Online Graduate Education in Top Ten for Five Straight Years

UAlbany student on laptop in garden

Albany, NY (January 26, 2021) – Today, U.S. News & World Report announced the University at Albany’s School of Education is once again ranked among the top ten in the nation for providing a high-quality, online graduate education.  This is the fifth straight year that the School has been ranked in the top ten nationally and #1 in New York state and throughout New England.

In a year like no other, the School of Education emerged as a leader to provide opportunities for many students to continue their pursuit of advanced credentials in education and mental health.

“I’m extremely proud that the remarkable work of our faculty and staff, particularly in the midst of a global pandemic, continues to be recognized by U.S. News & World Report.  As a community, we have worked to continue to provide a flexible and engaged education for students across New York and around the world and, as a result, we have seen record interest in our graduate programs,” said Jason Lane, dean of the School of Education. This past fall, the School of Education realized near record enrollments and graduate applications for upcoming semesters continue to be above average.

For more than 20 years, the School of Education has provided online learning opportunities and has trained teachers to be effective educators in online spaces.  The School of Education now offers 14 fully online graduate programs, including many that lead to initial and professional certification for teachers and school leaders.  The School also offers two fully online PhD programs—in Literacy Teaching and Learning and in Curriculum and Instruction.  In addition, nearly all programs are now available in flexible and hybrid offerings, limiting the amount of time a student has to be on campus.  

“In addition, because of our depth of expertise in online learning, our faculty and staff quickly pivoted to provide support for teachers, parents, and schools as they shifted to remote learning,” continued Lane.

In response to the extraordinary changes in K-12 teaching and learning, the School’s expertise in preparing teachers to teach in remote and hybrid formats led to the swift launch of www.RemoteEd.org as a hub to support teachers and families. There are 1,500+ curated online educational resources organized by grade and subject. Visitors can find best practices in remote teaching and learning.  A series of free weekly webinars called edTrends feature teachers, school leaders, mental health professionals, and UAlbany faculty discussing the most pressing issues facing education in the Capital Region and across the country.