VCU news

By Tom Gresham

U.S. News & World Report placed three Virginia Commonwealth University programs among the top 50 online graduate programs in the country in their categories.

The magazine’s annual rankings of distance education bachelor’s and master’s degree programs, which were released today, placed VCU’s School of Education in a tie at No. 8 among master’s education programs, the School of Business’ MBA program at No. 35, and the School of Nursing’s master’s program in a tie at No. 45. Programs in the top 50 of their categories are named U.S. News Best Online programs. 

“We are delighted with this recognition, which is a testament to both the VCU faculty who design and implement these programs and our students who engage and excel as a result,” said Gail Hackett, Ph.D., provost and senior vice president for academic affairs at VCU.

In its ninth year of ranking online degree programs, U.S. News & World Report assessed an all-time high of more than 1,600 online degree programs across varying disciplines. Rankings measure overall academic quality, focusing on whether “online degree programs have academic standards commensurate with quality brick-and-mortar programs, properly adapted toward the unique pedagogy of distance education,” according to the publication.

This marks the second year in a row that the School of Education made the top 10 of the online graduate education rankings.

“We are committed to accessibility of our programs by those near and far, working full time or part time, which is why we continue to focus on the development of online programs,” said Andrew P. Daire, Ph.D, dean of the VCU School of Education. “And not only that -- but ensuring the quality of the programs and engagement of the students enrolled by our nationally recognized faculty.”

For more about VCU’s rankings, visit www.news.vcu.edu/latest/rankings-and-recognition.aspx.