Showing posts with label Online University Reviews. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Online University Reviews. Show all posts

Saturday, June 20, 2015

Martist Colleger Online University Programs Review

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Martist Colleger Online University Programs Review (Online University) Marist College is a selective liberal arts school offering a variety of hybrid and accelerated online degree options.

Marist College has earned a top 20 ranking in the most recent U.S. News & World Report rankings for their online bachelor's programs. This ranking is particularly impressive considering that Marist was measured against hundreds of other online schools. This ranking shows that Marist places a high importance on the quality of their programs.

Martist Colleger Online University Programs Review


The online bachelor's program technically only awards one type of degree, a bachelor's degree in liberal studies, but there are 10 different fields of study to choose from within the degree so you can focus on what best fits your professional goals. 

There is a full range of traditional academic choices including economics, psychology, information technology and systems, and leadership, among others. You should keep in mind that this online bachelor's program is only a degree completion program, so you need to already have a certain number of transferable credits. At the graduate level there are seven different degrees offered, including an online MBA degree.
Online courses at Marist College can be offered in two different formats, with some courses being offered as traditional 15-week courses and others offered in an accelerated 10-week format. Accelerated courses can help you complete your online degree faster, but you likely cannot take all of your online classes at this pace. 

The school also allows online students to take classes on campus and hybrid courses that are a mix of both online and on-campus sessions. Marist College is based in Poughkeepsie, New York, so some of these options may only be feasible for you if you live in the area.

At Marist the acceptance rate for the online bachelor's program is just over half, at 57%. The last reported acceptance rate for the online graduate business program is 50%. A selective admissions process may be intimidating to some, but a certain level of exclusivity generally does point to a better, higher-quality school. 

Some online schools accept nearly anyone who applies, so it is promising to see that Marist maintains the same high standards for both online and traditional campus-based students. You should not be deterred by numbers like these, and only be reassured that Marist is truly a top-quality online college.

The school has both graduate and undergraduate degree completion partnerships with a running list of employers and organizations in the state of New York and in several other locations. The benefit of these partnerships is tuition reduction for affiliated employees, members, and their family members. A school that has partnerships with outside organizations is excellent at accommodating the needs of working adult students. If you currently work for or are affiliated with any of Marist's corporate and organizational partners, and you are looking for a high-quality, yet flexible online degree program, Marist is a great option.

Tuition rates for both undergraduate and graduate level credits run higher than most online colleges. Tuition rates do vary slightly from program to program, with certain degree programs charging slightly more than others. However, the pricey rates for tuition can possibly be offset in several different ways. For example, the school awards merit scholarships to qualified applicants, and you don't have to apply for this separately from your main application. Merit-based awards are renewable, given that you maintain a certain grade point average. There are also specialty scholarships and tuition discounts available through the school's corporate partnerships.

Best US online programs

If you are interested in earning a bachelor's degree entirely online, then you might be disappointed that Marist College's highly rated online bachelor's program is not available to first-time degree-seeking students. The school only offers a bachelor's degree completion program and awards only one degree title, in liberal studies. If you want to major in a very specific field, or you want to start and finish your bachelor's degree online, Marist College does not fit either of these academic goals. The liberal studies major is ideal if you want to apply previous coursework toward a new degree that is both very broad and built on a liberal arts foundation.

Martist Colleger Online University Programs Review General Information

Application Fee $50
Location NY
Region Northeast
School Type Private
Term Schedule Semester

NUMBER OF PROGRAMS
Online Bachelor's 10
Online Graduate Business 1
Online Graduate Education None
Online Graduate Engineering None
Online Graduate IT None
Online Graduate Nursing None

TUITION RATES (PER CREDIT)
Online Bachelor's (In-State)  $600
Online Bachelor's (Out-of-State) $600
Online Doctorate (In-State) N/A
Online Doctorate (Out-of-State) N/A
Online Master's (In-State) $720
Online Master's (Out-of-State) $720
Online MBA (In-State) $720
Online MBA (Out-of-State) $720

Friday, June 19, 2015

Pennsylvania State University the Leader in Online Program Education

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Pennsylvania State University World Campus Online Program Review (Online University) - A strong academic reputation and multiple highly-rated online programs clearly demonstrate Pennsylvania State University-World Campus' commitment to top-tier education.

Pennsylvania State University-World Campus (Penn State- or PSU-World Campus) has earned five different top 25 rankings in the latest U.S. News & World Report rankings for online education. The school was recognized by the publication for every major program area category, including two top ten rankings for their online graduate engineering and online graduate computer information technology programs

Pennsylvania State University the Leader in Online Program Education


The online bachelor's and online graduate business degrees are ranked in the top 20, while the graduate education program comes in at number 25. Numbers like these are not surprising for such a world renowned school, and you can be sure that you receive the same top-notch education online as you would on-campus.

The online degree choices available at both the undergraduate and graduate levels are quite impressive at PSU-World Campus. Current offerings include 18 different bachelor's degrees and 27 master's degrees, many with further areas of concentration for you to choose from.

Majors span from the very traditional economics and psychology to specialized degrees like geographic information systems and turfgrass science. Having access to a large number and variety of degrees is beneficial whether you are interested in a specific degree or you want the freedom to change your mind later on.

Penn State-World Campus is the online campus of the well-known and strongly established Penn State University. The World Campus division has received many national rankings from the likes of U.S. News & World Report, and the traditional campus itself has also received many national rankings and recognitions including those from Times Higher Education and the The Princeton Review. Access to career services and an extensive online alumni community are two resources that may help you when you enter the job market.

PSU established the World Campus in 1998 to offer online degrees to anyone regardless of geographic location or other life factors. Since PSU World Campus was such an early adopter of online education, they have well over a decade of experience which has been spent perfecting their online education model. Some online colleges have only just been established in the last few years and delivery models and policies are not as thoroughly refined as those at PSU. This longevity helps ensure that the same standards and high quality instruction that are offered at their traditional campus are also available to you in their virtual classrooms.

Nearly every online student pays both tuition and an information technology fee on a semester basis, and both of these combined make the cost of attending Penn State-World Campus slightly higher than average. While the tuition rates are not sky-high above other online colleges, the rates do run a bit higher than most. This shouldn't be totally unexpected though, as you are receiving an education from a top-tier university.

Best US online programs

Certain online degree programs have on-campus sessions, or what the school refers to as residency experiences, that may require your attendance. Additionally, some online courses may require you to take a proctored exam at a specific, pre-approved location instead of from the convenience of your desk at home. Also, some online classes may require you to complete an assignment live via webcam, as might be the case for an oral exam for a foreign language class. All of these requirements are meant to improve the quality and integrity of your online education, but for they can be difficult or impossible to work into some schedules.

Pennsylvania State University the Leader in Online Program Education General Information


Application Fee $50 - $65
Location PA
Region Northeast
School Type Public
Term Schedule Semester

NUMBER OF PROGRAMS
Online Bachelor's 19
Online Graduate Business 4
Online Graduate Education 6
Online Graduate Engineering 5
Online Graduate IT 4
Online Graduate Nursing None

TUITION RATES (PER CREDIT)
Online Bachelor's (In-State) $518
Online Bachelor's (Out-of-State) $518
Online Doctorate (In-State) N/A
Online Doctorate (Out-of-State) N/A
Online Master's (In-State) $761 - $930
Online Master's (Out-of-State) $761 - $930
Online MBA (In-State) $930
Online MBA (Out-of-State) $930

Wednesday, June 17, 2015

Colorado State University Global Campus Online Programs Review

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Colorado State University Online Programs Review (Online University) -  Colorado State University's Global Campus offers a wide selection of degree options and interactive course modules that make for a personalized online education experience. The latest U.S. News & World Report rankings for online education programs place Colorado State University-Global Campus (CSU or CSU-Global Campus) at the number 16 spot for online bachelor's degree programs.

Making it into the top 20 is impressive since 160 online schools were ranked in total and hundreds were evaluated. The school offers 13 different bachelor's degree majors, which is a sizable selection considering many online schools have a small offering of only three or four majors. No matter what you may want to major in, there is a good chance CSU has a match for you.

Colorado State University Online Programs Review


There are nine different graduate degrees offered at CSU-Global Campus, including two program areas that are recognized in the last U.S. News & World Report rankings for online education. The online graduate business program is ranked 82 out of 148 programs, and the online graduate education program is ranked 67 out of 143 different programs.

While these rankings are not nearly as high as the standing of the online bachelor's program, it is promising to see that several of the school's program areas make the cut as being some of the better online programs available.

Tuition Guaranteed for Entire Degrees

CSU-Global Campus not only has reasonable and affordable tuition rates when compared to similar online schools, they also have a tuition guarantee program which locks in one rate for multiple years. Many online schools raise tuition year after year, but with the tuition lock, you have the same tuition rate for the entire time you are enrolled as a degree-seeking student at CSU-Global Campus.

Having one tuition rate locked in for your entire time as a student can be especially beneficial to students who are working towards their degree at a slower, part-time pace. Tuition rates are also exactly the same for Colorado residents and nonresidents.

Interactive Course Modules

Every online course offered through CSU-Global Campus is delivered in a module format that can include several interactive components such as readings, videos, quizzes to check your comprehension, and other sections to keep you on top of your studies.

This online format can help you better understand and retain the information covered in each section of a course, enabling you to get the most out of every lecture, reading, and assignment as an online student. The module layout has a very clean feel, is easy to navigate, and the quizzes prompt you with the correct answer if you chose an incorrect response.

Lacking A Strong Reputation

CSU-Global Campus is a fully accredited online public university with substantial enrollment numbers, but the school has yet to establish a strong reputation. While CSU-Global Campus makes some respectable showings in the most recent U.S. News & World Report, the school has not received recognition from The Princeton Review, Forbes college rankings, or other sources.

Additionally, they have only been offering online courses since 2008, while some other online schools have over a decade of experience. If reputation, longevity, and experience with online education are important to you, there are many other online colleges that rate better in these areas.

High Acceptance Rates

The school is not exactly exclusive in who they offer admissions to, having acceptance rates in the high 90th percentile for both bachelor's and graduate level programs. The school touts their streamlined application process, but it seems that hardly any discretion is exercised on the school's part when considering the potential or eligibility of their applicants. High acceptance rates can mean easy entrance, but also can equate to a low-quality student body.
best us online university

Colorado State University Online Programs Information

Colorado State University Online Programs General Information

  • Application Fee $25
  • Location CO
  • Region West
  • School Type Public
  • Term Schedule Trimester

Colorado State University Online Programs Number of Programs

  • Online Bachelor's 12
  • Online Graduate Business 6
  • Online Graduate Education 1
  • Online Graduate Engineering None
  • Online Graduate IT None
  • Online Graduate Nursing None

Colorado State University Online Programs Tuition Rates 

  • Online Bachelor's (In-State) $350
  • Online Bachelor's (Out-of-State) $350
  • Online Doctorate (In-State) N/A
  • Online Doctorate (Out-of-State) N/A
  • Online Master's (In-State) $500
  • Online Master's (Out-of-State) $500
  • Online MBA (In-State) N/A
  • Online MBA (Out-of-State)

Colorado State University Online Programs Degrees

  • Bachelor's At least one bachelor's degree program is offered.
  • Graduate At least one graduate degree program is offered.
  • Doctorate At least one doctorate degree program is offered.


Colorado State University Online Programs Financial AID

  • Federal Student Loans Federal student loans are available to qualified students.
  • Grants Grants are available to qualified students.
  • Institutional Aid Institutional aid is available to qualified students.
  • Scholarships Scholarships are available to qualified students.

Colorado State University Online Programs Networking

  • Alumni Association The school has an alumni association.
  • Career Services Students and graduates have access to job placement or career services.
  • Facebook Network The school has a Facebook network of alumni, faculty, and students.
  • LinkedIn Network The school has a LinkedIn group for alumni, faculty, and current students.
  • 4,000+ LinkedIn Group Members The school has a LinkedIn group with 4,000 members or more.

Colorado State University Online Programs Reputation

  • Princeton Review The university offering the online education is listed in the Princeton Review Best 377 Colleges 2013.
  • U.S. News Bachelor's Top 100 The school is ranked in the top 100 for online bachelor's degrees by U.S. News and World Report.
  • 10+ Years of Online Education At least one program has been taught online for ten years or more.
  • Forbes The university offering the online education is ranked in the top 100 of Forbes' America's Top Colleges.
  • Times Higher Education - Top 100 Ranking The university offering the online education is listed in the top 100 of the Times Higher Education World University Rankings.
  • Times Higher Education - Top 100 Reputation The university offering the online education is ranked in the top 100 of the Times Higher Education World Reputation Rankings.
  • U.S. News Graduate Top 25 At least one online graduate program is ranked in the top 25 by U.S. News and World Report.

Colorado State University Online Programs Student Services

  • 24/7 Live Tech Support 24/7 live tech support is available.
  • Academic Advising Academic advising is available.
  • Digital Library You have online access to digitized library materials.
  • Online Tutoring Online tutoring is available. N/A

Tuesday, June 16, 2015

Arizona State University Full Online Programs Review

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Arizona State University Oline Programs Review (Online University) ASU offers 47 bachelor’s degree programs fully online, and a full 80+ programs when specializations and non-bachelor’s level programs are included. 

Degree offerings are comprehensive, ranging from art, business, communications, culture, education, engineering, health, language, to STEM. 6 start dates are available per year, allowing students to start on their degree when it works best for them. Arizona State University is a national research university that offers affordable tuition online, with an estimated per-semester tuition cost of $7672.

Arizona State University Full Online Programs Review


Arizona State University is a leading online school with several well-respected graduate programs and nearly 30 undergraduate degree options. Graduate tuition can run slightly high, but a solid reputation and excellent networking resources make it worth the cost. 

Impressive Networking Resources

One of the great benefits of attending college is the ability to network with other students. Almost all schools have basic alumni associations, but when it comes to providing networking resources, Arizona State University (ASU) goes above and beyond what many top schools provide. 

ASU offers career services, has a huge LinkedIn network with roughly 30,000 members, and even has a mobile application called Spark that helps you connect with alumni in your area. Combine all of these services with an active alumni association and you can see why the networking opportunities provided by ASU are pretty hard to top.

High Ranking Online Graduate Business Program

Arizona State's online graduate business program is ranked number two in the most recent U.S News & World Report survey. The online business program follows a flexible, one-course-at-a-time schedule, and can be started in either January or July. The online program is offered through the W.P. Carey School of Business, which has a solid reputation and is one of the largest business schools in the United States.

If business is not your area of interest, Arizona State also has graduate programs in nursing, education, and engineering which are all ranked in the top 50 by U.S News & World Report.
NUMEROUS BACHELOR'S DEGREE OPTIONS:

Arizona State University stands out among major universities by offering nearly 30 different online bachelor's degrees. The undergraduate programs at many of the top schools are limited to only a handful of options, which may not be a problem if you already know which discipline you want to study. 

However, if you're uncertain about which degree to pursue, being limited to only a few degree choices is not ideal. ASU's bachelor's programs cover a range of topics, which gives you more opportunities to find a degree that suits your interests.

Live Chat Simplifies the Research Process

The Arizona State University website has a live chat tool that puts you in direct contact with an ASU representative and allows you to get quick answers to your questions. Conducting online research is an important step in ensuring that you end up in the right program, and unfortunately, not all universities make it easy to get the information you need to make an informed decision. 

Only a handful of schools provide a live chat service, and the fact that ASU wants to reach out to prospective students and personalize interactions reflects well on the university.

Acces to Great Library Resources

Online students at Arizona State have access to a huge library of e-books, journals, and other resources to help successfully complete your education. ASU librarians have put together several library guides that provide quick access to common subject areas and help you navigate the library system. Online tutoring in math and writing is also available through the library at no additional cost, which is a great perk if you need to brush up on the basics.

Slightly Higher Application Fee for Bachelor's Program

Arizona State's application fee for bachelor's programs comes in at $65. If you plan on applying to multiple universities, these non-refundable fees can add up quickly. 

Most online schools charge an application fee of $50 or less for bachelor's programs, and there are even a handful of online schools that waive the application fee completely if you apply online. ASU does not admit every applicant, so be sure to research admissions standards before applying and potentially throwing away $65.

Arizona State University Full Online Programs Information

Arizona State University Online Programs General Information
  • Application Fee $65 - $90
  • Location AZ
  • Region Southwest
  • School Type Public
  • Term Schedule Other
Arizona State University Online Programs
  • Online Bachelor's 38
  • Online Graduate Business 2
  • Online Graduate Education 6
  • Online Graduate Engineering 6
  • Online Graduate IT None
  • Online Graduate Nursing 9
Arizona State University Online Programs Tuition Rates (Per Credit)
  • Online Bachelor's (In-State) $460
  • Online Bachelor's (Out-of-State) $460
  • Online Doctorate (In-State) $852
  • Online Doctorate (Out-of-State) $852
  • Online Master's (In-State) $482 - $1,054
  • Online Master's (Out-of-State) $482 - $1,054
  • Online MBA (In-State) $1138
  • Online MBA (Out-of-State) $1138
Arizona State University Online Programs Degrees
  • Bachelor's At least one bachelor's degree program is offered.
  • Doctorate At least one doctorate degree program is offered.
  • Graduate At least one graduate degree program is offered.
Arizona State University Online Programs Financial Aid
  • Federal Student Loans Federal student loans are available to qualified students.
  • Grants Grants are available to qualified students.
  • Institutional Aid Institutional aid is available to qualified students.
  • Scholarships Scholarships are available to qualified students.
Arizona State University Online Programs Networking
  • 4,000+ LinkedIn Group Members The school has a LinkedIn group with 4,000 members or more.
  • Alumni Association The school has an alumni association.
  • Career Services Students and graduates have access to job placement or career services.
  • Facebook Network The school has a Facebook network of alumni, faculty, and students.
  • LinkedIn Network The school has a LinkedIn group for alumni, faculty, and current students.
Arizona State University Online Programs Reputation
  • 10+ Years of Online Education At least one program has been taught online for ten years or more.
  • Princeton Review The university offering the online education is listed in the Princeton Review Best 377 Colleges 2013.
  • U.S. News Bachelor's Top 100 The school is ranked in the top 100 for online bachelor's degrees by U.S. News and World Report.
  • U.S. News Graduate Top 25 At least one online graduate program is ranked in the top 25 by U.S. News and World Report.
  • Forbes The university offering the online education is ranked in the top 100 of Forbes' America's Top Colleges.
  • Times Higher Education - Top 100 Ranking The university offering the online education is listed in the top 100 of the Times Higher Education World University Rankings.
  • Times Higher Education - Top 100 Reputation The university offering the online education is ranked in the top 100 of the Times Higher Education World Reputation Rankings.
OL University

Arizona State University Online Programs Student Services
  • 24/7 Live Tech Support 24/7 live tech support is available.
  • Academic Advising Academic advising is available.
  • Digital Library You have online access to digitized library materials.
  • Online Tutoring Online tutoring is available.

Monday, June 1, 2015

New Online Hydroponics Course, Grow Med University and Marijuana Project

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New Online Hydroponics Course, Grow Med University (Online University) - Grow Med University (GMU) is a free, self-directed online hydroponics course that enables growers to progress at their own pace and dip into the rich treasure chest of videos, white papers, efficacy reports, and both scientific and other informative articles, to hone their skills as growers and help them produce their best harvest yet!

The medical marijuana industry is growing every minute. Legal marijuana is the fastest-growing industry in the U.S. and a slew of other businesses are jumping on the bandwagon as well. At present, 23 US States allow medical marijuana use, while 7 have legislation pending to issue licenses for it. 

4 states and Washington, DC have legalized cannabis outright, while another California referendum in 2016 will allow recreational use in a state that was the first to permit medical marijuana use way back in 1996. It is estimated that medical marijuana is already a multibillion-dollar industry, without counting recreational sales.

While a great deal of information and misinformation appears daily on the internet, novice and more advanced growers alike are always looking for a source of reliable information, which can serve to improve their yields, both in terms of quality and quantity. A whole community of growers inhabit the growers forums and are always looking to perfect their growing skills.

GMU is very important to the growers community as well as to the medical marijuana industry, since by elevating the level of their knowledge, it is greatly helping to raise the quality of all the strains that are planted to produce the medicine, which is responsible for the miraculous healing of children with epilepsy, as well as adults suffering from the effects of chemotherapy, chronic pain, and glaucoma. Thousands of YouTube videos help document the impressive results of therapeutic cannabis use.

Grow Med University is a course representing the cumulative experience of scores of experts. From day one, it was envisioned as a community driven resource, providing much needed knowledge to the medical marijuana community


If you have a passion for hydroponics and growing medicine to help patients get rid of illness and pain, then Grow Med University is for you. Find out more about the project at http://www.GrowMedUniversity.com and join our community today! 

Grow Med University (GMU) is an online hydroponics course that shows you how to grow professional quality yields, and design professional growing spaces. The advice you get is advice given by professional growers involved with real, relevant medical marijuana projects that are getting laws changed. (Online university news source: PRWEB)

2015 Best Online Colleges Programs Rankings

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2015 Best Online Colleges Programs Rankings (Online University) - The number of online students climbs yearly as working adults, deployed service members, traditional college students and others are drawn to the flexibility of the programs.

About 5.4 million students, or 1 in 4, took at least one distance education course during the fall of 2012, according to the most recent data released by the National Center for Education Statistics. A 2014 survey of online students found that they put the most emphasis on reputation and cost when choosing an online program. But there are many other factors – from class meeting times to graduation rates – to consider.

2015 Best Online Colleges Programs Rankings 

To help students research and compare online programs, U.S. News has released the 2015 Best Online Programs rankings.

For the fourth year, the rankings include online bachelor's degrees, as well as online master's degrees in business, engineering, computer information technology, education and nursing. This year, for the first time, U.S. News has ranked online graduate criminal justice programs, and it has created a stand-alone ranking of online MBA programs.

Tied for the top spot in the new online MBA rankings were Indiana University—Bloomington (Kelley), Temple University (Fox) in Pennsylvania and the University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill (Kenan-Flagler). The inaugural criminal justice rankings were led by the University of California—Irvine. In the online bachelor's category, which includes the most ranked programs with more than 280, Pennsylvania State University—World Campus landed in the No. 1 spot.

In total, U.S. News assessed more than 1,200 online degree programs, up more than 20 percent from last year. Only degree-granting programs offered mostly or entirely online were considered. The rankings made no distinction between the for-profit and not-for-profit sectors.

The addition of Best Online MBA Programs was one of the biggest changes to the rankings. While U.S. News has ranked online graduate business programs since 2012, previous editions combined MBA and non-MBA programs into a single ranking. Non-MBA master's programs in areas such as accounting and finance continue to be ranked, but in a separate category. Both methodologies focus on factors such as faculty credentials, selectivity and reputation.

Similar factors were also used in the first rankings of online graduate criminal justice programs, though the methodologies used different weights. The rankings include both criminal justice and criminology master's degrees, since students tend to research both when choosing a program.

Revisions to the methodologies used to assess other online programs led to some changes in the rankings. In the case of online bachelor's degrees, for example, U.S. News significantly decreased the weight given to a program's percentage of tenured faculty, reflecting that many of those programs are more focused on vocational skills than on research.

However, the most dramatic movement in the rankings was caused by the schools themselves, as they reported new or more complete information about their programs.

Below is a sampling of some of the top online programs this year.
Bachelor's: This year's top finisher among online bachelor's programs, Penn State—World Campus, moved up from a third-place tie in last year's rankings. Daytona State College, University of Illinois—Chicago and Western Kentucky University tied for No. 2. Western Kentucky jumped up from a tie for the 87th spot after reporting several data points it didn't provide for the 2014 rankings.

Among other big shake-ups on the list was Central Michigan University's drop from a tie at No. 1 last year to a tie at No. 13.

MBA: While Indiana, Temple and UNC tied for the top spot, the University of Florida's Hough Graduate School of Business and Arizona State University's Carey School of Business tied for No. 4 in the new MBA ranking.

Business (master's): Among non-MBA online graduate business programs, Indiana was ranked No. 1 for its offerings, which included marketing and finance. The University of Texas—Dallas followed at No. 2. Arizona State tied with the University of Connecticut for the third spot.

Engineering (master's): The University of California—Los Angeles (Samueli) earned the highest distinction among online graduate engineering programs, trading places with Columbia University (Fu Foundation), which placed No. 2. University of Southern California (Viterbi) placed No. 3.

Criminal Justice (master's): Following UC—Irvine in the first ranking of online graduate criminal justice programs were Arizona State, Boston University and Pace University in a tie for No. 2.

Computer Information Technology (master's): For the third year in a row, the University of Southern California placed No. 1 among online graduate programs in computer information technology. Virginia Tech took second place, and Boston University took the third spot.

best online university in the US

Education (master's): Among online master's in education programs, University of Houston – previously tied for No. 3 – took the top spot. Florida State University, which tied at No. 61 last year, placed No. 2. The school earned improved marks on its faculty credentials and also reported several data points that it didn't last year. Northern Illinois University, last year's best performer, came in third.

Nursing (master's): Medical University of South Carolina earned first place in the rankings of online nursing master's programs, switching spots with St. Xavier University, which placed second. Johns Hopkins University and the University of South Carolina tied for the third spot.

Trying to fund your online education? Get tips and more in the U.S. News Paying for Online Education center. (Devon Haynie)