The 10 Best Online MBA Programs
Students who complete an online MBA program rightly expect to increase their career options and earning potential. Graduates are able to use the experience, skills and networks gained during their MBA program to advance their careers, even in a tight job market. The practical business expertise that an MBA brings especially helps individuals looking to move up the career ladder at their current organization.
According to the Harvard Business Review, a majority of MBA alumni find their degree professionally rewarding and, knowing what they know now, they would still pursue the degree.
What is an MBA?
An MBA provides a graduate education in foundational business practices. MBA programs typically include a strong business foundation in accounting, finance and management as well as advanced courses in business communications, marketing strategy, operations management, and quantitative analysis.
Online MBA programs often feature group projects and case studies, allowing students to collaborate with others from varied backgrounds, giving them inspiration, ideas and a network to shape their future careers. Master of Business Administration programs focus on helping students hone their leadership, communication and analytical skills and applying them to the global business world. MBA programs often allow students to tailor the degree to their personal and professional goals with concentrations in a variety of areas such as entrepreneurship, marketing, supply chain management and health care administration.
MBA programs prepare graduates to take on new responsibilities, transition to management roles or pursue an entrepreneurial route. MBA graduates pursue careers as financial managers, market research analysts, logisticians and distribution managers. Graduates who seek careers as college professors also can further their education with doctoral studies in a business-related field.
MBA salaries
According to the 2015/16 QS TopMBA.com Jobs & Salary Trends Report, employees with an MBA degree in the United States have an average salary of $103,300 and an average bonus of $22,400.† The survey targeted individuals with responsibility for MBA recruiting for their company. Based on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, workers in fields such as commodities, securities and financial services sales agents who also hold a master’s degree earn a wage nearly ninety percent higher than workers with a bachelor’s degree.
Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International (AACSB) accreditation
The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International accredits business schools, providing graduate and undergraduate business programs. The association also accredits accounting programs. AACSB International accredited schools have received a positive evaluation of their mission, operation, programs, faculty qualifications and contributions and in other important areas.
AACSB International accreditation is the most recognized form of specialized/professional accreditation an institution and its business programs can obtain.
Online MBA program ranking guidelines:
We selected the degree programs based on the quality of the program, types of courses provided, faculty strength as well as school awards, rankings, and reputation, including reputation for quality online programs. This ranking uses the same methodology as our well regarded ranking of the best online colleges, only applied specifically to MBA programs.
The Best Online MBA Degree Programs
1 University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, Kenan-Flagler Business School(Chapel Hill, North Carolina)
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, a public, co-educational research university established in 1789, enrolls more than 29,000 students from around the world. Among the oldest public universities in the nation, UNC Chapel Hill offers more than 250 programs leading to a variety of bachelor, master and doctoral degrees.
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill offers an online MBA through its Kenan-Flagler Business School. The degree program helps students develop strong foundational business knowledge, while tailoring their degree to their personal and professional goals through a host of elective courses. The program also prepares graduates to network face-to-face with business leaders and to lead organizations.
Applicants with less than seven years of professional full-time work experience must submit GMAT or GRE scores. The online MBA program features weekly online classes in a cohort-based format with four start dates each year. The same professors teach the online and on-campus courses.
Online MBA students can choose from seven concentrations — Entrepreneurship, Corporate Finance, Marketing, Global Supply Chain Management, Sustainable Enterprise, Investment Management and Management Consulting.
All students must attend at least two Global Immersions during the program. They can choose an international or domestic location.
Students can complete the sixty-six-credit online MBA program in eighteen to thirty-six months. Courses include:
Analytical Tools
Business Communication
Business Strategy
Developing Management and Leadership Skills
Economics
Financial Accounting
Introductory Finance
Marketing Strategy
Accreditation:
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is regionally accredited by The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACS).
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Kenan-Flagler Business School is accredited by The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International (AACSB).
2 Indiana University, Kelley School of Business(Bloomington and Indianapolis, Indiana)
Indiana University, a multi-campus public university system established in 1820, enrolls more than 110,000 students across two core campuses – Bloomington and Indianapolis, seven smaller campuses and two extension centers. The university system offers more than nine hundred majors and programs leading to a host of undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees as well as professional degrees in medicine, dentistry and law.
Among Indiana University’s degree options is an online MBA, offered through its Kelley School of Business. Through technology-mediated global teamwork, students gain a deeper understanding of the global nature of business. The online MBA curriculum includes study in business law and ethics, operations, project management and information technology.
The fifty-one-credit-hour MBA online program includes the following courses:
Economics
Business Planning and project Management
Strategic Marketing Management
Global Business
The US in Global Economy
Topics in Directed Business Integration
Quantitative Analysis
Information Technology
Students also must complete an Integrative Team Capstone course. The flexible online program features discussion forums and web-based meetings. Students can earn their degree in two to five years. Online MBA students can earn a dual online Master of Science degree in a host of topics with about twelve additional credit hours.
Students can take part in the Washington Campus program to learn how to navigate governmental policy or study abroad through the AGILE – Accelerating Global Immersion Leadership Education program.
Students must attend two Kelley Connect Weeks on the Bloomington campus – one at the beginning of the program and the other at the beginning of their second year.
Applicants must submit GMAT or GRE scores.
Accreditation:
Indiana University is regionally accredited by The Higher Learning Commission (HLC).
Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business is accredited by The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International (AACSB).
3 University of Maryland, Robert H. Smith School of Business(College Park, Maryland)
The University of Maryland, College Park, a public land-grant, space-grant, sea-grant, research university founded in 1856, enrolls more than thirty-seven thousand students. The flagship of the University System of Maryland, the university offers more than 220 programs leading to a host of undergraduate and graduate degrees.
The University of Maryland, College Park, offers an online MBA through its Robert H. Smith School of Business. The program helps students develop high-level analytical and communication skills, explore financial and ethical challenges of doing business in the global marketplace, and gain expertise in marketing, accounting, finance, information systems and management. The program prepares graduates for careers in local, regional or international enterprise.
Students can complete the program in as little as twenty-one months. Students can choose from four specializations — Information Systems and Business Analytics, Finance, Marketing, or Accounting — or pursue the general track. The online program features mostly asynchronous coursework with some live online classes. The MBA online program includes the following courses:
Managerial Accounting
Data Models and Decisions
Leadership and Human Capital
The Global Economic Environment
Operations Management
Entrepreneurship
Applicants must submit GMAT or GRE scores, and students must complete a three-day on-campus experience at the start of the program as well as a Capstone Business Experience.
Accreditation:
The University of Maryland, College Park is regionally accredited by The Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE).
The University of Maryland, College Park’s Robert H. Smith School of Business is accredited by The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International (AACSB).
4 Arizona State University, W.P. Carey School of Business, ASU Online(Phoenix, Arizona)
Arizona State University, a public, metropolitan, research university founded in 1885, enrolls about eighty-three thousand students across five campuses and online. Among the largest public universities in the nation, ASU offers more than 350 programs leading to a host of undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees, such as those in engineering, education, law and nursing.
Arizona State University offers an online Master of Business Administration degree through its W.P. Carey School of Business and ASU Online. Designed for career professionals who need convenience and flexibility, the online degree program features a comprehensive business curriculum. With areas of emphasis, students also can customize the degree program to meet their personal and professional goals.
The Carey School of Business offers two starts dates each year. Students must attend an on-campus orientation before the start of the program. Students take one five-week course at a time. Online MBA students choose from concentrations in Finance, Marketing, International Business, and Supply Chain Management. ASU also allows MBA students to combine the degree with an online master’s degree in legal studies, industrial engineering, or electrical engineering. The university’s online courses feature the same faculty and the same curriculum as its traditional on-campus courses. The online MBA program includes the following courses:
Statistics for Managers
Managerial Accounting
Financial Accounting
Managerial Finance
Organizational Theory and Behavior
Operations and Supply Chain Management
Marketing Management
Online students have access to a host of services such as technical support, career resources and MBA Ambassadors. Arizona State University’s W.P. Carey School of Business requires applicants to submit GMAT or GRE scores.
Accreditation:
Arizona State University is regionally accredited by The Higher Learning Commission (HLC).
Arizona State University’s W.P. Carey School of Business is accredited by The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International (AACSB).
5 Penn State World Campus(State College, Pennsylvania)
Penn State World Campus, launched in 1998 as the online campus of The Pennsylvania State University, a land-grant, space-grant, sun-grant and sea-grant university founded in 1855. Penn State World Campus offers more than 120 undergraduate and graduate degree programs as well as certificate programs.
Penn State World Campus offers an online MBA, an intercollegiate degree through four of Penn State’s business schools – The Black School of Business, the Smeal College of Business, the School of Graduate Professional Studies and the School of Business Administration.
The degree program focuses on business themes such as process management, strategic planning, customers and markets, information analysis and leadership. Students work in virtual teams, allowing them to gain insight from their classmates’ experiences as well as how high-performance organizations function. The program also helps students develop strong communication, problem-solving and analytical skills.
Courses feature weekly assignments, and students complete the cohort-based program in two years. Online MBA students must complete two residencies – a one-week study at a prominent U.S. firm and a team business simulation at Penn State University Park. After the second residency, students can walk at commencement.
The forty-eight-credit online MBA program includes the following courses:
Markets, Industry Analysis, and Business Strategy
Accounting for External Reporting
Financial and Accounting Tools
Data Analysis Resource Module
Corporate Governance
Accounting for Internal Decision Making
Corporate Innovative Strategies
Strategic Financial Decisions
The same faculty create and deliver the university’s online and on-campus courses. Penn State World Campus students receive the same degree as students on the University Park campus. Online students have access to a program adviser, career services and library resources.
Penn State World Campus requires applicants to submit GMAT or GRE scores.
Accreditation:
Penn State World Campus is regionally accredited by The Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE).
The Penn State World Campus online MBA program is accredited by The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International (AACSB).
6 Temple University, Fox School of Business(Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
Temple University, a state-related, research-intensive university founded in 1884, enrolls more than 37,000 students worldwide. Temple University offers more than 400 academic programs leading to undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees such as those in business, education, law, podiatry and architecture.
Temple University’s Fox School of Business’ online MBA features a collaborative and integrated curriculum with the same rigorous content as the traditional on-campus program. Designed for professionals, the online program prepares students to solve real-world business problems. The program also allows students to share professional and personal experiences as they pertain to businesses practices.
Courses include on-demand video content, asynchronous study tools and weekly live class sessions. Students take one four-week course at a time and can complete the forty-eight-credit program in twenty months to six years. The program begins with a week-long residency at the university’s main campus and ends with an immersive capstone experience. The online Master of Business Administration program includes courses such as:
Operations Management
Legal and Ethical Foundations in Business
Marketing Management & Strategy
Financial Analysis & Strategy
Healthcare Economics, Finance & Payments
Product Management
Global Business Strategy
Industrial Organizations in Business
Students also choose from concentrations in Marketing Management or Human Resource Management.
Applicants must submit GMAT or GRE scores.
Accreditation:
Temple University is regionally accredited by The Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE).
Temple University’s Fox School of Business is accredited by The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International (AACSB).
7 University of Florida, Warrington College of Business, Hough Graduate School of Business(Gainesville, Florida)
The University of Florida, a public, space-grant, land-grant and sea-grant research university founded in 1853, enrolls more than 49,000 students. A member of the State University System of Florida, the University of Florida offers hundreds of programs leading to a host of undergraduate, graduate, doctoral and professional degrees as well as certificate programs.
Offered through the Warrington College of Business and Hough Graduate School of Business, the University of Florida’s online MBA program helps students develop strong critical-thinking, communication and decision-making skills. Students also learn to apply core business principles to evaluate problems and implement business solutions. The MBA online program also prepares graduates to use appropriate leadership styles and skills to collaborate with others and effectively structure team work.
The University of Florida offers two online MBA options – a twenty-seven-month option for students who hold an undergraduate degree in any major or undergraduate business majors who have more than seven years work experience or an accelerated sixteen-month option for students who hold undergraduate business degrees and graduated within the last seven years.
Students must complete forty-eight credits in the two-year program and thirty-two credits in the accelerated program. Students in either program choose from four focus areas — Finance, Entrepreneurship, International and Marketing. With asynchronous online lectures, students can view coursework on their schedule. The online MBA program includes courses such as:
Entrepreneurial Marketing
Corporate Finance
Global Strategic Management
Entrepreneurship & Venture Finance
International Finance
International Logistics
Product Development and Management
Business to Business Marketing
Students enter the program as a cohort. The program requires an on-campus orientation and weekend residencies every four months.
Applicants must have two years of full-time, professional work experience. Applicants also must submit GMAT scores or GRE scores.
Accreditation:
The University of Florida is regionally accredited by The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACS).
The University of Florida’s Warrington College of Business is accredited by The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International (AACSB).
8 The George Washington University, GW School of Business(Washington, District of Columbia)
The George Washington University, a private, co-educational research university founded in 1821, enrolls more than 21,000 students and boasts more than 270,000 alumni worldwide. Through ten colleges and schools, the university offers thousands of course options leading to a host of undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees as well as certificate programs.
Among the George Washington University’s degree options is an online MBA, offered through its GW School of Business. The program helps students develop global awareness as well as problem-solving, critical-thinking, leadership and communication skills. GW School of Business students gain insight to the inner workings of institutions with access to relationships with State and Treasury departments, and the World Bank.
The distance-learning MBA students can participate in an optional four-day residency course in Washington DC, class projects, live learning opportunities, digital course materials, and co-curricular experiences. The school also offers monthly online career development and digital networking sessions to connect with students and alumni worldwide.
The same faculty teach the online and on-campus courses. Students choose from three start dates each year. The School of Business offers online MBA courses in fourteen-week semesters; most students take two classes per module. The 55.5-credit online MBA program includes lectures, group activities and case discussions. Students also can target the degree to their personal and professional goals through adding up to two concentrations, including: Consulting, Global Management, Project Management, Finance, Information Systems and Technology Management, or Government Contracts.
Applicants must submit GMAT or GRE scores.
Accreditation:
The George Washington University is regionally accredited by The Middle States Commission of Higher Education (MSCHE).
The George Washington University’s GW School of Business is accredited by The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International (AACSB).
9 North Carolina State University, Poole College of Management(Raleigh, North Carolina)
North Carolina State University, a public, co-educational, land-grant, sea-grant and space-grant research university founded in 1887, offers more than 270 programs leading to a host of bachelor, master and doctoral degrees as well as a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. Part of the University of North Carolina system, North Carolina State University is among the largest universities in the state with more than 34,000 students enrolled.
Offered through the Poole College of Management, North Carolina State University’s professional online MBA features an integrated core curriculum focused on business process, technology and practical applications. Through relationships with the corporate community, experiential education, coaching and resources, graduates gain skills, and experience to enter the marketplace.
The college offers two start dates each year. Students choose from an Accelerated or Flexible program and graduate intwenty-one months to six years. The same faculty teach the university’s online and traditional on-campus courses. Online students have access to the same resources such as career services and technical support as do traditional on-campus students. Online students must attend a virtual orientation and a three-day residency on the university’s main campus.
Courses follow a mostly asynchronous format but do include team-based projects and virtual simulations. The 39-credit-hour Professional online MBA includes the following courses:
Marketing Management and Strategy
Survey of Accounting
Critical Analytical Thinking
Managerial Finance
Statistics
Managing People
The school also offers online MBA students several areas of emphasis — BioSciences Management, Financial Management, Marketing Management, Innovation Management, Entrepreneurship & Technology Commercialization, and Supply Chain Management. Online students can opt to attend an International Residency, a seven-day to eight-day study abroad trip.
Applicants must submit GMAT or GRE test scores.
Accreditation:
North Carolina State University is regionally accredited by The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACS).
North Carolina State University’s Poole College of Management is accredited by The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International (AACSB).
10 The University of Texas at Dallas, Naveen Jindal School of Management(Richardson, Texas)
The University of Texas at Dallas, a public research university founded in 1961, enrolls more than 25,500 students. Part of the University of Texas System, the University of Texas at Dallas offers more than 130 programs leading to baccalaureate, master and doctoral degrees as well as more than two dozen certificate programs.
The University of Texas at Dallas offers an online Professional MBA through its Naveen Jindal School of Management. Designed for working professionals, the degree program helps students develop strong analytical problem-solving skills as well as team-oriented approaches to business problems.
The university offers three start dates each year for the online MBA program. Most students complete the program on a part-time basis and take two courses each semester. The fifty-three-semester-hour program consists of twenty-nine core credits and twenty-four elective credits. The online Professional MBA program’s core courses include:
Managerial Accounting
Strategic Management
Introduction to Organization Behavior
Business Economics
Global Economy
Information Technology and MIS Fundamentals
Operations Management
Marketing Management
Students also can complete a concentration in several areas such as accounting, finance, internal audit or supply chain management.
The university requires applicants to submit GMAT or GRE scores.
Source : https://thebestschools.org
The Best Online College in Each of America’s Fifty States
Nationally known online colleges have seen their enrollments explode in recent years, but they now face competition in each state!
Regional campus-based schools across the United States are increasingly providing online degree programs as well.
Local employers often prefer to hire graduates from local colleges. Many students therefore prefer to attend a college that local employers easily recognize, a college that’s in their state or region.
At the same time, students increasingly prefer the convenience and flexibility of an online college. Fortunately, these days their state or region is likely to have a fine public or private school that offers the online degree they desire.
Enrolling in an online degree program from a regional college also makes it easier if the program requires some on-campus attendance, such as an on-campus orientation or an internship.
best-school-seal-2This article lists the best online college or university for each state. Some states have strong competition, while other states have a very small selection of colleges providing enough online degree programs to qualify for this list.
We based our selection of schools on the following factors: academic excellence, faculty strength, online teaching methods, reputation, awards, and the number of online degree programs offered.
The Best Online College for Each State
Texas
Texas Tech University(Lubbock, TX)
Texas Tech University (TTU), the flagship of the Texas Tech University System, provides about 300 programs of study, leading to an array of undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees.
TTU Worldwide eLearning offers an array of online bachelor, master and doctoral degree programs and graduate certificates. Some programs require campus visits.
Online classes include lectures, virtual meetings and threaded discussions.
The Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education includes Texas Tech University in the Doctoral Universities: Highest Research Activity list.
Texas Tech University ranks #380 in the Forbes 2016 Top Colleges list and #154 in the Research Universities list. The university tied for #176 in the 2017 U.S. News & World Report list of National Universities and #93 in the Top Public Schools list.
Texas Tech University is accredited by The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. The university also holds AACSB accreditation, among others.
Utah
Utah State University(Logan, UT)
Utah State University (USU), a coeducational, land-grant, space-grant university and the flagship of the Utah State University System, provides about 300 undergraduate and graduate degree programs through nine colleges.
Through USU Online, Utah State University provides online bachelor and master’s degrees and an associate degree in general studies. The school also provides certificates, endorsements and minors.
Most of the online classes use a semester schedule.
The school provides online students access to library resources, an online writing center, tutoring, and technical support.
Utah State University is included in the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education Doctoral Universities: Higher Research Activity list.
Utah State University ranks #324 in the Forbes 2016 Top Colleges list and #135 in the Research Universities list. Utah State University tied for #220 in the U.S. News & World Report 2017 list of National Universities and ranks #125 in the list of Top Public Schools.
Utah State University is accredited by The Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.
Vermont
Champlain College(Burlington, VT)
Champlain College, a private college and the fifth largest institute of higher education in Vermont, offers a variety of online programs, including 100-percent online degrees and professional certificates.
Bachelor’s degree options include business, computer science, cybersecurity, and health care.
The college provides master’s degrees in early childhood education, digital forensic management, law, mediation and applied conflict studies, and more.
Champlain College provides the courses in seven-week sessions.
The New England Association of Schools and Colleges, through its Commission on Institutions of Higher Education, provides accreditation.
Princeton Review included Champlain College in its Best 378 Colleges 2014 list. In addition, U.S. News & World Report ranked Champlain College #14 in its 2014 edition of Best Colleges in Regional Colleges (North), #97 for Best Online Bachelor’s Programs, and #131 for Best Online Graduate Business Programs.
Virginia
Liberty University Online(Lynchburg, VA)
Liberty University, a Christian-oriented school, is the largest private, nonprofit university in the nation. Its online division, Liberty University Online, offers more than 160 online degree programs.
Liberty university has been training Champions for Christ since 1971, and pioneering distance learning since 1985. Today, the university enrolls more than 90,000 students worldwide.
Liberty University Online offers more than 10 associate’s degrees, a variety of bachelor’s degrees, and 17 undergraduate minors. The university also provides a number of master’s degrees in topics including business, communications, counseling, cyber security, education, and more.
Liberty University Online also offers doctoral and certificate programs.
Students can complete many of the undergraduate and post-graduate degrees 100-percent online; however, some online programs require face-to-face class time.
The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges provides accreditation.
U.S. News & World Report ranked Liberty University #89 in its 2014 edition of Best Colleges in Regional Universities (South), #141 for Best Online Bachelor’s Programs, #122 for Best Online Graduate Business Programs, #97 for Best Online Graduate Education Programs, and #75 for Best Online Graduate Nursing Programs.
Washington
Washington State University(Pullman, WA)
Washington State University (WSU), a public, non-profit university, offers one of the nation’s oldest and most-respected online degree programs.
WSU’s renowned professors teach and design the courses that are available completely online through the university’s Global Campus division.
WSU Global Campus offers a variety of online programs, including undergraduate degree programs in accounting, management, criminal justice, human development, humanities, social sciences, and psychology, and master degree programs in criminal justice, special education, agriculture, electric power engineering, and more.
The university also offers a number of online certificates and non-degree options.
Online bachelor degree students have access to an academic consultant, 24/7 tech support, free online tutoring, and a writing lab.
WSU Global Campus features Global Connections, a virtual environment which gives online students access to extracurricular experiences. Events include exhibits, musical performances, visiting speakers, and an online career fair.
The Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities provides accreditation.
The Carnegie Foundation recognizes Washington State University as a research university with very high research activity.
Princeton Review included Washington State University in its Best 378 Colleges 2014 list, and Forbes ranked the university #328 overall in its listing of America’s Top Colleges, and #140 in research universities.
U.S. News & World Report ranked Washington State University #128 in its 2014 edition of Best Colleges in National Universities list, #21 for Best Online Bachelor’s Programs, #7 for Best Online Graduate Business Programs, #120 for Best Online Graduate Education Programs, and #21 for Best Online Graduate Engineering Programs.
West Virginia
West Virginia University(Morgantown, WV)
West Virginia University (WVU), a public, space-grant, and land-grant offers nearly 200 undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees through more than a dozen colleges.
Through its Online and Extended Campus, WVU offers about 40 online degree and certificate programs. WVU offers a variety of online undergraduate and graduate degrees. The university also offers online certificates.
Some online classes require live sessions and some online classes may include short-term residency requirements.
WVU provides online students access to the bookstore and library resources.
West Virginia University is included in the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education includes list of Doctoral Universities: Highest Research Activity.
West Virginia University ranks #131 in the Forbes 2016 Public Colleges list and #167 in the Research Universities list. WVU tied for #183 in the 2017 U.S. News & World Report list of National Universities. The Princeton Review included the university in the Best 381 Colleges: 2017 Edition. West Virginia University ranks #353 in the nation in the Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education College Rankings 2017 list.
West Virginia University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. The university received accreditation from the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education.
Wisconsin
University of Wisconsin Milwaukee(Milwaukee, WI)
The University of Wisconsin Milwaukee (UWM), a public research university and a member of the University of Wisconsin System, offers a variety of graduate and undergraduate degrees.
The university offers completely online programs via UWM Online. The online programs feature the same curriculum and the same faculty members as on-campus classes.
Undergraduate programs include history, art history, political science, and more, as well as several undergraduate minor options. The university also offers a variety of master’s degrees, a doctoral degree in nursing, and a number of certificates.
The university’s Flexible Option includes competency-based, self-paced degree and certificate programs. Students make progress based on what they know, whether they acquired the information through life experience, military training, or prior coursework.
The University of Wisconsin’s online students have access to a variety of technology supports, such as online tutoring, a call-in help center, and electronic library resources.
The Higher Learning Commission provides accreditation.
The Carnegie Foundation recognizes University of Wisconsin Milwaukee as a research university with high research activity.
Forbes ranked the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee #600 overall in its listing of America’s Top Colleges, and #242 in research universities. In addition, U.S. News & World Report ranked the university #25 for Best Online Bachelor’s Programs, and #160 for Best Online Graduate Education Programs.
Wyoming
University of Wyoming(Laramie, WY)
The University of Wyoming, a nationally recognized research institution, offers a variety of graduate and undergraduate degrees. The university offers online degree programs which follow the same academic calendar as on-campus courses.
Students can pursue online bachelor’s degrees in business administration and nursing, and master’s degrees in educational administration, instructional technology, business administration, nurse educator, and more.
The university also provides two online doctoral degrees in educational administration and an early childhood program director certificate.
Students have access to services including online tutoring and the writing center.
The Higher Learning Commission provides accreditation.
The Carnegie Foundation recognizes University of Wyoming as a research university with high research activity.
Princeton Review included University of Wyoming in its Best 378 Colleges 2014 list, while Forbes ranked the university #199 overall in its listing of America’s Top Colleges, and #97 in research universities. U.S. News & World Report ranked University of Wyoming #161 in its 2014 edition of Best Colleges in National Universities list.
Source : https://thebestschools.org
The 10 Best U.S. Colleges and Universities by State
The Top Four-Year College and the Top University in Each State
What are the best colleges and universities in America considered geographically by state? In this ranking we present the best four-year liberal arts college and the best full-fledged university in each of America’s 50 states.
Most rankings of colleges and universities are top-heavy with schools from the East Coast (the Ivy League, MIT, etc.), California (Stanford, Cal Berkeley, etc.), and a few schools scattered throughout the rest of the country (University of Chicago, Vanderbilt, etc.).
In this ranking, we make geographical diversity our main focus, looking alas for the best education offered in each state, from Alabama to Wyoming.
Our criteria for putting a school on this list include the reputation of the school and its faculty, its dedication to a broad liberal arts education, its accreditation, and its overall academic caliber compared to other institutions of the same type within the same state.
Hillsdale CollegeSome states have an embarrassment of riches when it comes to institutions of higher learning (such as Massachusetts and California). In those cases, our job was not easy. Where two institutions were dominant—one primarily oriented towards the liberal arts and the other towards science and engineering—we went with the liberal arts school as offering a broader range of excellence across the curriculum (hence Harvard over MIT).
The result is a unique list of schools, two from each state, one a full-fledged research university, the other a college focused on undergraduate education. We believe this list identifies the very best that higher education has to offer across the length and breadth of this great land.
ALABAMA
Auburn UniversityAuburn University (Auburn, AL)
Established in 1856, Auburn University went through four names changes before settling on its current and longest-lasting title.
This public university sits on a sprawling 1,800-acre campus, complete with abundant student housing, dining, health services, counseling, and recreational facilities, among other amenities such as the 300 student-led organizations that meet on campus. Jordan-Hare Stadium, where the Auburn Tigers and mascot Aubie dominate the football field, is also located on campus.
While the school was originally focused on mainly agriculture and the arts, it now offers over 140 majors for students to choose from, 38 in the College of Liberal Arts alone. The university boasts a thriving student body of over 25,000 students and 1,200 faculty members. These numbers make it one of the largest universities in the state of Alabama.
Accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, auburn is considered one of the best, yet least-expensive, universities in the southeastern United States.
Spring Hill CollegeSpring Hill College (Mobile, AL)
Spring Hill College is one of the oldest Roman Catholic universities in the southeastern U.S. Founded by the Jesuit order and located in Mobile, Alabama, this small liberal arts college was established in 1830, making it the fifth-oldest Catholic college in the country.
Spring Hill College currently offers 49 majors spread out over several Schools. These Schools include Business, Communication Arts, English, Fine and Performing Arts, Foreign Languages, Interdivisional Studies, Nursing, Philosophy and Theology, Sciences, Social Sciences, and Teacher Education.
Situated on 400 acres in Mobile’s scenic Spring Hill neighborhood, the college has enough housing for all undergraduates to have a guaranteed room on campus for the entirety of their undergraduate career. The school currently employs 72 faculty members, who teach a student body comprising approximately 1,300 students. The college takes pride in its small class sizes—which average 16 students per class—and its 12-to-one student-to-faculty ratio.
While the student body may be small, they are spirited and active in clubs and activities of all kinds. There are more than 50 affiliated student-led organizations, including but not limited to fraternities, sororities, academic clubs, ministries, and athletic clubs.
Like Auburn University, Spring Hill College is also accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
ALASKA
University of Alaska AnchorageUniversity of Alaska Anchorage (Anchorage, AK)
The University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA) is Alaska’s largest higher education institution and is appropriately located in the state’s largest city, Anchorage.
UAA opened in 1954 as a community college, and began offering some upper-division courses in 1969. In 1976, UAA made the leap to a full-fledged university, offering the complete gamut of lower and upper division courses.
Despite its humble beginnings, UAA is now home to over 17,000 students, who are divided among UAA’s six teaching units or colleges. These colleges include Education, Health and Social Welfare, Arts and Sciences, Business and Public Policy, Engineering and the Community, and a technical college.
The campus itself is situated among some of Alaska’s most beautiful backdrops, surrounded by lakes and integrated into an intricate city-wide system of trails while still remaining a part of the local urban landscape.
The University of Alaska at Anchorage is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.
Alaska-Pacific-UniversityAlaska Pacific University (Anchorage, AK)
Established in 1960, just one year after Alaska officially joined the United States, Alaska Pacific University (APU) is a liberal arts school specializing in four-year degrees.
Located in the U-Med District of Anchorage, APU’s 174-acre campus is home to 550 students. The school boasts several different unconventional study programs, which allow students more freedom to choose how to approach their education.
APU focuses on small class sizes and an active, kinetic learning environment. This learning method teaches the skills needed to succeed both in the workplace and in life. The academic programs include the Schools of Education, Environment Science, Liberal Studies, Outdoor Studies, Psychology, and Human Services.
APU’s School of Liberal Studies offers concentrations in literature, philosophy, pre-law, pre-med, religious studies, and writing. The campus also contains the recently renovated Mosley Sports Center, and the world-renowned Nordic Ski Club.
Alaska Pacific University is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.
ARIZONA
University of ArizonaUniversity of Arizona (Tucson, AZ)
The University of Arizona (UA), which first opened its doors in 1885 (30 years before Arizona was even recognized as a state!), has evolved over the years into a first-class—indeed world-renowned—public research university.
The founders bravely decided to break ground on the 380-acre campus in what was essentially the middle of the desert. Today, the UA campus is a part of a flourishing urban city-center. The university now boasts a student body approaching 40,000 students and employs a faculty of 2,500 people.
UA currently offers 334 fields of study organized into 17 different colleges, including the Colleges of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Architecture, Planning and Landscape, Education, Engineering, Fine Arts, Humanities, Medicine, Nursing, Optical Sciences, Pharmacy, Science, Social and Behavioral Studies, Letters, Art, and Sciences, Public Health,Law, and Management. The university also has an additional college of medicine, which is located at their Phoenix campus.
Campus life at UA is bursting with possibilities. With a breathtaking 718 active recognized clubs, from sports to the most arcane academic subjects, making friends with other students who share your interests is easy. In fact, the campus is practically a city in and of itself.
The University of Arizona is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission’s North Central Association.
Prescott CollegePrescott College (Prescott, AZ)
Founded in 1966, Prescott College is a liberal arts college located in Prescott, between Phoenix and Flagstaff. The 200-acre campus is perched in Arizona’s central highlands surrounded by a variety of landscapes, including striking mountain ranges, flat desert plains, and abundant forests.
Prescott College is a non-profit organization with a mission statement encompassing liberal arts, the environment, and social justice. They strive to provide programs that are integral to the community of Prescott and allow students to act as participants in the city surrounding their college, while serving the ever-expanding global community. The school’s current student body is approximate;y 1,200 students, which translates into an impressive seven-to-one student-to-faculty ratio—a number that really sets Prescott College apart, even from most other small liberal arts colleges.
The college currently offers programs in arts, creative writing, environmental studies, and interdisciplinary arts and letters. First-year students are given the opportunity to live in the Village, a new sustainable, LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) platinum-certified complex. Upper classmen live with other students in off-campus housing.
Prescott College is accredited by the North Central Association of the Higher Learning Commission. Additionally, all the programs offered are accredited by the Association for Experiential Education.
ARKANSAS
University of ArkansasUniversity of Arkansas (Fayetteville, AR)
The University of Arkansas opened its doors in 1871, just years after the American Civil War left the South devastated, making it the first public university in the state. The 412-acre campus, located in the city of Fayetteville, is perched on a hill overlooking the iconic Ozark Mountains.
The university offers degrees in 214 areas of study and is considered one of the 50 best public universities in the US. The Fullbright College of Arts and Letters encompasses 19 different departments and upwards of 30 programs. It is the most diverse in its offerings of all the Colleges that comprise the university.
The University of Arkansas’s current enrollment is approximately 25,000 students, with a student-to-faculty ratio of 19-to-one, an impressive feat for a university of this size! Campus life is lively. Greek life is in full swing among the 41 fraternities and sororities.
The school’s athletic teams, the Razorbacks—often affectionately referred to as the Hogs—are major competitors in the college football and basketball scene on a regular basis. In fact, no other school in the Southeastern Conference of the NCCA has won more championships. The marching band is known for their intricate half-time routines.
The University of Arkansas is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.
Hendrix CollegeHendrix College (Conway, AR)
Hendrix College is a private liberal art college that is affiliated with the United Methodist Church, but teaches a secular curriculum. The four-year private college, which opened in 1876, is located in Conway, just 30 minutes from the state capital of Little Rock.
The current student body consists of 1,432 students and employs a faculty of 126 academic staff members. Despite the small size of the student body, diversity is an integral part of the campus dynamic. Students hail from 43 of the 50 states and represent 14 foreign counties.
The average class is comprised of only 17 students. Considered one of the best liberal art colleges in the country, admission is competitive. Incoming freshmen frequently have a grade point average (GPA) exceeding 4.0!
Hendrix College hosts a variety of sports teams, including uncommon options such as field hockey and lacrosse, but if you are looking to join a fraternity, this is not the college for you. The school has no established fraternities or sororities. Despite the lack of a Greek system, campus social life is robust—the school has 65 active clubs and student organizations.
Hendrix College is accredited by North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools.
CALIFORNIA
Stanford UniversityStanford University (Stanford, CA)
Stanford University, officially entitled Leland Stanford Junior University, is a private research university located in the Silicon Valley between San Francisco and San Jose. Founded in 1891, the university was established as a coeducational school with no denominational affiliations, which was rare at the time.
The rambling, 8,100-acre campus is located in suburban Stanford, and is a perfect mix of manicured lawns and unhampered vistas. Seeing that the current student body comprises 15,877 souls, each student theoretically has nearly half an acre all to him- or herself!
Speaking of the student body, unlike most of the colleges and universities on this list, Stanford is composed of more graduate students than undergraduates. This academic year’s enrollment included 8,897 of the former and only 6,980 of the latter. Stanford also boasts one of the most impressive faculty-to student-ratios in the county, with just five students to each faculty member.
The campus has over eighty different housing facilities to match the needs of the students. Last year 97 percent of undergraduates and 57 percent of graduate students lived on campus. There are also more than 650 student groups and 35 recognized religious groups to meet each student’s social and spiritual needs.
Stanford University is accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Senior Colleges and Universities of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.
Harvey-Mudd-CollegeHarvey Mudd College (Claremont, CA)
Founded in 1955, Harvey Mudd College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college focusing on engineering, science, and mathematics.
Purposely small at only 44.5 acres in suburban Claremont (about halfway between Pasadena and San Bernardino), and with between 700 and 800 students enrolled at any given time, the school is very selective. As a result, those admitted will reap the benefits of a nine-to-one student-to-faculty ratio.
Harvey Mudd College is a part of the Claremont University Consortium. This consortium is comprised of Harvey Mudd, four other colleges and two graduate institutions—respectively, Claremont McKenna College, Pitzer College, Pomona College, Scripps College, Claremont Graduate University, and Keck Graduate Institute for Applied Life Science. These colleges and universities remain autonomous, but allow their students to reap the benefits of the varied classes and amenities available at the affiliated campuses.
Harvey Mudd College offers degrees in biology, chemistry, computer science, engineering, mathematics, and physics. It also offers a number of joint or double major programs, for example pairing chemistry with biology, computer science with mathematics, and mathematics with biology.
Harvey Mudd College is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.
Source : https://thebestschools.org
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