News from Public Affairs
U.S. News: Marist Online Programs Among the Nation's Best
Two Degree Programs in Top 20 of 2013 U.S. News & World Report
“Best Online Education Program” Rankings
ONLINE MBA 13th, BA/BS IN LIBERAL STUDIES 17th IN NATIONAL RANKINGS
POUGHKEEPSIE – Two Marist College online degree programs – the Master of Business Administration and the BA/BS in Liberal Studies – have once again been ranked among the top in U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Online Education Programs.” Both programs appeared on their respective Honor Rolls for top online programs when U.S. News debuted its online rankings last year, before moving this year to numerical rankings.
For 2013, Marist’s MBA is ranked 13th out of 197 programs listed, and the BA/BS in Liberal Studies is ranked 17th out of 213 programs listed.
To devise its lists, U.S. News considered admissions selectivity, faculty credentials and training, student services and technology, and teaching practices and student engagement. Complete rankings are available at www.usnews.com/online-education.
Marist’s Online MBA
Dean of the School of Management Elmore Alexander said, “We are pleased to again be recognized by U.S. News for our leading online MBA program.” Alexander added, “It is particularly gratifying because the U.S. News emphasis on student engagement aligns with our own focus on combining expert faculty with diverse groups of students and using leading-edge technology to connect them all in a dynamic learning environment.”
Marist launched New York State's first AACSB-accredited, 100%-online MBA program in 1998. It was also one of the first such programs in the nation. The AACSB is the premier business school accrediting body. Also known as the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, it accredits less than one third of business programs in the world. In 2012, U.S. News also included Marist in its listing of the top 250 part-time MBA programs, and the School of Management is consistently listed in the Princeton Review's "Best Business Schools."
For more information on the Marist MBA program, go to www.marist.edu/admission/graduate/businessadministration/.
Marist’s Online BA/BS in Liberal Studies
Dean of the School of Global and Professional Programs Lauren Mounty said, “We appreciate the validation of the effectiveness of our online BA/BS in Liberal Studies program that such a high U.S. News ranking represents.” Added Mounty, “Aimed, as it is, at adult students, our online degree completion program is successful because it focuses on results. By offering top-quality faculty and courses in a highly customizable program, we ensure that our students stay engaged and achieve their goals.”
Known as “Finish@Marist,” the integrative, accelerated bachelor's degree completion option in Liberal Studies for adult students can be customized to draw upon previous college, service, and professional experience. Broad degree concentration options and accelerated 6- to 15-week courses, along with online, on-ground, and hybrid classroom choices, allow students to tailor this option to meet their interests and career goals and finish on a schedule that suits their needs.
For more information on Marist’s online BA/BS in Liberal Studies, go to www.marist.edu/admission/adult/liberal-studies/.
Online Education at Marist College
These latest rankings of online programs further affirm Marist's role as a longtime leader in delivering top-quality online education. Marist has offered online courses for well more than a decade, and its faculty members are well-versed in customizing their approaches to make the most of the online format, delivering flexible and efficient programs that maximize the overall student experience.
In addition to the MBA and BA/BS in Liberal Studies, Marist offers fully-online graduate degree programs in Integrated Marketing Communication, Communication, Public Administration, Information Systems, and Technology Management.
Marist is also a leader in developing a customized online course management system. This system is built upon Sakai, an open-source technology developed by a group of leading international colleges and universities, including Marist. Marist Senior Academic Technology Officer Josh Baron serves on the Sakai Foundation board and is its immediate past chair. Among other awards, Marist Academic Technology has received funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to help develop analytics to support online student learning.
Marist’s IT Department, also a leader in its field, plays a major role in innovating and supporting online education initiatives at Marist. Its leader, Vice President and Chief Information Officer Bill Thirsk, was recently named a "Premier 100 IT Leader" by Computerworld magazine.
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