The School of Information Studies at Syracuse University has been ranked No. 11 on a list of the 50 best online degree programs for graduate computer information in the United States.

The U.S. News & World Report’s rankings take into account the credentials of faculty, the quality of student services and technology, peer reputation, how engaged students are and how selective the admissions process is, according to the U.S. News & World Report’s website.

Victoria Williams, director of online education for the iSchool, attributes the program’s success to its fine-tuned structure and force of well-trained and highly specialized professors.

“Since 1993, the iSchool has been delivering high-quality distance and online education,” Williams said.

The faculty’s formal training in online teaching combined with their experiences “translates into an enhanced learning experience” for the iSchool’s online students, Williams said.

Professors teaching in the online program are experts in fields such as information systems, library science, information policy, technology and management, data science and information security, Williams said.

All of the iSchool’s offered master’s degrees come with the option of being completed either on-campus or online, according to an SU News release.

With about 200 students, the program is not strictly comprised of off-campus or distant students; many of those enrolled are graduate students learning on campus at the iSchool who choose to add online courses to their curriculum.

“In this way, traditional boundaries between online and on-campus students do not exist at our school,” Williams said.

Kelsey George, a recent graduate of the library and information science program, said the personal touch added to the online route made all the difference.

“The orientation on campus at the beginning of the program was something I was really interested in,” George said.

George said being able to meet faculty at the orientation enabled her to connect with professors and other students “in a way a lot of other online programs don’t necessarily allow you to do.”

The iSchool stood out, too, in its practicality, not demanding that students make monthly trips to the campus as some other online programs require, George said.

George added that online students are in many ways no different from on-campus students, citing the necessity for both groups of students to have practical experience in their respective fields.

“I had several classes that required me to job shadow,” George said. “It really helped me to network with professionals in the field and get a look at different aspects of the job.”

Being ranked No. 11, though, is not the same as being ranked No. 1, and George said one way in which the school’s program could still improve would be to communicate more regularly with its students.

“It’s so easy for online students to fall through the cracks,” George said, adding that students should be made more aware of when they should be checking in with their advisors and staff for graduation requirements and dues.

George said communicating this kind of information “is something that can always be improved with any program.”

The iSchool has its eyes on the future and plans to add changes and expansions as needed, Williams said.

“We are looking toward new opportunities that will allow us to continue to deliver high-quality education using the most advanced online learning technologies,” Williams said.

 

Published on January 26, 2016 at 9:54 pm

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