, and we should take notice. Third, new educational approaches are coming online (Khan Academy, for example), and peer-to-peer teaching, etc.

Give people freedom to make their own choices in education, as in every other walk of life, and you will see great experimentation and problems solved.

TBS: What is your forecast for the future? Where will mainline economics be in 10 years’ time? In 50 years?

PJB: I don’t have a crystal ball, but I am very optimistic about the future of economics and political economy. The world is too interesting for folks to disregard the greatest tool available to help us understand man in all his coming and goings, in all walks of life, and across all times and all cultures. The economic way of thinking is too powerful a tool to be lost.

I don’t know the precise zigs and zags that will take place, but I do know that new names will go up on that mural at UFM and make legitimate claims to “sit in the seat of Adam Smith” and contribute to the living body of scientific economics.

TBS: Thank you very much!

NOTES

1. Boettke’s intellectual lineage may be traced as follows: Carl Menger (1840–1921) — Eugen von Böhm-Bawerk (1851–1914) — Ludwig von Mises (1881–1973) — Hans Sennholz (1922–2007); Israel Kirzner (b. 1930) — Peter Boettke (b. 1960). In addition to Sennholz and Kirzner, Boettke also studied under Don Lavoie (1951–2001), who falls in between the Sennholz/Kirzner and Boettke generations.

2. This and all other biographical details are taken from Peter J. Boettke, “Reflections on Becoming an Austrian Economist and Libertarian, and Staying One,” in Walter Block, ed., I Chose Liberty: Autobiographies of Contemporary Libertarians (Ludwig von Mises Institute, 2010), pp. 58–66.

3. Grove City College is ranked #18 on TheBestSchools list of “The 50 Best Colleges in the United States.”

4. See his The Political Economy of Soviet Socialism: The Formative Years, 1918–1928 (Springer, 1990); Why Perestroika Failed: The Politics and Economics of Socialist Transformation (Routledge, 1993); and Calculation and Coordination: Essays on Socialism and Transitional Political Economy (Routledge, 2001).

5. See The Economic Way of Thinking, 12th ed. (with Paul Heyne and David L. Prychitko) (Prentice-Hall, 2009); The Review of Austrian Economics; The Elgar Companion to Austrian Economics (Edward Elgar Publishing, 1998); and Handbook on Contemporary Austrian Economics (Edward Elgar Publishing, 2010), respectively.

6. See Robustní Politická Ekonomie pro 21. Století (Prague: CEVRO Institut Academic Press, 2011).

7. From the end of World War II until the early 1970s, the Austrian tradition in economics had been largely eclipsed by Keynesianism (the doctrine that the market is inherently prone to “failure” and that government must intervene through its fiscal and monetary policies to “correct” this “failure”). Two events mark the dramatic revival of Austrian theory within the academic and public policy communities: a highly successful international conference that was held at Royalton College, in South Royalton, Vermont, in 1974, and the award of the Nobel Memorial Prize for Economics to F.A. Hayek that same year. The proceedings of the South Royalton conference may be consulted in: Edwin G. Dolan, ed., The Foundations of Modern Austrian Economics (Sheed & Ward, 1976). Ever since that time, Austrian economics has been a “growth industry,” witnessed by the publication of numerous distinguished articles and books, as well as the founding of many new journals, graduate programs, and research institutes. Since the financial crisis in 2008, however, Keynesianism has staged a rapid academic and political comeback.

8. Generally speaking, the Austrian explanation of the “boom-and-bust” business cycle, or “bubbles,” is that government intervention in the economy leads to distortions in prices, and so to investment by entrepreneurs in projects that are economically unsustainable because they do not correspond to real consumer demand. Such misallocation of investment must be allowed to work itself out through bankruptcy and redirection of entrepreneurial efforts. Renewed government intervention in the form of deficit spending (“stimulus”) and artificially low interest rates, by doubling down on previous mistakes, only compounds the problem and worsens the inevitable day of reckoning.

9. Peter J. Boettke, Living Economics: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow (Independent Institute, 2012); p. 388.

10. Ibid.; p. xviii.

11. Lawrence H. White, The Clash of Economic Ideas: The Great Policy Debates and Experiments of the Last Hundred Years (Cambridge UP, 2012).

12. For example, Living Economics, op. cit., p. 10.

13. For example, William J. Voegeli, Never Enough: America’s Limitless Welfare State (Encounter Books, 2010).

14. Milton Friedman, Capitalism and Freedom (University of Chicago Press, 1962).

15. Adam Smith, Correspondence of Adam Smith, ed. by Ernest C. Mossner and Ian S. Ross (Liberty Fund, 1987); p 262, note 3.

16. “In the long run we are all dead,” from John Maynard Keynes, A Tract on Monetary Reform (Macmillan and Co., 1923); p. 80.

17. From Wealth of Nations, Book IV, Chapter V.b, “Digression concerning the Corn Trade and Corn Laws,” Section IV, Paragraph 43 (=Adam Smith, An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations, ed. W.B. Todd [Liberty Fund, 1981]; Vol. I, p. 540). Wealth of Nations was first published in 1776.

18. Tyler Cowen, The Great Stagnation: How America Ate All the Low-Hanging Fruit of Modern History, Got Sick, and Will (Eventually) Feel Better (Dutton, 2011).

19. Louis M. Spadaro, “Toward a Program of Research and Development for Austrian Economics,” in idem, ed., New Directions in Austrian Economics (Sheed Andrews & McMeel, 1978), pp. 205–227.

20. Michael Polanyi, “The Republic of Science: Its Political and Economic Theory,” Minerva, 1962, 1: 54–73; reprinted in idem, Knowing and Being: Essays by Michael Polanyi (University of Chicago Press, 1969), pp. 49–72.

21.  Michael Polanyi, Personal Knowledge: Towards a Post-Critical Philosophy (University of Chicago Press, 1959).

22. Fritz Machlup, “If Matter Could Talk,” in Sidney Morgenbesser, Patrick Suppes, and Mary Terrell White, eds., Philosophy, Science, and Method: Essays in Honor of Ernest Nagel (St. Martin’s Press, 1969), pp. 286–305.

23. See Ludwig von Mises, Human Action: A Treatise on Economics (Liberty Fund, 2007). Human Action was originally published by Yale University Press in 1949.

24. Scott E. Page, Diversity and Complexity (Princeton UP, 2010).

25. See, for example, Elinor Ostrom, Rules, Games, and Common-Pool Resources (University of Michigan Press, 1994).

26. See, for example, Deirdre N. McCloskey, The Bourgeois Virtues (University of Chicago Press, 2006).

27. See, for example, Virgil H. Storr, Understanding the Culture of Markets (Routledge, 2012).

The rankings contained below are based on many factors, but the high school must produce measurable academic outcomes across a large number of important academic indicators to be included. In addition, a great public high school will have a good reputation with recruiting colleges and be highly ranked in measures of student satisfaction and faculty quality. (Compare our article The 50 Best Colleges in the United States.)

The first step in the ranking process analyzes whether each school’s students perform in the top echelons in academics for a given U.S. high school cohort. ACT scores, SAT scores, average weighted GPA, and the API (Academic Performance Index) are used as a proxy for the educational environment within a high school.

These scores must be adjusted for the fact that students who come from challenging socioeconomic backgrounds tend to score lower, so higher proportions of such students with good scores lead to a higher ranking.

The second criterion used to evaluate the public high schools on this list is the degree to which they prepare each student in the high school community to enter and excel at college. The number and breadth of AP courses offered, Honors courses, International Baccalaureate (IB) programs, and relationships with local colleges are major factors in determining the level of academic preparedness for college. The number of students scoring 3 or better (a passing grade) on final AP tests is a telling predictor of post–high school academic performance.

The third aspect of schools assessed for this listing consists of intangible factors, such as innovative degree programs in the arts, diversity of the student body, current student satisfaction with their high school, quality and experience of the faculty, or modern lab or athletic facilities. Also, we have striven for as much geographical diversity as is consistent with our other criteria.

* * *

1. Bronx High School of Science (New York, NY)

Bronx High School of Science, founded in 1938, is part of New York City’s system of selective public high schools.

Bronx Science, as it is commonly known, is renowned for the number of Nobel Prize laureates (eight in all) and National Academy of Science members among its alumni. It is commonly considered the premier science magnet school in the country.

A large number of Bronx Science students have gone on to distinguish themselves in other fields, as well, including six recipients of the Pulitzer Prize.

The school attracts an intellectually gifted student body of diverse cultural, ethnic, and economic backgrounds from across New York City.

Awards, Rankings, and Alumni:

• Ranked one of the 22 Top-Performing Schools in America by the Washington Post
• Ranked among top 100 in U.S. News and World Report‘s list of America’s Gold-Medal high schools (public and private)
• Nobel Prize laureates include Leon Cooper, Sheldon Glashow, and Steven Weinberg
• Pulitzer Prize winners include William Safire and Joseph Lelyveld
• Other prominent alumni include critic Harold Bloom, novelist E.L. Doctorow, author Richard Price, architect Daniel Liebeskind, businessman and public servant Ronald Lauder, and Tumblr founder David Karp

2. Northside College Preparatory High School (Chicago, IL)

Northside College Preparatory High School is a public magnet high school located on the north side of Chicago. Northside Prep is a selective enrollment school, teaching at the Honors and AP levels only.

Northside Prep is nationally known for the success of its students in the college admissions process, with over a quarter of the matriculating class admitted to top universities. More than 99% of Northside Prep students go on to college of some sort.

Awards, Rankings, and Alumni:

• Ranked #1 Public High School in the State of Illinois, 2001–2011
• Ranked among Gold Medal Schools by U.S. News & World Report, 2007–2009
• Ranked #37 in the nation in 2010 by U.S. News & World Report
• Ranked #24 in the nation, and #1 in the state of Illinois, in 2011 by Newsweek

3. Connecticut IB Academy (East Hartford, CT)

Connecticut IB Academy (CIBA) is a magnet school located near Connecticut’s state capital. The school is a distinguished Blue Ribbon School that is ranked among the best in America by the U.S. Department of Education.

Freshmen and sophomores take full Honors courses, while juniors and seniors take IB courses exclusively.

Seniors must write an Extended Essay, which is “an in-depth study of a focused topic chosen from the list of approved Diploma Programme subjects . . . intended to promote high-level research and writing skills, intellectual discovery, and creativity.” (CIBA website)

Awards, Rankings, and Alumni:

• Ranked Best Magnet School in America by U.S. News & World Report
• Ranked among the Best in America by the U.S. Department of Education

4. Boston Latin Scho0l (Boston, MA)

Founded in 1635, Boston Latin is the oldest public school—and the oldest still-existing school of any sort—in the United States.

The school’s curriculum is based on the traditional educational philosophy which holds that the classics are the foundation of an educated mind. Four years of Latin are mandatory for all pupils who enter the school in seventh grade, three years for those who enter in ninth.

Awards, Rankings, and Alumni:

• Ranked among Top 20 High Schools in the United States in 2007 by U.S. News & World Report
• Named a Blue Ribbon School of Excellence in 2011 by the U.S. Department of Education
• Numerous famous alumni include Cotton Mather, Samuel Adams, Benjamin Franklin, John Hancock, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry Ward Beecher, William Sumner, George Santayana, Joseph Kennedy, Leonard Bernstein, and Nat Hentoff

5. Stanton College Preparatory School (Jacksonville, FL)

Stanton College Prep is the oldest continually operating high school in Florida, and was originated in the 1860s as a segregated school for African American children.

To many students, Stanton is known for its challenging academics and rigorous standards. Stanton College Prep also has a nationally recognized student newspaper, The Devil’s Advocate, which makes it an excellent choice for aspiring journalists.

Awards, Rankings, and Alumni:

• First in Newsweek’s list of top 1000 public schools from 2000–2003
• #9 on U.S. News and World Report ’s list of America’s Best High Schools
• #1 in the U.S. for IB diplomas
• Consistently in the top three schools in Florida for the number of National Merit Scholars
• Named as a Blue Ribbon School of Excellence by the U.S. Department of Education

6. Maine School of Science and Mathematics (Limestone, ME)

The Maine School of Science and Mathematics (MSSM) is a public, residential magnet school chartered and funded by the Maine State Legislature. It is located in the northeastern part of the state near the Aroostook National Wildlife Refuge, a stone’s throw from the Canadian border.

MSSM features a community learning environment with excellent teacher-to-student ratios, extracurricular activities, and work education credits. The curriculum at MSSM includes rigorous AP courses in the hard sciences, literature and humanities, and the social sciences.

The school has a unique January Term where students participate in experiential learning, internships, and self-directed research projects.

Awards, Rankings, and Alumni:

• #38 on U.S. News and World Report’s list of America’s Best High Schools
• Member of the National Consortium for Specialized Secondary Schools of Mathematics, Science, and Technology (NCSSSMST)
• Gold Medal from U.S. News and World Report for Best High Schools in America

7. Signature School (Evansville, IN)

The Signature School is located in the Ohio River town of Evansville, near the point where Indiana, Kentucky, and Illinois all meet. The school offers students three major study paths: math and science, fine and performing arts, or liberal arts/humanities.

The high school has been accepted into the IB program. However, the school also offers AP classes for those who choose to not to graduate with an IB diploma.

The Signature School has a focus on academics and the arts. It is well known for its many contributions to summer musicals in the region, as well as for shows by the “Signature Singers.”

The Signature School prides itself on offering challenging courses for the “self-motivated learner,” and for being different from other area schools. The student to teacher ratio is 20-to-1.

Awards, Rankings, and Alumni:

• #7 on the Newsweek’s list of America’s Best High Schools
• Ranked #8 by the Washington Post in 2011
• In the top 10 charter schools
• Consistently ranked the #1 school in Indiana

8. International Academy (Bloomfield Hills, MI)

The International Academy (IA) is located in Oakland County, Michigan, north of Detroit. The school is a public, tuition-free high school of choice for students across the county.

Students, who are required to earn both high school and IB diplomas, are selected by a lottery system to ensure fair enrollment standards. IA has an extended school year (205 days) and an extended school day.

According to school data, 94% of the Class of 2011 earned IB diplomas, as compared to the world average that year of 76%.

Awards, Rankings, and Alumni:

• 21% of Class of 2011, National Merit Scholars
• Ranked #2 by U.S. News and World Report for Best High Schools
• Ranked #1 School in the Nation by Newsweek in 2003
• Average ACT Composite Score of 29

9. BASIS Scottsdale (Scottsdale, AZ)

BASIS Scottsdale, located in a suburb of Phoenix, is part of the BASIS network of high-performing, open-enrollment, tuition-free, public charter schools. Like its sister schools, BASIS Scottsdale offers a wide range of advanced curriculum studies in a variety of topics.

Newly enrolled students take a diagnostic academic test before enrolling, which places them in a group based primarily on proficiency in mathematics.

Every year, BASIS Scottsdale’s Master Teacher Campaign raises money to increase teacher salaries to ensure the highest quality faculty.

Awards, Rankings, and Alumni:

• Featured by CNN for quality of education
• Featured in the documentary film, 2 Million Minutes: The 21st Century Solution
• Rated one of America’s Top High Schools by Newsweek

10. Oxford Academy (Cypress, CA)

Oxford Academy is a college preparatory school located in the Anaheim school district, near Los Angeles. The school is rigorous and highly competitive; students only enroll after passing a rigorous test of their academic abilities.

Although Oxford Academy is not classified as a magnet school, a comprehensive entrance exam consisting of math, English, and essay writing is required for all students. Oxford Academy begins entrance testing in the 7th grade, with 200 spots open each year.

Oxford Academy follows a University of California system–approved A-G course listing, meaning that all required classes meet the standards and recommendations for entrance in a University of California college. In addition to the UC course listing, Oxford requires all students to choose either the Business or the Advanced Sciences pathway in their junior year.

Awards, Rankings, and Alumni:

• Ranked #4 Best High School by U.S. News & World Report
• Ranked #7 by the Washington Post for Best U.S. High Schools
• Average combined SAT score of 1,912
• Four-year graduation rate of 100%

11. Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky (Bowling Green, KY)

Gatton Academy is a public academy with an early college entrance program, funded by the state of Kentucky and located on the campus of Western Kentucky University.

Gatton Academy focuses exclusively on college preparatory activities, and students of the Academy are considered both high school students and college undergraduates by Kentucky and federal scholarship programs.

Thus, the students are qualified for research programs, scholarships, honors, and even bachelor’s degrees, but at the same time must take the classes required by the state of Kentucky for a high school diploma.

Awards, Rankings, and Alumni:

• Second year in a row on the Public Elite High Schools list
• In the top 20 of public high schools for scores on standardized tests
• Top-ranked by America’s Best High Schools in 2011
• Top School in America by Newsweek in 2011
• Average combined SAT score of 1,912
• Four-year graduation rate of 100%

12. School for the Talented and Gifted (Dallas, TX)

Dallas’s School for the Talented and Gifted, or “TAG school,” is a public, college preparatory, magnet secondary school located in the Oak Cliff area. TAG’s curriculum is designed to provide a comprehensive academic program to serve identified talented and gifted students in grades nine through twelve.

TAG uses the Advanced High School criteria set forth by the Texas Education Agency, and provides the most rigorous curriculum in the state of Texas.

The school supplements the state-wide standards with an AP curriculum which helps prepare students for top-ranked universities.

Awards, Rankings, and Alumni:

• Ranked the #1 high school in the United States in 2006 by Newsweek
• Consistently rated the Best Public High School in Dallas by D Magazine
• Rated “Exemplary” by the Texas Education Agency every year since its inception

13. Jefferson County International Baccalaureate School (Irondale, AL)

Jefferson County International Baccalaureate School (JCIB) is a public high school school located not far from Birmingham.

JCIB has an award-winning arts and literature magazine named Counterpane, which is entirely produced by the students. The school offers a unique, for-credit class which teaches creative writing skills and artistic appreciation through work on Counterpane.

Awards, Rankings, and Alumni:

• In the top five Newsweek Best Public High Schools from 2005–2009
• Included in the Elite School list published annually by Newsweek
• Average ACT composite score of 29
• Counterpane received the highest award in 2009 by a program to recognize excellence in student literary magazines

14. Preuss School (San Diego, CA)

The Preuss School is a college prep high school located on the campus of University of California, San Diego (UCSD).

Founded in 1999 after the passage of California Proposition 209, Preuss provides a rigorous curriculum and educates low-income students between sixth and twelfth grades.

The school only admits students whose primary guardian does not have a college education, and who qualifies for federal assistance or free lunches. With a focus on low-income and minority students, the excellent academic performance of Preuss students is a credit to the focus and discipline of the school’s faculty and students.

Students study a standard selection of high school subjects on the high school campus, but also have access to the excellent UC campus system for college-level classes. The school runs a shuttle to the campus to facilitate access to UCSD courses.

Awards, Rankings, and Alumni:

• Received the Distinguished School Status from the Center for Education Reform
• Blue Ribbon School designation from the Department of Education
• Ranked in the top 50 of both Newsweek and U.S. News & World Report rankings of the top U.S. high schools
• Highest API in San Diego County

15. Science Academy of South Texas (Mercedes, TX)

The Science Academy of South Texas is a public, magnet high school located near Brownsville, between McAllen and Harlingen. The school serves as an attractive alternative to local high schools for students interested in pursuing education and careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines.

The school’s unique focus on STEM subjects has earned it national recognition for quantitatively gifted students.

Awards, Rankings, and Alumni:

• Ranked #26 by the Washington Review for Best High Schools
• Ranked #12 in Newsweek’s Best High Schools list
• Department of Education Blue Ribbon award-winner

16. City Honors School (Buffalo, NY)

City Honors School, a public, college preparatory school for grades 5–12, recently completed a $43 million dollar expansion of its facilities.

The school develops a differentiated curriculum for each student, aligning their studies to their intellectual and academic abilities.

Amazingly, the class of 2012 received $111,000 in scholarships for their intended colleges, not including need-based aid. This is a concrete indication of the high academic and extracurricular performance of the City Honors student body.

Awards, Rankings, and Alumni:

• Named at or near the top of all public high schools in Western New York by Business First every year since its rankings began in 1997
• Named one of the top-50 public, feeder schools in the United States by Worth magazine
• Pulitzer Prize–winning historian Richard Hofstadter, Olympic Gold Medalist Steve Mesler, and former White House press secretary Bill Burton are all alumni

17. Biotechnology High School (Freehold, NJ)

Biotechnology High School is a public magnet high school of the Monmouth County Vocational School District, located southeast of New Brunswick between Trenton and Asbury Park.

The school’s curriculum includes an intensive science course, which exposes students to eight science classes over four years and prepare them to pursue their education in biotechnology.

The science curriculum focuses on critical thinking, problem solving, new technologies, teamwork, and the scientific method. Ninety percent of graduates continue their education in the life sciences.

Awards, Rankings, and Alumni:

• Ranked #1 school in New Jersey by the Daily Beast online magazine
• Ranked #25 among Best U.S. High Schools by Newsweek
• Average SAT scores above 650 in reading, math, and writing

18. Wyoming High School  (Wyoming, OH)

Wyoming High School, located in a suburb of Cincinnati, offers a challenging course load, including many AP classes.

The school is nationally recognized for its AP American Government program, and is therefore an excellent choice for students looking for careers in politics, political science, or foreign relations.

The school also has an excellent arts program, offering students three string orchestras, a band, and many choral options. In addition to music, Wyoming High offers classes in computer graphics, photography, and AP art classes.

The school also has many foreign language options for students, including Spanish, French, and Latin. All foreign languages are offered in five levels, which culminate in the AP class for the given language.

Awards, Rankings, and Alumni:

• Top five schools in Ohio according to standardized test scores
• Ranked #50 on the U.S. News & World Report Best High Schools list
• Ranked first nationally in American Government curriculum

19. Walter Payton College Preparatory High School (Chicago, IL)

Walter Payton College Prep is a public, selective-enrollment magnet high school located on Chicago’s north side.

Walter Payton is known for many strengths, including a focus on mathematics and government. Its math Olympiad team recently won the Illinois Council of Mathematics Teachers (ICTM) state championship.

Also, the model UN team at Walter Payton won the best delegation designation at the Global Classrooms conference.

Awards, Rankings, and Alumni:

• Winner of the 2010 Intel Schools of Distinction award
• Named best high school in Illinois by the Chicago Tribune
• Ranked #41 among Best U.S. High Schools by U.S. News & World Report

20. Walnut Hills High School (Cincinnati, OH)

Walnut Hills High School—a public, college preparatory high school—is part of the Cincinnati Public Schools district. As such, it maintains a diverse student background.

Walnut Hills has a focus on classical studies, and all students must complete at least three years of Latin. Emphasis is placed on ancient Roman and Greek history and culture. The unique classical studies focus is augmented with a varied academic curriculum.

Walnut Hills boasts more AP courses offered to students than any other school in the nation.

Awards, Rankings, and Alumni:

• Ranked #36 among Best U.S. High Schools by U.S. News & World Report
• Four-time academy award–winning, documentary filmmaker Charles Guggenheim and Nobel Prize–winning physiologist Stanley Prusiner are Walnut Hills alumni

21. Van Nuys High School (Van Nuys, CA)

Van Nuys High School (VNHS) is a public high school located just north of Los Angeles. VNHS has three magnet programs on their campus to serve the diverse needs of the student body.

All three magnet programs have a large percentage of students who take extensive course loads. The three magnets also have established relationships local organizations in the relevant magnet focus. Community hospitals provide opportunities for students pursuing life sciences to explore the healthcare industry.

The creative arts magnet has excellent relationships with the Live Concert Academy and the Zappa Institute of Technology. These relationships provide students with real life experiences which build upon their academic achievements.

Awards, Rankings, and Alumni:

• One of the best high schools in California
• Popular singer Paula Abdul and computer scientist Vint Cerf, recognized as one of the fathers of the internet, are alumni

22. Williams Preparatory (Dallas, TX)

Williams Prep, which opened in 2007, is a part of the Uplift Education Charter Schools chain. The school focuses on nurturing strong relationships between teachers, students, and parents, while maintaining sterling academic standards.

Williams Prep provides a curriculum with the highest academics that truly prepares students for college. To foster a professional learning environment, teachers and students are given the time and tools they need to reflect and achieve academic and professional growth.

Every student in the graduating class of Williams Prep was accepted to college. The school also has a partnership with the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, which provides students with access to the cutting-edge research and hands-on medical training they need to pursue further education in the medical field.

The school is also financially backed as a science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) school by the Texas High School Project.

Awards, Rankings, and Alumni:

• 5/5 rating from Redfin.com
• Highly ranked by the Texas Department of Education

23. Harding Charter Preparatory High School (Oklahoma City, OK)

Harding Charter Prep is exclusively focused on preparing students to attend the college that is the right fit for their abilities and interests.

Despite Harding’s excellent reputation and rankings, there are no requirements as to which students can attend. There are no tuition fees or entry tests required.

The school instills in students the expectation that they will go to college, no matter what their socioeconomic background. The school places a high premium on community service, and requires service hours from both students and their parents.

Awards, Rankings, and Alumni:

• Ranked #68 for Best U.S. High Schools by U.S. News & World Report in 2010

24. School of International Studies (San Diego, CA)

The School of International Studies is a component part of San Diego High School, a complex of five, administratively independent campuses located on the southern edge of Balboa Park.

Collectively, San Diego High School is the oldest high school in the city, and one of the oldest in the state. The other campuses focus on arts, STEM, business, and communication and leadership.

The division into subject areas provides students with a more focused learning environment.

Awards, Rankings, and Alumni:

• Ranked #4 on Best U.S. High Schools list by U.S. News & World Report
• IB pass rate of 98%
• API score of over 800
• Ranked #22 by Newsweek

25. Lincoln Park Academy (Fort Pierce, FL)

Lincoln Park Academy is a public high school on the Atlantic coast of Florida, south of Cape Canaveral, near Port St. Lucie.

Referred to simply as “LPA”, the school offers dual-enrollment options, AP and IB classes, and a curriculum track focused on engineering.

Awards, Rankings, and Alumni:

• Ranked #43 in the Challenge Index by the Washington Post
• Rated “A” every year by the Florida Department of Education
• Ranked #21 by Newsweek

26. Carnegie Vanguard High School (Houston, TX)

Carnegie Vanguard High School is a part of the Houston Independent School District. Formerly located in Houston’s Sunny Side community, the school recently moved to the Fourth Ward/Midtown area.

Carnegie Vanguard—which is named after industrialist and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie—provides education to students in grades nine through twelve. The school offers all core AP classes.

The school is a Vanguard Program–designated school, and 100% of its students are gifted and talented in academics. Students come from a wide range of cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds, which contribute to the diversity and learning environment of the school.

To attend the school, each student is identified as having academic and leadership abilities exceeding his or her age cohort. The school places an emphasis on students using their gifts to contribute to the health of their community and school.

Awards, Rankings, and Alumni:

• Ranked #13 in the Challenge Index by the Washington Post
• Ranked #1 School in Texas by Children at Risk
• Ranked #11 by Newsweek

27. Pine View School for the Gifted (Osprey, FL)

Pine View School is a public, college preparatory high school located on Florida’s Gulf coast, between Sarasota and Venice. The school provides the only program in Florida dedicated to educating intellectually gifted students.

The mission of Pine View School is to use an experiential learning environment which encourages a passion for intellectual curiosity and bravery of thought. Pine View combines academic rigor with a commitment to social awareness of the student’s community and world.

Awards, Rankings, and Alumni:

• Ranked #11 U.S. High School by U.S. News & World Report
• Combined average SAT score of 1,335 (out of 1,600)
• Ranked #15 on Best U.S. High Schools list by Newsweek

28. Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School for Government and International Studies (Richmond, VA)

The Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School for Government and International Studies is a public, regional high school located in Virginia’s state capital, whose mission is “to provide broad-based educational opportunities that develop gifted students’ understanding of world cultures and languages as well as the ability to lead, participate, and contribute in a rapidly changing global society.”

Today, the school is known for its outstanding academic record and high rankings in scholastic competitions. All academic classes are taught at an AP or Honors level. The class of 2010 received over $8.1 million in scholarships totaling more than $50,000 per student.

The Governor’s School asks students to complete 140 hours of community service by their date of matriculation. Students do not receive their diplomas without first meeting their community-service goals.

Awards, Rankings, and Alumni:

• High School Fed Challenge winner
• National History Bowl winner

29. The Early College at Guilford (Greensboro, NC)

The Early College at Guilford (ECG) is a public high school which partners with Guilford College, a national liberal arts institution.

The school’s curriculum is writing-intensive and fast-paced. Students take Honors and AP courses in the ninth and tenth grades, and by the eleventh and twelfth years have the opportunity to take classes at the undergraduate level.

They can earn up to two years of college credit in high school, making ECG an attractive choice for students who are ready for college earlier than their peers.

The high school is founded on Quaker principles, and encourages an atmosphere of conviviality and trust among professors and students.

Awards, Rankings, and Alumni:

• Ranked #17 for Best U.S. High Schools by U.S. News & World Report
• Elite High School designation by Newsweek

30. Bergen County Academies (Hackensack, NJ)

Bergen County Academies (BCA) is a free, public, magnet high school located in Hackensack, New Jersey.

BCA is divided into seven specialized course curricula. The school also has an excellent student to teacher ratio of 11-to-1.

The quality of the faculty at the Bergen Academy is outstanding, with many teachers holding doctorates in their specializations.
To encourage the application of their education, seniors at Bergen participate in the Senior Experience, an internship program where students work for an outside company for the whole day, one day a week.

Awards, Rankings, and Alumni:

• Ranked Best High School in New Jersey by Bloomberg Businessweek
• Average combined SAT of 2100 (out of 2400)—the second highest score in the U.S.
• Ranked #21 ranking by Newsweek

31. Paxon School for Advanced Studies (Jacksonville, FL)

The Paxon School for Advanced Studies (PSAS) is a part of the Duval County Public Schools system. It has one of the strongest math and science programs in the state of Florida.

PSAS has been invited to apply for the Siemens Advanced Placement High School award, an honor only awarded to ten schools in each state. The high school’s faculty consists of over 100 teachers whose qualifications include National Board Certification and Teacher of the Year.

The beautiful, 88-acre campus includes athletic facilities, a swimming pool, a professional-grade television production studio, science labs, and a theater.

In addition to an excellent academic record, PSAS also focuses on a balanced life for students, with social clubs such as Youth Leadership for Change.

Awards, Rankings, and Alumni:

• Ranked #30 for Best U.S. High Schools by U.S News & World Report 
• Ranked #6 ranking by Newsweek

32. International Community School (Kirkland, WA)

The International Community School (ICS) is a public high school belonging to the Lake Washington School District, near Redmond, northwest of Seattle.

ICS is one of a group of schools founded by Dr. Bruce Saari. The word “international” in the school’s name refers to its focus on international issues in the curriculum.

The school is not open-enrollment; rather, students enter a lottery after minimum admission requirements are met.

Awards, Rankings, and Alumni:

• Average composite ACT score of 29.5
• 100% graduate completion rate

33. Whitney High School (Cerritos, CA)

Whitney High School (WHS), located between downtown Los Angeles and Anaheim, is known as a community academic learning center, with a focus on vocational and educational achievement.

WHS offers 12 Advanced Placement courses and 35 Honors courses. The school also has a variety of interscholastic sports and co-curricular activities, which include student government, service organizations, broadcast journalism opportunities, drill teams, and pep squads.

WHS also has an advanced robotics team and participates in FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology).

Awards, Rankings, and Alumni:

• Blue Ribbon designation from the U.S. Department of Education
• Six-time winner of the California Distinguished School award
• Best Overall Academic Performance in California by Businessweek

34. Hume-Fogg Academic Magnet High School (Nashville, TN)

The Hume-Fogg Academic Magnet High School is a public high school located in the Tennessee state capital. The school is committed to meeting academic needs of students and to providing opportunities for their personal development.

Hume-Fogg’s mission is to instill a love of learning within the student body. The school accomplishes this through emphasizing creative thinking, abstract reasoning, experiential learning, and self-discipline.

Awards, Rankings, and Alumni:

• Ranked #36 on the Best High Schools list by U.S. News & World Report
• Professional baseball pitcher Johnny Beazley, Academy Award–winning director Delbert Mann, and poet Randall Jarrell are all alumni

35. Alexander W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts (West Palm Beach, FL)

The Alexander W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts (AWDSOA) is a public, magnet high school drawing students from across Palm Beach County.

AWDSOA has an intensive focus on the arts, with six areas of specialization: Communication Arts, Dance, Digital Media, Music, Theater, and Visual Arts. Two classes from a student’s chosen area of specialization are taken, in addition to the normal class load.

The culture of the school is centered on creativity and expression. Therefore, AWDSOA is a great springboard for students intending to perform or create professionally.

Awards, Rankings, and Alumni:

• Ranked #36 on the Best High Schools list by U.S. News & World Report 
• 79 students have started their own theatre companies
• 363 students have appeared on television
• 14 are in national theater tours

36. Classen School of Advanced Studies (Oklahoma City, OK)

The Classen School of Advanced Studies is a public, magnet high school which offers IB diplomas, as well as fine arts classes. Students joining the school choose a major, whether within the IB program or in one of the many specialized fine arts programs offered.

Students are not restricted to classes based on their majors, but each major does have a structured course load. The school’s arts program has won several awards and honors at the state level.

Majors Available at Classen:

• International Baccalaureate
• Band
• Dance
• Dramatic Arts/Technical Theater
• Guitar
• Instrumental Music
• Piano
• Strings
• Visual Arts
• Vocal Music

Awards, Rankings, and Alumni:

• Ranked among the Top 100 in the Challenge Index by the Washington Post
• Ranked #14 by Newsweek
•  Accreditation by the North Central Association of Schools

37. Jericho High School (Jericho, NY)

Jericho High School is located in Nassau County on Long Island, near New York City. The school offers a variety of AP classes, as well as the opportunity for students to earn credits at nearby St. John’s University, in Queens.

Jericho High School also boasts among the highest average SAT scores in the country, and spends more money per student than any other high school on Long Island.

Awards, Rankings, and Alumni:

• Ranked #32 by Newsweek
• Musician/producer Jon Carin and actress/filmmaker Adrienne Shelly are alumni

38. George Mason High School (Falls Church, VA)

George Mason High School (GMHS) is a comprehensive public high school located near Washington, DC. The school is unusual in serving grades 8–12, making it one of the rare five-year high schools in the U.S.

GMHS has won numerous honors and awards for its scholastic achievements, including consistently top rankings for the VHSL Scholastic Bowl Team.

Awards, Rankings, and Alumni:

• Ranked #45 by Newsweek
• First school in Virginia to become an accredited IB institution

39. Sturgis Charter Public School (Hyannis, MA)

Sturgis Charter Public School, which is located on Cape Cod, offers a comprehensive range of classes, including AP classes and the full IB program for all students.

The program of instruction consists of courses taken in six groups: Language A; Language B; Individuals and Societies; Experimental Sciences; Mathematics; and the Arts.

Courses are further designated as Higher Level (HL) or Standard Level (SL) to meet different students’ abilities in a given course area. To receive the IB diploma, students must complete at least three courses at the Higher Level (HL).

In addition to the extensive coursework, diploma candidates must also complete a thesis and a course in philosophy known as the Theory of Knowledge.

Awards, Rankings, and Alumni:

• Ranked #29 by Newsweek
• Very low student-to-teacher ratio of 10/1

40. Locust Valley High School (Locust Valley, NY)

Locust Valley High School is located near Oyster Bay, across Long Island Sound from White Plains. The average income of the surrounding area is one of the highest of the nation.

Locust Valley’s excellent student newspaper, The Spectrum, has won the Columbia Scholastic Press Association/Empire State Scholastic Press Association Gold Award for quality in high school student journalism.

Locust Valley also has a focus on history and government, and gives a special award each year to a graduating senior who excels in both of these areas.

Awards, Rankings, and Alumni:

• Ranked #55 by Newsweek
• Ranked #99 by U.S. News &  World Report
• Ranked #144 by the Washington Post

41. William A. Shine Great Neck South High School (Great Neck, NY)

William A. Shine Great Neck South High School a public four-year high school located on Lake Success on Long Island, not far from New York City. The school offers a wide range of specialized educational opportunities including TESL, special education, and Regents.

Great Neck South High also has very strong music and choral programs. In addition to structured coursework, students are also offered an opportunity to pursue an independent study in a chosen field with guidance from a teacher.

The school offers eight language choices, including Mandarin and American Sign Language, an indication of the cosmopolitan nature of the school.

Awards, Rankings, and Alumni:

• Deputy Attorney General Jamie Gorelick, Emmy Award–winning 30 Rock producer David Miner,  and Danger Danger drummer Steve West are alumni

42. Sonoran Science Academy Tucson (Tucson, AZ)

Sonoran Science Academy Tucson is a public charter school that is exclusively focused on STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) subjects, while still providing a standard menu of curriculum choices for a pre-college education.

The school’s  mission statement is embodied by students and faculty, and reads: ”The vision of Sonoran Schools is to be America’s premier STEM school organization, graduating future leaders and world-caliber talent.”

Awards, Rankings, and Alumni:

• Ranked #27 by the Washington Post
• Ranked #103 by Newsweek
• Ranked #144 by U.S. News & World Report
• Named Arizona Charter School of the Year by AZ Charter Association
• Took First Place in the First Lego Robotics World Championship
• Named Top School by Southern Arizona Science & Engineering Fair
• Took First Place in Intel Science & Engineering Fair (ISEF)

43. Davidson Fine Arts (Augusta, GA)

Davidson Fine Arts (DFA) is a public, magnet high school for the fine arts. In addition to a course load dedicated to preparing students for college, DFA offers extensive course options in visual arts, music, chorus, dance, theater, and film production.

The enrollment process at the school is based on prior academic performance, as well as an audition.

Unusually for schools on this list, DFA students are admitted on a racial quota system (45% Caucasian, 45% African American, and 10% other).

Awards, Rankings, and Alumni:

• #1 School in the State of Georgia
• Ranked among Top 100 of America’s Best High Schools by Newsweek
• National Grammy Signature School

44. The Wheatley School (Old Westbury, NY)

The Wheatley School, which was founded in 1955, is a public high school located on Long Island, not far from New York City. The school recently completed an extensive refurbishment and renovation of its facilities.

Wheatley excels in athletics as well as academics, and would be a great fit for any student gifted in both areas. More than 65% of students play on at least one sports team.

In accordance with the school’s flexible approach to education, a program called “Freedom of the Grounds” was instituted, which allows certain students to leave study halls at will. The trust the school places in students is evident, and reflects the quality and leadership potential of the student body.

Awards, Rankings, and Alumni:

• Television actor Rick Hoffman, novelist Nicole Krauss, Seinfeld writer Carol Leifer, and U.S. soccer star Mike Masters are all alumni

45. duPont Manual High School (Louisville, KY)

duPont (sic) Manual High School, a public, magnet high school, began in 1892 as an all-male vocational training school.

The school has excellent academics, and a sterling reputation for football. The school has won five state titles and two national championships—one of the best records in high school football.

Awards, Rankings, and Alumni:

• Several top rankings  in America’s Top High Schools by Redbook
• Named a Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education—the highest honor a school can receive

46. Coral Reef High School (Miami, FL)

Coral Reef High School (CRHS) is known locally as “Miami’s Mega Magnet School” because it offers six comprehensive magnet programs.

The school does not serve local students alone, but instead takes applications from students across Dade County. Student enrollment decisions are determined by a lottery, except for the fine arts, where students are accepted on the basis of their artistic ability.

Due to the high level of student performance, CRHS receives more money than most other districts of comparable size. The school has a live television studio, and produces the daily morning newscast through student efforts.

CRHS has six different magnet paths, including IB, Leisure Medicine & Health Science, Business & Finance, Legal & Public Affairs, Engineering & Technology, and Visual & Performing Arts.

Awards, Rankings, and Alumni:

• “A” on Florida’s FCAT examination more than 10 times since 1998
• Singer JD Natasha is an alumna

47. Woods Charter School (Chapel Hill, NC)

Woods Charter School (WCS) is a public, charter high school which offers a challenging preparation for attendance at university, with an emphasis on character development.

WCS has a long history of strong student performance as measured by state testing, AP pass rates, and SAT and ACT scores.

The school has many attractive features for prospective students, including small class sizes, close student-teacher relationships, and a caring school community.

Awards, Rankings, and Alumni:

• Rated among the Top 200 High Schools by the Washington Post
• 52% of faculty have advanced degrees
• North Carolina Honor School of Excellence
• 90% of seniors enrolled in AP courses

48. Benjamin Franklin High School (New Orleans, LA)

Benjamin Franklin High School is a public, magnet high school which was founded in 1957 to support the talents of gifted children.

Ben Franklin has a tough and selective enrollment process, and draws the smartest and most motivated students from across the city of New Orleans.

The school also offers a variety of extracurricular activities, including sports, performing arts, publications, and clubs.

Awards, Rankings, and Alumni:

• Named by CBS News “one of the best public high schools in the country—a magnet for the city’s smart and motivated students”
• Has produced 17 National Achievement Semifinalists—the most of any school in the U.S.
• Five-star rating (highest possible) from the Louisiana Department of Education

49. Davidson Academy of Nevada (Reno, NV)

The Davidson Academy of Nevada is a free, public day school for “profoundly gifted” students, which was founded by the entrepreneur/philanthropist couple, Bob and Jan Davidson. As the first U.S. public high school formed for this purpose, the Davidson Academy’s student body has a distinguished history of academic achievement.

The school is located on the campus of the University of Nevada at Reno, which affords secondary students the opportunity to interact with college students and professors. The Davidson Academy pours significant resources into each student, working with them to come up with a personalized learning plan to adapt their education to their individual skills.

The admission requirements may be the most stringent in the nation, as only candidates with an SAT, ACT, or IQ score in the top one-tenth of one percent are eligible to apply.

Awards, Rankings, and Alumni:

• The Washington Post called the school one of the country’s “top-performing schools with elite students”
• Nuclear scientist Taylor Wilson—the youngest person to build a working nuclear fission device—is an alumnus

50. Monta Vista High School (Cupertino, CA)

Monta Vista High School is a four-year, public high school located in Silicon Valley, near San Jose.

Monta Vista, which is widely regarded as one of the top high schools in California, is located in one of the most affluent cities in the country, with an average income of more than $100,000 per household.

The school is an academic powerhouse, with 42 National Merit Semi-finalists and 84 National Merit students.

Awards, Rankings, and Alumni:

• API of 956 (out of 1000) in 2012
• Ranked #57 in the nation by the the Washington Post

Individuals who know how to acquire and manage money are valued in just about every industry, including nonprofits and government agencies.

Those with an MS in Finance or a Master of Business Administration in Finance are prepared for careers in corporate finance in areas such as divisional financial analysis, treasury, cash management, credit analysis, and financial analysis.

Master of Finance Degree Curriculum

Most Master of Science in Finance degree programs focus on finance and the financial markets, emphasizing equity evaluation, mathematical finance, and investment management. Programs awarding master’s degrees in finance also tend to emphasize financial theory and quantitative methods in financial management.

Students in these programs typically participate in applied research and modeling, and learn how to make smart financial decisions for companies, institutions, and individuals.

Financial specializations are available in areas such as:

• Corporate finance
• Public finance
• Consumer finance
• Insurance investment management
• Financial markets
• Quantitative finance
• International finance
• Banking

The Master of Finance degree programs have a macro and a micro component; students learn how the global financial system works and how companies and individuals evaluate risk and returns, make good business decisions, and raise capital.

Most Master of Science in Finance degree programs cover subjects such as:

• Financial modeling
• Corporate finance
• Risk management
• Financial investments
• Portfolio Management
• Econometrics
• Financial Reporting
• Mergers and acquisitions

Most MBA in Finance degree programs cover subjects such as:

• Corporate finance
• Investments
• Derivatives
• Portfolio strategies and analysis
• International investments

Master of Finance versus MBA in Finance

Individuals seeking a strong focus on finance typically select a Master of Finance degree, whereas those interested in a more general business education with more courses in management and other business disciplines acquire a MBA with a concentration in Finance. Those with an MBA in Finance are prepared to seek a management position immediately upon graduation.

Many of the Master of Finance degree programs can be completed in a year, whereas an MBA in Finance typically take two to three years to complete.

A Master of Finance degree program can be a good choice for people who have recently graduated with a bachelor’s degree, since many MBA programs require applicants to have completed several years of work experience.

The financial courses in the MBA in Finance programs are typically similar to those included in a Master of Finance program.

Master Degree in Finance Job Opportunities

• Investment banker
• Asset/wealth or private equity manager
• Financial analyst
• Mutual funds manager
• Financial risk manager
• Financial planner
• Corporate finance officer
• Chief financial officer
• Venture capitalist

MBA in Finance Jobs

• Corporate Finance
• Personal Finance
• Public Sector
• Securities Sales Agent
• Investment manager
• Chief financial officer
• Finance manager
• Financial advisor
• Financial analyst

One-Hundred-Percent Online Master of Finance and MBA in Finance Degree Program Ranking Guidelines

We selected the following 100% online Master in Finance and MBA Finance degree programs based on the quality of each school’s program, the types of courses offered, the faculty, rankings, awards, and reputation, including the school’s reputation for effectively providing online degree programs.

1. Arizona State University, W.P. Carey School of Business

The online MBA with an emphasis in finance degree is designed to help students advance in their current career path in the financial services industry or corporate finance.

The program reviews leading-edge financial theories, as well as the concepts and analytical techniques used to manage businesses in a global environment.

The W.P. Carey School of Business has received accreditation from the prestigious Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).

The MBA in Finance core curriculum covers subjects such as managerial accounting, financial accounting, managerial fiance, statistics for managers, organization theory and behavior, global business environment, strategic management, and other subjects.

The MBA with a concentration in finance includes electives such as:

• Financial Statement Analysis
• Advanced Corporate Finance
• Investment Fundamentals/Portfolio Management
• International Financial Management

Arizona State University’s W.P. Carey School of Business was ranked #2 in the 2013 Best Online Graduate Business Programs list, and #30 in the 2012 Best Business Schools list, by U.S. News & World Report. ASU was also ranked in U.S. News & World Report’s list of Top-Tier U.S. Universities.

The full-time MBA provided by the W.P. Carey School of Business was ranked #59 in a global survey by The Economist. The W.P. Carey School of Business itself has been ranked #1 for research productivity by Technovation, and #21 for research productivity by the University of Texas at Dallas.

Arizona State University has been ranked #79 in the world, and #26 among public universities in the United States, by the Academic Ranking of World Universities, a publication established by the Shanghai Jiaotong University. ASU has also been named one of America’s “Best College Buys” by Forbes magazine.

2. Penn State World Campus

The online Master of Finance degree program is designed for people interested in careers as financial professionals in financial management or investment management.

The program covers subjects such as financial modeling, including basic statistics, capital budgeting, and forecasting.

The online Master’s degree in finance also covers advanced subjects involving strategic financial decisions, such as capital structure and cost of capital, valuation, and corporate control. Students also learn about financial derivatives, securities, covering options, forwards and futures, and OTC derivatives.

The online Master of Finance degree program, accredited by the AACSB, prepares students for professional certifications such as the Chartered Financial Analyst certification.

The online Master’s degree in finance program utilizes a cohort model in which all the online students begin the online Master of Finance degree program at the same time and progress through the courses together.

Penn State University World Campus was ranked #19 in the Best Online Graduate Business Programs, and #12 in the Top Public Schools list, by U.S. News & World Report in 2012. In 2011, the school was ranked #12 nationally by SmartMoney magazine in its Colleges That Help Grads Get Top Salaries list.

Penn State University World Campus has a combination of high peer and instructional quality, excellent student satisfaction indicators, and a world-class reputation.

3. Washington State University

The online MBA with a concentration in finance covers the principles of international finance, including financial management of multinational corporations and international investments.

The program also reviews making decisions regarding problems with asset management for personal and business portfolios.

The Online MBA program is AACSB International accredited.

The MBA in Finance degree program covers real and nominal interest rates, term and risk structure of interest rates, bond pricing, investment and commercial banking, and financial futures.

Washington State University was ranked #1 in the Best Online Graduate Business Programs list, and #60 in the Top Public Schools list, by U.S. News & World Report in 2013.

4. University of Michigan-Dearborn

Students in the online master’s degree in finance program are prepared for careers in corporate finance, financial institutions, and investments.

Students can enter the online Master of Finance program with any undergraduate degree.

The curriculum which integrates the Chartered Financial Analysts (CFA) program provides a strong foundation for students interested in obtaining CFA credentials. The curriculum also provides a strong foundation in finance and related disciplines for students interested in other financial careers.

Students in the Master in Finance program learn to evaluate and manage risk in a global setting and estimate the value of real or financial assets. Students also have opportunities to expand their network of professional relationships.

The required courses in the Online MS in Finance degree are shown below:

• Applied Statistical Modeling
• Finance Fundamentals
• Economic Analysis: Firm and Consumer
• Investment Process, Analysis and International
• Topics in Corporate Finance

University of Michigan-Dearborn was ranked #21 in the Best Online Graduate Business programs, #33 in the 2013 edition of Best Colleges in Regional Universities (Midwest), and #6 in the Top Public Schools Regional Universities (Midwest), by U.S. News & World Report. The university is also recognized as a Best Business School by Princeton Review.

5. Northeastern University, D’Amore-McKim School of Business

The Online Master of Business Administration-Finance program covers financial skills in important areas such as valuation, risk management, mergers and acquisitions, insurance, and investments.

Students in the Finance MBA program can specialize in either corporate finance or investments. CFA and CFP materials are incorporated into the MBA in Finance program to help students prepare for their exam.

The Online MBA with a concentration in finance includes courses such as:

• Investment Analysis
• Financial Strategy
• International Finance Management
• Finance Seminar

Northeastern University was ranked #57 in the National Universities list, #57 in the Best Business Schools list, #82 in the Part-time M.B.A. list,  and #8 in the 2011 Up-and-Coming Schools list, by U.S. News & World Report.

6. University of Dallas, College of Business

The online MBA with a concentration in corporate finance covers concepts and application of business strategy, financial forecasting and planning, asset selection and financing, and cash flow management.

The online MBA in Corporate Finance covers subjects such as international finance, mergers and acquisitions, dividend policy, hedging, and other subjects. Students can also develop sub-fields in international finance or accounting.

The Online MBA with a concentration in finance includes courses such as:

• Intermediate Corporate Finance
• Intermediate Financial Accounting
• Corporate Treasury Management
• International Finance
• Corporate Valuation

University of Dallas was ranked #10 in the Best Value Schools list, and #120 in the Best Online Graduate Business Programs list, by U.S. News & World Report. The magazine also ranked the University of Dallas as a Best Value School in the West Region.

The university was also included in the 2012 Best of the West list by Princeton Review, and has been ranked #120 by Forbes.

7. Southern New Hampshire University

The online Master in Finance degree program provides financial analysis and quantitative skills. The program covers corporate finance, investments, financial markets, advanced economic theory, and more.

Students in the Online MS in Finance degree program are prepared for management and professional positions in investment banking, corporate finance, financial markets, financial management, government securities companies, and other sectors.

The Master in Finance degree includes concentrations in Corporate Finance and Investment and Securities.

The online MBA in Finance, combined with a test-prep course, prepares students to take the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Level 1 exam.

8. Florida Institute of Technology

The Master of Business Administration-Finance degree program, rooted in the case method approach, combines real-world applications with academic principles.

The Online MBA-Finance program includes core courses such as Managerial Accounting, Managerial Economics, Organizational Behavior, Financial Management, and Marketing Management.

The Online MBA in Finance degree includes specialization courses such as:

• Investment Management
• Financial Markets and Institutions
• Financial Management Policy
• Portfolio Analysis

Florida Tech University was ranked as a Tier 1 Best National University, and also included in the Top Online Education honor roll list for Bachelor’s and Graduate programs, by U.S. News & World Report.

Florida Tech has also been named one of the Southeast’s Best Universities by Princeton Review, rated a Best Buy in Barron’s Best Buys in College Education, and ranked one of the nation’s Best Schools in the Fiske Guide to Colleges.

9. Grand Canyon University, Ken Blanchard School of Business

The MBA with an emphasis in finance includes the servant leadership and value-based management principles of Grand Canyon University’s Ken Blanchard School of Business.

The MBA in Finance degree program covers a broad range of business subjects and principles. The program reviews how to stay competitive in a global marketplace, as well as forecasting and raising funds in capital markets.

Grand Canyon University provides an education from the context of its Christian heritage.

The MBA program includes courses such as:

• Finance Principles
• Managerial Finance
• Strategic Management
• Operations Management
• Economics
• Applied Business Probability and Statistics

Grand Canyon University has been included among the Five Top e-Schools in America’s Best Colleges for Entrepreneurs list, by CNN Money.

10. Post University, Malcolm Baldrige School of Business

The online MBA degree in Finance is designed for professionals currently employed in, or for those seeking to enter, the financial industry.

The Finance MBA program reviews the intricacies of financial organizations, tools, and constructs.

The Online MBA in Finance degree also covers the applications and theories for portfolio management, public financial management, investment management, and financial statement analysis.

The curriculum, which combines theory and practice, focuses on new value creation through innovation and creativity.

The online MBA in Finance degree includes courses such as:

• Investment and Portfolio Management
• Advanced Financial Statement Analysis
• Public Finance Policy and Application
• Managing Financial Institutions

Graduates of MBA in Marketing programs obtain positions in manufacturing, financial services, medical technology, and retail industries. Jobs requiring an MBA in marketing are available in strategic marketing, planning, and product management. Some MBA marketing graduates become specialists in market research, sales, advertising, distribution, or brand management.

In a Master of Business Administration marketing program, you’ll learn how to develop and implement effective marketing strategies throughout a company. You’ll receive a strong foundation in marketing strategies, market research, and consumer behavior. You’ll build on the foundation through electives in specialized areas.

Most of the marketing MBA degree programs cover branding, advertising, new product management, best pricing strategies, international marketing, research, communications, consumer behavior, and creating effective marketing plans.

Most of the Master in Business Administration, Marketing Concentration, degree programs include much of the curriculum of a traditional MBA degree program.

Some of the rewarding marketing career paths are shown below:

• Brand management
• Advertising and promotions
• Market research
• International marketing
• Management consulting
• Sales and sales management
• New product development
• Services marketing
• Web development and social media
• Technology commercialization

Online MBA in Marketing Degree Program Ranking Guidelines

We selected the online MBA marketing programs based on the quality of the program, the types of courses offered, the faculty, rankings, awards, and reputation, including the school’s reputation for effectively providing online degree programs.

1. Washington State University (Pullman, WA)

The online MBA, Marketing Concentration, program thoroughly covers the marketing field. Students in the program learn about strategies, alternative methods, organizational planning, and control.

The International Marketing elective reviews the opportunities, trends, and characteristics of foreign markets.

The Consumer Behavior elective covers the social processes affecting consumer decision-making and behavior. The course also covers models of consumer behavior.

The Advertising elective reviews history, theory, and practice of advertising agencies and organizations.

The Washington State University College of Business received accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).

Washington State University is ranked #1 in the Best Online Graduate Business Programs list, and #60 in the Top Public Schools list, in 2013 by U.S. News & World Report.

2. Arizona State University, W.P. Carey School of Business (Tempe, AZ)

The online MBA with an area of emphasis in Marketing prepares students to advance in their careers in brand management, corporate marketing, or product management.

The online classes are taught by the faculty members who teach in the school’s other MBA programs. The MBA marketing program requires nine credit hours of associated elective classes.

The MBA in Marketing online program includes electives such as:

• Development and Pricing of New Products
• Business-to-Business Marketing
• Services Marketing
• Global Marketing

Arizona State University’s W.P. Carey School of Business is ranked #2 in the 2013 Best Online Graduate Business Programs list by U.S. News & World Report. ASU is also ranked among that magazine’s Top-Tier U.S. Universities.

The MBA with a specialization in Marketing program was also ranked #4 by Bloomberg Businessweek in 2010, while the W.P Carey School of Business was ranked #1 for research productivity by Technovation, and ASU was named one of America’s Best College Buys by Forbes magazine.

#3. Pepperdine University, Graziadio School of Business and Management (Malibu, CA)

The Online MBA with a concentration in Marketing evaluates the techniques, concepts, and tools required for developing marketing strategy and marketing programs.

Students in the Master of Business Administration Marketing online program learn how to determine which consumer groups to serve, as well as which products and services to provide. The online MBA program with a concentration in marketing is accredited by the AACSB.

Students in the online MBA Marketing program study pricing, promotions, and distribution arrangements to assess profitability and growth potential. Students also work with partner companies on a “live” case study taken from the business world.

Pepperdine University’s Graziadio School of Business and Management was ranked #81 in the Best Business Schools list, #54 in the National Universities list, and #43 in the Part-Time M.B.A list, by U.S. News & World Report. Graziadio School of Business and Management was also ranked #74 Best U.S. Business School by Forbes.

4. University of Wisconsin-Whitewater (Whitewater, WI)

Students in the online MBA with an emphasis in Marketing make strategic decisions in cases and projects.

The university reports the MBA program develops business people who are capable of thinking globally, behaving ethically, and leading innovation.

The online courses are taught by the same faculty members who teach the traditional courses. The school’s MBA program is accredited by AACSB International.

Students can choose from marketing courses such as:

• International Business (Marketing)
• Buyer Behavior
• Strategic Marketing for Entrepreneurs
• Advertising and Promotion Management
• Internet Marketing
• Production Innovation and Pricing
• Seminar in Current Marketing Topics
• Strategic Marketing Planning

The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater is ranked #49 in the 2013 edition of the Best Colleges in Regional Universities (Midwest) by U.S. News & World Report. The university’s College of Business & Economics received the European CEO Global Business Education 2011 Most Innovative Business School, Mid-West United States, award, as well as the 2011 Best Remote Learning Programme, North America, award.

5. Northeastern University, D’Amore-Mckim School of Business (Boston, MA)

The online MBA Marketing Specialization program covers subjects such as research, new product development, focused strategies, brand advertising, and diverse markets. The university’s business programs are AACSB accredited.

The MBA Marketing online program prepares students to build brand power through studying the theories, concepts, principles, and terminology of brand management and brand equity.

The program covers target-market identification, media choice, message strategy, and advertising evaluation, as well as qualitative and quantitative marketing research methodologies.

The online Master of Business Administration Marketing program also reviews the decision-making process involved in marketing products abroad, as well as the cultural, economic, and political forces affecting the marketing process in the global marketplace.

Northeastern University was ranked #57 in the National Universities list, and #57 in the Best Business Schools list, by U.S. News & World Report. The university is also ranked #82 in that magazine’s Part-Time M.B.A. list.

6. Regis University (Denver, CO)

The online MBA with specialization in Marketing degree program emphasizes marketing principles and the best ways to implement these principles to acquire, retain, and understand customers.

The program also provides the tools required to develop and implement marketing strategies throughout a company. The curriculum includes case analysis.

The MBA Marketing Specialization degree program covers the ethical practice of marketing in small business, corporate, and nonprofit organizations, while connecting the theory of marketing to real-world applications.

Regis University has been ranked a Top University in the West by U.S. News & World Report, and was also named one of the Best Online Colleges in 2012 by that magazine. The university’s College for Professional Studies is named a Top Military Friendly School for 2013 by GI Jobs.

7. Herzing University (Madison, WI)

The Master of Business Administration in Marketing degree program prepares students for management positions in various business enterprises.

All the courses emphasize the application of theory and practice using case studies.

The Master of Business Administration in Marketing degree program also reviews statistical data analysis, price strategies development, global consumerism, advertising management and communications, interactive and strategic marketing, and brand project management.

Herzing University was ranked #10 in the Faculty Credentials and Training, Top Online Graduate Business programs, list by U.S. News & World Report.

8. Post University, Malcolm Baldridge School of Business (Waterbury, CT)

The MBA Marketing online degree program provides practical knowledge to make good business decisions. The online MBA degree with Marketing Concentration covers creating value and profit from opportunities in the global economy.

The program also covers marketing mix strategies, business strategy planning, competitive intelligence, developing new offerings, and capitalizing on emerging opportunities, as well as matching value propositions to consumer buying behaviors.

The MBA Marketing Concentration program includes a curriculum focused on creating new value through innovation and creativity.

9. Saint Leo University (St. Leo, FL)

The online MBA Marketing Concentration degree program covers business fundamentals and marketing concepts and theories. The program supports students working in marketing fields and those seeking a marketing career.

The online MBA Marketing Concentration degree program provides the technologies and analytical tools required to solve complex management problems.

The online MBA Marketing degree program courses cover subjects such as:

• E-marketing
• Brand management
• Marketing research
• Sales management
• Advertising and promotion
• Marketing research
• Marketing innovations and new product development

Students can complete the 36 credits required for graduation in one year, or they can extend their studies for five years.

Saint Leo University, a Catholic university, has been selected as one of the Top Universities in the South by U.S. News & World Report.

10. Colorado Technical University (Colorado Springs, CO)

Colorado Technical University (CTU) offers a Master of Business Administration with a Concentration in Marketing degree. This program provides students the skills required to contribute to vital marketing decisions for companies and organizations.

The program covers marketing research, marketing plans, e-marketing, international marketing, global competition, and other subjects. Students learn about designing and modifying marketing strategies for international, multinational, and global markets. The MBA in Marketing program utilizes the project-based Professional Learning Model.

The curriculum reviews the transformation of marketing via technology. The program reviews how e-business is changing traditional marketing functions and concepts.

The MBA with a Concentration in Marketing degree includes courses such as:

• Marketing Research Methods
• Marketing in the Digital Age
• International Marketing
• Management Capstone

CTU was named “Best of the Best” in the 2009 Computerworld Honors program in the Academia and Education category. CTU ranked among the top schools in numerous categories in 2011 in the Diverse Issues in Higher Education list of top degree-granting schools for minorities.

In 2013, Military Times ranked CTU the #1 online school for military veterans. In 2013, the school was included in the military-friendly schools list by G.I. Jobs magazine and was recognized by Military Advanced Education as one of the top schools serving the educational needs of the Armed Forces.

Entrepreneurship no longer relates only to establishing a new company; entrepreneurship is an applicable skill for just about any company’s development.

An Entrepreneurship MBA is a valuable asset for business owners as well as for managers at established companies operating on an entrepreneurial model.

An MBA program with a specialization in Entrepreneurship covers business administration strategies encouraging innovation. The classes review business fundamentals from an entrepreneurial angle. Entrepreneurial courses focus on business plan development, recognizing opportunities, and the entrepreneurial process.

Those with an MBA in entrepreneurship have opportunities in an array of fields. They can also provide their unique skills to large companies switching to a more flexible business model.

Those with an MBA in Entrepreneurship have career opportunities including business development manager/director, entrepreneur, consultant, small business owner, sole proprietor, and marketing manager/director.

Individuals with an Entrepreneurship MBA have opportunities with corporations, consulting companies, defense contractors, financial services companies, the education sector, Internet commerce, healthcare, and manufacturing.

MBA Entrepreneurship Degree Program Ranking Guidelines

We selected the online MBA in Entrepreneurship degree programs based on the quality of the program, the types of courses offered, the faculty, rankings, awards, and reputation, including the school’s reputation for effectively providing online degree programs.

#1 Oklahoma State University (Stillwater, OK)

Oklahoma State University was ranked #70 in the Top Public Schools list, and #37 in the list of Best Online Graduate Business Programs, by U.S. News & World Report. The Oklahoma State University School of Entrepreneurship’s graduate program was ranked in the top 20 in 2012 by Princeton Review.

The School of Entrepreneurship’s Riata Center for Entrepreneurship received the 2012 “NASDAQ Center for Entrepreneurship Excellence Award.” Every year, the School of Entrepreneurship hosts a three-day seminar named the “Experimental Classroom” for entrepreneurship educators. It’s widely recognized as the top program of its kind.

The online Master in Entrepreneurship program covers the nature of entrepreneurship and the entrepreneurial process. The program combines core content with a strong commitment to experimental learning. It enhances student competencies in areas such as risk management, opportunity recognition, resource leveraging, business planning, and innovation.

The online Master in Entrepreneurship degree program is part of the university-wide entrepreneurship emphasis at Oklahoma State University. Most students complete the online Master in Entrepreneurship program in two years.

#2 Suffolk University, Sawyer Business School (Boston, MA)

Suffolk University is included in the 377 Best Colleges list for 2103 by Princeton Review.

All the online MBA courses are taught by Sawyer Business School faculty members. The Sawyer Business School is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) International.

The MBA Entrepreneurship concentration includes electives such as Emotional Intelligence, Career Strategy, Management Consulting, Leading Change, and The Entrepreneurial Nonprofit.

Full-time students can complete the MBA online degree program in 10 to 16 months, and part-time students can complete the degree program in 16 to 28 months.

The required courses of the MBA Entrepreneurship concentration degree program are shown below:

• Corporate Entrepreneurship
• Business Startups
• Writing the Business Plan
• Social Entrepreneurship
• Small Business Problem Solving
• Global Innovation & New Product Development
• E-project Practicum
• Green and Sustainable Business

#3 Regent University (Virginia Beach, VA)

Regent University is ranked #75 in the Best Online Graduate Business programs list by U.S. News & World Report.

The online MBA program provides a major in entrepreneurship. This program provides a global perspective.

The Master of Business Administration degree also addresses entrepreneurial approaches to problem-solving and capitalizing on new business ventures.

The MBA program, which is grounded in traditional contemporary concepts and traditional business theory, also integrates Judeo-Christian values.

Students in the online MBA degree program learn to create and present business strategies and plans to meet the funding requirements of the financial investment community for a new business or a new product/service within an existing business.

The online MBA program provides a 16-month, fast-track program completion. Online students have an optional residency, which provides them opportunities to interact with other students and professors in person.

#4 Post University, Malcom Baldrige School of Business (Waterbury, CT)

Post University is ranked #87 in the Best Online Graduate Business Programs list by U.S. News & World Report.

The Master of Business Administration Entrepreneur Track is designed for professionals who want to start their own business, for entrepreneurs who own their own company, and for corporate professionals who seek to increase value in their company. The average program completion time is 23 months.

The MBA program with a Entrepreneur Track includes a curriculum focusing on new value creation via innovation and creativity. Students learn to identify untapped opportunities, and to improve efficiency, productivity, and profitability, as well as to grow a current business.

The program also covers the principles and goals of operating a small business.

#5 Northeastern University (Boston, MA)

In 2011, Northeastern University was ranked #8 in U.S. News & World Report‘s list of Up-and-Coming-Schools.

The online MBA Innovation & Entrepreneurship Specialization degree program thoroughly covers business enterprise from the fundamentals of operations and finance to strategic planning and marketing.

The MBA degree program provides a comprehensive review of the global marketplace. It also includes guest speakers from start-up companies, venture capital companies, and law firms.

The online MBA Innovation & Entrepreneurship Specialization program covers a wide array of subjects such as:

• Entrepreneurial finance for high-tech companies
• Debt financing and management
• Creating new ventures
• New product development

The program covers risk analysis, capital management, sources of financing, capital budgeting, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, and licensing.

#6 Benedictine University (Lisle, IL)

Benedictine University was included among the top 20% of colleges in America by Forbes magazine in 2011.

The online MBA program with a specialization in Entrepreneurship and Managing Innovation provides knowledge and skills to those seeking to start their own business, current business owners, those working for a startup company, and current business owners.

The program covers managing creativity, building a business plan, and financing a venture.

Students in the online MBA with a specialization in Entrepreneurship and Managing Innovation degree program can take one course at a time, or take take two courses at a time through the accelerated MBA program.

#7 Walden University (Minneapolis, MN)

Students in the online MBA degree program with a specialization in Entrepreneurship learn how to start a new business and foster new business enterprises within an organization.

The Master of Business Administration program with a specialization in Entrepreneurship combines theory and practice. It takes an estimated 22 months to complete.

The Master of Business Administration with a specialization in Entrepreneurship includes courses such as:

• Innovation and Technology
• Managing and Leading: A Contemporary Approach
• Entrepreneurship and New Venture Creation
• Business Strategy for Competitive Advantage
• Building and Funding an Entrepreneurial Venture
• Marketing
• Financial Management

#8 Southern New Hampshire University (Manchester, NH)

The online MBA Entrepreneurship degree program evaluates capital and venture capital opportunities, as well as franchising plans.

Students learn how to research, evaluate, and develop new business opportunities. Most of instructors are former business owners, consultants, or executives.

Students in the online Entrepreneurship MBA program learn about strategies and models for initiating and operating consulting businesses. The program also provides business skills and strategic knowledge based on theory and best practices used by successful companies and entrepreneurs.

The MBA Entrepreneurship degree program is designed for prospective entrepreneurs, corporate executives, and current business owners.

#9 Capella University (Minneapolis, MN)

The Master of Business Administration with a Entrepreneurship specialization covers the core business competencies focused on starting, building, and advising entrepreneurial ventures.

The MBA with a specialization in Entrepreneurship provides a foundation in global marketing, accounting, data analysis, operations management, and other subjects.

The program evaluates the advantages and disadvantages of various types of businesses structures and funding options, as well as growth and exit strategies.

The online MBA program with an Entrepreneurship specialization includes simulation and a personalized capstone project which provides students with the opportunity to apply the knowledge they acquire from the program to a meaningful project in their career.

#10 South University (Savannah, GA)

The online MBA degree program with a specialization in Entrepreneur and Small Business prepares students for the practical application of concepts, theories, and practices required to initiate and grow new business ventures.

Students also learn how to produce a comprehensive business plan. The online MBA program reviews the business strategies covered by the on-campus MBA program.

The online MBA program covers the best practices of management and decision-making. Students learn planning, process, and production strategies.

Students are prepared to be a small business owner/manager of an existing business or a new business.

Bible colleges are many and mixed, over 1200 strong and counting. With Christian colleges and universities added in, the number of schools for studying the Bible expands still further.

Steering through such a large field of schools to find the right one for studying the Bible can be formidable. Below are 15 outstanding schools for prospective college students whose main interest is to study the Bible.

Bible-intensive schools serve a vital role in faith and learning in America. Historically, such schools grew out of the spiritual void left when traditionally Christian colleges—like Harvard, Princeton, Yale, and William and Mary—left their Christian roots.

The following schools appear in this ranking for their commitment to sound Christian education, their vital campus life, outstanding faculty, academic excellence, and above all, their impressive Bible curriculum.

1. Apologetics and Bible: Biola University (Los Angeles, CA)

Anchoring conservative Christian academia on the west coast, Los Angeles-based Biola is an established top-tier school.

Biola has made several “Best School” lists as a standout for Christian worldview and apologetics training. It has several noted faculty who travel the world and teach biblical worldview and Christian apologetics, including Craig Hazen, William Lane Craig, J.P. Moreland, Greg Koukl, and Doug Geivett.

Collegiates in the Torrey Honors Institute feast on a Great Books Curriculum, while graduate students enjoy, among other degree options, a Master of Arts in Philosophy, or in Apologetics, or in the combined field of Religion and Science.

Biola offers no fewer than 36 courses in its Bible department alone. Honors students pursuing a biblical studies major have a total course load of 147 hours, including 12 hours each in Biblical Greek and Hebrew (six hours more than a typical Master of Divinity Degree!). Factor in Biola’s apologetics prowess, and students are assured an impressive biblical education.

Biola’s emphasis on the Bible and a Biblical worldview, however, is not restricted to their Bible department. The university is one of the world’s best at framing all of its departments within a biblical-Christian worldview. For example, across their science fields, Biola emphasizes Intelligent Design and Christian philosophy of science. Literature students should expect study opportunities in great works of Christian literature, as well as apologetic critiques of non-Christian literature. Art and film students can expect Christian values and virtues at work within the department’s shows and displays.

As for Christian missions, Biola offers an array of extra-curricular apologetics and mission activities, including the largest annual missions conference in the world. Moreover, the adjoining Talbot Theological Seminary carries on that apologetics prowess with ministry degrees for the church-minded Bible student (MDiv, MA, and DMin).

Biola is one of the more expensive on this list, at $42,271, and its enrollment of 5,942 students might be too large for some. Also, the Los Angeles locale, and its traffic, is a bit intimidating for students looking for a low-profile or small-town atmosphere.

2. Seminary for Undergraduates: Moody Bible Institute (Chicago, IL)

Chicago-based Moody Bible Institute is perhaps the clearest example of a pure Bible school at the undergraduate level. Think “seminary” for undergraduates.

Moody locates itself within the long, but thinning, tradition of university-level education focused on ministry preparation. Few schools have a history or recognition comparable to Moody’s, while maintaining roots within the soil of conservative, evangelical ministry training.

Originally started in the late 19th century by revivalist Dwight L. Moody, this Society for Bible Study has since blossomed into one of the most widely recognized Christian schools in the world. Eschewing the terms “college” and “university,” Moody dons the title of “Institute” strategically, avoiding the misnomer of “liberal arts college,” since it is not focused on broad-based humanities education. Nor is it a “university” in the sense of offering more than half of its degrees outside of the humanities.

Moody is a well-accredited (for a ministry school) collegiate institute unique for its simple and direct focus. For example, entering students must sign a letter of “intent to enter the ministry.” Besides focusing the school’s aim on the ministry, this prerequisite also shapes the campus culture around Christian service, preaching, and teaching. Students can also study apologetics and philosophy within the theology department, to bolster their bible- and mission-intensive course load.

Moody sports an enrollment of over 4,000 students, with more than two dozen degreed fields of study, and three online degrees. The costs is only about $20,000 per year. Attending students can expect unapologetically biblical, conservative training, ranging from abstract theology to practical vocational training in ministry. Church-ministry minded students will not be disappointed.

3. Flexible Education with a Baptist Heritage: Liberty University (Lynchburg, VA)

Planted in the middle of Virginia, is Lynchburg-based Southern Baptist powerhouse, Liberty University. This school is very denominational, but with Southern Baptists being the largest evangelical denomination in the United States, that will suit many collegiates just fine.

Liberty is the largest school on the list, and also the youngest. Founded in 1971, Liberty has 12,000 resident students and over 70,000 non-resident. The school’s protestant, evangelical, and Baptist lineage plant it deep within the soil of “Scripture-Alone” doctrine (AKA: sola scriptura). For this reason, Catholics might find the school uncomfortable and narrow in its emphasis on the sole authority of Scripture.

Liberty is easily one of the best schools to “just learn some Bible.” Still, Liberty is culturally conscious, having impressive philosophy and apologetics programs. Liberty’s online and distance education program is impressive in scope, as well—second only to the University of Phoenix.

With its size and variety of options, Liberty offers degrees in all five of the “most marketable degrees” according to MSN News: nursing; information/computer technology; engineering; economics; and education.

Liberty is a great school to attend for Bible majors, and “undecided” prospective students, since Liberty has far more degree tracks to offer than most. Liberty has options, but without sacrificing its 19:1 student-professor ratio, or its cost of $27,018 per year.

Liberty has earned the reputation, under its founder Jerry Falwell, of being a major player within the politically powerful “Moral Majority.” Conservatives, Southern Baptists, and Christian educators for decades have called upon Liberty for direction.

Liberty will strike some prospects as too partisan and denominational. But the school’s size and range of faculty enable some diversity of views, along with other hard-to-find options like degrees in law, cinema, and aeronautics. If the size of this school is overwhelming, students can utilize the distance and online programs. As such, Liberty is one of the most flexible and accessible options for Bible students.

4. Visionary Education: Houston Baptist University (Houston, TX)

Previously unknown beyond Texas, Houston Baptist University (HBU) has vaulted onto the map with its “10 Pillars” initiative. This driving initiative meets biblical preparedness with worldview and apologetics training, all within a Great Books classical curriculum.

The pillars include:

• Build on the Classics
• Bring Athens and Jerusalem Together [integrate philosophy and Christianity]
• Increase Cultural Impact
• Expand on the Creative Arts
• Create a Strong Global Focus; and more

To fill out this goal, HBU has had a major hiring surge, taking on acclaimed Christian scholars John Mark Reynolds, Michael Licona, Nancy Pearcey, Bruce Gordon, Richard Martinez, Louis Markos, Mary Joe Sharp, and Holly Ordway. Also added is the Department of Apologetics, to work in tandem with the Philosophy Department.

The ambitious 10 Pillars program is the brainchild of its president Robert Sloan. Formerly the president of Baylor University, Sloan attempted a similar 10 Pillars program years earlier at Baylor, only to find that when he began shaking things up, the establishment was too far removed from its Baptist roots, too entrenched in evolutionary science, and too intolerant of the various applications of apologetics to endure the Christian vision.

However, HBU looks much more promising. HBU looks to outpace Baylor in its holistically Christian approach. For example, HBU’s Honors College is designed on a Classics model similar to the Torrey Institute at Biola (no surprise there, since John Mark Reynolds formerly headed the Torrey program). And the school’s plethora of ministry clubs are a wishbook of options for incoming Christian students.

The departments are organized in a university liberal arts format, rather than a Bible college format, having a Department of Theology rather than a separate Bible Department. In the Theology Department are four options for Bible-oriented majors (undergraduate and graduate): Biblical Languages (BA); Christianity (BA); Master of Arts in Biblical Languages (MABL); and Master of Arts in Theological Studies (MATS).

However, time will tell whether HBU lives up to the ambitious goals of its president. In the meantime, HBU costs (overall) $38,000 a year, and enrolls 2,200—mid-sized, compared to other entries on this list.

5. Christian Worldview Training: Bryan College (Dayton, TN)

Springing from the mind of its namesake, William Jennings Bryan (the famous lawyer of the “Scopes Monkey Trial”) is Bryan College. Founded in Dayton, Tennessee, in 1930 expressly to teach a Christian worldview, Bryan has stayed true to its cause, having the reputation of not just teaching the Bible, but teaching students how to think Christianity and work out a biblical-Christian worldview.

To fill out this reputation, Bryan requires core competencies in Christian worldview and spiritual formation, while offering an array of ministry and Bible options, including majors in Biblical Studies, Christian Leadership, Pastoral Ministry, Worship Arts, Youth Ministry, and Christian Thought, as well as minors in biblical languages, Bible, christian leadership, Greek, missions, and philosophy.

Among its acclaimed staff is worldview and culture guru John Stonestreet, who also serves as the executive director of the apologetics parachurch, Summit Ministries.

Bryan sports a 14:1 student-to-professor ratio, and an enrollment of 1,400 (including graduate and postgraduate students), making it a medium-to-small school. Students need not feel like a statistic. Tuition costs are as inexpensive as any on the list at $272 per credit hour. With normal fees and the low cost of living in the area, students can complete their education for about $23,000 per year, or roughly half the cost of Biola. Moreover, the school offers an extensive online program, as well as evening and weekend courses, for their adult and non-traditional students, and even offers a dual-credit program so high schoolers can earn credit while taking college-level courses in high school.

Bryan is keeping pace with the changing profile of today’s students. Like many schools on the list, Bryan has regional accreditations and the conservative theological accreditations like ACSI and CCCU, but not the less conservative, and more widely recognized, accreditations like ATS and SACS, which have much looser theological guidelines. While this fact takes away from the school’s broader academic “prestige,” it can speak positively about the school’s theological integrity. Still, students should be aware of that trade-off.

6. Bible-Based Conservative Economics: Grove City College (Grove City, PA)

Independence is a burden and a privilege for colleges. Grove City College (GCC) has shouldered that burden and exercised its privilege to great effect. GCC is rare for refusing federal funding, a move which keeps GCC in the throes of the free market, but allows it a high level of academic freedom.

With its Presbyterian background and acclaimed school of Austrian (free-market) economics, GCC has a rich but affordable tradition dating back to 1897. GCC is a true “Bible college,” offering only undergraduate degrees. This status allows it to specialize in bachelor’s degrees, without dividing its energies and interests into associate’s or master’s programs.

The degrees offered are prestigious. Widely regarded for its humanities degrees in economics, law, politics, and culture, GCC retains and frames those strengths inside an authentic Christian environment. Being a “confessional school,” the professors sign a broadly evangelical doctrinal statements though students are not required to do so. Students are, however, required to attend 16 chapels per semester. Students also must complete a three-year humanities program taught from a biblical-Christian worldview, including such core competencies as “Biblical Revelation.”

GCC is award-winning too, earning high honors from Readers Digest, International Studies Institute, Forbes, U.S. News & World Report, and many others. GCC faculty work within a number of national and international conservative think tanks. This school not only teaches conservative principles, it shapes international conservative policy.

Because of GCC’s financial independence, it consistently receives “best value” awards, giving an excellent education for half the cost of competing schools. As of June 2012, its per-year cost is about $22,000 total (not just tuition!). The school is medium in size at 2,530 students (in 2011), so incoming students should not feel swamped.

Besides its strengths in the humanities, GCC also has a reputation for rigorous computer science and electrical engineering departments.

Overall, GCC offers an impressive biblical education, specializing in economics, politics, and culture. However, it is not in the highest tier of Bible colleges, since the school’s strengths are not in the Bible per se, but rather in a biblically consistent humanities program.

7. Mandatory Bible: Cedarville University (Cedarville, OH)

Tucked away in Cedarville, Ohio, lies a thriving Christian school over 100 years young, Cedarville University (CU). This reformed Baptist school has theological roots in Presbyterianism and the Regular Baptists.

Degree options cover the spectrum of humanities and science degrees, wider and more specialized than most schools on this list. There are over 100 accredited degree programs in all. The variety of programs is only rivaled by their depth of study. But what vaults this school onto the list is its mandatory Bible component. All undergraduates have to complete a 16-hour Bible minor, or go further towards a Bible or theology major.

This feature not only declares CU’s commitment to Scripture, it also shapes the campus culture. Having a mandatory Bible component tends to attract students interested in Scripture and to “scare off” students with an aversion to it. Accordingly, Cedarville has earned a reputation for espousing strong Christian conservative values. Besides the Bible component, Cedarville has mandatory daily chapels, a strong ethics code, and ministry-intensive campus life.

Cedarville is a medium-to-large sized school, enrolling 3,200, with 60 of these being graduate students. The cost is about $31,000 a year.

The school may strike some as “fundamentalist,” but is a far cry from, say, Bob Jones University. Also, there is no apologetics or philosophy program to speak of. There is a Center for Bioethics, as well as a spate of degree options like pharmacology, social work, engineering, art design, and theater. But most of all, students who go here should expect intentional biblical worldview integration within a Bible-intensive course load.

8. John MacArthur Presiding: The Master’s College (Santa Clarita, CA)

A few miles north of Biola, under the impressive auspices of Pastor and Doctor John Macarthur, lies the Santa Clarita, California, school: The Master’s College (MC).

The 1,200-strong student enrollment places this school in the “medium-to-small” range. As a liberal arts school, MC offers an array of baccalaureate and graduate degrees in the usual fields, like nursing, education, computer science, and business, as well as such Bible-intensive degrees tracks as general Bible studies, Bible exposition, biblical counseling, biblical languages, Christian education, intercultural studies, theology, and apologetics.

MC also is home to a small graduate school/seminary, should ministry-minded students want to crown their BA in Bible with an MDiv or an MA.

The Master’s College is clearly a Bible-focused, ministry prep college. Students can expect an affordable tuition rate ($425 per credit hour) in a night-school intensive class schedule, making it a great fit for adult and non-traditional students. Their online options likewise enable today’s student to keep up with college. And with the gravitas of Macarthur presiding over this school, the Master’s College shows great promise for future students who might be entering the ministry.

9. An International Experience: Trinity International University (Deerfield, IL)

One of two Illinois schools to make the list is Trinity Evangelical University (TIU), in Deerfield. This campus is an all-in-one institution with a renowned undergraduate program, graduate program, adjoining law school, and a divinity school (seminary), offering most research degrees and many professional degrees therein.

TIU boasts four full campuses and eight extensional sites, ranging as far as California, Pennsylvania, Florida, and into Ohio—not to mention an online program for any potential students out of range from one of the extensions.

TIU traces its roots back to 1897, but came into its own in 1940 with the merger of two other schools into it under the new name, Trinity International University. TIU continues that Evangelical Free church tradition today.

TIU is a medium-sized school, with about 100 faculty and 3,000 students. Biblical Studies students can expect a 72-hour course load, not counting core classes. And these can overlap with apologetics or bioethics courses, as needed. The cost is about $26,000 tuition per year, putting it somewhere upwards of $38,000 with living expenses included—not terrible, but not great, compared to other schools on this list.

The student body and professoriate are intentionally diverse, allowing for an international flavor, and a heightened sense of “global missions.” The school sports an impressive Bible and theology faculty, including D.A. Carson, John Feinberg, and Kevin Vanhoozer. Moreover, the school has such recognized alumni as Dr. Ravi Zacharias and Willowcreek pastor Bill Hybels.

Some students will find the political leanings of the school to be too liberal, with notable tones of “social justice” and “globalism.” Still, the school represents a balancing contrast to the likes of Grove City College.

10. Worldview & Leadership Training: Dallas Baptist University (Dallas, TX)

Providing genuinely “Christ-centered” education, Dallas Baptist University (DBU) is a worthy entry on this list. Founded in 1898 as Decatur Baptist College, she was relocated to Dallas in 1965, and 20 years later took on the name Dallas Baptist University.

Now affiliated with the Baptist General Convention of Texas, and possessing SACS accreditation (and relevant accreditations for its business and music schools), DBU enrolls more than 5,500 (undergraduate and graduate), in 92 different degree programs, covering a wide range of Christian studies, and sporting an array of on-campus Christian organizations—all within a thriving Christian community in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.

Despite its fairly large enrollment, the campus is cozy and simple, elegantly situated overlooking Mountain Creek Lake. It feels homey and clean. Classes average a 15:1 student-to-professor ratio. And tuition costs right, at $21,000.

Besides its wide array of degree offerings, DBU’s unique contribution is its combination of leadership training and philosophy. Students can major in Biblical Studies and complement that with a second major in philosophy, under the tutelage of seminal author, Dr. David Naugle, then continue on to a master’s in Christian Education or Global Leadership.

Of course, DBU also offers state-certifying degrees in nursing and education (K–12), or other vocational fields like finance, marketing, music, broadcasting, criminal justice, etc.

Anchoring its biblical principles, DBU requires all students to take classes in Old Testament, New Testament, “The Christian Mind,” and two electives in religion. This core amounts to 15 hours, enough for a minor in most schools. Students can further complement their academic biblical training through participation in the Honors program, or students missions, or involvement in the various events in the School of Leadership.

11. Biblical Education in a Catholic Setting: University of Dallas (Dallas, TX)

The only Catholic school to make the list is just down the road from DBU—it is the University of Dallas (UD). This school approaches the Bible through the framework of its Catholic distinctiveness.

Located 10 miles outside of Dallas, this school has a heritage in both Franciscan and Dominican monastics—thus merging the ecumenical and the scholastic strengths of both. It offers 12 strictly biblical courses (such as “Module 4: Mark and Luke”), at two credit hours each, spread across a four-year schedule. The format is conducive to undergraduate, graduate, and adult education. However, there is no basic BA degree in Bible. The Bible degrees work in supplement with other named degrees such as a BA in Pastoral Ministry, or Biblical Languages.

While the Bible school is strong, what has really earned a reputation for UD is their Great Books curriculum. This use of the great texts of Western Civilization explores, critiques, and celebrates the benefits of the Western cultural tradition while at the same time fostering it. DU’s Great Books curriculum does not stop with old books, but leads into modern works, as well.

Most undergraduate students are confessing Catholics (82%). But the school’s appeal reaches beyond Catholic circles with its strong Christian emphasis. Students are not required to sign any Catholic confessional statement.

UD has one of the strongest study abroad programs in the nation, with 80% of students studying in partner universities overseas, primarily in Rome, Italy. UD is also noted for its art department and its doctoral concentration in politics.

UD enrolls 1356 undergraduate students and about the same number in their graduate program. It consistently ranks among the top-100 lists of national universities (or higher) compiled by Forbes, U.S. News & World Report, and Princeton Review. Evangelical Protestants may have a hard time finding their Protestant distinctiveness nurtured on campus, but they are still in the Bible belt with plenty of good churches and a supportive off-campus culture. And they may find more familial support among Catholic peers than in theologically liberal “Christian” school like Baylor, TCU, or Furman. Nevertheless, the lack of on-campus Protestant activities is a detriment, as is the cost, about $39,000 a year.

The degree options are also limited. Students can get a biblical languages degree, a continuing education certificate in Bible, or can have concentrations in Bible within other degree tracks like pastoral ministry. There is no “Bachelor of Arts in Biblical Studies” or anything comparable.

Still, UD’s elite philosophy department and its Great Books curriculum establish it as a top-tier liberal arts school, and its 24-credit Bible program makes it a great option for adults and non-traditional students who are friendly to Catholicism.

12. Distinguished Christian Education: Gordon College (Wenham, MA)

Birthed out of a Boston church basement in 1889, Gordon College has grown into one of the premiere Christian universities in the nation. One of the most distinguished colleges on the list, Gordon has commendations from Forbes, Princeton Review, and U.S. News and World Report.

Founded by evangelist and pastor A.J. Gordon as a missionary training center, Gordon College’s motto is, “Freedom within a framework of faith.” Besides her 36 academic departments, including Biblical Studies, Christian Ministries, and Philosophy, Gordon sports institutes and centers for “Faith and Inquiry,” “Christians in the Visual Arts,” “Nonprofit Studies and Philanthropy,” and the “Christian Vocational Institute.” Gordon’s seminary now operates independently, having merged with another school to make Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.

There are many distinguished Christian colleges that did not make this list, but what includes Gordon College here is its required confessional statement signed by all students and faculty, a conservative Christian statement of faith, its affiliation with Gordon-Conwell Seminary, its substantial Biblical Studies Major, its twice-weekly chapel services, and its wide range of ministry opportunities on campus and off.

Common courses to all majors include Old and New Testament, Christian Theology, and Gordon distinctives “The Great Conversation,” and “The Examined Life,” as well as unspecified required electives in Civic Responsibility, Global Understanding, and the Human Person.

Students can find all the amenities suitable to this medium-sized liberal arts university: 38 undergraduate majors, three graduate degree options (including education and music), and a 13-to-1 student-faculty ratio. Gordon has study abroad partnerships in France, Italy, Austria, and Romania.

This kind of education does not come cheap: at almost $41,000 a year, Gordon is the among the most expensive on this list. But students will get here a quality education in a confessional Christian environment, with some academic distinction to boot.

13. Charismatic Bible Study: Oral Roberts University (Tulsa, OK)

The most charismatic entry on the list is Oral Roberts University. Founded in 1963 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Pentacostal word-faith evangelist Oral Roberts, this institution has a checkered history from its founder and subsequent presidents. However, since its new presidency under Mark Rutland in 2009, ORU reached debt-free status and has earned high marks as the largest and one of the most respected charismatic universities in the world.

ORU is unabashedly ministry-minded, aimed at life-application more than biblical abstraction—the school seeks to live out the Bible. But this ministry is not without recognition. ORU is acclaimed as a Steinway School (as of 2011), a “Best in the West” regional school in the Princeton Review (2011–2012), a U.S. News “Top Tier” school, and even a top “Military Friendly School” according to Victory Media (2013).

These commendations fit ORU well. Among its features, the school competes in eight NCAA Division 1 sports. Class size runs about 15 students per professor. And the roughly 3,400 undergraduate and graduate students can major or minor in any of 15 Theology and Ministry degrees. All told, there are 6 colleges (departments), a whopping 60 majors, 13 graduate programs, two doctoral programs, and a bevy of minors to choose from.

ORU retains a distinctly Christian curriculum, with core classes including Old Testament Survey, New Testament Survey, Christian Worldview and Culture, and some ORU distinctives, “Whole-Person Assessment” (a character-formation portfolio) and “Spirit-Empowered Living” (charismatic Christian living). Students can have all of that for around $32,000 a year (undergrad) or $25,000 (grad).

14. Independent Baptist Education: Baptist Bible College and Seminary (Clarks Summit, PA)

One of the smallest schools on this list, is Pennsylvania-based Baptist Bible College and Seminary (BBC&S). Not to be confused with the more fundamentalist Baptist Bible College in Missouri, BBC&S is in Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania, and enrolls just under 700 undergrads and fewer than 400 graduate students (in graduate school and seminary).

BBC&S springs from Baptist Bible College of Johnson City, New York, in 1932. She relocated in 1968 to her current location, opening a seminary in 1972 and a graduate school in 1989. BBC&S is independent Baptist and may strike some students as “fundamentalist,” but the school has earned a modest reputation for biblical conservatism and genuine Christian scholarship.

BBC&S is fully accredited and offers 44 resident degree tracks and five online. Bible-related majors include: Chaplaincy, General Missions, Intercultural Youth Ministries, Nursing Missions, Pastoral, Outreach Pastor, Worship Pastor, Sports Ministry, Camping Ministries, Women’s Ministry, Pre-seminary, Counseling, and many others. General studies courses, required of all students, include Old Testament, New Testament, Bible Study, Biblical Lifestyle, Bible Exposition, four theology courses, and a Bible-related Senior Seminar.

BBC&S costs about $25,000 a year.

15. Bible in Middle America: Northwestern College (Orange City, IA)

The lone Iowa school on the list is Northwestern College (not to be confused with several similarly named schools in other states). Located in Orange City, Northwestern College (NC) has been an educational gem for over 100 years.

Commended by Forbes, U.S. News and World Report, Washington Monthly, and Princeton Review, the word is out about NC. Such commendation often accompanies theological compromise, but NC stays true to its Reformed theological roots by maintaining weekly chapel services, an enduring statement of faith, and a visionary commitment to biblical authority, Reformation theology, and creedal Christian ecumenism (multi-denominational unity). Also a plus is the weekly student-led Sunday night praise and worship service.

NC enrolls about 1200 students, sports a 14:1 student-to-faculty ratio, and offers over 40 majors. Keeping this school fairly low on this list is its lack of integration between education and ministry. Students can major in Christian Education and Youth Ministry, or Religion, but those are the only two distinctly religious options for ministry-minded majors. There is also a minor in Christian missions, but these degree restrictions keep this Iowa school from rising about the status of “Education in a Christian setting,” as opposed to a thoroughly integrated “Christian education.” Also, the general studies requirements only comprise eight hours (two classes) of “Biblical and Theological Studies”—roughly half the course load of a minor.

The cost? $33,510 per year.

A few years back, “New Atheist” authors Richard Dawkins and Daniel Dennett helped to publicize a movement to rechristen atheists as “Brights” (see our feature article on influential atheists here).

This was no doubt mainly because the word “atheist” still has a harsh and aggressive ring in the ears of most ordinary people.

But the corollary—that people of faith are “Dims”—was surely an added benefit, in the minds of the New Atheist publicity men.

Is it really true that most intelligent and well-informed people are atheists, while people of faith tend to be unschooled and credulous?

Far from it.

Unfortunately, in the rancorous debates in this country over the role of religion in our public life, all too often it is simply assumed—by both sides—that religious faith is in conflict with reason (and intelligence). The unspoken assumption is that religion relies exclusively on faith, while science alone is supported by reason.

This idea is utterly mistaken, but because it mostly goes unchallenged, it reinforces the stereotype that atheists are somehow smarter than believers.

One way to combat the erroneous assumption that faith conflicts with reason is by giving greater visibility to living, breathing believers who are also highly intelligent. That is what we are endeavoring to do with this list of “The 50 Smartest People of Faith.”

The qualifications for inclusion on our list are twofold:

(1) Intellectual brilliance, evidenced by a very high level of achievement, whether in the natural sciences, the social sciences, the humanities, literature, the fine arts, or public service; and

(2) Religious faith, evidenced either through explicit personal witness or through publicly professed respect for religion.

By “religious faith,” we mean religion in the monotheistic, or Abrahamic, tradition—which we happen to know best. We do not doubt that a similar list of brilliant and devout Hindus, Buddhists, Daoists, Confucianists, Shintoists, and others could easily be drawn up, and we hope it will be, by those qualified to do so.

Most of the individuals on our list have given explicit public witness to their religious faith. However, in a few cases we infer a faith that appears to be implicit in a person’s writings. Needless to say, we do not pretend to see into people’s hearts. Unbeknownst to us, some individuals may have private reservations. But all have declared their deeply held respect for religious faith through their works and/or their public pronouncements.

This list, then, includes living men and women who are both people of faith and people of exceptional intellectual brilliance and professional accomplishment. It is presented in alphabetical order.

Anyone who is interested in learning more about how reason supports religious faith could hardly do better than delve into their scholarship or other creative achievements, by following the links we provide.

* * *

Khaled Abou El Fadl (b. 1963)

Abou El Fadl was born in Kuwait. He was trained in traditional Islamic jurisprudence in Kuwait and in Egypt, and also holds a JD from University of Pennsylvania Law School, and a PhD in Islamic law from Princeton University. He is currently Distinguished Professor of Law at UCLA law school, as well as Chair of the Islamic Studies Program at UCLA. Abou El Fadl is the author of many books on Islamic law and politics, several of which have been widely translated, as well as scores of articles in academic journals. His research focuses on the theme of beauty as a core moral value of Islam, as well as on universal themes of humanity, morality, human rights, justice, and mercy. He has publicly opposed the Saudi-based Wahhabi movement, and is a vocal supporter of democracy, pluralism, and women’s rights in Islamic countries. A sometime consultant for the US government, Abou El Fadl  has received recognition from several universities and international governmental bodies, including the University of Oslo’s Human Rights Award. He has been called one of the world’s most influential Arabs.

Books: Rebellion and Violence in Islamic Law (Cambridge UP, 2001); And God Knows the Soldiers: The Authoritative and Authoritarian in Islamic Discourses (University Press of America, 2001); Conference of the Books: The Search for Beauty in Islam (University Press of America, 2001; reprinted, Rowman & Littlefield, 2005); The Place of Tolerance in Islam, co-author (Beacon Press, 2002); Speaking in God’s Name: Islamic Law, Authority, and Women (OneWorld, 2001); Islam and the Challenge of Democracy, co-author (Princeton UP, 2004); The Great Theft: Wrestling Islam from the Extremists (HarperOne, 2005)

Home Page: UCLA, School of Law

Marilyn McCord Adams (b. 1943)

Born Marilyn McCord, Adams was educated at the University of Illinois (AB) and Cornell University (PhD, 1967). She also holds a Master of Theology degree from Princeton Theological Seminary (1986) and a Doctor of Divinity degree from Oxford University (2008). She has taught at UCLA, Yale, and Oxford. Since 2009, she has been Distinguished Research Professor of Philosophy at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Adams is an ordained Episcopal priest. She is best known for her work on the Problem of Evil, and more specifically, for her notion of “horrendous” evil—evil so great as to appear inconsistent with any conceivable “soul-building” type of justification (or theodicy) for God’s permitting it to occur. She has also argued in favor of the universal salvation of all souls, no matter how corrupt. Adams gave the prestigious Gifford Lectures in 1998–1999. These were later published as Christ and Horrors: The Coherence of Christology.

Books: The Problem of Evil, co-editor (Oxford UP, 1991); Horrendous Evils and the Goodness of God (Cornell UP, 1999); What Sort of Human Nature? Medieval Philosophy and the Systematics of Christology (Marquette University Press, 1999); Wrestling for Blessing (Church Publishing Inc, 2005); Christ and Horrors: The Coherence of Christology (Cambridge UP, 2006); Opening to God (Westminster John Knox Press, 2008); Some Later Medieval Theories of the Eucharist: Thomas Aquinas, Gilles of Rome, Duns Scotus, and William Ockham (Oxford UP, 2010)

Home Page: UNC Chapel Hill, Philosophy Department

Werner Arber (b. 1929)

Arber was born in a small town in the canton of Aargau, in northern Switzerland, into a Protestant family. He studied at the famous Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) in Zurich and received his PhD in molecular genetics in 1958 from the University of Geneva. Afterwards, he continued his research into the genetics of the bacteriophage virus at a number of universities in the United States, including the University of Southern California, Berkeley, Stanford, and MIT. He has been a member of the innovative, multidisciplinary Biozentrum at the University of Basel since its inception in 1971. Arber’s work on the genetics of phage played a crucial role in the development of recombinant DNA technology, sparking the biotechnology revolution and earning him the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1978. He has been a member of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences in Rome since 1981, and is a member of the Science, Theology, and the Ontological Quest (STOQ) Project. In 2011, Pope Benedict XVI appointed Arber as President of the Pontifical Academy—the first Protestant to hold that position.

Book: Genetic Manipulation: Impact on Man and Society, co-editor (Cambridge UP, 1984)

Home Page: Academy of Europe

Benjamin S. Carson (b. 1951)

Carson was born in Detroit, where he was raised in poverty by a single mother. He earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Yale and an MD from the University of Michigan. He did his residency in neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins University, where he became the Director of Pediatric Neurosurgery in 1984, at the age of 33. Carson is a member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. In 1987, he made medical history by being the first surgeon to successfully separate conjoined twins joined at the back of the head. He has pioneered many surgical techniques that have become standard in the field of neurosurgery. In 2012, Carson found himself at the center of a national controversy, when he was first invited, then disinvited, and finally re-invited to deliver the commencement address at Emory University. He is the president and co-founder of the Carson Scholars Fund.

Books: Gifted Hands 20th Anniversary Edition: The Ben Carson Story (Zondervan, 2011); America the Beautiful: Rediscovering What Made This Nation Great (Zondervan, 2012)

Home Page: My Hero Project

Stephen L. Carter (b. 1954)

Carter graduated from high school in Ithaca, New York, in 1972, and earned a BA in history from Stanford University in 1976. He received his JD from Yale University in 1979, after which he clerked for Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, among others. Since 1982, he has taught at Yale Law School, where he is currently the William Nelson Cromwell Professor of Law. Carter is a Roman Catholic. At Yale, he teaches courses on contracts, professional responsibility, ethics in literature, intellectual property, and the law and ethics of war. He is also a prolific author, having published eight volume of political and cultural criticism, as well as five novels. His books Reflections of an Affirmative Action Baby and The Culture of Disbelief were widely reviewed and discussed. His first novel, The Emperor of Ocean Park, spent 11 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. Carter also writes a regular opinion column for Christianity Today magazine.

Books: Reflections of an Affirmative Action Baby (Basic Books, 1991); The Culture of Disbelief (Basic Books, 1993); The Emperor of Ocean Park (Random House, 2002)

Home Page: Yale Law School

Simon Conway Morris (b. 1951)

Conway Morris was born in Carshalton, Surrey, and was brought up in London. He studied geology at Bristol University and received his PhD from Cambridge University, where he is currently a professor of evolutionary palaeobiology. Conway Morris was elected a member of the Royal Society at the age of 39, in recognition for his groundbreaking work in paleontology. He has also received numerous other academic awards. In 2005, he gave the Boyle Lectures, and in 2007 he delivered the Gifford Lectures. Conway Morris, who is Anglican, is best known for his field work on the fossil deposits contained in the Burgess Shale formation in British Columbia, which represent some of our best evidence for the nature of the Cambrian Explosion. Conway Morris’s work on the Burgess Shale was popularized by celebrated paleontologist Stephen Jay Gould in his bestselling work, Wonderful Life (Norton, 1989). However, the two evolutionary biologists subsequently clashed over their differing interpretations of the fossils. Conway Morris has published a number of books, including two which present his interpretations of the Burgess Shale fossils, as well as his general theory of convergent evolution, for a popular audience.

Books: The Crucible of Creation: The Burgess Shale and the Rise of Animals (Oxford UP, 1998); Life’s Solution: Inevitable Humans in a Lonely Universe (Cambridge UP, 2003); The Deep Structure of Biology, editor (Templeton Press, 2008); The Fitness of the Cosmos for Life, co-editor (Cambridge UP, 2008)

Home Page: Department of Earth Sciences, Cambridge University

Louise S. Cowan (b. 1916)

Born Louise Shillenburg, Cowan received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Texas Christian University in Fort Worth. She wrote her PhD dissertation on the poets of the Southern Renaissance of the 1920s at Vanderbilt University. This work was later published as The Fugitive Group (Louisiana State UP, 1959), a classic in its field. Cowan, who is Roman Catholic, taught for over 50 years at the University of Dallas, where she was Chair of the English Department, Dean of Graduate Studies, and University Professor. She also founded and directed the university’s Institute for Philosophic Studies. Cowan is the author of numerous scholarly studies of American and other literature. Together with her husband, Donald Cowan, President of the University of Dallas from 1962 until 1977, she founded the Dallas Institute of Humanities and Culture. In conjunction with the Dallas Institute, she also founded a Teachers Academy for public school teachers, which the National Endowment for the Humanities has designated as a “model for the nation.” Cowan has continued to teach and lecture into her tenth decade.

Books: The Fugitive Group (Louisiana State UP, 1959); The Southern Critics (University of Dallas Press, 1971); Classic Texts and the Nature of Authority, co-author (Dallas Institute of Humanities & Culture, 1993); Invitation to the Classics, co-author (Baker Books, 1998)

Home Pages: University of Dallas; Dietrich von Hildebrand Legacy Project

William Lane Craig (b. 1949)

Craig was born in East Peoria, Illinois. He obtained his bachelor’s degree from Wheaton College, and two master’s degrees from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He studied under John Hicks at the University of Birmingham, UK, where he received a PhD in philosophy in 1977, and with Wolfhart Pannenberg at the University of Munich, where he received a doctorate in theology in 1984. He has taught at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Westmont College, and the University of Louvain, Belgium. He is currently Research Professor of Philosophy at the Talbot School of Theology at Biola University, in California. Craig, who is a Baptist, is a prolific author, having written or edited some 30 scholarly and popular books. He has made influential contributions to several areas of contemporary philosophy of religion, the best-known of which is undoubtedly his revival of the Kalām Cosmological Argument. He maintains a busy schedule of lecturing and debating on college campuses and in other public forums around the world. In 2011, Craig made headlines when Richard Dawkins refused to appear at a debate with him at the University of Oxford to which both had been invited.

Books: The Kalām Cosmological Argument (Macmillan, 1979); Theism, Atheism, and Big Bang Cosmology, co-author (Oxford UP, 1993); Time and Eternity: Exploring God’s Relationship to Time (Crossway, 2001); Reasonable Faith, 3rd ed. (Crossway, 2008)

Home Page: ReasonableFaith.org

Jean Bethke Elshtain (b. 1941)

Elshtain was raised in the village of Timnath, in northern Colorado. She received her bachelor’s degree from Colorado State University, and master’s degrees in history from the University of Colorado and the University of Wisconsin. In 1973, she received her PhD in political science from Brandeis University. She has taught at the University of Massachusetts and Vanderbilt University, and has been a visiting professor at Harvard and Yale. She is currently the Laura Spelman Rockefeller Professor of Social and Political Ethics at the University of Chicago Divinity School, as well as an Associate Scholar with the Religious Freedom Project at Georgetown University’s Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, & World Affairs. Elshtain, who is a Protestant, has published more than 20 scholarly books on political ethics. She has focused on issues regarding gender roles in politics, just war theory, and relations between religion and state. Since 2001, she has been an outspoken supporter of the U.S. interventions in Iraq and Afghanistan. In 2006, she delivered the Gifford Lectures, which were subsequently published as Sovereignty: God, State, and Self. Since 2008, she has been a member of the President’s Council on Bioethics. Elshtain is also a contributing editor for The New Republic.

Books: Public Man, Private Woman (Princeton UP, 1981); Democracy on Trial (Basic Books, 1984); Augustine and the Limits of Politics (University of Notre Dame Press, 1996); Just War Against Terror (Basic Books, 2003); Sovereignty: God, State, and Self (Basic Books, 2008)

Home Pages: University of Chicago, Divinity School; Georgetown University, Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs

David Gelernter (b. 1955)

Gelernter received his bachelor’s degree from Yale in 1976, and his PhD from SUNY Stony Brook in 1982. That same year, he joined the faculty of Yale University, where he is a Professor of Computer Science. In 1983, his Linda program introduced the concept of “tuple spaces,” which were a seminal contribution to the development of parallel distributed processing architectures, and are the basis of many computer-communication and distributed-programming systems worldwide. Gelernter, who is Jewish, described this breakthrough in his book, Mirror Worlds (Oxford UP, 1991), which also predicted many features of the World Wide Web. Altogether, he has published some dozen technical and non-technical books, the latter on subjects ranging from technology, to cultural and political criticism, to art criticism and aesthetics, to Judaism. He has also published a memoir—Drawing Life (Simon & Schuster, 1997)—and a well-received novel—1939: The Lost World of the Fair (HarperCollins, 1997). In 1993, he was critically injured by a mail bomb sent to him by Ted Kaczynski, the “Unabomber.” Gelernter is a contributing editor for The Weekly Standard, as well as an accomplished painter.

Books: Mirror Worlds (Oxford UP, 1991); The Muse in the Machine (Free Press, 2002); Judaism: A Way of Being (Yale UP, 2009); Ameri-Lite: How Imperial Academia Dismantled Our Culture (Encounter Books, 2012)

Home Page: Yale University, Computer Science Department; The Weekly Standard

Robert P. George (b. 1955)

George grew up in Morgantown, West Virginia, the grandson of immigrant coal miners. He received his bachelor’s degree from Swarthmore College and his JD from Harvard Law School. He then acquired a master’s degree from Harvard Divinity School and a doctorate from Oxford University, where he studied with John Finnis and Joseph Raz. Since 1985, he has taught at Princeton University, where he is currently McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence. George, who is Roman Catholic, is also the founder and director of Princeton’s James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions, as well as a Senior Fellow with both the Hoover Institution and the Witherspoon Institute. Academically, he has been instrumental—along with his mentors Finnis and Raz—in the revival of natural law theory in ethics and jurisprudence. He has also made an important contribution to the public debate on such controversial issues as abortion and gay marriage. From 2002 until 2009, he served on the President’s Council on Bioethics, and he is a frequent contributor to the journal First Things. George has been called America’s “most influential conservative Christian thinker.”

Books: Natural Law and Public Reason, editor (Georgetown UP, 2000); In Defense of Natural Law (Oxford UP, 2001); Body-Self Dualism in Contemporary Ethics and Politics, co-author (Cambridge UP, 2007); Embryo: A Defense of Human Life, co-author (Doubleday, 2008); What Is Marriage?, co-author (Encounter Books, 2012)

Home Pages: Princeton University, James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions; First Things

Mary Ann Glendon (b. 1938)

Glendon was born in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. She received her JD from the University of Chicago Law School. She studied at the Free University of Brussels on a postgraduate fellowship, and was a legal intern for two years with the EEC. Afterwards, she practiced law for five years in Chicago, then taught at Boston College Law School from 1968 until 1986. Glendon, who is Catholic, has also been a visiting professor at the University of Chicago Law School and the Gregorian University, in Rome. She is currently the Learned Hand Professor of Law at Harvard University. She has served on the President’s Council on Bioethics, was briefly the U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See, and serves on the advisory council of the journal First Things. The National Law Journal has named her one of the “Fifty Most Influential Women Lawyers in America.” In 2009, Glendon was awarded the University of Notre Dame’s prestigious Laetare Medal, which she declined due to the university’s controversial decision to invite President Barack Obama, an abortion supporter, as its commencement speaker.

Books: Rights Talk (Free Press, 1991); A Nation Under Lawyers (Farrar Straus & Giroux, 1994); A World Made New: Eleanor Roosevelt and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Random House, 2001); The Forum and the Tower (Oxford UP, 2011)

Home Pages: Harvard Law School; First Things

David Bentley Hart (b. 1965)

Hart earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland, his master’s from the University of Cambridge, and his PhD from the University of Virginia. He has taught at numerous colleges and universities, including the University of Virginia, the University of St. Thomas (Minnesota), Duke Divinity School, Loyola College (Maryland), and, most recently, Providence College. Hart, who is an Orthodox Christian, has written widely on subjects as varied as the Greek Church Fathers, the New Atheism, and the connection between aesthetics and religion. He is a contributing editor for First Things, and has also published fiction.

Books: The Beauty of the Infinite (Eerdmans, 2003); In the Aftermath: Provocations and Laments (Eerdmans, 2008); Atheist Delusions (Yale UP, 2010); The Story of Christianity (Quercus, 2011)

Home Page: First Things

Michał K. Heller (b. 1936)

Heller was born in Tarnów, in southern Poland. He was trained at the Catholic University of Lublin, where he took a master’s degree in theology in 1959. That same year, he was ordained and briefly served as a parish priest. He then returned to the Catholic University, where he received a second master’s degree in 1965, this time in philosophy. The following year, he received his doctorate in physics, specializing in cosmology. After a teaching stint in his home town, he taught as a visiting professor at a number of universities abroad, including the Catholic University of Louvain, in Belgium, Oxford University, the Catholic University of America, and the University of Arizona. In 1985, Heller joined the faculty of the Pontifical Academy of Theology (now Pontifical University John Paul II), in Cracow. He has published more than 400 scientific papers, and written or edited some 30 books, on topics ranging from the unification of general relativity and quantum mechanics, to the strengths and weaknesses of multiverse theories, to the theological implications of modern cosmology. His current work focuses on the use of noncommutative geometry as a means of removing the singularity from Big Bang cosmology. In 2008, Heller won the prestigious Templeton Prize.

Books: Theoretical Foundations of Cosmology (World Scientific, 1992); Creative Tension: Essays on Science and Religion (Templeton Press, 2003); Ultimate Explanations of the Universe (Springer, 2009); Infinity: New Research Frontiers, co-editor (Cambridge UP, 2011)

Home Page: Pontifical University John Paul II in Cracow, Department of Philosophy of Nature

William B. Hurlbut

Hurlbut was born in California and raised in Bronxville, north of New York City. He received his undergraduate and medical training at Stanford University, and did postdoctoral work in theology and medical ethics at Stanford and the Université Catholique de Paris. Hurlbut, who is Catholic, is currently a Consulting Professor in the Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences at Stanford Medical Center. He has worked as a consultant for NASA, and since 1998 has been a member of the Chemical and Biological Warfare working group at the Stanford University Center for International Security and Cooperation. He is also a member of the President’s Council on Bioethics. Hurlbut is perhaps best known for conceiving of “altered nuclear transfer,” a technological proposal capable of creating pluripotent stem cells without creating embryos, which is a possible way of obviating moral objections to stem cell research.

Book: Altruism and Altrustic Love: Science, Philosophy, and Religion in Dialogue, co-editor (Oxford UP, 2002)

Home Pages: Stanford University; President’s Council on Bioethics

Christopher J. Isham (b. 1944)

Isham is a physicist on the faculty of Imperial College London. His research has focused on quantum gravity and foundational issues in quantum theory. He invented an approach to temporal quantum logic called the “HPO formalism.” He has also contributed to advances in loop quantum gravity, quantum geometrodynamics, and the decoherent histories interpretation of quantum theory. Noted physicist and popular science writer Paul Davies has called Isham ”England’s greatest quantum gravity expert.” He himself says that his most important contribution to science has probably been the introduction of topos theory, an aspect of category theory, into quantum theory. He has expressed the view that the Big Bang supports theism. Isham is the 2011 recipient of the prestigious Dirac Medal awarded by the Institute of Physics.

Books: Quantum Concepts in Space and Time, co-editor (Oxford UP, 1986); Quantum Cosmology and the Laws of Nature: Scientific Perspectives on Divine Action, co-editor (Vatican Observatory, 1993); Lectures on Quantum Theory (World Scientific, 1995); Modern Differential Geometry for Physicists, 2nd ed. (World Scientific, 1999)

Home Pages: Imperial College London; Institute of Physics

Phillip E. Johnson (b. 1940)

Johnson was born in Aurora, Illinois. He received his bachelor’s degree in English literature from Harvard University in 1961, and his JD from the University of Chicago, where he graduated at the top of his class. He clerked for Chief Justice Earl Warren at the Supreme Court, before being admitted to the California Bar in 1966. Johnson served as a deputy district attorney before joining, in 1967, the law faculty of the University of California, Berkeley. Johnson, who is Presbyterian, is currently the Jefferson E. Peyser Professor of Law (Emeritus) at the Boalt School of Law at Berkeley. A well-recognized legal scholar in the field of criminal law, Johnson is best known for his critique of Darwinian naturalism. Johnson’s book Darwin on Trial sparked what has come to be known as the Intelligent Design movement. His debates with prominent atheists who appeal to evolutionary theory to undermine religious faith (e.g., Stephen Jay Gould, Steven Weinberg, and Will Provine) are legendary. A figure of controversy, Johnson deserves much of the credit for the informed critique of neo-Darwinian evolutionary theory that is rapidly growing among American intellectuals (even if many of the contemporary critics of Darwinism, such as Thomas Nagel, reject Johnson’s views on intelligent design).

Books: Darwin on Trial (InterVarsity Press, 1991); Reason in the Balance (InterVarsity Press, 1995); Objections Sustained (InterVarsity Press, 1998); Cases and Materials on Criminal Procedure, 3rd ed. (West Group, 2000); The Wedge of Truth (InterVarsity Press, 2000); Against All Gods, co-author (IVP Books, 2010)

Home Pages: Berkeley Law School; Access Research Network

Leon R. Kass (b. 1939)

Kass was born in Chicago into an Eastern European, Jewish immigrant family, which he has described as Yiddish-speaking, secular, and socialist. Kass took a bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of Chicago in 1958. He took his MD degree, also from Chicago, in 1962, followed up by an internship at Beth Israel Hospital in Boston. He also completed a PhD in biochemistry at Harvard in 1967, where he worked in the laboratory of Nobel Laureate Konrad E. Bloch. In 1965, Kass traveled to Holmes County, Mississippi, with his wife Amy to do civil rights work. He has taught at St. John’s College, Annapolis, and at Georgetown University, as well as the University of Chicago, beginning in 1976. He is currently the Addie Clark Harding Professor at University of Chicago College and the Committee on Social Thought. Kass, who also holds the Madden-Jewett chair at the American Enterprise Institute and is a frequent contributor to First Things magazine, is a champion of the great books approach to higher education. From 2002 until 2005, he chaired the President’s Council on Bioethics.

Books: Toward a More Natural Science: Biology and Human Affairs (Free Press, 1985); The Hungry Soul: Eating and Perfecting Our Nature (Free Press, 1994); Life, Liberty, and the Defense of Dignity: The Challenge of Bioethics (Encounter, 2002); Human Cloning and Human Dignity: The Report of the President’s Council on Bioethics (PublicAffairs, 2002); The Beginning of Wisdom: Reading Genesis (Free Press/Simon & Schuster, 2003); What So Proudly We Hail, co-editor (ISI, 2011)

Home Pages: University of Chicago, Committee on Social Thought; American Enterprise Institute; First Things

Donald E. Knuth (b. 1938)

Knuth was born in Milwaukee. He attended Case Institute of Technology (now part of Case-Western University), in Cleveland, where he wavered between majoring in music and in physics. While still an undergraduate, he rewrote the assembly and compiler code for Case’s IBM 650 mainframe computer, and co-founded a school magazine, Engineering and Science Review. He took simultaneous bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mathematics from Case in 1960. He earned his Ph.D. in math from Cal-Tech in 1963, and worked briefly for the National Security Administration (NSA). He then joined the faculty of Stanford University, where he now holds the title of Professor Emeritus of the Art of Computer Programming. Knuth, who is Lutheran, is best known for having pioneered the field of algorithm analysis in his multivolume treatise, The Art of Computer Programming, the first volume of which was published in 1968 and which is still continuing. He is also the creator of the TeX computer typesetting system, as well as several other computing languages. Knuth has received numerous awards and honorary degrees in recognition of his pathbreaking achievements in computer programming.

Books: 3:16 Bible Texts Illuminated (A-R Editions, 1991); Things a Computer Scientist Rarely Talks About (Center for the Study of Language and Information, 2003);  Selected Papers on Fun and Games (Center for the Study of Language and Information, 2011); The Art of Computer Programming, Vols. 1–4A, Boxed Set (Addison-Wesley, 2011)

Home Page: Stanford University

John C. Lennox (b. 1943)

Lennox was born in Northern Ireland, where he attended the Royal School, Armagh. He has master’s degrees from the University of Surrey and the University of Cambridge, a Doctor of Philosophy (DPhil) from Oxford University, and a Doctor of Science (DSc) in mathematics from the University of Cardiff, in Wales, where he also taught for many years. Lennox, who is Protestant, is currently Professor of Mathematics at Oxford and Adjunct Professor at that university’s Centre for Christian Apologetics. He is also Professor of Mathematics and Philosophy of Science at Green Templeton College. He has lectured widely all over the world, notably in Germany and in Eastern Europe, and has translated mathematical texts from Russian. Lennox has also participated in public debates with a number of celebrated atheists, such as Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens, and Michael Shermer.

Books: God’s Undertaker: Has Science Buried God? (Lion UK, 2007); God and Stephen Hawking (Lion UK, 2011); Gunning for God: Why the New Atheists Are Missing the Target (Lion UK, 2011); Seven Days That Divide the World: The Beginning according to Genesis and Science (Zondervan, 2011)

Home Page: Oxford University, Centre for Christian Apologetics; johnlennox.org

Alasdair C. MacIntyre (b. 1929)

MacIntyre was born in Glasgow, Scotland. He was educated at Queen Mary College, London, and received master’s degrees from the University of Manchester and the University of Oxford. He began his teaching career at the latter institution, and later taught at the universities of Leeds and Essex in the UK, before emigrating to the US. In this country, he has taught at a number of universities, including Brandeis, Boston University, Wellesley, Vanderbilt, Duke, and Notre Dame. He is currently Emeritus Professor of Philosophy at Notre Dame, and Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for Contemporary Aristotelian Studies in Ethics and Politics (CASEP) at London Metropolitan University. MacIntyre, who is Catholic, is one of the most highly esteemed and widely discussed of living English-speaking philosophers. In particular, his book After Virtue has had a very broad impact on contemporary discussions in ethical and political theory. In 1988, he delivered the prestigious Gifford Lectures, afterwards published as Three Rival Versions of Moral Inquiry.

Books: Against the Self-Images of the Age (Duckworth, 1971); After Virtue (University of Notre Dame Press, 1981; 3rd ed., 2007); Whose Justice? Which Rationality? (University of Notre Dame Press, 1989); Three Rival Versions of Moral Inquiry (Duckworth, 1990; reprinted, University of Notre Dame Press, 1997);  A Short History of Ethics (University of Notre Dame Press, 1998); The MacIntyre Reader (Polity Press, 1998); Dependent Rational Animals (Open Court, 1999); The Tasks of Philosophy: Selected Essays, Vol. 1 (Cambridge UP, 2006); Ethics and Politics: Selected Essays, Vol. 2 (Cambridge UP, 2006);  God, Philosophy, Universities (Rowman & Littlefield, 2009)

Home Page: University of Notre Dame, Department of Philosophy

Robert J. Marks II (b. 1950)

Marks was born in West Virginia. He was educated at the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology (BS, Engineering, 1972; MS, Electrical Engineering, 1973) and Texas Tech (PhD, Electrical Engineering, 1977). He taught for many years at the University of Washington, in Seattle. He is currently Distinguished Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Baylor University, in Waco, Texas. Marks, who is Protestant, has made a number of contributions to cutting-edge technology at the interface between electrical engineering and computer science. For example, in 1991 he was the first to apply artificial neural networks to the problem of forecasting power demands by electrical utility companies—a practice that is widespread today. More recently, Marks and colleagues developed an algorithm for the real-time tracking of the placement of radioactive seeds in prostate cancer therapy. In addition, his team developed the first closed-form solution for the Neyman–Pearson optimal detection of signals in non-Gaussian noise. In 2007, Marks inaugurated his Evolutionary Informatics Lab, a web site dedicated to simulating evolutionary processes. The Lab—which has demonstrated severe constraints on the creative potential of Darwinian-style algorithms—was afterwards shut down by the Baylor University administration, and Marks has since moved it to a private server.

Books: Fuzzy Logic Technology and Applications, editor (IEEE, 1994); Neural Smithing: Supervised Learning in Feedforward Artificial Neural Networks, co-author (MIT Press/Bradford Books, 1999); Handbook of Fourier Analysis and Its Applications (Oxford UP, 2009)

Home Pages: Baylor University, School of Engineering and Computer Science, robertmarks.org; Evolutionary Informatics Lab

Michael W. McConnell (b. 1955)

McConnell was born in Louisville, Kentucky. He took his bachelor’s degree from Michigan State University’s James Madison College in 1976, and his JD in 1979 from the University of Chicago Law School, where he was a member of the University of Chicago Law Review. He clerked during the 1980–81 term at the US Supreme Court for Associate Justice William Brennan. He served in the Reagan administration as assistant general counsel of the Office of Management and Budget (1981–83), and as Solicitor General (1983–85). Afterwards, he was the William B. Graham Professor of Law at the University of Chicago Law School for a number of years. McConnell, who is Presbyterian, has also been a member of the faculty of the S.J. Quinney College of Law at the University of Utah, and a visiting professor at Harvard and Stanford law schools. From 2002 until 2009, he served as a federal judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit. He is currently the Richard and Frances Mallery Professor of Law at Stanford Law School, as well as director of the university’s Constitutional Law Center, a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution, a contributing editor to First Things, and of counsel to the law firm of Kirkland & Ellis. McConnell, who has argued 13 cases before the US Supreme Court and is widely regarded as one of the most distinguished constitutional scholars in the country, has been frequently mentioned as a candidate for a seat on the US Supreme Court.

Books: Christian Perspectives on Legal Thought (Yale UP, 2001); Religion and the Constitution, 2nd ed., co-author (Aspen Publishers, 2006); The Constitution of the United States, co-author (Foundation Press, 2010)

Home Pages: Stanford Law School; First Things

Alister E. McGrath (b. 1953)

McGrath was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and grew up in Downpatrick, County Down. His undergraduate education—in mathematics, physics, and chemistry—was at Methodist College Belfast and Wadham College, Oxford University. He received a doctorate from Oxford in molecular biophysics  in 1977, and an honours degree in theology, also from Oxford, the following year. McGrath was ordained a priest of the Church of England  in 1981. He has worked as a curate in Nottingham, in the English Midlands, and taught at the University of Cambridge, Drew University in New Jersey, and Oxford University. He is currently Chair of Theology, Ministry, and Education in the Department of Education and Professional Studies at King’s College London, as well as the head of the Centre for Theology, Religion, and Culture there. McGrath, who received his Doctor of Divinity degree from Oxford in 2001, is a prolific author and public speaker. He is well known for his written polemics and public debates with such celebrated New Atheist authors as Richard Dawkins and Daniel Dennett. In 2009, he delivered the Gifford Lectures, published as A Fine-Tuned Universe.

Books: Dawkins’ God (Wiley-Blackwell, 2004); The Twilight of Atheism (WaterBrook Press, 2006); Christianity’s Dangerous Idea (HarperOne, 2007); A Fine-Tuned Universe: The Quest for God in Science and Theology (Westminster John Knox Press, 2009); Christian Theology: An Introduction, 5th ed. (Wiley-Blackwell, 2010); The Passionate Intellect: Christian Faith and the Discipleship of the Mind (IVP Books, 2010); Surprised by Meaning: Science, Faith, and How We Make Sense of Things (Westminster John Knox Press, 2011); Why God Won’t Go Away (Thomas Nelson, 2011); Historical Theology: An Introduction to the History of Christian Thought, 2nd ed. (Wiley-Blackwell, 2012); Mere Apologetics (Baker Books, 2012)

Home Pages: King’s College London; alistermcgrath.weebly.com

Alan L. Mittleman (b. 1953)

Mittleman holds a BA from Brandeis University, and an MA and PhD from Temple University. He taught religion for many years at Muhlenberg College, in Allentown, Pennsylvania. From 2000 to 2004, he directed the “Jews and the American Public Square” research project, which produced two national surveys of Jewish opinion, four volumes of scholarly essays, and 15 conferences around the United States. While serving on the staff of the American Jewish Committee, Mittleman helped to draft a resolution by the United Church of Christ, making it the first Protestant denomination in the US to declare that Christianity did not supersede Judaism. He is currently Professor of Jewish Philosophy at the Jewish Theological Seminary, as well as director of the Seminary’s Tikvah Institute for Jewish Thought, in New York City. Mittleman is currently working on a book about Jewish views of human nature, to be published in the “Library of Jewish Ideas” series, which is sponsored by the Tikvah Fund in partnership with Princeton University Press.

Books: Between Kant and Kabbalah (SUNY Press, 1990); The Scepter Shall Not Depart from Judah (Lexington Books, 2000); Jews and the American Public Square, co-editor (Rowman & Littlefield, 2002); Jewish Polity and American Civil Society, co-editor (Rowman & Littlefield, 2002); Religion as a Public Good, editor (Rowman & Littlefield, 2003); Hope in a Democratic Age (Oxford UP, 2009); A Short History of Jewish Ethics (Wiley-Blackwell, 2012)

Home Pages: Jewish Theological Seminary; Tikvah Fellowship for Jewish Thought

R. Albert Mohler, Jr. (b. 1959)

Mohler was born in Lakeland, in central Florida. He received his BA from Samford University, in Birmingham, Alabama, and his master’s degree in divinity and his PhD in systematic and historical theology from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (SBTS), in Louisville, Kentucky. In 1983, he joined the staff of SBTS, and since 1993 has been President of the Seminary. Mohler, who is Calvinist, formerly hosted the The Albert Mohler Program, a nationwide radio show devoted to engaging contemporary culture with Christian beliefs. He also served on the Advisory Council for the 2001 English Standard Version (ESV) of the Bible. In addition, he is a prolific author, is on the board of directors of “Focus on the Family” (an organization devoted to helping families thrive), and maintains an active schedule of public speaking and media appearances. Time magazine has called Mohler the “reigning intellectual of the evangelical movement in the US.”

Books: Preaching the Cross, co-author (Crossway, 2007); Atheism Remix: A Christian Confronts the New Atheists (Crossway, 2008); He Is Not Silent, co-author (Moody Publishers, 2008); Desire and Deceit: The Real Cost of the New Sexual Tolerance (Multnomah Books, 2008); Culture Shift: Engaging Current Issues with Timeless Truth (Multnomah Books, 2008); Words from the Fire: Hearing the Voice of God in the 10 Commandments (Moody Publishers, 2009); The Disappearance of God (Multnomah Books, 2009); The Conviction to Lead (Bethany House, 2012)

Home Pages: Southern Baptist Theological Seminary; albertmohler.com

Seyyed Hossein Nasr (b. 1933)

Nasr was born in Tehran, the son of a physician to the royal family and one of the founders of modern education in Iran. After attending elementary school in  his native country, the boy was sent to the US to complete his education, where he graduated valedictorian from the Peddie School, in Hightstown, New Jersey, in 1950. He entered MIT on a scholarship to study physics, but ended up studying philosophy with Giorgio de Santillana. After obtaining his BA from MIT, as well as a master’s degree in geophysics from that university, he switched to Harvard to work on a PhD in the history of science with the distinguished Belgian scholar, George Sarton, the founder of that academic discipline. After Sarton’s death, Nasr completed his dissertation—published in 1964 as An Introduction to Islamic Cosmological Doctrines—under the direction of noted scholars I.B. Cohen and Harry Wolfson. Four years later, Nasr published Science and Civilization in Islam, a landmark study of the development of scientific thought in the Muslim world in the Middle Ages. After teaching for several years at Harvard, he returned to Iran, where he taught at Tehran University, and served as President of Aryamehr University (now Sharif University of Technology). After the Iranian Revolution, he returned to the West, where he taught at the University of Edinburgh, in the UK, and Temple University, in Philadelphia. Since 1984, he has been Professor of Islamic Studies at The George Washington University. Nasr, a highly prolific author with over 50 scholarly and popular volumes to his credit, and who speaks six languages fluently, delivered the 1981 Gifford Lectures, which were subsequently  published as Knowledge and the Sacred.  He was the 1999 recipient of the Templeton Prize, and the following year he received the rare distinction of having a volume in the prestigious “Library of Living Philosophers” series dedicated to his thought.

Books: An Introduction to Islamic Cosmological Doctrines (Harvard UP, 1964; revised ed., SUNY Press, 1993); Science and Civilization in Islam (Harvard UP, 1968; reprint ed., Kazi Publications, 2007); Knowledge and the Sacred (SUNY Press, 1989); Islam: Religion, History, and Civilization (HarperOne, 2002); The Heart of Islam: Enduring Values for Humanity (HarperOne, 2002); The Garden of Truth: The Vision and Promise of Sufism, Islam’s Mystical Tradition (HarperOne, 2007); Man and Nature: The Spiritual Crisis in Modern Man (Kazi Publications, 2007); Islam in the Modern World (HarperOne, 2011)

Home Pages: The George Washington University; Seyyed Hossein Nasr Foundation

Martin A. Nowak (b. 1965)

Nowak was born in Vienna, and educated there. He studied biochemistry and mathematics at the University of Vienna, where he earned his PhD in 1989. During his doctoral training, he worked with Peter Schuster on the theory of “quasi-species” and with Karl Sigmund on the evolution of cooperation. He 1989, he went to Oxford University, where he worked with Robert May, one of the most distinguished founders of the discipline of nonlinear dynamics. In 1995, Nowak, who is Catholic, became head of the Mathematical Biology group at Oxford. In 1998, he went to the Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton, where he founded the first program in theoretical biology there. In 2003, he moved to Harvard, where he is currently Professor of Mathematics and Biology in the Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, and Director of the university’s Program for Evolutionary Dynamics. His work ranges widely, from the dynamics of infectious diseases, to cancer genetics, to the evolution of cooperation, to the origin of life. In 2010, a controversial paper co-authored by Nowak (along with E.O. Wilson and Corina Tarnita) was featured on the front cover of Nature. The paper argued that group selection is superior to mainstream kin selection as an explanation for eusociality. Nowak has said that “[s]cience and religion are two essential components in the search for truth. Denying either is a barren approach.”

Books: Virus Dynamics, co-author (Harvard UP, 2001); Evolutionary Dynamics (Harvard UP, 2006); SuperCooperators: Altruism, Evolution, and Why We Need Each Other to Succeed, co-author (Free Press, 2011)

Home Pages: Harvard University, Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology; Harvard University, Program for Evolutionary Dynamics

Don N. Page

Page grew up in Alaska and completed his high school education by correspondence through the University of Nebraska Extension Division. He received his bachelor’s degree in physics and mathematics from William Jewell College, and his master’s degree and PhD in physics from Cal-Tech. His dissertation, on black holes, was supervised by Kip Thorne and Stephen Hawking. After graduation, he went to Cambridge University on a postdoc to work with Hawking, with whom he also co-authored a technical paper. Page, who is an Evangelical Protestant, has taught at Penn State, the University of Texas at Austin, Cal-Tech, and the University of California at Santa Barbara. In 1990, he moved to the University of Alberta in Edmonton, where he is currently Professor of Physics. From 1991 until 2002, he was a fellow of the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIAR). He is now an affiliate member of the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics in Waterloo, Ontario. Page’s research interests include black hole thermodynamics, quantum gravity, and cosmology.

Home Pages: University of Albert, Department of Physics; John Templeton Foundation, Humble Approach Initiative

Arvo Pärt (b. 1935)

Pärt was born in Paide, a small town near Tallinn, the capital of Estonia (Estonia lost its independence during World War II, and remained a part of the USSR until 1991). He was educated at the Tallinn Music Secondary School and the Tallinn Conservatory. While still a student, Pärt began to work as a recording engineer with Estonian Radio, to write music for the stage, and to receive numerous commissions for film scores, so that by the time he graduated in 1963, he was already a professional composer. Through the 1960s, he composed mainly in the style of serialism. In 1968, one of Pärt’s compositions was banned, and he entered the first of several periods of contemplative silence. During this time, he intensively studied the polyphonic choral music of the French and Franco-Flemish Renaissance composers Machaut, Josquin, Obrecht, and Ockeghem. In 1971, he began to compose in the spirit of their style (Symphony No. 3). After another period of silence, he found his mature voice with such works as Fratres, Cantus in Memoriam Benjamin Britten, and Tabula Rasa (all composed in 1977). His work then began to win recognition abroad, which made his life in the Soviet Union more difficult. In 1980, he and his family emigrated to the West, settling first in Vienna, and afterwards in West Berlin. Today, Pärt, who is an Orthodox Christian, divides his time between Berlin and Tallinn. He is best known for his choral compositions in a highly individual, minimalist style, inspired by Gregorian chant and deeply imbued with religious feeling, sometimes known as “holy minimalism.”

Compositions: Stabat Mater (1985); The Beatitudes (1990); Berliner Messe (1992); I Am the True Vine (1996); Kanon Pokajanen (1997); Nunc Dimittis (2001); Da Pacem, Domine (2004)

Home Page: arvopart.info

Alvin C. Plantinga (b. 1932)

Plantinga was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan, to first-generation immigrants from Friesland, in the Netherlands. After briefly attending Harvard, he took his bachelor’s degree from Calvin College (where his father was on the faculty) in 1954, his master’s  from the University of Michigan in 1955, and his PhD from Yale in 1958. Plantinga has taught at Yale, Wayne State University, Calvin College, and, as a visiting professor, at numerous other universities. From 1982 until 2010, he was based at the  University of Notre Dame, where he was John A. O’Brien Professor of Philosophy. In 2006, Notre Dame’s Center for Philosophy of Religion renamed its Distinguished Scholar Fellowship as the Alvin Plantinga Fellowship. Plantinga, who is a member of the Christian Reformed Church, currently holds the Jellema Chair in Philosophy at Calvin College. In 1978, with Nicholas Wolterstorff and others, he co-founded the Society of Christian Philosophers, as well as its journal, Faith and Philosophy. Moreover, he has played a pivotal role in the renaissance of Christian philosophy in recent decades, by demonstrating the possibility of defending the Christian faith on the basis of the highest standards of conceptual analysis and logical rigor. He is perhaps best known for his version of “reformed epistemology,” which argues that belief in God is fully warranted even without a posteriori evidence because it is “properly basic.” In recent years, his has been an eloquent voice defending the rationality of theistic belief against attacks from the so-called “New Atheists.” In 2005, Plantinga delivered the Gifford Lectures—later published as Where the Conflict Really Lies: Science, Religion, and Naturalism—on this topic.

Books: God and Other Minds: A Study of the Rational Justification of the Belief in God (Cornell UP, 1968; reprint ed., 1990); The Nature of Necessity (Oxford UP, 1974); God, Freedom, and Evil (Harper & Row, 1974; reprinted, Eerdmans, 1978); Faith and Rationality: Reason and Belief in God, co-editor (University of Notre Dame Press, 1983); Warrant: The Current Debate (Oxford UP, 1993); Warrant and Proper Function (Oxford UP, 1993); The Analytic Theist: An Alvin Plantinga Reader (Eerdmans, 1998); Warranted Christian Belief (Oxford UP, 2000); Science and Religion: Are They Compatible?, co-author (Oxford UP, 2012); Where the Conflict Really Lies: Science, Religion, and Naturalism (Oxford UP, 2011)

Home Pages: University of Notre Dame, Department of Philosophy; Calvin College, Philosophy

John C. Polkinghorne (b. 1930)

Polkinghorne was born in Weston-super-mare, UK, on the Bristol Channel opposite Cardiff. He read Mathematics at Trinity College, Cambridge, taking his bachelor’s degree in 1952. He then switched to physics, working under the supervision of Abdus Salam in Paul Dirac’s group, and taking his PhD in 1955. After graduation, he worked with Murray Gell-Mann at Cal-Tech on a postdoc. After a two-year teaching stint at the University of Edinburgh, in 1958 he returned to Cambridge, where he held a professorship in mathematical physics for two decades and numbered Brian Josephson and Martin Rees among his students. In 1979, he resigned his chair in order to study for the priesthood. Polkinghorne was ordained in the Church of England in 1982. He worked as a curate for several years, before returning to Cambridge in 1986 as dean of Trinity Hall chapel. He also served as president of Queens College until his retirement in 1996, and as canon theologian of Liverpool Cathedral from 1994 to 2005. He has written 34 technical and popular books, which have been translated into 18 languages. Many of them concern the relationship between science and religion, which he sees as one of complementarity. In 1993–1994, Polkinghorne delivered the Gifford Lectures, afterwards published as The Faith of a Physicist. 

Books: The Faith of a Physicist (Princeton UP, 1994); Belief in God in an Age of Science (Yale UP, 1997); Quantum Physics and Theology (Yale UP, 2007); Questions of Truth: Fifty-One Responses to Questions about God, Science, and Belief, co-author (Westminster John Knox Press, 2009); Theology in the Context of Science (Yale UP, 2009); Testing Scripture: A Scientist Explores the Bible (Brazos Press, 2011); Science and Religion in Quest of Truth (Yale UP, 2011)

Joseph A. Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI) (b. 1927)

Ratzinger was born in the town of Marktl am Inn, in southeastern Bavaria, near the Austrian border. In 1941, one of his cousins, who had Down’s Syndrome, was murdered by the Nazis. Young Ratzinger was himself drafted into the German army in 1943, while attending seminary in Freising. After Germany surrendered, he spent some time in an allied POW camp, but was able to resume his studies in the seminary in the fall of 1945. He later studied at the Ludwig-Maximilien University in Munich, and was ordained a Catholic priest in 1951. After writing his dissertation on St. Augustine and his Habilitationsschrift on St. Bonaventure, he embarked on a teaching career at a Catholic secondary school in Freising in 1958. The following year, he moved to the University of Bonn, and in 1963, to the University of Münster. In 1966, Ratzinger, who was a supporter of the reforms of the Second Vatican Council (1962–1965), obtained a chair in theology at Tübingen, where he became a close colleague of liberal theologian Hans Küng. However, the Marxist-inspired, university student riots of the late sixties seem to have influenced him in a more conservative direction. In 1969, he returned to his native Bavaria to take up a professorship at the University of Regensburg, where in 1972 he co-founded the journal Communio, along with Hans Urs von Balthasar, Walter Kasper, Henri de Lubac, and others. Communio has gone on to become one of the most influential international journals of Catholic theology. In 1977, Ratzinger became Archbishop of Munich; in 1981, he was appointed Prefect of the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith; and in 1993, he was elevated to the College of Cardinals. In 2005, he succeeded John Paul II (Karol Wojtyła) as Pope, assuming the name of Benedict XVI. Ratzinger, who is an accomplished classical pianist, has written more than 60 books. He has a particular interest in the problem of moral relativism, having engaged in dialogue on this subject with the distinguished philosopher, Jürgen Habermas (The Dialectics of Secularization). As Pope, he has issued three encyclicals: Deus Caritas Est (2005), Spe Salvi (2007), and Caritas in Veritate (2009).

Books: Introduction to Christianity (Search Press, 1969; revised ed., Ignatius Press, 2004); Eschatology: Death and Eternal Life (Catholic University of America Press, 1988; 2nd ed., 2007); The Nature and Mission of Theology (Ignatius Press, 1995); Many Religions, One Covenant: Israel, the Church, and the World (Ignatius Press, 1999); The Spirit of the Liturgy (Ignatius Press, 2000); Truth and Tolerance: Christianity and World Religions (Ignatius Press, 2004); Without Roots: The West, Relativism, Christianity, Islam, co-author (Basic Books, 2006); Values in a Time of Upheaval (Crossroad Publishing, 2006); Christianity and the Crisis of Cultures (Ignatius Press, 2006); The Dialectics of Secularization: On Reason and Religion, co-author (Ignatius Press, 2007)

Home Page: The Holy See

Condolleezza Rice (b. 1954)

Rice was born in Birmingham, Alabama, the daughter of a Presbyterian minister and a high school music teacher. Her given name derives from the musical expression “con dolcezza.” She began learning French, music, ballet, and figure skating at the age of three. She is a gifted classical pianist, who once accompanied celebrated cellist Yo-Yo Ma at a National Medal of Arts awards ceremony in Washington, DC. In 1967, her family moved to Denver, Colorado, where Rice studied music for a time at the Aspen Music Festival and School, before moving to the University of Denver, where her father was then an assistant dean. After taking a course on international relations with the distinguished political scientist and former Czech diplomat, Josef Korbel, she switched her major from music to political science. Upon taking her bachelor’s degree in that subject in 1974, she earned a master’s, also in political science, from the University of Notre Dame the following year. After interning in the State Department under the Carter administration and with the RAND Corporation, she studied Russian at Moscow State University (she speaks Russian, as well as French, fluently). In 1981, she received her PhD in political science from the University of Denver’s Josef Korbel School of International Studies, writing her dissertation on the military policy and politics of Czechoslovakia. Rice, who is an Evangelical Protestant, taught political science at Stanford University, specializing in the Soviet Union, from 1981 until 1989 and from 1991 until 1993. In 1989, during the administration of George H.W. Bush, Rice was asked by National Security Adviser Brent Scowcroft to serve on the National Security Council. In this position, she exercised an important influence on the President in his dealings with Mikhail Gorbachev and Boris Yeltstin during the dissolution of the USSR. In 1991, she returned to Stanford, where she was appointed Provost in 1993. She was also named a Senior Fellow of both the Institute for International Studies and the Hoover Institution. In late 2000, Rice stepped down from her post at Stanford, having been named National Security Adviser (2001–2005) of the incoming George W. Bush administration. She went on to serve as Secretary of State (2005–2009) during the second George W. Bush administration. In 2009, she returned to Stanford, where she is currently Professor of Political Science, as well as the Thomas and Barbara Stephenson Senior Fellow on Public Policy at the Hoover Institution, and Director of the Global Center for Business and Economy at the Stanford Graduate School of Business.

Books: The Soviet Union and the Czechoslovak Army, 1948–1983 (Princeton UP, 1984); The Gorbachev Era, co-editor (Stanford UP, 1986); Germany Unified and Europe Transformed: A Study in Statecraft, co-author (Harvard UP, 1997); Extraordinary, Ordinary People: A Memoir of Family (Crown, 2010); No Higher Honor: A Memoir of My Years in Washington (Crown, 2011)

Home Pages: Stanford University, Department of Political Science; Stanford Graduate School of Business; Hoover Institution

Marilynne Robinson (b. 1943)

Robinson was born Marilynne Summers in Sandpoint, a remote village in the Idaho panhandle, not far from the Canadian border. Growing up in relative isolation, surrounded by wilderness, left a deep mark upon her that is reflected above all in her magnum opus, the 1980 novel Housekeeping. It also fostered her love of reading from an early age, as recounted in her 2012 essay collection, When I Was a Child I Read Books. Her formal education took place at Pembroke College, the former women’s college associated with Brown University (BA, 1966), and at the University of Washington, where she received her PhD in English literature in 1977. She has been a writer-in-residence or visiting professor at numerous universities, including the University of Kent, in the UK, and the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. Robinson, who is Congregationalist, has taught at the celebrated University of Iowa Writers’ Workshop for many years. She has published only three novels, and four volumes of essays. However, her first novel, Housekeeping, is a  landmark in American literature—a virtuoso blending of natural description and introspection, a clear-eyed existential meditation on family, and a deeply moving account of a young woman’s coming-to-consciousness. Her second novel, Gilead, about a retired minister’s life-reckoning, won the Pultizer Prize for fiction in 2005. Her 1998 essay collection, The Death of Adam, contains a groundbreaking critique of the explanatory pretensions of neo-Darwinism, as well as an important effort to reinterpret the Calvinist intellectual tradition. In 2010, she delivered the prestigious Terry Lectures at Yale, published as Absence of Mind. In this book, Robinson probes the ways in which the neglect of our own interiority has falsified our self-understanding.

Books: Housekeeping (Farrar Straus Giroux, 1980; reprint ed., 2005); The Death of Adam: Essays on Modern Thought (Houghton Mifflin, 1998); Gilead (Farrar Straus Giroux, 2004); Home (Farrar Straus Giroux, 2008); Absence of Mind: The Dispelling of Inwardness from the Modern Myth of the Self (Yale UP, 2010); When I Was a Child I Read Books: Essays (Farrar Straus Giroux, 2012)

Home Page: Iowa Writers’ Workshop

Abdelaziz A. Sachedina (b. 1942)

Sachedina was born in Tanzania, into a family of Indian Muslim immigrants. He holds two bachelor’s degrees, one in Islamic Studies from Aligarh Muslim University in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh state, India, and the other in Persian language and literature from Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, in Iran. While living in Mashhad, he also studied Islamic jurisprudence at the Ayatollah Milani Madrasa there. He received his PhD in Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies from the University of Toronto. Although he was born Shi’a, Sachedina has served as an imam for Sunni congregations. His recent scholarly work has focused on the effort to reconcile Western and Islamic ideals of human rights and democracy. As a result, a fatwa was issued against him in 1998 by Iraqi Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani, which forbade him to lecture or teach on the subject of Islam. In spite of this threat, he has continued to lecture and publish widely, and has worked as a consultant for the Department of Defense, in which capacity he was involved in drafting the 2005 Iraqi constitution. Sachedina, who is the author of numerous scholarly works and speaks 10 languages, has taught since 1975 at the University of Virginia, where he is currently the Frances Myers Ball Professor of Religious Studies.

Books: Islamic Messianism (SUNY Press, 1981); Human Rights and the Conflict of Cultures, co-author (University of South Carolina Press, 1988); The Just Ruler in Shi’ite Islam (Oxford UP, 1988); The Islamic Roots of Democratic Pluralism (Oxford UP, 2001); The Islamic World: Past and Present, 3 vols., co-editor (Oxford UP, 2004); The Role of Islam in the Public Square (Amsterdam University Press, 2006); Islam and the Challenge of Human Rights (Oxford UP, 2009); Islamic Biomedical Ethics (Oxford UP, 2009)

Home Pages: University of Virginia, Department of Religious Studies; Organization for Islamic Learning

Jonathan Sacks (Chief Rabbi Lord Sacks) (b. 1948)

Sacks was born in South Africa. He was educated at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, where he took first-class honors in philosophy. He obtained his PhD from King’s College London in 1981, and his rabbinic ordination from Jews’ College and Yeshiva Etz Chaim. He has been a visiting professor at several universities in the UK, the US, and Israel, and has also served as Principal of Jews’ College and as rabbi of the Golders Green and Marble Arch synagogues. He is currently Visiting Professor of Theology at King’s College London. Sacks has been Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth since 1991, and was made a peer of the realm in 2009; therefore, his present title is Chief Rabbi Lord Sacks. He is a frequent contributor to radio, television, and the national press in the UK. He regularly delivers BBC Radio 4’s “Thought for the Day,” writes a monthly “Credo” column for The Times, and broadcasts an annual Rosh Hashanah message on the BBC. He has written 24 books, and has engaged in public debate with “New Atheist” author Richard Dawkins and others. Sacks delivered the 2008 Gifford Lectures, entitled “Why Does Faith Survive?”

Books: The Dignity of Difference: How to Avoid the Clash of Civilizations (Continuum, 2002); To Heal a Fractured World: The Ethics of Responsibility (Schocken, 2005); Covenant and Conversation: A Weekly Reading of the Jewish Bible (Genesis) (Koren Publishers, 2009); The Great Partnership: Science, Religion, and the Search for Meaning (Schocken, 2012)

Home Page: Office of the Chief Rabbi

Henry F. Schaefer, III (b. 1944)

Schaefer was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and was partly raised in Syracuse, New York, and Menlo Park, California, as well. He earned his bachelor’s degree in chemical physics from MIT in 1966, and his PhD in the same subject from Stanford University in 1969. He has taught at the University of California, Berkeley, the University of Texas at Austin, and, since 1987, the University of Georgia. As a visiting professor, he has taught at the University of Paris, the ETH Zurich, and the Australian National University. He served for many years as chair of the World Association of Theoretical and Computational Chemists. He is currently Graham Perdue Professor of Chemistry, and Director of the Center for Computational Chemistry there, as well as Professor of Chemistry Emeritus at UC, Berkeley. Schaefer, who is Protestant, has authored more than 1150 technical papers, and was for many years the sixth most-highly cited research chemist in the world. His work has centered on applying computational methods to problems in molecular quantum mechanics (quantum chemistry), a field he pioneered. The wide and varied body of work undertaken by his research group has employed highly accurate ab initio quantum-chemical computational techniques to throw light on the geometries, properties, and reactions of diverse chemical systems. Many of the group’s papers have accurately predicted experimental results, and not a few have forced reinterpretations of the findings of other well-known  investigators, such as, for example, the geometry of triplet methylene. In 2004, his work was the focus of a six-day international conference, which was convened in South Korea and attended by some 300 scientists from 35 countries. Schaefer is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Books: Applied Quantum Chemistry, co-editor (Springer, 1986); Quantum Chemistry: The Development of Ab Initio Methods in Molecular Electronic Structure Theory (Dover, 2004); Science and Christianity: Conflict or Coherence?, revised ed. (Apollos Trust, 2010)

Home Pages: University of Georgia, Department of Chemistry; Discovery Institute

Christoph Schönborn (b. 1945)

Schönborn was born Christoph Maria Michael Hugo Damian Peter Adalbert Graf von Schönborn, in Skalken Castle, near Leitmeritz (Litoměřice), in what is now the Czech Republic. His ancestors served the Catholic Church and the Holy Roman Empire for many centuries. At the end of World War II, some nine months after his birth, his family was forced to flee the Czech lands and resettle in Austria. There, the young man passed his Matura examination in 1963, and entered the Order of Preachers. He then studied philosophy, psychology, and theology at the University of Vienna, the Sorbonne, and the Catholic Institute of Paris, where he took a doctorate in sacred theology in 1974. He was ordained a priest in Vienna in 1970, and served as chaplain at the University of Graz, before taking up a professorship in dogmatics at the University of Fribourg, in Switzerland, which he held from 1975 until 1980.  In that year, Schönborn became a member of the International Theological Commission of the Holy See, and later worked as editorial secretary for the Catechism of the Catholic Church. In 1995, he was appointed the Archbishop of Vienna. He has also served as a member of a number of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the Congregation for Catholic Education, the Pontifical Council for Culture, and the Pontifical Commission for the Cultural Heritage of the Church. Schönborn, who is a prolific author and speaks six languages fluently, came to international attention in 2005 when he published an op-ed piece in the New York Times entitled “Finding Design in Nature,” in which he questioned the proposition that the materialist-reductionist view of life promoted by neo-Darwinian evolutionary theory is consistent with the Christian understanding of the human being.

Books: Introduction to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, co-author (Ignatius Press, 1994); From Death to Life: The Christian Journey (Ignatius Press, 1995); My Jesus: Encountering Christ in the Gospel (Ignatius Press, 2005); Chance or Purpose? Creation, Evolution, and a Rational Faith (Ignatius Press, 2007); With Jesus Every Day: How Believing Transforms Living (Crossroad Publishing, 2007); Jesus, the Divine Physician (Ignatius Press, 2008); Who Needs God?, co-author (Ignatius Press, 2009); The Joy of Being a Priest (Ignatius Press, 2010); God Sent His Son (Ignatius Press, 2010); Man, the Image of God (Ignatius Press, reprint ed., 2011)

Home Page: The Holy See

Aleksandr Sokurov (b. 1951)

Sokurov was born in Russia (then the USSR), in the village of Podvorikha, Irkutsk District, in Siberia. His father was a military officer, and the boy was raised in many places, from Poland to what is now Turkmenistan. In 1974, he took a bachelor’s degree in history from the University of Gorky (now Nizhny Novgorod). While at Gorky, he obtained wide experience in film and television broadcasting technology and production. In 1975, he entered the All-Union Cinematography Institute (VGIK), in the production department, on an Eisenstein Scholarship. His graduation project and first feature film, The Lonely Voice of Man (1978), was rejected on grounds of “formalist” and “anti-Soviet” tendencies. Nevertheless, thanks to the intervention of master filmmaker, Andrei Tarkovsky, Sokurov was able to find work with Lenfilm Studio in 1980. However, none of his films was able to be screened publicly until Mikhail Gorbachev’s democratic reforms began to be implemented in the late 1980s. To date, Sokurov, who is Russian Orthodox, has made 17 feature films, and 29 documentaries—though this classification is somewhat arbitrary, as many of his best films are unclassifiable evocations of times, places, and states of consciousness. Thus, two of his greatest masterpieces, Mother and Son and Oriental Elegy (both from 1996), are officially accounted a feature film and a documentary, respectively, though both films are best described as poetic meditations on life, death, and the meaning of human existence. He is also known for his technical innovations, including the single, uninterrupted 99-minute take that comprises his breathtaking evocation of Russian history, Russian Ark (2002). A perennial also-ran at Cannes, he finally won his first major international award—the Golden Lion—at the 2011 Venice Film Festival, for his latest work, Faust. In the minds of many who take film seriously as an art form, Sokurov is the world’s greatest living filmmaker.

Films: The Second Circle (1990); Mother and Son (1996); Oriental Elegy (1996); A Humble Life (1998); Moloch (1999); Elegy of a Voyage (2001); Taurus (2001); Russian Ark (2002); Father and Son (2003); The Sun (2005); Alexandra (2007); Faust (2011) [dates are those of shooting, not necessarily of release in the West]

Home Page: The Island of Sokurov

John Suppe (b. 1943)

Suppe earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Riverdale, in 1965, and his PhD in structural geology from Yale University in 1969. After graduating, he worked for two years at UCLA on a postdoc, before taking up a position at Princeton University, where he taught until his retirement. Over the years, he has held visiting professorships at Cal-Tech, the University of Barcelona, in Spain, Nanjing University, in China, and Taiwan National University. After attaining the status of Blair Professor of Geosciences Emeritus at Princeton, he moved to Taiwan National University, where he is currently Distinguished Chair Research Professor. Suppe, who is Protestant, is the author of a successful textbook, Principles of Structural Geology, and has contributed to four other technical volumes. He is probably best known for his work on tectonics—more particularly, on “fault-related folding” theories—to which subject he has contributed the classic paper, “Geometry and Kinematics of Fault-Bend Folding” (1983). Suppe, a member of the National Academy of Sciences, acted as a consultant for NASA on the interpretation of images from the Magellan mission to Venus. He has also published his “Thoughts on the Epistemology of Christianity in Light of Science.”

Books: Principles of Structural Geology (Prentice-Hall, 1984); Processes in Continental Lithospheric Deformation, co-author (Geological Society of America, 1988); Balanced Geological Cross-Sections: An Essential Technique in Geological Research and Explanation, co-author (American Geophysical Union, 1989); Seismic Interpretation of Contractional Fault-Related Folds, co-editor (American Association of Petroleum Geologists, 2004)

Home Pages: National Taiwan University, Geosciences Department, Suppe Group; Princeton University, Structural Geology Group

Richard Swinburne (b. 1934)

Swinburne was born in Smethwick, Staffordshire, in the English Midlands. He entered Exeter College, Oxford, on a scholarship to study Classics, but graduated with a BA in Politics, Philosophy, and Economics. Afterwards, he read for a BPhil in Philosophy, and took a Diploma in Theology, also from Oxford, in 1960. For much of his career, he taught at Keele University. From 1985 until his retirement in 2002, he taught at Oxford University, where he is currently Emeritus Nolloth Professor of the Philosophy of the Christian Religion. His career has focused on deploying modal and other technical arguments within the tradition of analytic philosophy to establish the rationality of belief in a personal deity (theism), in general, and in the Christian religion, in particular. Perhaps his most influential book has been The Coherence of Theism (1977). Raised an Anglican, Swinburne converted to Eastern Orthodoxy in 1996. Most of his many volumes—he has published a weighty new work every two to three years throughout his career—have been highly technical in character, but he has also published books for a general audience, notably Is There a God?, which has been translated into 22 languages. His 1984–1986 Gifford Lectures were published as The Evolution of the Soul.

Books: The Concept of Miracle (St. Martin’s Press, 1970); The Coherence of Theism (Oxford UP, 1977); The Existence of God (Oxford UP, 1979; 2nd ed., 2004); Faith and Reason (Oxford UP, 1981; 2nd ed., 2005); Personal Identity, co-author (Blackwell, 1984); The Evolution of the Soul (Oxford UP, 1986); Revelation: From Metaphor to Analogy (Oxford UP, 1991; 2nd ed., 2007); The Christian God (Oxford UP, 1994); Is There a God? (Oxford UP, 1996); The Resurrection of God Incarnate (Oxford UP, 2003); Was Jesus God? (Oxford UP, 2008); Free Will and Modern Science, editor (Oxford UP, 2012); Mind, Brain, and Free Will (Oxford UP, 2013)

Home Page: Oxford University, Faculty of Philosophy

Charles M. Taylor (b. 1931)

Taylor was born in Montreal. He received his early education there, taking his bachelor’s degree in history from McGill University in 1952. He attended Oxford University on a Rhodes Scholarship, taking a BA in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics from Balliol College in 1955, and then a DPhil in 1961, under the supervision of Isaiah Berlin and G.E.M. Anscombe. Upon graduation, he taught for a while at McGill, before returning to Oxford, where he became a Fellow of All Souls College and Chichele Professor of Social and Political Theory at Oxford. Later, he returned to McGill, where he is currently Professor Emeritus of Philosophy and of Political Science. After retiring from McGill, he also taught law and philosophy for several years at Northwestern University. Taylor, who is Catholic, is known for two different sorts of contributions to philosophy. The first, emphasized in his earlier work, is a profound critique of scientism and defense of human agency, based on a masterly synthesis of Continental and analytic insights and modes of reasoning. The second is his effort to clarify our contemporary intellectual and spiritual predicament, both through a delineation of the historical construction of the modern secular identity and through the systematic development of a political framework sensitive both to the fact of cultural pluralism and the demands of religion and morality. In 2007, Taylor won the Templeton Prize, and in 1998–1999, he delivered the Gifford Lectures. The latter formed the inspiration for his recent magnus opus, A Secular Age.

Books: The Explanation of Behaviour (Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1964); Hegel (Cambridge UP, 1975); Human Agency and Language, Philosophical Papers, Vol. 1 (Cambridge UP, 1985); Philosophy and the Human Sciences, Philosophical Papers, Vol. 2 (Cambridge UP, 1985); Sources of the Self: The Making of the Modern Identity (Harvard UP, 1989); The Ethics of Authenticity (Harvard UP, 1992); Multiculturalism: Examining the Politics of Recognition, co-author (Princeton UP, 1994); Philosophical Arguments (Harvard UP, 1995); A Catholic Modernity?, co-author (Oxford UP, 1999); Varieties of Religion Today (Harvard UP, 2002); Modern Social Imaginaries (Duke UP, 2003); A Secular Age (Harvard UP, 2007); Dilemmas and Connections: Selected Essays (Harvard UP, 2011)

Home Page: McGill University, Philosophy

James M. Tour (b. 1959)

Tour was born in New York City. He received his bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Syracuse University, and his Ph.D. in synthetic organic and organometallic chemistry from Purdue University in 1986. After postdocs at Wisconsin and Stanford, Tour joined the faculty of the University of South Carolina. Since 1999, he has been the T.T. and W.F. Chao Professor of Chemistry at Rice University, in Houston, Texas, where he has a joint appointment with the Smalley Institute for Nanoscale Science and Technology. In 2004, he co-founded NanoComposites, Inc. Tour, who is an Evangelical Protestant, has also written on the problem of terrorists’ obtaining chemical weapons and has done consulting work for the Commerce Department. The Tour Group at Rice is best known for its work on molecular electronics and switching molecules. The numerous applications deriving from this work include carbon nanovectors for medical applications, green carbon research for environmentally friendly oil and gas extraction, graphene electronics and photovoltaics, chemical self-assembly, and synthesis of single-molecule nanomachines. Among the latter, the Tour Group’s best-known creation is the “nanocar,” an  H-shaped alkyne chassis with fullerene groups acting as wheels at the four corners. Powered by thermal energy, the nanocar is capable of rolling about freely on a metallic surface. Tour is widely acknowledged to be one of the most distinguished nanotechnology researchers in the world.

Books: Molecular Electronics: Commercial Insights, Chemistry, Devices, Architecture, and Programming (World Scientific, 2003)

Home Page: Rice University, James M. Tour Group

Bas C. van Fraassen (b. 1941)

Van Fraassen was born in the town of Goes, in the southwest corner of the Netherlands. His family emigrated to Canada in 1956. He earned his bachelor’s degree in philosophy from the University of Alberta in 1963, and his PhD, under the direction of Adolf Grünbaum, from the University of Pittsburgh in 1966. He has taught at Yale University, the University of Toronto, the University of Southern California, and, since 1982, at Princeton University, where he is now McCosh Professor of Philosophy Emeritus. In 2008, he retired from Princeton, and now teaches at San Francisco State University, where he is Distinguished Professor of Philosophy. He has been very active professionally, serving as editor of the Journal of Philosophical Logic and co-editor of the Journal of Symbolic Logic. Van Fraassen’s efforts to rethink the foundations of epistemology in light of modern science (especially quantum mechanics)—resulting in what he calls “the empirical stance”—have been widely influential. Many would account him the most distinguished living philosopher of science. He has also concerned himself with the relation between science and society, and in 1997, he co-founded the Kira Institute, dedicated to promoting the idea that a synthesis between universality (as in science) and personal involvement holds the key for developing a framework within which to confront the problems facing our society in the 21st century. Van Fraassen, who is Catholic, has also published a number of short stories.

Books: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Space and Time (Random House, 1970); The Scientific Image (Oxford UP, 1980); Laws and Symmetry (Oxford UP, 1980); Quantum Mechanics: An Empiricist View (Oxford UP, 1991); The Empirical Stance (Yale UP, 2002); Possibilities and Paradox: An Introduction to Modal and Many-Valued Logic, co-author (Oxford UP, 2003);  Scientific Representation: Paradoxes of Perspective (Oxford UP, 2008)

Home Pages: Princeton University; San Francisco State University, Department of Philosophy

Jean Vanier (b. 1928)

Vanier was born in Geneva, where his father was serving as a Canadian diplomat. He was educated in the UK and Canada. During World War II, he served with both the Royal Navy and the Royal Canadian Navy. In 1950, he traveled to Paris to continue his studies, and completed a PhD at the Institut Catholique de Paris, with a dissertation on Aristotle. Afterwards, he taught philosophy for a time at the University of Toronto. Feeling a lack of meaning in his life, Vanier returned to France, and settled in the village of Trosly-Breuil, Oise, northeast of Paris. In 1964, Vanier invited two developmentally disabled men to share his home, which he had named “L’Arche” (the Ark). This new way of sharing life together in community with people who would otherwise be shut away in institutions soon attracted many young people. From its modest beginnings, L’Arche has grown into an international movement which today comprises 130 communities in 30 countries on six continents. In 1971, together with Marie-Hélène Mathieu, Vanier founded an advocacy forum for families and friends of the intellectually disabled, called “Faith and Light.” He stepped down from his leadership responsibilities in these organizations in the late 1990s, though he still makes his home in the original L’Arche community in Trosly-Breuil. Traveling widely, visiting established L’Arche communities and encouraging projects for new ones, lecturing, and leading retreats, he has become a world leader in consciousness-raising about the suffering of all who are marginalized. Vanier, who is Catholic, is also a prolific author who has written some 30 books.

Books: Be Not Afraid (Paulist Press, 1975); From Brokenness to Community (Paulist Press, 1992); Jesus, the Gift of Love (Crossroad Publishing, 1994); The Heart of L’Arche (Crossroad Publishing, 1995); The Broken Body: Journey to Wholeness (Darton, Longman, & Todd, 1999); Becoming Human (Paulist Press, 1999; 2nd ed., 2008); Seeing Beyond Depression (Paulist Press, 2001); Drawn into the Mystery of Jesus through the Gospel of John (Paulist Press, 2004); Befriending the Stranger (Darton, Longman, & Todd, 2005); Community and Growth (Darton, Longman, & Todd, 2006); Encountering “the Other” (Paulist Press, 2006); Living Gently in a Violent World, co-author (IVP Books, 2008); Man and Woman, God Made Them (Paulist Press, 2008); Happiness: A Guide to a Good Life; Aristotle for the New Century (Arcade Publishing, 2012)

Home Page: L’Arche-Canada

Peter van Inwagen (b. 1942)

Van Inwagen received his bachelor’s degree from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1965, and his Ph.D. in philosophy from the University of Rochester, where he studied under Richard Taylor,  in 1969. He taught philosophy at the University of Syracuse for 24 years. Since 1995, he has taught at the University of Notre Dame, where he is currently John Cardinal O’Hara Professor of Philosophy. Van Inwagen’s arguments against the coherence of compatibilism have contributed significantly to the interest and acceptance of libertarian free will in contemporary English-language analytic philosophy. He delivered the 2002 Gifford Lectures, which were published as The Problem of Evil. In addition to the problems of evil and free will, he also works on many other areas of philosophical theology and fundamental ontology. A new book, Existence: Essay in Ontology, is forthcoming from Cambridge University Press. Van Inwagen is an adult convert to Christianity (he is an Episcopalian), an event movingly described in his essay, “Quam dilecta.” He is a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Books: Time and Cause, editor (Springer, 1980); An Essay on Free Will (Oxford UP, 1983); Metaphysics (Westview Press, 1993; 3rd ed., 2008); God, Knowledge, and Mystery: Essays in Philosophical Theology (Cornell UP, 1995); Material Beings (Cornell UP, 1995); The Possibility of Resurrection and Other Essays in Christian Apologetics (Westview Press, 1997); Ontology, Identity, and Modality: Essays in Metaphysics (Cambridge UP, 2001); Christian Faith and the Problem of Evil (Eerdmans, 2004); The Problem of Evil (Oxford UP, 2006); Persons: Human and Divine, co-editor (Oxford UP, 2007)

Home Page: University of Notre Dame, Department of Philosophy

Nicholas P. Wolterstorff (b. 1932)

Wolterstorff was born into a family of Dutch immigrants in Bigelow, Minnesota, a small farming community in the southwest corner of the state, on the Iowa border. He obtained his bachelor’s degree in philosophy from Calvin College, in Grand Rapids, Michigan, in 1953, and his PhD from Harvard, in 1956. After a year at Cambridge University, where he studied with C.D. Broad, he returned to the US and took up his first teaching position, at Yale. After two years, he moved back to Calvin College, where he was Professor of Philosophy from 1959 until 1989. He has also taught as a visiting professor at the Free University of Amsterdam, the University of Notre Dame, the University of Virginia, and elsewhere. In 1978, with Alvin Plantinga and others, Wolterstorff co-founded the Society of Christian Philosophers, as well as its journal, Faith and Philosophy. He is also a past President of the American Philosophical Association (Central Division). Since 1989, he has taught at Yale University, where he is currently the Noah Porter Professor Emeritus of Philosophical Theology. He is also a Senior Fellow with the Institute for Advanced Study in Culture, at the University of Virginia. His work has ranged very widely, from philosophical theology, to epistemology, to political theory, to aesthetics. Wolterstorff, who is a member of the Christian Reformed Church, delivered the 1995 Gifford Lectures, subsequently published as Thomas Reid and the Story of Epistemology.

Books: On Universals: An Essay in Ontology (University of Chicago Press, 1970); Reason within the Bounds of Religion (Eerdmans, 1976; 2nd ed., 1984); Faith and Rationality: Reason and Belief in God, co-editor (University of Notre Dame Press, 1983); Until Justice and Peace Embrace (Eerdmans, 1983); Rationality in the Calvinian Tradition, co-editor (University Press of America, 1984; reprinted, Wipf & Stock, 2011); Lament for a Son (Eerdmans, 1987); Art in Action: Towards a Christian Aesthetic (Eerdmans, 1987); Divine Discourse: Philosophical Reflections on the Claim That God Speaks (Cambridge UP, 1995);  Religion in the Public Square, co-author (Rowman & Littlefield, 1996); John Locke and the Ethics of Belief (Cambridge UP, 1996); Thomas Reid and the Story of Epistemology (Cambridge UP, 2000); Justice: Rights and Wrongs (Princeton UP, 2007); Inquiring about God: Selected Essays, Vol. 1 (Cambridge UP, 2010); Practices of Belief: Selected Essays, Vol. 2 (Cambridge UP, 2010); Justice in Love (Eerdmans, 2011); Hearing the Call: Liturgy, Justice, Church, and World (Eerdmans, 2011); Understanding Liberal Democracy: Essays in Political Philosophy (Oxford UK, 2012); The Mighty and the Almighty: An Essay in Political Theology (Cambridge UP, 2012)

Home Pages: Yale University, Department of Religious Studies; University of Virginia, Institute for Advanced Studies in Culture

Nicholas Thomas (“N.T.”) Wright (b. 1948)

Wright was born in Morpeth, in Northumberland, UK. He studied Classics at Exeter College, Oxford. He then trained for the ministry at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford, where he earned a first-class honors degree in theology in 1973, and a master’s degree in 1975. The following year, he was ordained a priest of the Church of England. From 1975 to 1978, Wright was a Junior Research Fellow and College Tutor in Theology in Merton College, Oxford, later becoming Junior Chaplain and Acting Lecturer in Theology. From 1978 to 1981, he was a Fellow and Chaplain at Downing College, Cambridge, and College Tutor in Theology. He received his Doctor of Divinity degree from Oxford in 1981. He then taught for a time at McGill University, in Montreal, Canada. In 1986, he returned to Oxford, where for several years he was Lecturer in New Testament Studies and Fellow, Tutor, and Chaplain of Worcester College. From 1994 until 1999, he was Dean of Lichfield, and from 2000 to 2003, Canon Theologian of Westminster. In 2003, he was consecrated Bishop of Durham, one of the highest positions in the Church of England. He retired from that post  in 2010 to become Research Professor of New Testament and Early Christianity at the University of St Andrews, in Scotland. Wright is one of the world’s leading biblical scholars, a prolific author, and a gifted musician, who has composed librettos for sacred musical works.

Books: The Climax of the Covenant: Christ and the Law in Pauline Theology (Fortress, 1992); Following Jesus: Biblical Reflections on Discipleship (Eerdmans, 1995); Jesus and the Victory of God (SPCK Publishing, 1996); The New Testament and the People of God (SPCK Publishing, 1996); What Saint Paul Really Said (Eerdmans, 1997); The Challenge of Jesus: Rediscovering Who Jesus Was and Is (IVP Books, 2000); The Resurrection of the Son of God (Augsburg Fortress, 2003); Paul: In Fresh Perspective (Fortress Press, 2006); Surprised by Hope: Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection, and the Mission of the Church (HarperOne, 2008); Justification: God’s Plan and Paul’s Vision (IVP Books, 2009); After You Believe: Why Christian Character Matters (HarperOne, 2010); Simply Christian: Why Christianity Makes Sense (HarperOne, 2010); Simply Jesus: A New Vision of Who He Was, What He Did, and Why He Matters (HarperOne, 2011); Scripture and the Authority of God: How to Read the Bible Today (HarperOne, 2011); The Kingdom New Testament (HarperOne, 2011); How God Became King: The Forgotten Story of the Gospels (HarperOne, 2012)

Home Page: University of St Andrews, School of Divinity

Krzysztof Zanussi (b. 1939)

Zanussi was born in Warsaw, Poland. He studied physics at Warsaw University and philosophy at the Jagiellonian University in Cracow.  He graduated from the famous Łódź Film Academy in 1966. His diploma film, Death of a Provincial (1966), won awards in Venice, Mannheim, Valladolid, and Moscow in 1967. Since 1980, he has been Director of the Polish Film Studio TOR. He also teaches at the European Graduate School in Saas-Fee, Switzerland, where he conducts a summer workshop, as well as at the Silesian University in Katowice, Poland. Zanussi has lectured at numerous universities in Europe and North America, including Cambridge, Columbia, Rice, and Yale. Together with his close friend and collaborator, the late Krzysztof Kieślowski, he was one of the most prominent members of the Polish “Cinema of Moral Anxiety” movement of the 1970s and 1980s. This movement sought to find a middle path between the moribund Communist cinema of the East and the superficial commercial cinema of the West, in a cinema combining aesthetic autonomy with probing moral seriousness. The film for which Zanussi—who has directed some 78 titles in all—is probably best known abroad is his mid-career masterwork, A Year of the Quiet Sun. Another masterpiece is the television series, Weekend Stories, which may be compared, with respect to psychological subtlety and emotional power, to Kieślowski’s Decalogue. Perhaps thanks to his scientific training, Zanussi, who is Catholic, often takes the spiritual emptiness of modern man as his theme, working against the backdrop of the struggle between the competing visions of traditional religion and modern science regarding the meaning of human existence. He has also published several as-yet-untranslated essays on the cinema, as well as a volume of memoirs.

Films: The Structure of Crystal (1968); Family Life (1970); Illumination (1973); A Woman’s Decision (1975); Camouflage [Protective Colors] (1977); Spiral (1978); A Year of the Quiet Sun (1984); Life for Life (1990); The Silent Touch [Touching Hands] (1992); In Full Gallop [The Horse] (1996); Weekend Stories (1996);  Life as a Fatal Sexually Transmitted Disease (2000); Persona Non Grata (2005); Black Sun (2007); And a Warm Heart (2008); Revisited (2009)

Home Page: European Graduate School

The in-demand careers in our list don’t require a graduate degree, although for some of these high-demand careers a master’s degree may be helpful for some of the positions.

We had numerous top careers to choose from. We selected in-demand occupations which don’t inspire people to watch the clock, and which also have excellent employment growth forecasts from 2010 to 2020.

All of our employment projections and income statistics come from the redoubtable Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Employment growth forecasts cover the period from 2010–2020, while median salary figures are from 2011.

So, which jobs are in demand?

In alphabetical order, here’s our list of 10 rewarding, in-demand careers:

ACTUARY

What they do: Actuaries gather and evaluate facts to calculate the financial costs of risks. They build mathematical models to put a price tag on future risks.

Since they spend a lot of time working with numbers, they need an understanding of probability, statistics, and risk analysis.

Many actuaries work in the insurance industry. They decide how much to charge for insurance, or decide how much money to set aside to pay outstanding insurance claims.

Education requirements: Many actuaries have an undergraduate degree in mathematics, statistics, actuarial science, or business. Some employers hire people with a liberal arts degree who show a high mathematical aptitude.

Actuaries need to take required courses for professional certification, including applied statistics, economics, and corporate finance. Helpful courses include courses in computer science, particularly programming languages. They also need the skills to develop and use spreadsheets, statistical analysis tools, and databases.

The occupation requires continual education. To achieve professional status, actuaries need to pass a series of examinations provided by the Casualty Actuarial Society or the Society of Actuaries. Both societies offer associate and fellowship certification.

Median salary: $103,000

Employment growth: 27%, faster than the average for all occupations

The BLS expects consulting services to have the largest employment growth for actuaries—58%—due to the demand from insurance companies for contract work, and to companies seeking help with evaluating and managing employee benefit plans. For the insurance industry itself, 25% employment growth for actuaries is forecast.

More industries are expected to use the services of consulting actuaries to evaluate risks across all business areas, a practice known as “enterprise risk management.” Those who have passed at least one actuarial exam and completed an internship while attending college should have the best prospects for entry-level jobs.

BIOMEDICAL ENGINEER

What they do: Biomedical engineers are involved with engineering for life. Biomedical engineers improve and save peoples’ lives throughout the world via an array of innovations. They work in the worlds of biology, healthcare, and engineering. Some biomedical engineers use their expertise in electrical, mechanical, and chemical engineering to solve healthcare and biology problems.

Biomedical engineers help create items such as prosthetic limbs, artificial organs, cardiac devices. and a variety of medical instruments. Some biomedical engineers are involved in areas such as arthroscopic surgery, tissue engineering, stem cell research, surgeries performed by robots, nanotechnology, and synthetic drugs.

Biomedical engineers often work in teams with doctors, nurses, technicians, medical scientists, medical researchers, manufacturing representatives, and others. Many biomedical engineers work for biotech companies, pharmaceutical companies, and research labs.

Education requirements: Some biomedical engineers have a bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering; however, many have an engineering degree in areas such as chemical and mechanical engineering.

Some biomedical engineers with an engineering degree in a field other than biomedical engineering obtain a graduate degree in biomedical engineering or receive on-the-job training in biomedical engineering.

Many undergraduate biomedical engineering programs require students to choose a track such as bioelectrical, biochemical, biomechanics, or biomaterials.

Median salary: $88,360

Employment growth: 62%, much faster than the average for all occupations

The BLS expects that rapid changes in technology will continue to create new areas for biomedical engineers to work in.

CARDIOVASCULAR TECHNOLOGIST

What they do: Cardiovascular technologists test and treat patients for heart, lung, and blood problems. Working with sophisticated lab equipment, they have the opportunity to specialize in invasive or noninvasive cardiovascular technology.

Most cardiovascular technologists work in invasive health labs or medical surgical intensive care units. They help other healthcare professionals perform heart surgeries and studies.

Many noninvasive cardiovascular technologists work in cardiologists’ offices, in cardiac rehabilitation centers, or for a hospital or health insurance agency.

Education requirements: Most cardiovascular technologists have an associate’s degree. Some schools offer a bachelor’s degree in the subject, while others provide a one-year certificate program.

Some cardiovascular technologists first obtain an associate’s or a bachelor’s degree in radiologic technology or nursing, and then receive on-the-job training. A certificate is not required for the occupation; however, many employers prefer to hire certified technologists.

Median salary: $52,160

Employment growth: 29%, much faster than the average for all occupations

Those with multiple professional credentials, along with the required training to perform a wide array of procedures, have the best job opportunities.

COMPUTER SYSTEMS ANALYST

What they do: Computer systems analysts design and develop computer systems; however, they typically wear a lot of hats, from selecting and configuring software and hardware and monitoring and testing the system in operation, to troubleshooting problems and matching technology to the needs of users.

Computer systems analysts provide systems requirements to software developers and network architects. They also consult with managers and users to establish system objectives, and develop cost-benefit analyses to ensure the technology is financially feasible.

Computer systems analysts need to understand how systems interact, but they don’t have to understand the core of all the technologies involved. They need to know how information flows through the system, and they must understand the business field they’re working in.

For example, an employer at a hospital may seek a computer systems analyst who has completed courses in health management, or has a background in health management.

Education requirements: Most computer systems analysts have a bachelor’s degree in computer science or information science. Some companies hire people with a business or liberal arts degree who can write computer programs. To deal with the business aspects of a company, some computer systems analysts major in information systems management.

Some positions require a master’s degree, such as an MBA with a concentration in information systems. Some computer systems analysts only have an associate’s degree, along with experience in a related occupation.

Median salary: $82,320

Employment growth: 22%, faster than the average for all occupations

People with a business background may have better job prospects because the occupation often requires knowledge of a company’s business needs.

COST ESTIMATOR

What they do: Cost estimators decide how much a project will cost, in order to help a company decide if they should manufacture a product or build a structure. They evaluate all the factors which can change the cost of a project, including labor, supplies, special equipment, and location.

Cost estimators decide which jobs are making a profit. They also estimate how long it will take workers to complete tasks. They estimate delays which may occur due to bad weather or late deliveries. Over 60% of cost estimators work in the construction industry; the rest work in a broad range of other industries.

Education requirements: Most cost estimator positions require a bachelor’s degree. They need a strong background in mathematics.

Construction cost estimators generally need a bachelor’s degree in an industry-related field, such as building science or construction management. Some construction workers with a lot of experience and analytical abilities may qualify for a cost estimator job without a bachelor’s degree.

Cost estimators working in manufacturing typically need a bachelor’s degree in engineering, mathematics, physical sciences, statistics, or mathematics. Some employers seek candidates with backgrounds in business-related disciplines such as economics, finance, accounting, or business.

Median salary: $62,670

Employment growth: 36%, much faster than the average for all occupations

The BLS expects the demand for cost estimators to remain strong due to companies seeking more accurate cost projections, as well as more cost-effective products and services.

HEALTHCARE MANAGER

What they do: Healthcare managers plan and oversee medical and health services, as well as the financing and delivery of healthcare. They also evaluate the need for services, personnel, and equipment. In addition, healthcare managers make sure a healthcare facility adheres to government regulations.

Healthcare managers at small facilities typically oversee the entire facility, whereas health care managers at large healthcare institutions usually specialize in managing a particular clinical area or department. Some healthcare managers oversee a medical practice for a group of doctors.

Education requirements: Healthcare managers typically need at least a bachelor’s degree, often in Health Administration. Many healthcare managers have a Master’s degree in Health Services, Public Health, Long-Term Care Administration, Business Administration, or Public Administration.

Median salary: $86,400

Employment growth: 22%, faster than the average for all occupations

The BLS reports that there will likely be an increase in demand for nursing care facility administrators due to the aging baby-boomer population. The demand for medical group practice managers is forecast to increase, as medical group practices become larger and more complex.

NETWORK ADMINISTRATOR

What they do: Network administrators plan, build, upgrade, and maintain computer networks, as well as keeping them secure. They ensure that vital servers and other types of equipment and applications work almost 100% of the time. They also might deal with emergencies on vital projects.

Network administrators install and support computers and their operating systems, and oversee the operation of a company’s computer networks, including local area networks (LANs), network segments, wide area networks (WANs), intranets, and other data communication systems. Network administrators typically do a lot of planning, involving anything from new branches/buildings, to desktop installations, to servers.

Network administrators install and support Web servers and software used for the Internet. They also install and maintain software and hardware.

Network administrators working for a small company may take care of practically everything related to IT, whereas those working for a large company may only manage and administer routers and switches.

Education requirements: A lot of network administrators have a bachelor’s degree in a field related to computers or information science. Some network administrator positions require only an associate’s degree or a post-secondary certificate in a computer field, along with related work experience. Also, certification programs are generally offered by software companies and product vendors.

Median salary: $70,970

Employment growth: 28%, faster than the average for all occupations

The BLS expects demand for network and computer systems administrators to continue to grow, as companies invest in newer, faster technology and mobile networks.

According to the BLS, individuals with a bachelor’s degree in computer science who stay current in the latest technology should have the best job prospects.

PHYSICAL THERAPIST ASSISTANT

What they do: Physical therapist assistants help patients regain physical function after an injury or illness. They strive to limit or prevent permanent disabilities in patients who have been injured or ill.

Physical therapy assistants provide many types of treatments, after consulting with a physical therapist. Most of the treatments they provide improve the function of joints and muscles and reduce pain. They also perform clerical tasks.

Physical therapy assistants help patients with arthritis, low-back pain, broken bones, heart disease, and other problems. They also help accident victims.

Education requirements: Most states require physical therapist assistants to obtain an associate’s degree from an accredited physical therapist program.

Median salary: $51,110

Employment growth: 46%, much faster than the average for all occupations

The BLS expects the demand for physical therapy services to growth due to the health needs of an aging population, especially the large baby-boom generation.

Physical therapists are expected to increasingly use assistants to lower the cost of physical therapy services. Physical therapists can manage more patients with help from physical therapist assistants.

The BLS expects job opportunities to be best in acute hospital, orthopedic, and skilled nursing settings, where senior citizens are most often treated.

REGISTERED NURSE

What they do: Nursing is a diverse and rewarding occupation, which combines compassion with health technology. Registered nurses evaluate, diagnose, and treat patients, and promote health. They help patients meet their basic health needs, recover from illness, and adapt to physical changes. Public health nurses strive to improve the overall health of communities.

Registered nurses work in hospitals, clinics, corporations, and in private practice. Those working in hospitals are typically assigned to a particular area, such as surgery.

Education requirements: Registered nurses typically follow one of three paths: A bachelor’s degree in nursing, an associate’s degree in nursing, or a diploma from an approved nursing program.

Many registered nurses (RNs) with an associate’s degree in nursing or a diploma first obtain an entry-level job and then receive tuition reimbursement to obtain a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) by completing an RN-to-BSN program.

Some schools offer a master of science in nursing (MSN) degree program, a combined bachelor’s/master’s degree program, and/or a program for people who seek to enter the nursing profession who have a bachelor’s degree in another field.

Nurses must be licensed. They are required by law to pass the national Certification Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX), after graduating from an accredited nursing program, in order to be officially registered.

Median salary: $69,110

Employment growth: 26%, faster than the average for all occupations

The BLS expects a much faster-than-average employment growth rate for registered nurses in outpatient care centers. Registered nurses with a bachelor’s degree in nursing (BSN) will have better job prospects than nurses without one.

The BLS expects a high demand for advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs), including clinical nurse specialists, nurse-midwives, nurse anesthetists, and nurse practitioners.

SOFTWARE DEVELOPER

What they do: Software developers are the creative people who design, develop, test, and maintain software. Software developers evaluate the needs of a company, create a solution, and then design or customize software. They also write software code.

Some software developers create the systems which control networks and run devices and others create applications that let users perform specific tasks on a computer or other devices.

Some software developers work on their own; however, they often coordinate the work of a team, including the production of software products, and the selection of content providers and graphic creators. They also collaborate with computer programmers to coordinate the assembly, production, and distribution of the final product.

Education requirements: Software developers typically have a bachelor’s degree, usually in computer science, software engineering, or a related field. People interested in becoming a software developer should focus on classes related to building software.

Software developers should have a strong background in computer programming, as well as knowledge and skills related to the industry they’re working in.

Median salary: $100,420

Employment growth: 30%, much faster than the average for all occupations

There is an especially big demand for software developers who specialize in applications.