The University of South Carolina’s master’s degree program in international business topped the nation’s public colleges again and its law school rose inside the Top 100, according to U.S. News & World Report rankings of graduate schools released today.

The Darla Moore School of Business’ international graduate program has ranked among the nation’s top three for 24 years straight. USC placed behind the Thunderbird School of Global Management in Arizona and the University of Pennsylvania, both private institutions.

The law school rose to 98th from 109th in the annual rankings.

U.S. News no longer groups law schools into several tiers. The top 148 schools are in one tier. The other 46 law schools — including the Charleston School of Law, South Carolina’s only other law school — were not ranked and were labeled second tier.

Last month, USC’s trustees gave final approval for a new $80 million law school building, slated to open in 2016, a year before the school’s sesquicentennial.

South Carolina’s graduate program in education rose to 97th from 113th, while Clemson University’s fell from 79th to 91st. USC’s online education program remained fifth-best in the country.

Clemson’s engineering program dropped two spots to 79th. USC ranked 93rd again. An exact ranking was not available.

U.S. News provided a preview to schools and the media before the full rankings are released today.

In other rankings, South Carolina’s School of Library and Information Sciences slid one spot to 18th, but its library media program remained fifth in the nation and its services for children and youth program ranked 11th again.

USC’s College of Nursing program was unchanged from last year at 79th, while Clemson’s remained 50th.

The Medical University of South Carolina’s ranking among primary-care and research medical schools slipped from last year. MUSC ranked 58th in primary care, down from 49th, and and 59th in research, down two spots.

USC's medical school rose one place to 85th in research, but tumbled five spots to 62nd in primary care.