The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater has been ranked No. 1 in the state for its online MBA programs for 2019. With an overall score of 83 percent, acceptance rate, accessibility and cost have helped push UW-W to the top.

“Whenever a program receives a ranking like this, it provides visibility about the high quality of our programs and raises the stature of our programs in the public’s eye,” said Provost Susan Elrod. “That can only have a positive impact on our students.”

UW-W is best known for its business school, so it’s no surprise that the MBA online programs soared to the top of U.S. News’ rankings. The ranking for this year is viewed almost as high as being an AACSB accredited school.

“The size of our program and what we offer to students is what’s really attractive,” said John Chenoweth, dean of the College of Business and Economics. “We have a high quality business program, and our reputation is really strong.”

Currently, there are about 200 students involved with UW-W’s online MBA programs alone. The students are taught by a wide array of great faculty members.

“[U.S. News] has many methods that they use to rank schools, such as faulty and engagement,” Chenoweth said. “We scored a 97 [out of 100] for our faculty credentials.”

While UW-W’s MBA online programs receive first place in the state, they tied with many other schools for No. 21 nationwide.

“It’s mainly based on engagement and acceptance rate,” Chenoweth said. “You’ll notice that many of the schools in higher rankings have lower acceptance rates, while we admit students who meet our requirements.”

While the online MBA programs received a 48% for engagement/acceptance, this will not prevent the university from accepting more students in the future.

“We hope [the rankings] will help us recruit and retain more students in our programs,” Elrod stated.

Outside of the MBA online programs, UW-W ranked No. 42 in overall online bachelor’s programs across the nation.

“We certainly hope this will lead to program growth and would be pleased to have our programs move up in the rankings,” Elrod said. “Online programs are an area where we are expanding and scoring high in these rankings.”

UW-W offers many majors, minors, and certificates through online programs, including early childhood education, liberal studies, political science, and more.

“I enjoy my [online] program,” said Nick Trent, a student earning his minor through online programs. “Although I have an on-campus requirement, I’ve found that taking online courses has helped me improve my time management skills as well as cope with stress.”

Faculty and staff are hopeful that these rankings bring in more students who are looking for a broad and exciting online education that will lead to an accredited bachelor’s degree.