The University of Delaware’s College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) rose 168 places to #46 in U.S. News & World Report’s 2019 Best Online Graduate Education rankings, which were released on January 15. The survey ranked a total of 299 online graduate programs across the nation.

CEHD offers four online master’s degrees in Literacy, Teacher Leadership, Educational Technology, and Exceptional Children and Youth.

“We first started offering online programs in 2013. So in five years we achieved a Top 50 ranking,” said Christina Mason Johnston, CEHD assistant dean for graduate services. “That’s outstanding.”

For this ranking, U.S. News ranked schools based on five general categories: student engagement, faculty credentials and training, student services and technology, expert opinions from high-ranking academic officials, and student excellence. Within these categories, U.S. News accounts for a variety of factors, including graduation rate, class size, time to degree, student indebtedness, support services and teacher preparedness to teach distance learners.

Students Appreciate the Collaborative Programming

CEHD’s programs scored highly on student services, technology and engagement. These elements are of particular importance to students who are considering an online program. They want to know classes will not just be static lectures, but interactive between faculty and students. This ongoing engagement through multiple digital platforms ensures that students develop specific knowledge and skills that positively impact their careers.

“The online master’s program allowed me the freedom and flexibility to balance a busy work schedule with graduate work,” said Jake Zalkind, a physics teacher at Bohemia Manor High School who recently completed the online M.Ed. in Teacher Leadership. “Despite being an online program, the professors were still in contact with you on a regular basis and made themselves available if you needed to reach out for guidance or advice.”

“The way the professors set up their classes is pretty conducive to building a sense of community,” Zalkind added. “Some assignments required us to collaborate with each other through discussion posts or by submitting a voice or video recording for our peers to view, and UD provides the tools and resources that allow us to do so.  So even though I am not meeting with my peers every other day and sitting with them in a classroom, I can still talk with them, hear what they have to say and listen to their feedback as I could in a traditional classroom setting.”

“So far this program has improved my practice significantly,” said Sophia Sadock, an English Language Learner teacher in the Brandywine School District who is currently enrolled in online M.Ed. in Literacy. “This year I started working with kindergarten students, and I used numerous strategies I learned in my courses to help these young students develop early literacy skills.”

UD’s Graduate Education Programs

Enrollment in the online graduate program averages about 100 students with an average class size of 25 students. The graduation rate is 89 percent. Based on data from Join Delaware Schools, a nonprofit supported by the Delaware Department of Education, graduates can recoup their investment in about five years.

“Our outstanding students, faculty and staff continue to demonstrate the kind of leadership, innovation and tenacity that makes this one of the top programs in the nation,” said Chrystalla Mouza, director of UD’s School of Education. “Our students graduate with the knowledge and skills to advance their careers in education and human services and make a lasting impact on society.”

The College’s on-campus graduate program is currently ranked 34th in the nation in U.S. News’ Best Grad Schools 2018 edition, placing it in the top 14 percent of programs evaluated. Students in our graduate programs can earn doctoral or masters degrees in both our School of Education and department of Human Development and Family Sciences. We also offer interdisciplinary graduate degrees in collaboration with the business and health sciences.

To learn more about graduate degrees available through the College of Education and Human Development, attend our on-campus Open House on Wed., Jan. 23 from 5:00 to 6:30 p.m. or Online Master’s Virtual Open Houses, Feb. 4, March 5 or April 9.

For more information on rankings by US News & World Report, click here.

Learn more about UD’s online programs and their rankings in UDaily.