A number of UMass Lowell’s online degree programs have received high marks in U.S. News & World Report’s 2020 college rankings of the best online degree programs in the country. These rankings are considered to be some of the most prestigious for public and private institutions of higher education. UMass Lowell’s master’s and bachelor’s degree programs were included in seven of the eight “best online programs” categories that were ranked.
Ranked #3 in the nation, UMass Lowell’s online graduate Criminal Justice programs moved up two spots from 2019. The University’s School of Criminology and Justice Studies faculty are renowned experts in areas ranging from transnational crime and weapons of mass destruction, to offender re-entry, victim’s concerns, and mental health and the justice system. Online program offerings in this area include a Master of Arts in Criminal Justice, a Master of Arts in Security Studies (with three concentrations: Homeland Defense, Industrial & Economic Security, and International Security), and a Master of Science in Security Studies (with two concentrations: Critical Infrastructure Protection and Cybersecurity).
Named a top-20 program in their categories in the 2020 college rankings, UMass Lowell’s online Master of Science in Information Technology and online graduate Education programs were ranked #13 and #15, respectively.
Advancing with a big jump in the rankings this year, UMass Lowell’s online MBA program increased 22 spots, from #51 in 2019 to #22 in 2020 — making it the highest-ranked online MBA program in Massachusetts and New England. UMass Lowell’s online MBA program is also one of the most affordable, with the lowest tuition of the top-22 ranked programs on the list. The online MBA program includes options in nine business areas: Accounting, Business Analytics, Entrepreneurship, Finance, Healthcare, Information Technology, International Business, Managerial Leadership and Marketing.
The University’s other online graduate Business programs excluding the MBA (an M.S. in Accounting, an M.S. in Business Analytics and an M.S. in Finance) moved up seven spots from 2019, landing at #26.
UMass Lowell’s Online Bachelor’s degree programs came in at #29, among the highest ranked in New England. Rounding out the rankings, UMass Lowell’s online M.S. in Engineering Management earned a spot on the Best Online Graduate Engineering Programs list.
When analyzing the 2020 college rankings, U.S. News looked at factors that indicate how these programs are being delivered and their effectiveness at awarding affordable degrees in a reasonable amount of time. Schools and programs were assessed based on some or all of the following categories: engagement, services and technologies, faculty credentials and training, expert opinion, and student success.
