Skip Navigation

OU’s Gaylord College Named No. 1 Media Program in the Nation by BEA

NEWS
Graphic describing OU Gaylord College as the "#1 Media Program in the Nation 2 Years In a Row".
Graphic by Moises Rivera.

OU’s Gaylord College Named No. 1 Media Program in the Nation by BEA


By

Kat Gebauer

kathryngebauer@ou.edu

Date

May 8, 2026

NORMAN, Okla. – The University of Oklahoma Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication has again been recognized as the No. 1 media program in the nation, according to the 2026 Broadcast Education Association school rankings. This is the second consecutive year the college has claimed the top spot.

Gaylord also ranked No. 1 in Film and Video for the fifth straight year, while climbing in the Documentary category from No. 6 to No. 3 and in News from No. 3 to No. 2. The college maintained strong standings across several additional categories, holding No. 3 in Scriptwriting and No. 4 in Sports. This year's rankings introduce two new distinctions for Gaylord: a No. 6 ranking in Interactive Multimedia and Emerging Technology, and the college's first-ever appearance in Audio rankings.

"Gaylord College is proud to repeat — to once again be named the #1 Media Program in the nation,” said Andrea Miller, Ph.D., dean of the college. “This ranking belongs to our amazing students and the dynamic faculty who lead and mentor them. This ranking shows our students graduate as award-winning journalists and creatives who are ready for the workforce from day one."

The BEA rankings, which began in 2022, are based on outcomes rather than curriculum or institutional structure. Rankings reflect the quality and consistency of student creative work submitted to the BEA Festival of Media Arts — the preeminent international media competition focused on student and faculty creative endeavors — as compared to other participating institutions. In the last five years, more than 8,250 student creative works were submitted from BEA's over 300 member institutions around the world. Annual rankings draw on the previous five-year period of student success.

For more information about Gaylord College, visit www.ou.edu/gaylord.

About the University of Oklahoma

Founded in 1890, the University of Oklahoma is a public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. As the state’s flagship university, OU serves the educational, cultural, economic and health care needs of the state, region and nation. For more information about the university, visit www.ou.edu.


Recent News

Campus & Community
May 28, 2026

OU’s Petroleum Engineering Programs Rank Among the Best in the Nation

The University of Oklahoma’s petroleum engineering programs are among the top six programs nationwide, according to U.S. News and World Report. The university’s undergraduate petroleum engineering program is ranked No. 4 nationally and No. 3 among all public schools.


Research
May 28, 2026

Obesity May Influence How Breast Cancer Spreads

Obesity may change how early-stage breast cancer becomes invasive, according to a study by University of Oklahoma researchers published in The American Journal of Pathology.


Research
May 27, 2026

TSET Health Promotion Research Center Awards FY27 Seed Grants

The TSET Health Promotion Research Center (HPRC) within the National Cancer Institute-Designated OU Health Stephenson Cancer Center at the University of Oklahoma Health Campus (OUHC) has awarded four FY27 seed grants to support innovative research aimed at improving the health of Oklahomans.