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West Texas A&M University continues to rack up honors from independent rankings sites in multiple fields.
Best Value Schools recently announced that the broad range of WT’s online bachelor’s degree programs ranked No. 19 across the nation, alongside such schools as Ohio State University, University of Illinois and University of Florida.
“It has become more imperative that professionals in most careers need a minimum of a bachelor’s degree to be employable long-term, have job stability, and to earn the potential income for their field. Earning an online bachelor’s degree offers intellectual growth, makes individuals more competitive in the job market and advances career options,” according to the website.
Programs were ranked according to a matrix of cost, number of online bachelor’s degrees, students’ access to faculty and graduation rate.
WT has been a pioneer in online education since 1997.
“We are committed to offering a high-quality education for all students, on- and off-campus alike,” said Dr. Neil Terry, executive vice president and provost. “WT online degrees are solid investments, and the University has proven ready to serve online students at an affordable cost and with a high-quality education.”
The Best Schools, another independent online analyst, ranked WT’s online health sciences bachelor’s degree in its Top 10 best online degree programs.
“Our ranking lists the best bachelor of health science programs, helping prospective students find the right fit for their interests and career goals,” the website said.
“WT’s health sciences online baccalaureate program has been carefully designed for students to pursue a variety of careers in the healthcare industry, which is rapidly changing and in need of well-educated professionals,” said Rick Haasl, associate dean of the College of Nursing and Health Sciences. “We are pleased to see that our efforts are drawing attention.”
The Best Schools ranks degree programs based on quality, curricula, school awards, rankings and reputation. The site also lauded the University of Florida, the University of Central Florida, and Pennsylvania State University, among others.
WT’s emergency management administration degree program ranks No. 36 among the Top 100 Best Affordable Public Administrations Programs, according to University Headquarters, an independent educational organization.
WT prepares firefighters, police officers, emergency responders, military personnel, private sector and other emergency services professionals for advanced levels of administration and management, said Dr. Ming Xie, assistant professor of emergency management administration in WT’s Department of Political Science and Criminal Justice.
“We have been dedicated to providing affordable education for nontraditional students’ professional and intellectual development,” Xie said. “The University Headquarters ranking recognizes our program’s quality and value. We will continue empowering students to participate and lead in the professional work of emergency management and public administration.”
University Headquarters considered retention rates, graduation rates, loan default rates, graduate salaries and cost of tuition in making its list. Among the schools on the list: St. Petersburg College, the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Finally, WT’s online master’s in finance and economics in the Paul and Virginia Engler College of Business recently ranked No. 18 among College Consensus’ best online master’s in finance management programs.
“Not all online master’s programs are created equal, and prospective students today are savvy enough to know the difference,” according to College Consensus. “Inclusion in the list tells prospective students that WT not only is a top Consensus-ranked college, but a college that recognizes the changing needs of students today.”
WT made the cut alongside such institutions as Indiana University, Georgetown University, Fordham University and William & Mary.
“We are pleased to see that our efforts to offer quality, affordable education are being recognized,” said Dr. Amjad Abudllat, dean of the Engler College of Business. “We remain committed to being a student-centered organization that emphasizes excellence in teaching.”
College Consensus examines results from the most reputable college ranking publishers and combines them with thousands of student reviews.
These accolades reflect WT’s belief that quality is the cornerstone to higher education, an important part of the University’s long-term plan, WT 125: From the Panhandle to the World.
-West Texas A&M University