UCM Included Among ‘U.S. News & World Report’s’ Best Online MBA Programs

By Jeff Murphy, January 15, 2019

WARRENSBURG, MO – “U.S. News & World Report,” a publication many students turn to for information to help them decide how to reach their higher education goals, has ranked the University of Central Missouri’s online Master of Business Administration (MBA) program among the best in the nation.

In its January 2019 rankings released this week, the well-known publication and online resource listed UCM’s online MBA as 126th among programs at colleges and universities coast to coast. With this ranking, UCM’s program climbs up 38 spots from its ranking of 164th in 2018. This is an accomplishment of great importance to faculty, staff and students in the Harmon College of Business and Professional Studies, where the online MBA is housed.

“Being recognized by ‘U.S. News & World Report’ demonstrates that our program provides students with a quality education that helps them to compete in the business world,” said Ginger Killian, associate dean and MBA director in the Harmon College. “Our faculty worked collaboratively to design the program in way that supports the needs of working professionals.”

According to “U.S. News & World Report,” master’s degree programs in business administration have greater enrollment than any other graduate business degree. Because of this, U.S. News ranks online MBAs separately from other distance learning degrees in areas that include finance, marketing, and management, which are ranked as Best Online Graduate Business Programs.

The MBA online rankings were created using data collected and weighted in five categories:

• Engagement, 28 percent
• Student Excellence, 25 percent
• Expert Opinion, 25 percent
• Faculty Credentials and Training, 11 percent
• Student Services and Technologies, 11 percent

Within this methodology, “U.S. News & World Report” seeks insight into many different aspects of the online MBA. This includes looking at opportunities for students to readily interact with their instructors and classmates; accessibility and responsiveness of instructors; the aptitude of students who can handle demands of rigorous coursework; and intangible factors such as how high-ranking academic officials at MBA programs and employers view the quality of MBAs produced in specific online programs. The rankings also consider instructors’ academic credentials and learning technologies that provide greater flexibility for online learners. Additionally, for the first time, the data collection process for these rankings also included sending a peer assessment to the deans of business schools with MBA online programs and to top distance learning officials at schools where these programs are offered.

“The improvement in our rankings is a direct result of the MBA program revision in 2017.  In only two years, we’ve gone from unranked to #126 in the country, and one of ‘U.S. News &World Report’s’ Best Online MBA programs,” Killian said. “I’m so proud of my colleagues, faculty, and our dedicated students for all that we’ve accomplished together.”

She added that HCBPS program revisions that were made by Harmon College faculty include innovative concentrations that combine quality, flexibility, and affordability to meet the needs of tomorrow’s employers. As an AACSB-accredited online program, UCM’s online MBA is focused on delivering a quality educational experience that prepares graduates for managerial roles in industry.

Learn more about UCM’s MBA opportunities, including the online option, by visiting www.ucmo.edu/mba.  Also call Killian at 660-543-8192 or email mba@ucmo.edu to learn more.