The University of Houston College of Education is home to the nation’s top ranked online graduate education programs. That's according to the latest U.S. News & World Report rankings of 2015 Best Online Programs.
“The College of Education has a successful history of integrating technology to support student success dating back to the early 1980s. This recognition celebrates the continued efforts of our faculty to ensure high quality online learning experiences that are academically rigorous and relevant to the careers of our students,” said Robert McPherson, dean of the college.
The college’s online programs were ranked third in the 2014 list.
U.S. News & World Report ranked online programs based on student-faculty interaction, student services and technology, faculty credentials and training, admissions selectivity and peer reputation.
The UH College of Education offers online graduate degrees in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies/Higher Education, Curriculum and Instruction/Early Childhood Education, Health Science, Mathematics Education, Science Education and Educational Psychology/Special Populations.
“Our programs help lead the national effort to provide opportunities to learn, build community and prepare students to be change agents in their fields using a full range of platforms,” said Cathy Horn, professor and director of the Higher Education and Cultural Studies Program.
The offerings include iSMART (Integrated Science, Math and Reflective Teaching), a program for middle school math and science teachers. Supported by the Greater Texas Foundation, 67 students have graduated from the program and an additional 25 are currently enrolled.
“We have developed a rigorous curriculum that science and mathematics teachers can bring directly to their classrooms while studying models of integration, teaching and learning, and ways to effectively incorporate technology,” said Jennifer Chauvot, professor and director of the program. “We also support teachers’ growth in leadership by facilitating an understanding of how teachers learn and improve their science and mathematics teaching practices.”
Though not included in the ranking qualifications, the college also offers several online certificates and anticipates moving other programs online in the future.
The 2015 U.S. News & World Report rankings also examined Best Online Programs in business, engineering, nursing, criminal justice, computer information technology and undergraduate programs.
To view the list, visit http://www.usnews.com/education/online-education
For more information on the UH College of Education, visit http://www.coe.uh.edu/