October 13, 2017
Online MBA program garners more national recognition
CARBONDALE, Ill. – Southern Illinois University Carbondale’s Online Master of Business Administration program continues to rake in honors.
The program, housed within the College of Business, is among “The 50 Best Online MBA Programs for 2017-18” selected by TheBestSchools.org. The rankings were released this week with SIU in the No. 36 spot. This is the second year in a row SIU has claimed the same position on the list.
Online programs were evaluated based on the quality of the program, types of courses featured, academic rigor, faculty scholarship, school awards, rankings, strength of online instruction methodology, reputation and various other factors, including accreditation, costs, and the acceptance, retention and graduation rates. A proven track record for delivering “full-fledged online instruction” was required. In addition, in order to earn a spot on the list, a program must be accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International.
“Our continued strong showing in the rankings reflects the quality of our faculty, staff and students,” said Terry Clark, dean of the College of Business. “We are making additional investments and have an enduring commitment to offering an array of top-quality online programs.”
The BestSchools online ranking included a profile of SIU and its College of Business’ online MBA program. The profile states that the online MBA program is offered in a 23-month format, with new groups beginning each summer semester and students taking one course during each eight-week term, giving flexibility but also encouraging students to interact with faculty and one another. It also noted that the program is completely online, with no campus visits required, and that there is an option for a concentration in Agribusiness Economics, offered in conjunction with the College of Agricultural Sciences.
Just last month, SIU earned the 23rd spot among Discover Business’ top online MBA programs and earlier this year, SIU was named among the top 40 “Best Online MBA Programs” by U.S. News and World Report. This is the third consecutive year for the U.S. News ranking and SIU claimed the No. 36 spot in the country. SIU also took the sixth spot in the Midwest and was No. 1in Illinois according to U.S. News.