The University of Iowa College of Education’s Master of Arts in educational leadership program was ranked No. 17 in the 2016 edition of the U.S. News and World Report’s Best Online Graduate Education Programs, a significant increase from the 2015 ranking of No. 65. 

This year, the UI's program tied with Central Michigan University, North Carolina Central University, Utah State University, and Wright State University for the 17th slot.

The same program also tied as the 16th-best program for veterans.

Liz Hollingworth, associate professor in educational leadership and program coordinator, attributes the high ranking to the excellent job placement rate and the flexibility online learning provides.

"Most of our students are practicing teachers, so offering coursework after school with live, online class meetings means that students can join the class from anywhere,” she says.

The educational leadership master's degree and Iowa Administrator Licensure program prepares educators to be effective school leaders. In the past five years, nearly 70 students have graduated from the program and are now serving in K–12 leadership roles across the state, including in Iowa City, Cedar Rapids, Davenport, Des Moines, Waterloo, Ankeny, Marion, and Muscatine.

Hollingworth attributes the rankings increase to obtaining more accurate information on job placements and outcomes, thanks to an alumni employment survey conducted for the first time last spring.

The survey was administered to those who graduated from the online program between 2011 and 2015.

More than 75 percent of respondents are currently working in education leadership, including one superintendent, 18 principals and assistant principals, nine teachers, one part-time principal and teacher, and 10 who hold other positions, including Area Education Association (AEA) administrator, dean of students, curriculum director, director of teacher education, and state department of education specialist. Ninety-four percent of the graduates stayed in Iowa.

Other distinguishing characteristics of the online program include the following: the classes are taught by a combination of tenured and clinical faculty; courses are synchronous with fully interactive video and audio; and even clinical, field-based work is available and monitored online.

Additional factors that boosted the program's ranking include:

• The college requires all essay-based homework, papers, or exams that students submit for a grade be screened by an anti-plagiarism service.
• The college increased the software available for students to use.
• The college requires participation in collaborative group projects in all courses.
• Students have access to excellent technological infrastructure and support services.

The new rankings were released Jan. 12. Though there will not be a separate printed guidebook for the 2016 Best Online Programs rankings, U.S. News plans to include highlights of the rankings in the print and e-book versions of the Best Graduate Schools 2017 and Best Colleges 2017 guidebooks.

For the 2016 edition of the Best Online Graduate Education Programs rankings, U.S. News ranked schools based on five general categories: student engagement (35 percent); student services and technology (20 percent); admissions selectivity (15 percent); faculty credentials and training (15 percent); and peer reputation (15 percent).

All weights are unchanged from 2015.

UI Distance and Online Education supports the online educational leadership program.