by Taylor Kilgore
U.S. News & World Report’s 2016 Online Rankings placed the University of West Georgia among the top in the nation. UWG has continually been among the highest performing in many of the assessed online areas.
“We are delighted that UWG continues to be acknowledged and recognized by the U.S. News & World Report rankings for our progressive work in distant learning,” UWG President Kyle Marrero said. “A pivotal part of the university’s strategic plan is providing flexible, affordable and quality online program options for our students, and this ranking proves that we are among the best in online education.”
The recently published list ranked a total of six UWG online programs.
“We are exceptionally fortunate at the University of West Georgia to have a wealth of distinctive faculty who not only inspire and challenge students, but are willing to broaden their reach through online delivery,” said Melanie Clay, executive director of extended learning and dean of USG eCore. “It is an honor that both our faculty and support teams have been recognized once again for the leading role in affordable, quality online learning that we’ve achieved over the past 19 years.”
Programs ranked among the top include UWG’s College of Science and Mathematics online Information Technology program, positioned at the 18th spot. The information technology ranking was based on several factors, including selectivity, graduation rates, and student services and technologies.
“The College of Science and Mathematics at the University of West Georgia is proud to be able to claim such a reputable and recognized program,” said Scott Gordon, interim dean of the College of Science and Mathematics. “We would like to congratulate our colleagues in the computer science department on this accomplishment and thank them for their hard work and dedication.”
UWG’s Tanner Health System School of Nursing’s graduate program ranked 31st in the nation.
“The recognition of the Tanner Health System School of Nursing’s graduate programs as a top-ranked school for three consecutive years by the U.S. News & World report is a notable affirmation of the school’s reputation for academic excellence and commitment to caring,” said Tanner Health System School of Nursing Dean Jenny Schuessler. “This honor is well deserved and reflects the hard work, planning and innovation of the faculty, staff and students in our master’s and doctoral nursing programs.”
Additional programs topping the ranks are the College of Education’s online graduate education program, Richards College of Business online MBA program and UWG online bachelor’s programs.
“We are so fortunate in the College of Education at the University of West Georgia that our rankings continue to climb and that enrollment has increased commensurate with these rankings,” said College of Education Dean Dianne Hoff. “I think this progress reflects an overall enthusiasm about the relevancy of our programs, our commitment to excellence, and a strong investment by faculty, staff, administrators and our university president in the success of future educators.”
U.S. News has ranked UWG’s online MBA program among the top in the nation for four consecutive years.
“The University of West Georgia Online MBA program is an AACSB accredited, prestigious program where we strive to provide our students with an education that is rich in experience and engagement opportunities to prepare them to be effective and ethical professionals,” said WebMBA Administrative Director and Graduate Academic Advisor Dr. Hope Udombon.
The list evaluated more than 12,000 online programs offered by nonprofit and for-profit institutions in the United States in categories of bachelor’s degrees and graduate-level programs in business, Master of Business Administration, education, engineering, nursing, criminal justice and computer information technology, and the top 145 are ranked in each category.
“UWG has a long history of providing exceptional online learning experiences for students, and our commitment to curriculum excellence and best practices in online teaching and learning continues to be reflected in these important national rankings,” said Associate Dean of Online Development and USG eCore Jason Huett. “Through the hard work of our dedicated faculty and staff, we continue to expand our reach to new and underserved student audiences and to advance online education that is accessible, flexible and affordable for everyone.”
To see the full list of rankings from U.S. News & World Report, please visit www.usnews.com/education/online-education.
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