The Michigan State University College of Education offers 11 master’s programs fully online — and many are reflected in the latest rankings of Best Online Master’s Programs in Education from U.S. News & World Report.
Released in January 2026, the ranking lists MSU as #13 (tied) in the nation for fully remote programs in the education field.
In addition, MSU ranks in the top-10 in four specialty areas:
- #1 – Educational Administration & Supervision
- #3 (tied) - Curriculum & Instruction
- #3 – Special Education
- #7 (tied) - Educational/Instructional Media Design
“When we create, assess or aim to improve upon our online master’s programs, we think about students first. We want to offer high-quality, accessible and rigorous programs to meet the needs of learners across the globe. This recognition is one way we can say we are meeting that mark,” said Jerlando F. L. Jackson, dean and MSU Research Foundation Distinguished Professor of Education.
It is also a continuation of long-standing innovation. The college launched Michigan State University’s first-ever online master’s program — the Master of Arts in Education — in 2001. The program continues (and thrives) to this day. Since the U.S. News Best Online Programs in Education rankings debuted in 2012, MSU has been ranked among the best. Specialty rankings were introduced in 2020.
"I am deeply proud of the faculty and staff whose expertise and collaboration make this work possible. I am equally proud of — and inspired by — our students and alums, who carry the knowledge and skills they learned into their workplaces, organizations and committees and exemplify the purpose of our mission,” Jackson continued.
To calculate the rankings, U.S. News analyzes quantitative and qualitative data. Broadly, the rankings assess engagement (or opportunities for interactions amongst classmates and instructors), faculty excellence and academic credentials, technologies to support the learning experience, student accomplishments and a peer survey from peer higher education institutions.
Online Offerings
Here are the fully online master’s programs offered at the Michigan State University College of Education:
- Applied Behavior Analysis & Autism Spectrum Disorders
- Applied Sport Sciences
- Education
- Educational Statistics & AI (launching Fall 2026!)
- Educational Technology
- Higher, Adult and Lifelong Education
- Learning Experience Design
- P-12 Educational Leadership
- Special Education Leadership: Multi-tiered Systems of Support
- Special Education
- Teaching & Curriculum
The college also offered several programs in a hybrid format: Applied Behavior Analysis, Educational Technology and P-12 Educational Leadership.