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George Mason University has some of the nation’s best online master’s programs, with six of them in the Top 20, according to the just-released 2022 U.S. News & World Report Best Online Programs rankings.
“Mason’s online graduate programs provide ‘access to opportunity’ that, especially through the COVID pandemic, have been highly valued and are highly respected,” said Provost Mark Ginsberg. “The latest rankings affirm the quality of our online graduate programs and their consequential nature. We are very pleased that they are recognized as among the very best in the nation.”
Mason’s education programs led the list, with special education ranking best in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area, and No. 7 nationally. As a whole, Mason’s education programs climbed five spots this year to No. 41. They are among 11 programs at Mason that also made the Top 50.
“These rankings reflect the well-earned national reputation of a degree in education from George Mason University,” said Bob Baker, interim dean of Mason’s College of Education and Human Development (CEHD). “They further demonstrate the widespread respect held for our exceptional faculty and graduates.”
“Despite the challenges of the pandemic, CEHD education programs are consequential in that we remain committed to making the online experience both rigorous and relevant,” Baker said. “We are recognized for affording a large number of students access to a very high-quality education that professionally prepares them to be career-ready and impactful.”
Other Mason programs in the Top 20 include Education for Veterans (No. 13 nationally and best in the D.C. area), its MBA in Business Analytics (No. 17 nationally and No. 11 among public institutions), its MBA in General Management (No. 19 overall and No. 11 among publics), and Industrial Engineering (No. 19 nationally, tied with George Washington University, and No. 15 among publics).
Mason’s Master of Business Administration (MBA) programs also advanced into the Top 100, rising 25 spots in just two years.
“Mason has always worked to provide the learning and development working professionals need—when, where, and in the way they most need it,” said Maury Peiperl, dean of the School of Business. “Our online MBA continues to do that, and to improve with deeper and deeper engagement with our customers, most of whom are in the Washington region.”
METHODOLOGY: According to its website, U.S. News ranks programs in five categories: student engagement, faculty credentials and training, services and technologies that allow students greater flexibility to take classes and labs from a distance, student excellence, and a survey of “high-ranking academic officials.”
Mason also ranked in these U.S. News categories:
MBA: No. 98 overall, No. 70 among publics.
MBA for Veterans: No. 64 overall, No. 49 among publics.
MBA (business analytics): No. 17 overall, No. 11 among publics.
MBA (general management): No. 19 overall, No. 11 among publics.
Business master's (non-MBA): No. 35 overall (tied with American University), No. 25 among publics.
Information technology: No. 42 overall, No. 29 among publics (tied with JMU and UMBC).
Education: No. 41 overall, No. 40 among publics.
Education for Veterans: No. 13 overall (best in the DMV), No. 13 among publics.
Education (curriculum and instruction): No. 21 overall, No. 21 among publics.
Education (educational administration and supervision): No. 20 overall, No. 19 among publics.
Special education: No. 7 overall, No. 7 among publics.
Engineering: No. 47 overall, No. 35 among publics.
Engineering (industrial): No. 19 overall (tied with George Washington), No. 15 among publics.