What School Departments Should I Consider in the U.S.?

I'm exploring options to study in the U.S. but I'm not sure what school departments offer the best programs. How do I find out which departments are strong in the subjects I'm interested in?

Determining which school departments offer the best programs in your area of interest involves a few key steps.

1) First, identify what you're interested in studying. It's very much possible that your interests span multiple departments, so don't limit yourself to just one area. For example, if you're interested in sustainability, you might look at programs in Environmental Science, Public Policy, and even Business.

2) Research the faculty in each department and see what their areas of expertise are. Oftentimes, a department will be particularly strong in a certain area due to the research interests and accomplishments of its faculty. Graduate faculty members' works are typically a great indicator of a department's strength since they're often at the forefront of research in their fields.

3) Look at what courses are offered in each department. You want to ensure that you have a wide variety of classes to choose from and that the classes offered align with your interests.

4) Consider the department's resources and opportunities for students such as internships, state-of-art facilities, student organizations, partnerships with companies or other institutions which could be valuable to your future career.

5) Finally, check out rankings for academic programs, but be mindful that they may not entirely reflect the quality of the programs. Rankings can provide a general sense of how a department might stack up against others, but they aren't the end-all-be-all. It's important not to base your decision on rankings alone but to take into account all the factors that are relevant to you.

Remember, the "best" program also has to be the best fit for you - take into account factors like class size, faculty accessibility, campus culture, and location when making your decision.