Emory University Graduate Programs: A Comprehensive Overview

Emory University, a private research university located in Atlanta, Georgia, boasts a rich history and a commitment to academic excellence. Established in 1836, Emory has evolved into a leading institution with nine undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools. This article provides an overview of Emory's graduate programs, highlighting key aspects of the university and its offerings.

A Legacy of Academic Excellence

Originally named Emory College, the university was founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church and named in honor of Bishop John Emory. Throughout its history, Emory has been shaped by significant events, including the Civil War, during which the college served as a hospital and headquarters for the Union Army. The university's commitment to diversity and inclusion is evident in its transition to a coeducational institution in 1953 and its embrace of racial integration in 1962.

Emory's reputation has been further enhanced by its esteemed faculty and alumni, who include a vice president of the United States, two prime ministers, two Nobel Peace Prize laureates, and a United States Supreme Court Justice. The university's commitment to research is reflected in its membership in the Association of Research Libraries and its substantial funding from the National Institutes of Health.

Graduate Schools and Programs

Emory University comprises nine schools, each offering a range of graduate programs:

Emory College of Arts and Sciences: Offers Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) and Bachelor of Science (B.S) undergraduate academic degrees.
Goizueta Business School: This school is known for its business programs. Bloomberg Businessweek ranked Goizueta Business School's BBA Program ninth in the nation in 2014. The BBA program offers six area depths including accounting, analytic consulting, business and society, entrepreneurship, finance, information systems and operations management, international business, marketing, real estate, and strategy and management consulting.
Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing: Established in 1906 as the Wesley Memorial Hospital and Training School for Nurses.
Oxford College: Offers an associate degree (A.A.) in liberal arts.
Emory University School of Medicine: Founded in 1854 as the Atlanta Medical College.
Emory University School of Law: Known for particular strengths. Besides the fall semester, can enter in.
Rollins School of Public Health
Candler School of Theology: Established in 1914.
Laney Graduate School: Offers a top-tier graduate education with 40+ doctoral and master's programs. The school is home to a diverse community of graduate students who are driving innovation across the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. Students benefit from world-class faculty mentorship, cutting-edge research opportunities, and comprehensive career preparation for success in academia, industry, and public service.

The James T. Laney School of Graduate Studies

The James T. Laney School of Graduate Studies stands out as a hub for advanced learning and research. With over 40 doctoral and master's programs, Laney Graduate School fosters a diverse and dynamic environment for graduate students. Students benefit from mentorship by world-class faculty, access to cutting-edge research opportunities, and comprehensive career preparation.

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Master’s in Development Practice

The Master’s in Development Practice (MDP) at Emory University is a two-year program designed to prepare students for impactful careers in global development and humanitarian organizations. The curriculum combines rigorous academic coursework across disciplines with hands-on training in professional competencies, and students may develop certificates in chosen topics or skills by selecting elective courses. The program’s limited cohort size (12-16 students per cohort) enables collaborative learning and personalized mentoring by Emory faculty, development professionals and MDP alumni.

Students enjoy the opportunities and resources offered by a world class, highly ranked research university and benefit from Emory’s institutional linkages with prominent development organizations such as CARE, Carter Center and CDC. These partnerships enable students to practice the skills learned in the classroom in a real-life setting. Most Emory MDP students spend two summers contributing to design, implementation, and evaluation of projects in the Global South.

International field practicums are a cornerstone of the Emory MDP curriculum. Students are placed as “embedded practitioners” within humanitarian organizations in their projects in the Global South during each of the two summer terms that they are enrolled at Emory. They are expected to perform as professionals-in-training and produce high quality work, while building their own competencies and experiences. In addition to the summer field practicum abroad, Coverdell Fellows will enroll in an internship to complete a minimum of 170 hours of service with organizations that serve impoverished and/or socially disadvantaged communities in the United States. The MDP program will assist Fellows in identifying organizations whose work meets the Coverdell Fellows Program criteria. Fellows (and other enrolled students) receive funding to support two 8-10 week summer field practicum in the Global South or the United States.

As a practice-oriented program, Emory MDP intentionally emphasizes job-readiness. It provides professional development support during the two years of the program and after graduation. Emory MDP graduates have an 96% rate of employment in relevant fields after graduation (a few move on to PhD programs). MDP alums have a track record of advancing very rapidly in their careers after their first job, demonstrating the relevance and value of the training and experiences provided by Emory MDP.

Computer Science Master's Program

The Emory Computer Science Department offers a Master of Science degree in Computer Science. The Emory Computer Science Master's program (CS MS) builds on strengths and recent growth in data-oriented areas of computer science. Areas of emphasis include Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Natural Language Processing, Data Mining, Bio/Health Informatics, High-End Computing, Theory, and Systems. Most of these specializations are available through a choice of coursework. Application areas of interest to program faculty include healthcare and health sciences, social sciences, and humanities. The Emory Computer Science MS program educates students from various disciplines in advanced computing concepts, practical problem-solving, and applications of computational methods.

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For the MS degree, students are required to take 3 core courses and 4 concentration electives, which could be structured to focus primarily on their chosen concentration (depth), or from multiple areas (breadth). They are also required to take 9 credits to fulfill either the thesis, project, or coursework track. Students are required to complete a practicum related to their course of study (see practicum details in the MS program requirements). The academic coursework for an MS is expected to be completed within 2 years.

Admission and Rankings

Emory University is considered highly selective. In 2022, Emory University received 33,517 applications and had a 9% regular decision admission rate and a 10.6% overall admission rate. Emory University is consistently ranked among the top universities in the United States. U.S. News & World Report consistently places Emory among the top national universities.

Rankings Overview

Academic Ranking of World Universities: 101
World University Rankings: 102
QS World University Rankings: 182
News & World Report (Best Global Universities Rankings): 63

Campus Life and Resources

Emory's main campus, located in the Druid Hills neighborhood of Atlanta, is renowned for its beautiful architecture and green spaces. The university offers a wide range of resources to support student success, including:

Library Services: The Emory University library system includes over 3.9 million print and electronic volumes and 83,000-plus electronic journals. The Rose Library contains rare materials relating to literature, African American history and culture, and Southern and Georgia history.
ICT Services: Campus technology resources include the Emory Center for Digital Scholarship, Emerson Center for Scientific Computation, Emory College Language Center, Emory Libraries, Emory Mobile, and Emory Wi-Fi network.
Student Services: The Center for Student Success Programs and Services assists students and their families on an ongoing basis and in times of crisis - including but not limited to meeting academic, medical, financial, and social challenges, as well as providing assistance to assault survivors.
Housing Services: Residence Life and Housing Operations maintains more than 20 residence halls. All residential students must participate in an Emory Dining meal plan.
Medical Services: Emory provides extensive services to campus and community members through Emory Healthcare, the largest and most comprehensive health system in Georgia.
Student Clubs: Emory Campus Life promotes a healthy and sustainable environment where students live what they learn and learn what they live for self and society.

Research and Innovation

Emory University is a leading research institution, heavily funded by the National Institutes of Health and other organizations. Key research areas include:

AIDS Research: The Emory University Center for AIDS Research (CFAR) and the Emory Vaccine Center are world leaders in AIDS Vaccine Development and HIV Pathogenesis studies.
Tuberculosis Research: Emory University was one of four institutions selected by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases for its Tuberculosis Research Units (TBRU) program.
Chronic Conditions: In 2015, Emory University, the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, the Public Health Foundation of India, and the All India Institute of Medical Sciences established the Center for Control of Chronic Conditions in New Delhi, India.
National Exposure Assessment Laboratory: In 2015, Emory and Georgia Tech were awarded an $8.3 million grant by the NIH to establish a National Exposure Assessment Laboratory, which will research the impact of environmental chemicals on children's health.

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