03/03/17
HAYS, Kan. -- Fort Hays State University's Virtual College was recently named a 2017 Military Spouse Friendly School by Victory Media for its accessibility, support and accommodations to military members and their families.

Victory Media's annual list recognizes higher education institutions that actively recruit spouses of active duty service members and promote student retention and career development policies and programs that acknowledge and support the unique challenges of military life.

FHSU prides itself on being a military friendly institution and was previously named a Gold-level Military Friendly School by Victory Media and a notably veteran-friendly school by LendEDU.com

To view this ranking visit, http://bit.ly/2l8BuAl.

In addition to the military spouse friendly designation, programs offered through the 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.

BestCollegeValues.com
No. 1, 10 Most Affordable Online Bachelor's Degrees
in Early Childhood Education 2017
BestCollegeValues recognized FHSU's Bachelor of Science in education (early childhood unified) as being the most affordable online undergraduate early childhood education program in the nation.

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 from the birth to third-grade level.

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

NonprofitCollegesOnline.com
No. 1, Best Online Bachelor's in Marketing: Students before Profits Award 2017
FHSU's Bachelor of Business Administration in marketing earned a 2017 Students Before Profits Award and ranked No. 1 on NonprofitCollegesOnline's list of best online undergraduate marketing programs.

The award recognizes nonprofit colleges and universities offering degrees that put students and education before monetary gain. To earn the award and the No. 1 spot, FHSU was ranked against online programs from nonprofit universities and colleges, accredited by independent and trusted accreditation boards, and with lower-than-average tuition costs.

FHSU's 124 credit-hour program teaches various marketing disciplines applicable to all types of modern business.

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

ValueColleges.com
No. 1, Top 10 Best Online Colleges in Kansas
The Virtual College was named the best online college in Kansas by ValueColleges.com. FHSU was praised for its affordability and wide range of degree options. The Virtual College offers more than 40 degrees at the associate, bachelor, and master levels.

"Our online degree programs are fully accredited, affordable, and utilize 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/2l8xRKM.

BestColleges.com
No. 2, Best Online Early Childhood Education Programs
The Virtual College's Bachelor of Science in education (early childhood unified) was praised by BestColleges for its affordability and student resources.

The program prepares students for licensure in Kansas, which can be transferred to other states provided that students complete state-based requirements and exams. Students receive internship and student teaching experiences.

Students in the education program also have access to resources such as career services, academic assistance and tutoring, software downloads and Forsyth Library resources.

To view this ranking, visit http://bit.ly/2m0WV3v.

No. 15, Best Online Criminal Justice programs
BestColleges analyzed FHSU's cost, prestige and enrollment rate to place it at No. 15 on their list of best online programs in criminal justice.

The Virtual College offers 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/RPSBTV.

CollegeChoice.Net
No. 2, 20 Most Affordable Online BSN Degrees for 2017
FHSU's online RN to BSN program placed No. 2 on CollegeChoice's list of most affordable online BSN degrees.

"Fort Hays State University is a leader in nursing education and offers an affordable, Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education accredited online RN to BSN degree which is flexible enough to meet the needs of working professionals," said CollegeChoice.

The widely-praised program requires 120 credit hours and allows students to complete their clinical courses in their local areas. Credit is given to students with previous educational experience provided that they meet FHSU requirements.

To view this ranking, visit http://bit.ly/2ly7sRP.

No. 4, Most Affordable Online Master's in Nursing Degrees for 2017
FHSU was named the No. 4 affordable online nursing program for students seeking a master's degree.

The Virtual College offers a Master of Science in Nursing (nursing administration) and a Master of Science in Nursing (nursing education). Both programs require 36 credit-hours. Courses for both include statistics for health professionals, developing nursing theories, informatics in health care systems and research in nursing.

FHSU is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, and the graduate nursing programs are accredited by the Committee on Collegiate Nursing Education.

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

No. 5, Most Affordable Online Colleges for 2017
The Virtual College placed No. 5 on CollegeChoice's list of most affordable online colleges for 2017. FHSU was praised 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/2m0Iqwv.

No. 19, 50 Best Online BSN Degrees for 2017
In addition to being named the No. 2 most affordable online BSN degree, FHSU's online RN to BSN program also placed No. 19 on CollegeChoice's list of best online BSN degrees. The program was recognized for its academic reputation, student satisfaction and retention, accessibility and affordability.

Program 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/2m0RaTg.

No. 37, 50 Best Online Master's in Education Degrees for 2017
To place FHSU on its list of the 50 best online master's degrees in education, CollegeChoice looked at affordability, reputation and prestige, financial aid availability and job-placement rates. The website also noted FHSU as having "one of the strongest virtual colleges on this list."

The Master of Science in education administration requires 36 credit hours in courses such as school law, education finance, data analysis and assessment, utilization of technology in classrooms and cultural diversity.

To view this ranking, visit http://bit.ly/2mQjMO8.