If you want to get a master's degree in information technology but hate classrooms, Virginia Tech is the spot for you. If you'd rather study criminal justice online, none of the schools in D.C., Maryland or Virginia are places to look according to the new U.S. News & World Report compilation of the best online education programs.
Online education is an ever-growing juggernaut, with big corporations and startups all competing to get schools to sign on to their platforms and programs, and schools looking for the best way to educate their students with all the new, digital tools available to them.
The results can be somewhat mixed though, which is why U.S. News & World Report puts together an annual ranking of the best online programs for different degrees. The report ranked schools' online bachelor programs and seven different advanced degree programs. They were ranked based on faculty credentials, technology, student engagement and services and other factors.:
• Maryland, Virginia and D.C. schools didn't top any of the lists though, suggesting there's still plenty of work ahead for them if they want to be a digital destination for students.
• Virginia Tech's number two ranking for a master's in computer information technology was the highest for any area school, although Johns Hopkins came in at five and University of Maryland-Baltimore County at 16.
• Engineering was another bright spot for the DMV, with Virginia Tech again standing out by ranking No. 9, while Johns Hopkins came in at 11, the University of Maryland at 16 and the University of Virginia at 22.
• The only other degree to get more than two schools in the area ranked above 40 was a master's in Nursing, where James Madison University surged ahead at number five, with George Washington University at 13 and Georgetown at 28.
• Beyond that, GW stood out at No. 9 in education and 18 for a non-MBA business degree.
• For an online MBA, JMU came in at 28 while George Mason University made its only notable appearance at 34.
• When it came to getting an online bachelor's degree, only Regent University in Maryland at 17 and GW at 28 made much of an impression.
All of that doesn't mean that colleges and universities in the area aren't doing impressive things with technology. The presence in the DMV of edtech giants like Blackboard and 2U as well as many smaller companies like DubLabs, Echo360, Ellucian and Interfolio all contribute to the use of technology at the schools, it just means that there isn't as much of a push for degrees at a distance. Investment in using digital tools to supplement classroom time or for individual classes is common becoming ever more so, but taking whole degree programs online and making them as much a priority as the on-campus programs won't be a quick change in thinking.
