Led by its online graduate education program in the College of Education and Human Sciences, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln placed several programs highly in U.S. News & World Report’s 2017 Best Online Programs rankings.
The university’s online graduate education offerings were No. 4 in the new national rankings, which were released Jan. 10. That makes Nebraska tops in the Big Ten and represents a 10-spot jump from its 2016 rank.
U.S. News evaluated quality online graduate education programs based on five categories – student engagement, student services and technology, admissions selectivity, faculty credentials and training, and peer reputation.
“We continue to focus on the growth and quality of our graduate programs delivered online,” said Marjorie Kostelnik, dean of the College of Education and Human Sciences. “Our online students are typically employed full-time. They expect great content using effective technology through knowledgeable, engaged and organized instructors. The recent rankings are one validation that we deliver well.”
The graduate education program is among more than 100 degree, certificate and endorsement online programs offered by the four institutions of the University of Nebraska system. More information about these and other offerings can be found here or at NU Online Worldwide, the system-wide distance education initiative.
Three other university programs were highly ranked – the online graduate engineering program was No. 18, the online master of business administration was No. 21 and the online bachelor of applied science was No. 36.
“These rankings serve as a testament to the quality of the online programs developed at the university and the faculty who created them. The programs offered online at Nebraska are developed and taught by the same world-class faculty who teach in person,” said Marie Barber, executive director of online and distance education.
The bachelor of science in applied science, administered through the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, rose rapidly in 2017 – 50 spots from its 2016 rank of No. 86. Nebraska’s online MBA, administered through the College of Business Administration, remained among the top of one of the publication’s most competitive categories (250 institutions). Finally, the university’s online graduate engineering program has seen a 23-point climb from its debut on the list three years ago.
“The online courses, like traditional courses, focus on engaging students in high level discussions of content relevant to emerging research, knowledge and skills,” Barber said.
