PSU ranked among highest in nation for degree programs
Wednesday, November 8, 2017 2:00 AM
News, Milestones
Pittsburg, KS
Two of the degree programs are offered online: a Master of Science in Special Education through PSU's College of Education, and an online Master's in Sports Management through the Department of Health, Human Performance, and Recreation Department. Their availability online means students can complete coursework at any time of day, from anywhere.
The third degree program to receive recognition is PSU's MBA and the Kelce College of Business.
Princeton Review ranked the Kelce College of Business at No. 3 on the list of Most Family Friendly Business Schools in the U.S. And, the Review put the Kelce MBA program on the list of the Best 267 Business Schools for 2018, out of the approximately 800 AACSB-accredited business schools in the U.S.
For the rankings, the Review analyzed data from surveys of 23,000 students and administrators.
“Top business schools now offer online MBAs, and employers do see them as credible and valuable,” said the Review's editor in chief, Robert Franek. “For working professionals unable to move to a 'brick and mortar' campus for an MBA, these schools offer an opportunity to learn from some of the world's best business school professors and earn their degree from anywhere in the world."
PSU's Master of Science in Special Education online degree program has been ranked No. 11 in the nation by Top Education Degree.
The ranking considered tuition, relevancy of curriculum, and student to faculty ratio.
"Our editors noted that this is one of the best online Master’s in Special Education degree programs in the country," said Laura Kilmartin of Top Education Degrees.
In its summary of the program's strengths, Top Education Degrees noted that PSU allows children and grandchildren of alumni who are nonresidents to receive a discount on tuition of up to $7,900.
Assistant Professor Brian Sims attributed the ranking to several things.
"The experiences of our faculty and rigor of the coursework are invaluable when preparing our students to be effective teachers of students with disabilities," Sims said. "And our partnerships with local schools help provide rich opportunities for our students to put their coursework into practice immediately."
PSU has been ranked in fourth place in the nation among the 2018 Most Affordable Online Colleges for Master's in Sports Management.
The ranking by SR Education Group's OnlineU represents online schools across the nation that are making an effort to provide economical options for students.
The degree, a Master of Science in Health, Human Performance & Recreation, includes three emphasis areas. John Oppliger, chair of the Health, Human Performance, and Recreation Department, said that beyond being affordable, it's also convenient for employed students and professionals.
All 11 faculty who teach in the program hold terminal degrees, with areas of expertise that include recreation and sport, therapeutic recreation, hospitality, health promotion, education, athletic coaching, exercise science, and rehabilitation medicine.
It's the only graduate program in Kansas with an emphasis for recreation and leisure professionals. Career options include community park and recreation management, YMCA/YWCA and wellness center management, and athletic directors in schools and colleges.
Graduates from the program range from University of Arkansas-Ft. Smith Basketball Coach Elena Lovato, to Mica Rosenow, who owns her own massage business in Joplin and is working on her doctorate, to Steven Lilly, assistant director of recreation at PSU's Student Recreation Center.