The University of Arizona’s online Master of Business Administration and online Management Information Systems programs have been recognized for being among the top 10 in the country.
The recognition for the Eller College of Management programs came from the U.S. News & World Report 2020 rankings for “Best Online Master’s in Computer Information Technology” and “Best Online MBA.”
The UA’s online MIS program ranked No. 1 out of 40 public schools and No. 3 out of 62 schools overall around the country, according to U.S. News & World Report.
The rankings were decided, in part, by UA scoring highest in engagement or the measure of “student satisfaction and instructor responsiveness,” which earned a 90 out of 100, the report said.
The school also scored 77 out of 100 when measuring “how well a school prepares qualified instructors to teach remotely.”
In 2019, the MIS program was ranked No. 4, an improvement from its 2018 No. 8 ranking in the U.S. News & World Report’s list. The organization also ranks schools based on factors such as student excellence and student services and technology.
U.S. News & World Report also ranked the online MIS program No. 2 out of 16 schools for veterans for its offerings and efforts to “help veterans reduce the cost of school,” according to the report, which ranked only schools that finished in the top half of the initial list. The online MBA program was ranked sixth for veterans.
“We’re really glad that we’re able to maintain our high ranking in the MIS program; it’s because we don’t compromise on quality,” said Paulo Goes, dean of Eller College, in a statement.
“It’s got the same high-quality faculty and curriculum as our on-ground programs, but we offer it in a way that makes it flexible and manageable for working adults. It’s just one of many highly ranked programs that the Eller college offers,” Goes said.
About 91% of MIS students are employed when they enroll, and the programs can be completed in as little as 10 months with classes taken in six-week increments, according to UA.
Likewise, UA’s online MBA program climbed to No. 10 out of 335 schools, an improvement from No. 21 in 2019 and No. 33 in 2018, according to UA.
UA was tied at No. 10 with five other schools, including Arizona State University, and tied at No. 7 when looking solely at the list of 162 public schools.
The MBA program scored an 88 out of 100 for student satisfaction and instructor responsiveness and an 83 in how well-prepared faculty are to teach courses remotely.
“Our biggest success — and one that helped our rise in the rankings — is preparing students for careers by giving them access to quality online programming and keeping the human interaction at the forefront of the learning experience,” said Liesl Folks, senior vice president for academic affairs and provost.
