Skip to main content

Request info

Online engineering graduate programs earn Oregon State top 10 national ranking

Engineering management, radiation health physics degrees boost OSU’s profile

Two engineers inspecting gages on a machine. Online engineering graduate programs at Oregon State are ranked No. 9 in the nation.

Oregon State University’s College of Engineering offers two graduate programs online – one in engineering management and another in radiation health physics – that are designed to improve students’ career prospects in their current jobs and as they pursue other opportunities.

By Tyler Hansen
Jan. 17, 2019

CORVALLIS, Ore. – Powered by the expertise of its engineering faculty and the excellence of their students, Oregon State University has been ranked No. 9 in the nation by U.S. News & World Report for Best Online Graduate Engineering Programs.

It’s the third straight year Oregon State has appeared on the list, and the top 10 ranking marks a substantial rise from 2018 when the university was No. 26.

OSU’s College of Engineering offers master’s degrees online in engineering management and radiation health physics. Both programs are delivered in partnership with Oregon State Ecampus, the university’s acclaimed online education division.

“The College of Engineering creates engineering leaders who have the skills needed to be successful in today’s economy,” said Scott Ashford, Kearney Professor and dean of the College of Engineering. “Providing access to our programs online has a profound impact on students’ careers by delivering the education they need in a format suitable for their lives.”

A total of 96 institutions appear on this year’s list of online engineering graduate programs. U.S. News & World Report evaluates schools on five criteria: student engagement; faculty credentials and training; expert opinion; student services and technology; and student excellence.

The first three categories are weighted the most, at 25 percent each. Oregon State scored the highest – and is ranked eighth-best among all institutions on the list – for faculty credentials and training, earning 93 points out of 100.

OSU’s engineering programs also scored highly for student engagement (16th overall) and student excellence (19th).

“The way the classes are structured, it’s never more than you can handle at once. Being able to reach out to faculty members or even my fellow classmates and ask them for help has been crucial,” said Heather Bell, an Ecampus radiation health physics student and the director of the U.S. Department of Energy in the U.S. Embassy in Kiev, Ukraine.

Many students in OSU’s two online engineering graduate programs are working professionals who find that the course concepts immediately help their work in the field.

“There are some courses in the online curriculum that have blown me out of the water. The skills you learn in class can be directly applied to your work,” said Ingrid Scheel, an engineering management student who is the vice president of a fiber optics research firm in Portland, Oregon.

Through its School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, the College of Engineering also offers a postbaccalaureate program in computer science 100% online.

In another ranking published this week by U.S. News, Oregon State is third in the category of Best Online Bachelor’s Programs. This marks OSU’s fifth straight year in the top 10.

-30-

About the OSU College of Engineering: The OSU College of Engineering is among the nation’s largest and most productive engineering programs. Since 1999, the college has more than tripled its research expenditures to $37.2 million by emphasizing highly collaborative research that solves global problems. It is a leader in signature research areas, including precision health, clean energy, resilient infrastructure and advanced manufacturing; and targeted strategic areas, including robotics, materials research and clean water.

About Oregon State University Ecampus: As a leader in online education, Oregon State Ecampus provides access to exceptional learning experiences that transform the lives of students in Oregon and around the world. OSU Ecampus delivers more than 50 bachelor’s and graduate programs and over 1,200 classes online and in a hybrid format. Learn more about Oregon State degrees online at ecampus.oregonstate.edu.

 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *