VALDOSTA — Valdosta State University is once again one of the best colleges and universities in the nation when it comes to distance education, according to U.S. News and World Report’s 2021 Best Online Programs rankings.

This is the 10th year U.S. News and World Report has numerically ranked online degree programs, with the annual rankings being described as one of the most extensive evaluations of United States-based public, private and for-profit institutions of higher education ever published, university officials said in a statement. 

“VSU earned coveted, highly ranked spots on the publication’s 2021 Best Online Bachelor’s Programs, Best Online Bachelor’s Programs for Veterans, Best Online Bachelor’s in Business Programs, Best Online MBA Programs and Best Online Master’s in Education Programs lists — and, as an added bonus, was ranked No. 2 on U.S. News and World Report’s list of the 10 Affordable Online Colleges for Out-of-State students.

“We are very pleased to attain this recognition from U.S. News and World Report,” said Dr. Robert T. Smith, provost and vice president of academic affairs at VSU. “Our faculty have worked very hard to develop and maintain outstanding online programs, meeting the needs of students located throughout Georgia and beyond. We are especially proud to bring a high-quality VSU education to meet students’ needs, particularly in rural areas of Georgia, where low-cost quality education is hard to come by.”

VSU came in at No. 122 on U.S. News and World Report’s 2021 Best Online Bachelor’s Programs list, up from No. 143 the previous year. VSU also came in at No. 75 on U.S. News and World Report’s 2021 Best Online Bachelor’s Programs for Veterans list and No. 35 on U.S. News and World Report’s Best Online Bachelor’s in Business Programs list.

“We are excited to receive national recognition for our online programs and rise in ranking from last year,” said Marsha B. Dukes, associate director of VSU’s Center for eLearning. “At VSU, we care about our students, and we strive to remove barriers to their success. During the pandemic, our online degree programs were flexible to empower working professionals and undergraduate students to continue their studies and advance their careers even during life challenges. The latest ranking of online programs from U.S. News and World Report reflects our ongoing commitment to providing innovative, high-quality online education and recognizes the expertise of our faculty and their dedication to student learning.”

VSU came in at No. 123 on U.S. News and World Report’s 2021 Best Online MBA Programs list, up from No. 229 the previous year.

“It is an honor to have our master of business administration program recognized by U.S. News and World Report,” said Dr. Ellis B. Heath, director of graduate studies for the Harley Langdale Jr. College of Business Administration at VSU. “Our MBA program has been built with great faculty, a focus on student engagement and an expectation of excellence. We strive each and every day to provide our students with the tools necessary to compete in the global marketplace.”

VSU came in at No. 132 on U.S. News and World Report’s Best Online Master’s in Education Programs list. VSU’s James L. and Dorothy H. Dewar College of Education and Human Services is accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation, as well as an American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education award-winning institution. 

All initial educator preparation programs are approved by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission, university officials said. Several of the college’s online educator preparation programs are accredited or nationally recognized by their specialized professional organizations.

VSU offers more than 60 bachelor’s, master’s, specialist and doctoral degrees, endorsements, certificates, minors and certifications online.

VSU also offers students an accelerated option for completing all of the core coursework for a bachelor’s degree in a non-science major in as little as three semesters. Through SmartPath Core, these classes are never full, always available, offered in eight-week sessions, and taught by VSU faculty.

To determine this year’s rankings, U.S. News and World Report looked at engagement; services and technology; student excellence; faculty credentials and training; expert opinion.

Call the Center for eLearning at (229) 245-6490 to learn more about online education opportunities available at VSU.