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College of Education
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< About

  • Mission & History
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Dean Jerlando Jackson stands in front of a sign that reads Michigan State University.

Meet Dean Jackson

Meet Dean Jerlando F. L. Jackson

< Academics

  • Majors & Degree-Granting Programs
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Five Spartans pose for a photo in a row during an awards ceremony; three are holding paper awards and wearing medallions around their neck with a turquiose ribbon.

Record-setting KIN Spartans

Alums make history with national KIN honors

< Certifications

  • Become Certified or Add an Endorsement
  • School Psychologist Certification
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Educator Preparation & Accreditation

Explore our efforts

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Spartan statue with the sun peeking around the top of the statue

MSU scholars earn William T. Grant Foundation awards

Read about our research objectives

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Young children line up for an activity in IM Sports circle. The children wear bright green shirts.

Detroit youth learn about movement at MSU

Explore the KIN Day of Action

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Kristen Bieda wearing a blue blouse and glasses. There is a bookshelf full of books in the background.

Celebrating: Kristen Bieda

Bieda named Department of Teacher Education Chair
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Jan. 21, 2025

MSU online master’s programs rank #7 in the nation

Summary

Michigan State University continues to be a leader offering some of the nation’s most highly regarded online education master’s degree programs. According to U.S. News & World Report’s annual rankings, MSU holds the #7 overall spot, with four specialty programs placing in the top ten. Among specialties within education, the MSU College of Education ranked:… Read More »

Michigan State University continues to be a leader offering some of the nation’s most highly regarded online education master’s degree programs. According to U.S. News & World Report’s annual rankings, MSU holds the #7 overall spot, with four specialty programs placing in the top ten.

A woman holding a phone that reads #7 online in the nation"

Among specialties within education, the MSU College of Education ranked:

  • #3 in Curriculum and Instruction
  • #3 in Educational Administration and Supervision
  • #6 in Educational/Instructional Media Design
  • #9 in Special Education

Of the 313 programs ranked across the U.S., MSU maintained its overall ranking from last year.

“We take great pride in being recognized among the nation’s best and in continuing to offer top-ranked programs that prepare graduates to make meaningful contributions in their fields,” said Jerlando F. L. Jackson, College of Education dean and MSU Research Foundation Professor. “Our consistent top-ten rankings reaffirm our dedication to providing accessible, world-class education that meets the evolving needs of learners everywhere.”

Methodology

U.S. News uses a weighted scale to evaluate each institution, taking into consideration five key factors, namely:

  • Student Excellence – a combination of standardized test scores, experience, acceptance rate and undergraduate GPA
  • Faculty Credentials and Training – a combination of terminal degree faculty, preparedness to teach distance learners, and tenured faculty
  • Peer Assessment – a survey of high-ranking academic officials in education helps account for intangible factors affecting program quality that statistics don’t capture. Also, employers may hold in high regard degrees from programs that academics respect.
  • Services and Technology – a combination of student indebtedness, technological infrastructure and support services
  • Engagement – a combination of best practices, graduation rate, class size, one-year retention rate and time to degree deadline

A wide range of programs

The MSU College of Education now offers 11 fully online and hybrid master’s programs:

  • (Hybrid) Master of Arts in Applied Behavior Analysis
  • Master of Arts in Applied Behavior Analysis and Autism Spectrum Disorders
  • Master of Arts in Education (MAED)
  • Master of Arts in Educational Technology (MAET)
  • Master of Arts in Higher, Adult and Lifelong Education (HALE)
  • (Hybrid) Master of Arts in K-12 Educational Administration
  • M.A. in Learning Experience Design (MALXD)
  • Master of Arts in Teaching and Curriculum (MATC)
  • Master of Arts in Special Education Leadership: Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS)
  • Master of Arts in Special Education (Learning Disabilities or Autism Spectrum Disorders)
  • Master of Science in Sport Coaching, Leadership and Administration (SCLA)

MSU remains a leader in education

In addition to its online master’s program rankings, the MSU College of Education has been ranked #1 in the nation for elementary and secondary education for 30 consecutive years according to U.S. News World & Report Graduate rankings.


More:

  • Big Ideas Begin Here: MSU ranked #1 in the nation by U.S. News
  • Kinesiology Ph.D. program ascends to #11 in nation

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