The Indiana University Kelley School of Business continues to be seen as a leader in presenting an array of choices for professionals seeking a quality graduate business degree online, according to new rankings from U.S. News & World Report.
The Kelley Direct Online MBA program and Kelley’s Master of Science program each were tied with one other school for No. 2 rankings among more than 250 schools and universities offering similar degrees nationwide.
“As these rankings and other indicators suggest, Kelley continues to lead the way in providing a quality graduate business education, whether it is presented online or on campus full-time,” said Idalene “Idie” Kesner, Kelley’s dean and the Frank P. Popoff Chair of Strategic Management.
“We’re pleased that our Kelley Direct Program is a model for online graduate business programs worldwide. Students value our flexible, innovative and relevant approach of presenting business education and preparing them for the next level of leadership in their chosen career paths,” she added.
In addition to the Kelley Direct Online MBA, students also can earn specialized Master of Science degrees in business analytics, entrepreneurship and innovation, finance, global supply chain management, information technology management, marketing, and strategic management.
In the last year, Kelley Direct was ranked the No. 1 program in the United States by QS Intelligence Unit — which also produces the QS World University Rankings – and the Princeton Review.
“The U.S. News ranking is a reflection of Kelley Direct’s commitment to promoting student engagement with faculty and peers, selectivity in admissions, a strong reputation among other top business programs, and the quality of the faculty who deliver the program,” said Ramesh Venkataraman, chair of Kelley Direct Online MBA and M.S. programs and a professor of information systems. “The Kelley School’s online programs continue to deliver high-quality courses and content while ceaselessly focusing on providing value to students.”
U.S. News bases its rankings on five criteria: student engagement with faculty and each other (28 percent), admissions selectivity (25 percent), reputation among peers and employers (25 percent) and faculty credentials and training needed to effectively teach in an online environment (11 percent).
Students in the Kelley Direct MBA program regularly interact with faculty, both in and out of the classroom, and come to the Bloomington campus for Kelley Connect in-residence weeks at the beginning of their first and second years. They also benefit from Propel, a comprehensive professional development program. Students are assigned an academic coach and a career coach, with every student required to meet with their coaches at various points in the program.
The admissions process for the Kelley Direct MBA includes a holistic review of a student’s academic profile (including undergraduate GPA and GMAT/GRE score), personal statement, resume, and letter of recommendation. Promising applicants complete telephone interviews with a member of Kelley Direct’s leadership team. Students have two to five years to complete the 51 credit hours required for the Kelley Direct online MBA.
U.S. News also ranked IU’s online programs in education and nursing as well as the bachelor’s degree offered through IU Online. The rankings will appear in the 2018 edition of U.S. News and World Report’s Best Online Education Program rankings.