The online education arena is a crowded one, and programs offered at the College of Business and Economics have received national recognition by one of the most reputable sources in the country.

The Online Hybrid MBA program at West Virginia University has been ranked #47 in online MBA programs nationally by U.S. News & World Report, while the Online M.S. Business Data Analytics and Online M.S. in Forensic & Fraud Examination combined for a #66 ranking in the non-MBA category by U.S. News. The globally recognized publication made the announcements January 10 through its 2017 U.S. News Best Online Programs Rankings.

The online hybrid MBA program ranking lands it in the top 50 for the fifth consecutive year. The two-year program includes three, multi-day residencies on campus at WVU and one in Washington, D.C., and has been in existence less than six years. The one-year Forensic & Fraud Examination program has been offered in its online degree format for less than two years, and the Business Data Analytics program is in its first year. Business Data Analytics students have an option of one- and two-year programs.

“The national ranking of our online graduate programs is a great reflection of the commitment to online learning by B&E and West Virginia University,” said Javier A. Reyes, B&E Milan Puskar Dean. “Our online MBA has, essentially, been nationally ranked since it came into existence, and that starts with our great faculty. It’s not possible to offer these high quality, online programs without committed, professional, world class faculty and the staff in our Center for Career Development and Office of Graduate Programs. And it’s our intention to continue to improve and expand upon these programs.”

Online hybrid MBA dual degree programs include the J.D.-Online MBA joint program with the WVU College of Law, as well as the PharmD-Online MBA and the MSN (Master of Science in Nursing)-Online MBA with the WVU College of Pharmacy and School of Nursing, respectively.

Online MBA rankings are calculated using five different criteria, three of which are weighted more heavily: student engagement (28%), admissions selectivity (25%), peer reputation (25%), faculty credentials and training (11%), and student services and technology (11%). Those same criteria are used to calculate rankings for non-MBA programs, but are weighted differently: student engagement, 33%; admissions selectivity, 20%; peer reputation, 20%; faculty credentials and training, 13.5 percent; and student services and technology, 13.5 %.

“Our consistent presence in the rankings for our online hybrid MBA program is very rewarding and is attributed to a combination of things, including high-quality faculty delivering solid content to high-quality students,” said Mark Gavin, associate dean for Graduate Programs, Research, and Executive Education. “It is also particularly encouraging to know that our online students are so engaged. This is not an accident, nor is it necessarily easy to pull off with an online format. Our faculty and staff work hard to build and deliver this program in a way that draws students into the experience. Integrating residencies into the online program is also crucial to achieving this level of student engagement. It’s our experience with this program, along with faculty expertise and market receptivity, that has allowed us to launch our other two online programs, Forensic & Fraud Examination and Business Data Analytics, to such success in short order.”

U.S. News has provided education rankings since 1983.