February 03, 2023
U.S. News ranks SIU’s online MBA program top in Illinois
CARBONDALE, Ill. — Southern Illinois University Carbondale earned a top ranking from U.S. News & World Report for the 2023 Best Online MBA Programs. The No. 58 rank put SIU atop all other Illinois institutions of higher learning.
“This is wonderful recognition for the quality of our students, faculty, staff and program,” said Marc Morris, dean of the College of Business and Analytics and acting co-provost and vice-chancellor for academic affairs. “This is proof our online Master of Business Administration program meets the market needs by marrying practical experience and instruction with world-renowned faculty who have a reputation for the outstanding research they do and bringing that knowledge into the classroom with the students.”
Various factors assessed
The publication evaluated more than 1,800 online bachelor’s and master’s degree programs, using a wide variety of factors such as faculty credentials, student engagement, services and technologies. The listing includes a profile of SIU and its program. The profile notes that the program is 100% online and designed with working professionals in mind, allowing students to complete their MBA in 23 months while working. It also notes that the same faculty who deliver the full-time residential MBA teach the courses and that students have the opportunity to study abroad in Grenoble, France. SIU’s College of Business and Analytics and its MBA program are accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, which is also quite a feat, he noted.
Morris said the faculty who teach in SIU’s program are extraordinary.
“For example, Greg DeYong is a world-renowned supply chain and logistics expert who is often interviewed by NPR, New York media and beyond,” he said, “and Bruce DeRuntz is a leadership expert who gets the students engaged. He challenges them and sets a pretty high bar but helps them meet and exceed that bar.”
DeYong is an associate professor of operations management and the faculty adviser for Beta Gamma Sigma, the business honors society for top bachelor’s and master’s students. DeRuntz has cross appointments as a professor in the College of Engineering, Computing, Technology and Mathematics and in the College of Business and Analytics; he also serves as director of SIU’s Leadership Development Program.
Morris said DeYong and DeRuntz are just a couple of the many acclaimed and gifted faculty members who teach in the program and mentor students. He noted that he is himself “a proud product of SIU’s MBA program,” earning his degree in 1991.
“It gives me great pride and respect for this program and its enduring legacy of excellence,” Morris said.
College offers students unique opportunities
Morris said SIU stands out from other universities with its wide range of learning experiences offered outside the classroom for anyone who is interested. Through the Saluki Student Investment Fund, students obtain “real world experience dealing with actual dollars” as they manage a nearly $3.5 million portfolio for the SIU Foundation. Just this month, a student team won first place in the national Deloitte FanTAXtic Case Competition, and in December, an SIU student team beat more than 930 teams in the Bloomberg’s Global Trading Challenge, an international trading competition, to earn fourth place in North American and 12th place globally, Morris noted.
“We have a great group of faculty, programs and opportunities for students here,” he said.
Evolving to meet needs of the future
Morris said in addition to the online and on-campus MBA programs, SIU offers a J.D./MBA concurrent degree program allowing students to earn their law and MBA degrees at the same time.
But, he said, SIU is constantly working to assure programs are relevant, best serving students in the field and on campus. College officials are looking into offering more options such as a condensed, one-year MBA program and/or a more flexible program for the on-campus and perhaps online programs.
“The innovation doesn’t stop at SIU,” he said.