U.S. News & World Report names University of St. Thomas’ online M.Ed. Program to its 2019 list of Best Online Graduate Education Programs. UST offers a complete M.Ed online. Degree specialties include Counselor Education, Educational Leadership, Special Education, Dual Language Instruction, Curriculum/Instruction and Generalist.

About the Program

The UST M.Ed. program prepares teachers, instructional specialists, counselors and school leaders for rewarding careers. Professors dedicate themselves to advancing quality digital teaching and learning experiences. Students in the program develop innovative teaching practices based on Quality Matters, Online Learning Consortium and Blackboard Exemplary. The curriculum mirrors the face-to-face model and adheres to rigorous standards. Professors are interactive with students throughout courses. The learning management system is compatible/accessible using smart phones, tablets or any computing device or platform. Scholarships are available for some specialties.

“The courses at UST are carefully designed without compromising quality,” Dr. Nickie Landry, director Online Curriculum, said. “A concerted effort is made to include a personal touch and reduce the barrier of isolation. Strategies to personalize instruction include developing a class photo album, class discussions, and group work. The online course program has rapidly expanded our educational practices. We will continue to grow as faculty gain further development in online instruction.

“Online delivery has allowed UST to reach more graduate students than ever before, and accommodate the busy teaching schedules of actively employed educators who may be hundreds of miles from our campus,” Landry said.

How the Rankings Were Calculated

299 schools who made the list rank according to their performance across a set of widely accepted indicators of excellence. These five general categories include engagement, services and technology, reputation, student excellence and faculty credentials and training.

A program's score for each ranking indicator is calculated using data that the program reported to U.S. News in a statistical survey and a peer reputation survey.

Respondents provide information specific to their online programs. This means they could not report on any of their separate campus-based education programs. However, programs that allowed students to attend classes on campus could be included if all components besides orientation, testing and academic support services were always accessible via distance education.

Peer Assessments

Complementing the statistical data from this questionnaire was a separate peer reputation survey that for the first time U.S. News administered directly to deans of education schools with online graduate programs and top distance learning officials at those institutions.

University of St. Thomas’s Online M.Ed. Program accepts applications on a rolling basis. For more information, contact gradprograms@stthom.edu