PULLMAN, Wash. – Washington State University College of Business’ online graduate business programs are an ideal fit for anyone balancing a military career and college courses, according to U.S. News & World Report’s Best Online Programs for Veterans rankings published Tuesday (May 7). WSU ranked first in Best Online Graduate Business Programs for Veterans.“Serving veterans and military personnel by providing access to our online programs – the highest ranked in the country – is a privilege and one of the many ways we fulfill our land grant mission,” said Eric R. Spangenberg, College of Business dean. “The 30 veterans and active service members associated with our programs are well positioned to make critical business decisions that affect our nation’s security, economy and overall welfare.”
To ensure academic quality, all schools included in the ranking first had to be numerically ranked in U.S. News & World Report’s 2013 Best Online Education Programs. Earlier this year, the college’s online MBA program received the highest national ranking. The Executive MBA program was included in that evaluation.
The Best Online Programs for Veterans rankings measure how effectively programs specifically benefit people with military experience in terms of affordability, accessibility and reputation. WSU’s online graduate programs are second to none in these assessments; they offer a curriculum with rigor that equals or exceeds traditional face-to-face programs.
The online MBA and Executive MBA programs are nationally renowned for engaging and supporting students. They encourage students to become involved in student government and to attend business career networking events. Students gain professional perspective through social media groups of peer business executives and global perspective through an optional 10-day study abroad experience.
Courses are taught by faculty experts with more than a decade of e-learning experience, and students have access to 24-hour technical support.
WSU’s online graduate business programs met several other criteria included in the veteran ranking methodology. WSU has an accredited course listed in the Defense Activities for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES) Catalog of Nationally Accredited Distance Learning Programs and is a member in the Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges Consortium. WSU is also certified for the federal GI Bill and participates in the Yellow Ribbon Program.
“I was intimidated going back to school, but the online program’s support staff and instructors removed my concerns,” said David Cohen, senior officer in the U.S. Air Force stationed at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Ala. “I am learning a tremendous amount from the program and my classmates and will be significantly more marketable when I transition from the military.”
The college was one of the first to offer online education in the early days of the Internet and currently engages with the WSU Global Campus to expand the scope and selection of degree programs offered online and to enhance the educational experience of online students. WSU has offered the MBA degree for more than 55 years, with graduates occupying leadership positions in all fields of business.
The online MBA program is for students who may or may not have an undergraduate degree in business, with varying levels of work experience, and who wish to obtain deeper knowledge by earning concentrations in international business, finance and marketing. The online executive MBA requires at least seven years of managerial work experience.
About the College of Business
The WSU College of Business is accredited across all business disciplines at the baccalaureate, masters and doctoral levels by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. Faculty across disciplines produce scholarly and applied research at the main campus in Pullman as well as at urban campuses in Vancouver and the Tri-Cities. International activities include academic centers in China and Switzerland as well as thriving partnerships with several schools around the globe. Innovative online programs supplement face-to-face offerings.
For more information, visit http://www.business.wsu.edu.