A collaborative effort between instructional course designers and faculty is one key reason Ball State University’s online Master’s in Nursing program ranks among the top 10 percent in the nation.
The program ranked 17th overall in this year’s U.S. News & World Report “Best Online Programs” list, which was released this week. Ball State ranked in the top-nine percent of 194 total eligible online Masters in Nursing programs, and performed better than four other ranked Indiana nursing programs.
“We are extremely proud and grateful to be recognized once again as having one of the top online graduate nursing programs in the country,” said Dr. Jayanthi Kandiah, Interim Dean of Ball State’s College of Health. “This recognition is no coincidence when considering the hard work of our talented faculty and dedicated staff.”
The Masters in Nursing was Ball State’s first-ever online degree offering in 1999. The program has remained one of the best of its kind across the country for students seeking an alternative to on-campus learning at a tremendous value.
Offered entirely online, Ball State’s Masters in Nursing program lets students choose one of three concentrations to fit their career path: nurse educator, nurse administrator, and family nurse practitioner. The Advanced Practice Nurse Practitioner certification has pass rates that range between 95 and 100 percent.
Dr. Linda Siktberg, Director of Ball State’s School of Nursing, believes three major factors contribute to the success of Ball State’s online Masters of Nursing program:
- Award-winning faculty: The graduate faculty in the nursing program are academically and experientially prepared.
- Functional course design: University course instructional designers collaborate with faculty in designing their courses using “best practice” online teaching strategies.
- Student resources: The School of Nursing has dedicated IT staff members available to assist graduate nursing students and faculty. Graduate course sizes are also capped at 20 students.
For more information about Ball State’s online master of science (MS) in nursing, visit the program’s website. For more information on other highly-ranked online programs at Ball State, visit bsu.edu/online.