12/07/16 sds
HAYS, Kan. -- Programs offered through Fort Hays State University's Virtual College received four No. 1 recognition, among numerous other rankings, from various agencies as among the best and most affordable online programs offered by U.S. colleges.

AffordableCollegesOnline.org
No. 1, Best Online Colleges in Kansas for 2016-2017
AffordableCollegesOnline.org recognized FHSU's Virtual College as the best online college in Kansas.

The rank was ranked based on tuition, percentage of students who receive financial aid, number of online programs, student-teacher ratio and graduation rate. FHSU was also praised for its wide range of academic programs and degree options.

To view this ranking, visit http://bit.ly/2hez7FK.

BestDegreePrograms.org
No. 1, 30 Best Online Marketing Degree Programs (Bachelor's) 2016
BestDegreePrograms.org recognized FHSU's Bachelor of Business Administration in marketing as being the best online marketing bachelor's degree program in the country. The website used College Navigator, a database provided by the National Center for Education Statistics, to rank FHSU against 140 other universities.

Through the online BBA program, students have the opportunity to work with full-time management and marketing professors. Students must take 18 credit hours of marketing core classes including consumer behavior, marketing management, marketing research and principles of marketing.

To view this ranking, visit http://bit.ly/2g7LuSP.

No. 1, 30 Best Online RN to BSN (Bachelor's Degrees In Nursing) 2016
FHSU's online Bachelor of Science in Nursing-RN to BSN also earned a No. 1 spot, topping BestDegreePrograms.org's list of online bachelor's degrees in nursing. The website praised the FHSU program for its affordability and flexibility.

Courses are completed entirely online and include topics in health assessment, healthcare ethics, healthcare legal aspects, nursing concepts, nursing inquiry, and systems and policy.

To view this ranking, visit http://bit.ly/2hewZSg.

BestMedicalDegrees.com
No. 1, 10 Most Affordable Online Master's Degrees in Health and Human Services
BestMedicalDegrees.com named FHSU's online Master of Science in health and human performance the most affordable online Master's degree in Health and Human Services.

FHSU is "consistently one of the most affordable online universities in the country," said the website. The program was ranked based on tuition cost, accreditation, program length and rankings by U.S. News and World Report.

To view this ranking, visit http://bit.ly/2h2TBlI.

CollegeValuesOnline.com
No. 2, Online Agriculture Degrees: Top 8 Values 2016
FHSU's online Bachelor of Science in agricultural business earned the No. 2 spot on CollegeValuesOnline.com's list of top eight values for online agriculture degrees.

The program allows students with an associate's degree to transition easily into baccalaureate study. Courses include agricultural law and policy, farm management, agricultural commodity marketing and agriculture finance.

To view this ranking, visit http://bit.ly/2heoH95.

AffordableCollegesOnline.org
In addition to naming FHSU the best online college in Kansas, AffordableColleges.org also recognized FHSU for its online Master's programs and online teacher education programs.
No. 2, Best Online Master's Programs for 2016-2017
AffordableColleges.org ranked the Virtual College as having the No. 2 online master's program out of 50 U.S. colleges.

The Virtual College offers 15 master's degree options, including business administration, counseling, education, health and human performance, instructional technology, liberal studies, nursing administration and school psychology.

To view this ranking, visit http://bit.ly/2g6Vj8D.

No. 2, Best Online Teaching Degrees for 2016-2017
Class size, affordability and student resources earned teacher education programs a top spot on AffordableColleges.org's list of best online teaching degrees.

The Virtual College offers a Bachelor of Science in education-early childhood unified and a Bachelor of Science in elementary education. Both degrees require admittance to the FHSU Teacher Education program. A minor in special education is also available.

To view this ranking, visit http://bit.ly/2h0i7n3.

AffordableColleges.com
No. 5, Affordable Online Criminal Justice Bachelor's Degrees
AffordableColleges.com placed FHSU at No. 5 on its list of the 50 most affordable online criminal justice degrees.

The Virtual Colleges offer both a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Science in criminal justice. In addition to taking courses including criminology, justice in the information age and comparative justice systems, students can complete certificates specializing in corrections, justice networking and victim advocacy.

To view this ranking, visit http://bit.ly/2heEKU5.

BestHospitalityDegrees.com
No. 7, Top 10 Online Hospitality Management Bachelor's Degree Programs 2016-2017
FHSU's online Bachelor of Science in tourism and hospitality management earned the No. 7 spot on BestHospitalityDegrees.com's list of Top 10 hospitality management bachelor's programs for 2016-2017.

The program was ranked based on graduation rate, accreditation and tuition. In addition to core business and entrepreneurship classes, students take 21 credit hours of tourism hospitality core classes and another 12 credit hours of tourism and hospitality electives.

"With 20 years of experience and over 6,000 students making up FHSU's 'virtual student body,' the school has plenty of expertise in using technology to build a better online learning experience," said BestHospitalityDegrees.

To view this ranking, visit http://bit.ly/2h4dsmX.

GuideToOnlineSchools.com
No. 16, 2017 Top Online Colleges
GuideToOnlineSchools.com ranked the Virtual College No. 16 on its list of top online colleges for 2017. FHSU was praised for its affordability and wide range of degree options. The Virtual College offers more than 40 degrees at the associate's, bachelor's, and master's levels.

"Our online degree programs are fully accredited, affordable, and utilized the latest in learning technology for what we think is one of the best values in higher education today," said the FHSU website.

To view this ranking, visit http://bit.ly/2h37sIH.

CollegeValuesOnline.com
No. 19, Master's in Leadership Online: Top 25 Values 2016-2017
CollegeValuesOnline.com placed FHSU's Master of Business Administration with a concentration in leadership studies among its list of top 25 values for online master's degrees in leadership.

"State-of-the-art technology enables this online master's in leadership program to be both convenient and interactive," said CollegeValuesOnline.com.

In addition to core MBA courses, students pursuing the leadership concentration also take classes discussing theoretical foundations of leadership and leadership in teams and collaborative environments.

To view this ranking, visit http://bit.ly/2h4g9VF.