U.S. News ranks Wright State online education program No. 15 in nation

U.S. News & World Report has ranked Wright State University’s online Master of Education degree in Curriculum & Instruction as No. 15 in the nation among online graduate education programs.

The U.S. News ranking in its Best Graduate Schools 2014 edition made Wright State’s College of Education and Human Services’ online program the top-ranked program in Ohio and ahead of well-known universities such as the University of Florida, Michigan State and Penn State. A total of 576 institutions were surveyed.

The magazine evaluated admissions selectivity, faculty credentials and training, student engagement and accreditation, and services and technology. Other factors included retention and graduation rates, student indebtedness at graduation, average undergraduate GPA of new entrants and support services such as career placement and academic advising. Wright State scored a perfect 100 percent in retention.

“The Department of Leadership Studies in Education & Organizations is very proud of our national ranking and the faculty team who deliver this program: Drs. Grant Hambright, Doug Roby, Suzanne Franco, Yoko Miura and Chris Cline,” said Jill Lindsey, Ph.D., chair of the Department of Leadership Studies. “This program has long enjoyed regional respect, especially for our dedicated faculty. It is very affirming to have earned a ranking of 15th in the nation.”

The teacher leadership program focuses on curriculum, instruction and professional development for educators who want to remain in the classroom and mentor younger teachers, develop curriculum, improve teaching strategies or oversee special programs for students. It is also the initial coursework for those who aspire to be principals and superintendents.

Formerly referred to as the Teacher Leader Program, the Master of Education program began in the 1970s as a way to reach out to students by sending faculty members to teach courses in outlying areas where there were a significant number of students, such as Wapakoneta, Marysville, Washington Court House, Batavia and Forest Hills.

As online technology developed, the program morphed into a hybrid model, with some of the courses and cohorts—or groups of students—being taught both face to face and online. In 2004 some of the cohorts went fully online; today, all of the cohorts are online. In fall 2012, the department began offering three additional online programs: a Master of Education for Principals, an Education Specialist Degree for Curriculum and Instruction Specialists and an Education Specialist Degree for Superintendents.