WESTFIELD – Westfield State University (WSU) has been honored with a spot on the Affordable Colleges Online: Most Affordable Online College Degree Programs list. Westfield State University ranked first in New England and was the only institution to be so honored.
The online company analyzed several thousand colleges, ranking the top 54 schools with the most affordable online programs, also taking into consideration colleges and universities with graduates that have been successful in finding high paying careers post-graduation. AC Online ranked Westfield State 37 overall.
The rankings are also based on net tuition prices, only considering colleges that are fully accredited, 4-year, not-for-profit intuitions with at least one online or distance learning degree program during the 2012-2013 year, and whose graduates earn more than $31,000 average starting salary.
“Coupled with the recent recognition by US News and World Report ranking Westfield State online faculty number one in the entire country for quality, this is a real achievement,” said WSU president Evan Dobelle. “I have great pride in our faculty and staff who have been pioneers and leaders in the advancement of online education and who have been so successful in integrating technology in the 21st century and translating it into meaningful outcomes.”
“This recent recognition of affordability tied to student success is an important achievement,” concurred spokesperson Molly Watson. “University rigor is critical for us, but in the end for our students and your readers, the real value extends beyond the computer and lies in the control an online education solution allows.”
Dr. Kimberly Tobin, the dean of the division of graduate and continued education, believes that the ranking is a true indicator of the quality of not just online, but all instruction offered by the institution.
“The rating is a testament to what we’re committed to. We train our faculty (for online instruction), so we provide the same quality of education online that we do in the classroom.” she said.
The Business Management major currently has around 160 students enrolled in its online program.
Along with Business Management, the school currently offers continued education programs online in Liberal Studies, History and Sociology, with Criminal Justice and Psychology set to be added to the catalog this fall.
Tobin works as the school’s guru for non-traditional learning, and believes that Westfield State is leading the charge for schools to offer more diverse learning opportunities to a wider array of students.
“The more options we have, the better,” she said. “We have students ranging from 18-year-olds to working adults, the traditional non-traditional student.”
“I think there will always be traditional college students who live on campus and go to school full-time,” she said. “Online (education) isn’t for everyone, but with online and non-traditional programs, we increase access and cast a wider net.”
Asked whether the school’s latest prestigious ranking will result in increased funding in the form of grants and other outside sources, Tobin says that the school is always on the lookout for more outside funding, and that the continued evolution of technology will dictate just how much will be needed.
“A lot of schools are offering MOOC’s (Massive Open Online Classes) now, which are essentially free classes,” she said. “Online education is always changing. We don’t know where technology will take us.”
