CORVALLIS, Ore. - Oregon State University has been recognized as a world-class center in agriculture and forestry, ranking ninth in an international survey.

The listing appeared in the QS World University Rankings of approximately 200 top institutions for agriculture and forestry worldwide in 2015.

"Our world ranking is a testament to the continued great work of our faculty and researchers," said Dan Arp, dean of OSU's College of Agricultural Sciences.

"We're excited about another top global ranking that recognizes the breadth and depth of our research and teaching, and our great partnership with the College of Agricultural Sciences," said Thomas Maness, dean of OSU's College of Forestry. "It's very satisfying to see the excellence of our faculty and students recognized internationally."

Published annually since 2011, the rankings take into account the number of citations for journal articles. They are also based on surveys sent to employers and academics, who are asked to list institutions they consider excellent for recruitment of graduates and research, respectively. Only eight other institutions in the world ranked above OSU, two of which tied for fifth.

Two of the universities on the list are international, thus OSU agriculture and forestry are ranked seventh in the U.S.

As the state's land-grant university, agricultural research and instruction are a vital component of OSU's mission. Its College of Agricultural Sciences is home to 13 departments, including animal and rangeland sciences, fisheries and wildlife, horticulture, crop and soil science, food science and technology, and environmental and molecular toxicology. Its faculty conduct agricultural research in Corvallis and at 15 other locations around the state, and they help Oregon's farmers and ranchers be successful.

During the 2013-14 academic year, 471 undergraduates and 100 graduate students received degrees from the college, said Penelope Diebel, assistant dean of academic programs.

Spread across three departments, OSU's College of Forestry offers seven undergraduate and four graduate degree programs, including forest engineering, renewable materials, wood science and engineering, natural resources, and recreation resource management. During the 2013-14 academic year, the college awarded more than 170 undergraduate and 50 graduate degrees. 

Source: 

Dan Arp, 541-737-2331;

Thomas Maness, 541-737-1585

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