LU counseling degree named among top online programs
Lakeland University has been ranked as one of the year’s best schools in the nation for earning a master’s degree online by website OnlineMastersDegrees.org. Lakeland was recognized for excellence in the following subject areas:
Up to 75 percent of courses in Lakeland’s Master of Arts in Counseling programs are available online or hybrid.
OnlineMastersDegrees.org analyzed more than 7,700 schools using data from the U.S. Department of Education. Their data science team created an algorithm to rank these schools in 70 unique master’s degree subjects. To qualify, a school must hold active regional accreditation and have both academic counseling and career placement services available to students. Only 6 percent of postsecondary institutions earned a ranking position.
Primary data points applied to the ranking algorithm include the following:
Lakeland’s recognition comes at a time when enrollment in master’s degree programs is on the rise. In October of 2021, the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) reported a 7.3 percent increase in first-time graduate student enrollment in Fall 2020. First-time, part-time student enrollment rose by 13.5 percent.
The CGS report cites the growth of online and hybrid learning options as a primary driver of these trends.
“As enrollment in master’s degree programs expands, it’s important to showcase colleges and universities with a clear focus on flexible learning and affordable tuition,” said Kyle Darland, co-founder of OnlineMastersDegrees.org. “Each school in our rankings offers partially or fully-online master’s degree options and a price tag that works for students.”
In addition to ranking online master’s programs in each subject overall, OnlineMastersDegrees.org developed individual category rankings. Schools can see how they stack up against their peers in each ranking metric. This also helps prospective students identify which schools excel in the areas that matter the most to them.
“Each student has different professional and academic priorities,” said Darland. “For example, one student might need a school with multiple online program options in their subject area, while another needs a school that offers generous student aid packages. These category rankings help students target institutions based on their specific wants and needs.”
OnlineMastersDegrees.org began in 2020 to support online learning at the master’s level. The website helps students find scholarships, resources, financial aid and connect with accredited schools across the country.
