02/02/17
HAYS, Kan. -- Programs offered through Fort Hays State University Virtual College received three No. 1 recognitions among numerous other rankings from various agencies as among the best and most affordable online programs offered by U.S. colleges and universities.

Distance education at Fort Hays State began in 1911 when faculty voted to offer correspondence courses free so that one-room school teachers across western Kansas could afford to gain the education required to teach. The Correspondence Department created then evolved continuously with changing technology and culture until, in 1997, the Department of Continuing Education and Instructional Technology became the FHSU Virtual College.

AffordableColleges.com
No. 1, Affordable Online MBA Programs
AffordableColleges recognized FHSU's Master of Business Administration for its wide variety of concentrations, affordable tuition and many resources available to online students, including orientation services, academic tutoring and a career service center.

Students seeking an MBA from FHSU can choose a concentration in finance, health care management, health and human performance or sports management, human resource management, information assurance, international business, leadership studies, management information systems, marketing, and tourism and hospitality management.

The program requires 34 business administration core and concentration hours, with an additional 12 hours of business foundation courses for non-business majors.

To view this ranking, visit http://bit.ly/2jRJt2q.

No. 1, Affordable Online Master's Degrees in Psychology
FHSU's Master of Science in school psychology earned the No. 1 spot based on its affordability and accessibility to online students.

The degree requires only five days on campus for advanced workshops throughout the four-semester program.

AffordableColleges noted that the program was designed for busy students unable to attend on-campus classes, and called FHSU "a world leader in distance education."

"Online students have the freedom to study, anytime and anywhere, in programs that are ranked as some of the best online" said AffordableColleges.

To view this ranking, visit http://bit.ly/2kox06R.

GuideToOnlineSchools.com
No. 1, Top Online Colleges for Sociology Degrees
FHSU earned the No. 1 spot based on its academic strength, affordable tuition and variety of online sociology programs.

FHSU offers both a Bachelor of Arts in sociology and a Bachelor of Science in sociology, with an addictions counseling track available for both degrees.

Students can also pursue six sociology certificates in areas including community development, women's and gender studies and building a career in a nonprofit corporation.

To view this ranking, visit http://bit.ly/2kRvyH6.

AffordableColleges.com
No. 2, Affordable Online Master's Degrees in Education
In addition to the No. 1 rankings, AffordableColleges also recognized FHSU for its Master of Science in Education, ranking the program No. 2 on its list of affordable online master's degrees in education.

The program requires 18 credits in core classes and another 15 to 18 credits in an area of concentration, in addition to a comprehensive exam. Students can choose from six concentrations, including English for speakers of other languages, library media specialist, reading specialist and higher education student affairs.

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

AccreditedSchoolsOnline.org
No. 10, Top 2016-2017 Online Vocational Schools
AccreditedSchoolsOnline recognized the Virtual College for its diverse degree options, affordable tuition and student benefits.

The Virtual College offers more than 40 degrees at the associate, bachelor and master levels. All online degree programs are fully accredited, affordable, and utilize the latest in learning technology.

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

BestColleges.com
No. 16, Best Online Master's in School Counseling Programs
FHSU's Master of Science in counseling earned the No. 16 spot based on its affordability and accessibility. Best Colleges.com specifically noted the program's accessibility to military members and veterans.

Classes include counseling skills development, theories in counseling, educational research, psychopathology and diagnosis, and childhood and adolescent counseling. In addition, students are required to complete three on-campus courses, each lasting four days.

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

No. 19, The Best Online Colleges of 2017
BestColleges.Com praised the Virtual College for its wide variety of bachelor's and master's degree programs.

"Whether you want a degree, professional certification, or simply the pleasure of exploring a new subject, we're ready to help you. We offer a comprehensive menu of online student services including tutoring, personal advising and other support services to help ensure your success," said the Virtual College website.

To view this ranking, visit http://bit.ly/1ldHJrl.

No. 22, Best Online Master's in Psychology Programs
FHSU's Master of Science in school psychology was ranked based on its affordability, accessibility and online enrollment.

Upon completing the 30 credit-hour program, which requires five days of advanced on-campus workshops, students will be eligible for licensure as a school psychologist. The program is designed to be completed in four semesters.

To view this ranking, visit http://bit.ly/2kdW9PN.

BestCollegeValues.com
No. 6, 10 Most Affordable Online Master's Degrees in Special Education 2017
Affordable tuition earned FHSU's Master of Science in special education the No. 6 spot on BestCollegeValues list of affordable online master's degrees in special education.

The 36 credit-hour program is fully accredited by the National Council on Accreditation of Teacher Education and the Kansas State Department of Education. Students pursuing the degree can focus on gifted or high-incidence special education.

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

BestDegreePrograms.org
No. 2, 30 Best Online Bachelor's in Elementary Education or Early Childhood Education 2017
BestDegreePrograms used College Navigator, a database provided by the National Center for Education Statistics, to rank FHSU's Bachelor of Science in elementary education as the No. 2 best online bachelor's degree in elementary or early childhood education.

"The program offers an immersive teacher residency that helps prepare students for Kansas state licensure," said BestDegreePrograms.

Courses include classroom management, diverse learners, foundations of education, human growth and development and introduction to instructional technology.

To view this ranking, visit http://bit.ly/2kP5TTN.

CollegeChoice.net
No. 2, Most Affordable Online Bachelor's in Business Administration for 2016
FHSU's Bachelor of Business Administration was praised for its affordability and diverse concentration options.

Students seeking a BBA from the Virtual College can choose from concentrations including accounting, finance, international business and economics, management, marketing and management information systems.

The program requires 27 credit-hours of business core classes as well as 39 concentration-specific credit hours. Fifty-five general education credit hours are also required.

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

No. 12, 25 Best Online Bachelor's in Hospitality Management for 2017
CollegeChoice named FHSU's Bachelor of Business Administration in tourism and hospitality management as the No. 12 best online bachelor's in that field for 2017.

The 120 credit-hour program includes courses in general business topics as well as classes designed for students aspiring to tourism and hospitality management professionals.

"The purpose of the THM program is to provide students with the knowledge, skills, values and strategic perspectives essential to obtaining leadership roles in the hospitality service professions," said the FHSU website.

To view this ranking, visit http://bit.ly/2kWjq7I.

No. 35, 50 Best Online Business Administration Degrees for 2016-2017
FHSU's Bachelor of Business Administration in management was recognized by CollegeChoice as among the best online business administration degrees.

Of the 50 schools listed, CollegeChoice noted that FHSU was "hands down" the most affordable degree option.

The program was also praised for its accessibility and student resources, such as personal academic advising and use of the Blackboard program.

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

GuideToOnlineSchools.com
In addition to the No. 1 sociology ranking, GuideToOnlineSchools recognized three FHSU programs as being among the best and most affordable online college degrees in the nation.
No. 4, Top Online Colleges for Economics Degrees
FHSU's Bachelor of Business Administration in international business and economics offers a broad base of traditional business courses that provide a unique perspective on doing business globally.

The program requires a total of 124 credit-hours, with 39 of those in international business and economics. Classes include bank management, business communication, business law, intermediate finance, international economics and leadership and team dynamics.

To view this ranking, visit http://bit.ly/2jS0t8R.

No. 8, Top Online Colleges Offering Early Childhood Education Degrees
GuideToOnlineSchools placed FHSU's Bachelor of Science in education (early childhood unified) eighth on its list of top online colleges offering early childhood education degrees.

The program requires 127 credit hours, including 12 credit hours of student teaching, and prepares students for careers in early childhood education as a teacher, administrator or coordinator.

Teachers with an early childhood unified endorsement can teach regular and special education at the birth to third grade level.

To view this ranking, visit http://bit.ly/2jzW8nf.

No. 12, Top Online Colleges Offering Elementary Education Degrees
The Bachelor of Science in elementary education earned the No. 12 spot based on its affordability, accessibility, and academic strength.

The program helps future teachers discover the links between general education courses, professional education curriculums, pedagogical theory and clinical experience. Students wishing to expand their degree can add a minor in special education or pursue a certificate in teaching English to speakers of other languages.

To view this ranking, visit http://bit.ly/2hRzB5y.

LendEDU.com
No. 23, Top 25 Veteran Friendly Colleges and Universities
The Virtual College was ranked No. 23 in a list of the top veteran friendly colleges and universities.

Offering more than 40 degrees, the Virtual College is accessible and affordable to current and former military members. Financial aid programs specifically for veterans are available through the university.

To view this ranking, visit http://bit.ly/2khM7Nx.


OnlineMBAToday.com
No. 45, Top 50 Online MBA Programs in Human Resource Management 2017
OnlineMBAToday ranked FHSU's Master of Business Administration in human resource management among the best and most affordable programs in the nation.

The website cited Forbes and U.S. News and World Report to determine FHSU's prestige, the number of concentrations offered and the affordability of the program.

The 34 credit-hour program includes courses in human resource management, recruitment selection and retention, and training and development.

To view this ranking, visit http://bit.ly/2j9cLus.

OnlineU.org
No. 2, 2017 Most Affordable Online Colleges Offering Bachelor's Degrees
FHSU was ranked second on OnlineU's list of the most affordable online colleges offering bachelor's degrees.

Students in the FHSU Virtual College can choose between 29 bachelor's degree options, including accounting, elementary education, general studies, health studies, information networking and telecommunications, International business and economics, sociology and nursing.

To view this ranking, visit http://bit.ly/2iYvsO5.

No. 3, 2017 Most Affordable Online Colleges Offering Master's Degrees
The Virtual College was also recognized for its master's degree program, which ranked No. 3 out of 25 schools listed as the most affordable.

FHSU offers 15 online master's degrees, including business administration, counseling, education, health and human performance, higher education student affairs, history, liberal studies and school psychology.

To view this ranking, visit http://bit.ly/2ki36z5.

No. 10, 2017 most Affordable Online Colleges and Degrees
OnlineU praised FHSU for the degree options, affordability and accessibility of its Virtual College.

FHSU offers more than 40 degrees, including 29 bachelor's degree options and 15 master's degree options. The Virtual College has been recognized by Forbes and U.S. News and World Report as being consistently prestigious and affordable.

To view this ranking, visit http://bit.ly/1nQdgb0.

ValueColleges.Com
No. 17, Top 30 Best Value Online Bachelor's in Hospitality Management for 2017
FHSU's Bachelor of Science in tourism and hospitality management was ranked among the best value online Bachelor's degree programs in hospitality management for 2017.

The 120 credit-hour program requires core business classes as well as tourism and hospitality management electives. Courses include management principles, business law, management information systems and problems and planning in international hospitality.

To view this ranking, visit http://bit.ly/2gh3A9S.