WVU atop doctoral research

WVU is among 115 universities with the highest research activity level in the 2015 Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education.

Right up there with Yale and Duke.

The classification includes rankings for more than 4,000 U.S. colleges.

“If you’re in the group of 115, you’re clearly a significant player on the national research stage,” WVU President Gordon Gee said. “It helps recruit faculty. It helps retain faculty. It helps us to increase the quality of the student body.”

WVU got “R1” status for the first time, an elite ranking reserved for top-tier doctorate-granting universities.

R2 and R3 designations are for higher and moderate research activity.

Joining as new to R1 are Clemson and Syracuse.

The Carnegie listings are used by U.S. News and World Report to determine national universities in its annual ranking of best colleges.

Last year, WVU awarded 183 doctoral research degrees.