By Daily Progress Staff

Five University of Virginia graduate schools ranked in the Top 50 of U.S. News & World Report’s list of the nation’s best graduate programs for 2010.

UVa’s highest ranked program, the School of Law, fell from last year’s No. 9 spot to No. 10 in this year’s rankings. UVa’s law school shared 10th place with Duke and Northwestern universities for 2010.

The Darden Graduate School of Business Administration also fell one spot to tie with Carnegie Mellon University’s Tepper School of Business for 15th place. A year ago, Darden tied for 14th with Duke University’s Fuqua School and Cornell University’s Johnson School.

UVa’s School of Medicine fell one spot to be ranked No. 24 for research, but jumped nine ranks to a No. 29 tie with five other medical schools for primary care.

Another bright spot for UVa was the Curry School of Education, which climbed seven spots into the No. 24 position to tie with five other schools.

UVa’s School of Engineering and Applied Science, meanwhile, moved up one position from last year to No. 37.

Three departments within UVa’s Graduate School of Arts & Sciences cracked the Top 25 in their disciplines.

UVa’s English department took 10th place in a three-way tie with Duke and the University of California at Los Angeles. UVa’s history department ranked 20th in a tie with Rutgers University. And UVa’s psychology department was ranked No. 23 in a six-way tie.