"I am delighted that this is the third year in a row that our master's program in Africana Studies has been ranked number two in the nation," said Leonard A. Slade Jr., professor and chairman of the Africana Studies Department. "Our distinguished faculty, excellent students, and supportive administrators deserve the credit for this accolade."

Created in 1969 as a result of the civil rights movement, the master's degree program --which now includes nearly 50 students -- has attracted a growing number of international students. UAlbany is the only school in the SUNY system that offers a master's degree in Africana Studies.

UAlbany's program ranks second behind Temple University. Other schools in the top 10 include Yale University, Cornell University, Columbia University, Morgan State University, Ohio State University, the University of California-Los Angeles and Berkeley campuses and the University of Louisville.

The top-10 ranking is based on a synthesis of data from the U.S. Department of Education and National Center for Education and Statistics. An on-site evaluation by outside professors was also conducted. The magazine also looked at the number of graduating students, diversity of the program, and quality of faculty.

Diverse Issues in Higher Education, which is published bi-weekly, carries in-depth and up-to-date coverage of the diverse education community, including African Americans, Native Americans, Asian Americans, and Hispanic Americans, as well as Americans with disabilities and women.