Published on January 14, 2020  
Samford University2

Samford University’s online programs continue to climb in U.S. News & World Report  rankings. The latest rankings recognize multiple Samford programs among the top online programs in the country based on a variety of factors, including reputation, faculty credentials, student engagement and selectivity. 

The Brock School of Business Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) ranks in the top quartile at #54 nationally. Orlean Beeson School of Education’s Master of Science in Education (M.S.E.) ranks #69 nationally, placing the school in the top-tier of graduate education programs. Ida Moffett School of Nursing’s Master of Science in Nursing (M.S.N.) ranks #75 nationally. 

“The continued national recognition of our online programs affirms the efforts of our faculty to develop innovative and effective curricula for our students,” said Samford Provost J. Michael Hardin. “We are pleased to see the resulting growth in our online degree programs across the university.” 

As demand for online classes grows, Samford continues to integrate online learning at the baccalaureate, master’s and doctoral levels. Nearly 200 Samford faculty have developed or taught courses in the 20 undergraduate and graduate online programs currently offered. A record 2,194 students from 42 states were enrolled in online courses during the 2018-19 academic year.  

Orlean Beeson School of Education offers several blended and fully online master’s degree programs, including the M.S.E. in Elementary Education with Class A Certification, M.S.E. in Gifted Education with Class A Certification and M.S.E. in K-12 Collaborative Special Education with Class A Certification.

The Brock School of Business M.B.A. is designed for the working professional, offering coursework online and on-campus and allowing students to complete the degree at the pace and delivery method they prefer. M.B.A. students have the option to add a concentration in entrepreneurship, finance and marketing, or to take advantage of several joint degree options.

Ida Moffett School of Nursing offers the M.S.N. with three concentrations — family nurse practitioner, family nurse practitioner with emergency specialty or family and psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner. Samford also offers the Doctor of Nursing Practice as an online degree, but doctoral programs were not factored in the latest U.S. News rankings.

The latest rankings continue to affirm Samford’s growing national reputation. Samford is regularly recognized as one of the top Christian universities in the United States, and receives high marks for value. Most recently, Samford was named 3rd nationally for student engagement by The Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education. The university was recently ranked 34th nationally among private universities on Kiplinger’s Personal Finance’s “Best College Values” list.

 
Samford is a leading Christian university offering undergraduate programs grounded in the liberal arts with an array of nationally recognized graduate and professional schools. Founded in 1841, Samford is the 87th-oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. Samford enrolls 6,101 students from 45 states, Puerto Rico and 16 countries in its 10 academic schools: arts, arts and sciences, business, divinity, education, health professions, law, nursing, pharmacy and public health. Samford fields 17 athletic teams that compete in the tradition-rich Southern Conference and ranks 6th nationally for its Graduation Success Rate among all NCAA Division I schools.