MLFTC’s online graduate programs ranked No. 8 in the U.S.

ASU’s Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College reached a historical high this year as its online master’s degree programs climbed the rankings in U.S. News & World Report’s 2022 Best Online Graduate Education Programs. Overall, MLFTC ranked No. 8, jumping four spots from last year.

The announcement makes MLFTC the only college of education in the country to rank in the USNWR top 11 in both on-campus and online graduate education degrees. 

“The last two years have shown the world that great universities need to be great at delivering learning in multiple modalities,” says Meredith Toth, assistant dean for digital learning at MLFTC. “We are committed to being excellent across the board. At the end of the day, our graduates are likely to work in learning environments that embrace both remote and in-person learning. So we’d better be good at both modalities.”   

Six of MLFTC’s online master’s degrees in education are among the top five in the nation, according to USNWR.  MLFTC’s rankings in online master’s degree specialty areas include: 

• No. 1 Best Online Master’s in Educational Administration and Supervision Programs

• No. 2 Best Online Master’s in Curriculum and Instruction Programs

• No. 3 Best Online Master’s in Special Education Programs 

• No. 4 Best Online Master’s in Educational Instruction and Media Design Programs

MLFTC also placed No. 2 for Best Online Master’s in Education Programs for Veterans. 

The Master of Education in Educational Leadership (Principalship) earned MLFTC the No. 1 ranking in educational administration and supervision. “It’s nice to be recognized for the work we have done to develop an outstanding online program for school leaders,” says Jill Koyama, vice dean of MLFTC’s division of educational leadership and innovation. “But we haven’t stood still. We now offer our program in two remote formats. In addition to the asynchronous format recognized in these rankings, we now offer a synchronous version for those who prefer to interact with peers and faculty in real time.”   

Similarly, MLFTC now offers its graduate-level teacher preparation programs in two online formats. Arizona residents can choose between either the asynchronous format delivered via ASU Online or a synchronous format delivered via ASU Sync. Students who reside outside Arizona can take classes asynchronously. In both modalities, students complete professional residencies in-person in schools near where they live.

Nicole Thompson, vice dean of teacher preparation at MLFTC, says, “We wanted to lower the barriers to entering the teaching profession while maintaining the quality of our programs, which is recognized nationally.”  

The college placed No. 2 in curriculum and instruction for its online degrees in early childhood education and gifted education. Degrees in autism spectrum disorders and applied behavior analysis earned MLFTC the No. 3 ranking in special education, while the Master of Education in Learning Design and Technologies ranked No. 4 in educational instruction and media design programs.