NEWS
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.
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