Georgia Southern University’s elementary education program, formerly called the early childhood education program, was recently named one of the best online master’s, according to OnlineMasters.com. Of the top 50 programs identified in the nation, the University’s M.Ed. in Elementary Education, housed in the Department of Elementary and Special Education of the College of Education, was ranked No. 28 and received the “Best for Professionals” recognition.

“We are proud of this ranking and proud of our program,” said M.Ed. Elementary Education Online Option Program Director Katie Brkich, Ph.D. “Faculty work hard to facilitate meaningful interactions and learning experiences in a fully-online program with a range of master’s students, from those fresh out of an undergraduate program to working professionals who are veterans in the field.”

OnlineMasters.com highlighted the program’s in-depth curriculum and field experiences to help current educators improve both their quality of teaching as well as the academic success of students in their classrooms. Education programs at Georgia Southern also include a focus on teaching diverse students and considering social justice issues in the classroom.

“I believe our program was ranked ‘Best for Professionals’ because our faculty are constantly considering the lives and experiences of our students in designing coursework, due dates and field expectations,” Brkich said. “We want full-time teachers to be able to succeed and gain valuable knowledge in the program.”

OnlineMasters.com considered three specific areas when ranking national online programs. Academic quality accounted for 40 percent of an institution’s grade, including graduation, retention and enrollment rates. Another 40 percent featured student success measures, including polling and assessment of current students and alumni and the quality of instructors. The final 20 percent concentrated on the affordability of an institution.

Methodology for the ranking incorporated the most recent data from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System and statistical data from the National Center for Education Statistics. Research was also conducted through interviews and surveys of current students, alumni and human resource professionals.