UNC Asheville was ranked as the nation’s eighth best public liberal arts college in U.S. News & World Report’s new “Best Colleges 2015” rankings, released online today.

UNC Asheville also is included on the U.S. News & World Report list of national liberal arts colleges, private and public, “where the faculty has an unusually strong commitment to undergraduate teaching.” Based on surveys of college presidents, provosts and admissions deans, UNC Asheville is tied for eighth in the nation in this category and is the only public university on this exclusive list.

“Self-discovery and intellectual exploration are what define a great liberal arts college experience,” said UNC Asheville Provost Joseph Urgo. “I see that happening at UNC Asheville with our small classes and with so many students engaged in undergraduate research with a faculty mentor. The faculty works continually to reexamine and improve student learning and the overall student experience, especially when it comes to fostering critical thinking and creativity.”

U.S. News & World Report ranked 236 national liberal arts colleges, 212 private and 24 public, in its survey, using a weighted formula that includes academic reputation, graduation and retention rates, commitment to instruction and class size, student abilities and admissions selectivity, college financial resources and alumni financial support.

The U.S. News & World Report rankings are among several accolades UNC Asheville has recently received. In August, The Princeton Review noted the “top-notch academic experience” that UNC Asheville students receive and ranked the university 14th nationally on its “Town-Gown Relations are Great” list.

In July, the Fiske Guide to Colleges named UNC Asheville a “Best Buy” among the nation's top colleges, and for the 11th consecutive year, UNC Asheville's Environmental Studies Program was highlighted as showing unusual strength in preparing students for careers.

In the past year, UNC Asheville also was cited as a “best value” by The Princeton Review and by Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine.