Here’s where Arkansas colleges’ online programs fall in the U.S. News rankings

Arkansas State University in Jonesboro has one of the top 10 online MBA programs in the country, according to a recent U.S. News & World Report ranking.

The Washington, D.C.-based news organization publishes a number of annual higher education lists, including a ranking of online graduate and undergraduate degree programs, released this year on Monday, Jan. 9.

ASU tied with one other school on the list. It scored 100 for its faculty credentials within the online MBA program, one of four factors looked at for the list. U.S. News also considered the number and quality of student services and technology available, student engagement and selectivity of admission.

Other Arkansas colleges listed as offering online MBA programs are John Brown University in Siloam Springs, Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia and University of Central Arkansas in Conway. However, those three were not ranked, as they fell within the bottom 25%, based on the U.S. News scoring system.

The University of Arkansas in Fayetteville ranked No. 36 for online bachelor’s degree programs, tied with seven other schools. Undergraduate rankings were based on the same criteria as the MBA and other graduate programs, excluding admissions selectivity, according to U.S. News.

SAU tied with six other programs for the 186th spot, out of 308 ranked colleges. Arkansas Tech University in Russellville ranked No. 213.

Results from ASU and UCA were not published, as their scores fell within the bottom 25%.

The UA outlines its ranking further within the framework of public vs. private institutions, asserting that the school earned the 25th spot among public institutions, according to a press release from the UA.

The school’s ranking in its undergraduate online degree programs rose from last year, when its programs came in 49th nationwide, according to the press release.

“The university can be proud of its high-quality online offerings, the strength of which is recognized by the 2017 U.S. News & World Report rankings,” Donald Judges, interim vice provost for distance education, said in the press release.

In addition to online MBA rankings, U.S. News looked at other graduate online programs, including computer information technology, education, engineering and nursing nationwide.

University of Arkansas at Little Rock was given the 26th spot out of 50 for its online computer information technology program.

The UA was ranked 40th out of 87 for graduate engineering, 47th out of 262 for graduate education, and 104th out of 141 for its graduate nursing online program.

Its ranking for graduate education was up slightly from 2016’s report, which showed UA as No. 53 nationally.

“The rankings take into account factors that our faculty and staff believe in and strive to provide in online education, including high-quality student engagement, student services and technology,” Michael Miller, dean of the College of Education and Health Professions, said in the press release. “Our administration works hard to ensure we can employ faculty with strong credentials and training in online teaching, another factor that the rankings take into account. The strong working relationship with Global Campus makes this possible.”

The rankings for the SAU, UCA and Arkansas Tech graduate education programs were not published, as they fell within the bottom quarter of scores.

UCA’s ranking for its graduate nursing program also was not published.