MC’s Elementary Ed Master’s Program Earns High Marks for Helping Teachers Excel in the Classroom
One of the most trusted online resources for tracking career training information has recognized Mississippi College as one of the best schools in the country for online learning at the master’s level.
MC’s education programs earned top honors from onlinemastersdegrees.org for overall quality, affordability, and commitment to student success.
The ranking underscores the quality of the School of Education’s online Elementary Education Master’s Program, which provides the same benefits as the traditional, on-campus M.Ed. program, according to Dr. Jennifer Stafford, chair of Teacher Education and Leadership.
“Our program exemplifies the Christian-based integration of faith into learning, and it is CAEP- and MDE-accredited,” Stafford said. “These elements, along with our stellar faculty, make our program appealing and top-ranked by our students.
“This honor has been given to those programs that seek to help students excel in their professional positions, making it affordable and accommodating. The School of Education continues to be user-friendly, use research-based instructional procedures, and be as resourceful as possible to our current students, graduates, and community partners. We are both humbled by this recognition and thankful for it.”
OnlineMastersDegrees.org analyzed more than 7,700 accredited universities using data from the schools and the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System. OMD’s data science team applied a proprietary algorithm to rank all qualifying schools for each of the different master’s degree specialties. Primary data points included academic counseling services, career placement services, student/faculty ratio, tuition, percentage of students receiving school-based aid, and amount of school-based aid per student.
"This year, we focused on the schools making it easier for students to compete in today’s increasingly difficult job market,” said Kyle Darland, OMC co-founder. “Each ranked school offers a fully or partially online master’s program in education at a time when earning a master’s has become a minimum barrier to entry for many.”
“Providing students with opportunities to get a master’s online is only part of our rankings. Top-ranked schools also had competitive tuition rates and/or scholarships to help drive costs down. An affordable master’s is key.”
As a full-time instructor, wife, and mother, Kristen Dell, a first-grade teacher in Madison, wanted to complete her master’s degree quickly. The 2006 MC graduate completed her master’s degree online while enrolled in the school’s MC7 Program.
“I’ve always wanted to get my master’s – I just never had the time,” Dell said. “Getting my bachelor’s degree from Mississippi College, I know how respected the college is. I wanted my master’s to come from MC, too.
“The online program was perfect for me because I was able to take two classes each seven-week term. The classes didn’t overload me with too much work. The assignments were meaningful, and I could apply what I learned in my own classroom.”
Dell said the length of the courses was just right, and she enjoyed doing group work projects, too.
“A few of the classes required lots of research,” she said. “Being able to work in a group helped with time management. I learned so much from other educators and formed new friendships in these collaborative groups.
“I tell everyone that the MC7 Program is the way to go, especially for busy teacher moms. In the future, I would love to teach college-level students in the education department and to share my ‘tips and tricks’ with new teachers.”
A more recent Mississippi College graduate, Elesha White, a fifth-grade teacher in Clinton who obtained her B.S. in elementary education, was familiar with the professors she would encounter in MC’s online master’s program.
“I was confident I would be able to obtain my master’s degree with professors who would support me through my busy schedule and navigating my ‘new normal’ as I began my teaching career,” White said. “The MC7 Program allowed me to take advantage of an accelerated route to my degree.
“The online degree program offers a flexible schedule. You don’t have to worry about on-campus meeting times; however, the professors are always ready and available if needed.”
She agreed with onlinemastersdegrees.org’s assessment of MC’s graduate education program as high-quality, extremely affordable, and deeply committed to student success.
“With their national accreditation, the care and attention to their students and to the effectiveness of their program are second to none,” she said. “They truly help students build confidence in the field while assisting them to gain the knowledge they need to become successful.
“My favorite part of the program was learning with and gaining insights and perspectives from people all over the world. I have seen firsthand the benefits this program can bring to those in the field of education.”
To be eligible for ranking, a university must hold active regional accreditation and have at least one partially online master’s program in the ranking subject. Just 6 percent of U.S. postsecondary institutions earned a ranking position.
Onlinemastersdegrees.org began in 2020 to support online learning at the master’s level. Its user-friendly, research-backed content helps students find scholarships, resources, financial aid, and connect with accredited colleges and universities across the country.
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