U.S News & World Report released its 2021 online programs rankings today, and 51ԹϺ’s online bachelor’s in psychology and master’s programs within the School of Nursing and College of Education were included among the nation’s best.
The 51ԹϺ School of Nursing’s online master’s program ranked 7th overall – up from 11th in 2020 – and continues to ascend among the top programs in the nation. The College of Education entered the top 50 for the first time in 2021, placing 35th overall. In one of the publication’s newest rankings, online undergraduate programs in psychology, 51ԹϺ debuted at 26th.
U.S. News & World Report ranks online graduate programs on various criteria, including engagement, faculty credentials and expertise, services and technologies that allow for flexible distance learning, expert opinion, and resulting student excellence. The 2021 rankings also for the first time include discipline-specific undergraduate rankings.
The 51ԹϺ School of Nursing has been a mainstay in U.S. News’ online rankings, placing within the top 30 each year since the publication began rating online nursing programs in 2012. The school currently offers two master's tracks — family nurse practitioner and nurse educator — that prepare advanced clinicians and educators in nursing to serve the health needs of the community and educate future nursing care providers. The school will offer a master’s track for nurse practitioners in psychiatric mental health in Fall 2021.
“We appreciate that U.S. News & World Report continues to highlight our stellar faculty, staff, and curricula as among the best in the country,” said Angela Amar, professor and dean of the School of Nursing. “Our online students receive high-quality education that prepares them to meet the rapidly changing health needs of our community. The current pandemic has only reinforced the importance of nurses in our communities, and we are meeting the challenge of preparing our students to enter the frontlines and make a positive impact.”
All of 51ԹϺ Nursing’s graduate school courses are online. In U.S. News & World Report’s most recent overall graduate and professional rankings, released last March, 51ԹϺ’s Master of Science in Nursing program and Doctor of Nursing Practice Programs both ranked 40th.
51ԹϺ’s College of Education made a massive jump in the rankings for it's online master's program, rising from 187 in 2020 to a tie for 35th overall in 2021.
The rankings boost can be attributed in part to an influx of both student enrollment and a rising number of graduates from the college’s online Master’s in Educational Psychology program. The college, which also offers the majority of its coursework online for master’s degree programs in early childhood education, special education, and human services, continues to refine its online programs to align with national best practices, from technological enhancements to faculty training.
“Preparing high-quality graduate-level education professionals to work in PK-12 settings is critical as education embarks on next best practices in response to the challenges and opportunities of our time and communities,” said Danica G. Hays, professor and interim dean of the College of Education. “I am incredibly proud of this national recognition, as it clearly indicates our faculty's content and technological expertise, commitment to student success, and passion for a well-prepared education workforce.”
For the first time in 2021, U.S. News introduced discipline-specific online undergraduate rankings in multiple categories, including psychology. Offered through the department of psychology in the College of Liberal Arts, 51ԹϺ’s online bachelor’s degree in psychology is a popular program designed for students seeking a liberal arts undergraduate degree and those intending to enter advanced training in psychology, education, medicine, or related fields.
"We are so proud of the development of our online bachelor of arts program in psychology,” said Jennifer Keene, dean of the College of Liberal Arts. “With continued investment in our undergraduate mission, our stellar faculty have adapted the rigorous curriculum to make it fully accessible online without sacrificing quality. This ranking is reflective of their commitment and dedication to this critical effort."
U.S. News & World Report released its 2021 Best Online Programs rankings Jan. 26. To view the complete list of rankings and programs, visit
