For the sixth consecutive year, EKU’s online education degrees have been named in the top 100 by U.S. News and World Report. Eastern Kentucky University’s graduate degrees in education advanced significantly in the standings and were named no. 78 nationally.
EKU’s online graduate programs include the master of arts in education (MAEd) the master of arts in teaching (MAT), and the specialist in education (EdS) credential, as well as numerous endorsement and certificate options.
U.S. News evaluated more than 300 institutions offering online master’s degrees in education. According to the ranking methodology, engagement was the most significant category. Success was measured based upon accessibility of faculty, retention rate, graduation rate and average time to completion of degree. Scores increased for schools implementing best practices, including anti-plagiarism policies, course evaluations, credentials for instructional designers and collaborative coursework.
Support services were also evaluated. These included financial aid counseling, academic advising and career placement assistance. Features such as access to online chatrooms and mobile access for learning platforms demonstrated a program’s convenience and flexibility.
The expertise of both faculty and students was also a consideration in the rankings. Reviewers determined that students’ ambitions, combined with more rigorous coursework resulted in degrees valued by employers. They rewarded universities offering the same quality of instruction to online students as on-campus students receive. Institutions also scored higher for providing distance education training for instructors transitioning courses to an online format.
EKU students also benefit from free tutoring during their program and career assistance after graduation. Staff can be reached by phone or email to discuss a variety of topics, including transfer credit, financial aid and course scheduling.
U.S. News and World Report attempts to decrease bias by asking academic administrators to weigh in on qualities that are difficult to quantify. An example of one such factor is how eager employers are to hire program graduates.
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