U.S. News & World Report: Brenau among nation’s best online graduate programs

Aerial of Gainesville Campus

Several of Brenau University’s online graduate programs were recently ranked among the best in the nation by U.S. News & World Report.

The 2020 U.S. News Best Online Programs Rankings named Brenau among the Best Online Master’s Education Programs, Best Online MBA Programs and Best Online Master’s Business Programs in addition to the MBA programs.

Brenau was the only private university in Georgia to make the Best Online Master’s Education Programs list.

“We are grateful for this national recognition of the opportunities we provide our educators and future educators,” said Eugene Williams, dean of the College of Education. “We pride ourselves on strong support of teachers during all levels of professional growth. Facilitating the deepening of knowledge and the skill sets of experienced teachers is embedded in our mission and practice. We are honored to see that our graduate education programs continue to be recognized for excellence, particularly in the online arena.”

Brenau was also the only private school in the state on the Best Online Master’s Business Programs list and one of the top 30 public and private universities in the South to make the list alongside regional peers such as Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, University of Alabama Birmingham, Samford University and more. Brenau, along with Mercer University in Atlanta, was one of just two private universities in Georgia to make the list of best online MBAs.

Suzanne Erickson, dean of the College of Business & Communication, said these surveys are skewed toward large research institutions, making it an incredible honor for a regional, comprehensive university like Brenau to receive the honor.

Both Brenau colleges recently added to their online graduate programs. The College of Education started its first cohort of an online Ed.D. program in January 2019, marking the university’s fourth doctorate program in addition to a Doctor of Nursing Practice, Occupational Therapy Doctorate, and Doctor of Physical Therapy.

This month, the College of Business & Communication started its first cohort of a hybrid Executive Women’s MBA program specifically designed to equip and promote women who are currently successful in the workplace but looking to advance to the C-suite. The Executive Women’s MBA is provided through a flexible platform that combines cohort and independent learning online and in extended weekend residencies.

“We are very excited to be offering this first-of-its-kind executive MBA program tailored for women,” Erickson said. “In certain classes — such as negotiation and management — there is a definite difference in the male versus female approach to those topics. In our program, the feminine approach is the focus. Most executive MBA programs are heavily male-dominated in both students in faculty, but we’re proud and excited that this program will lead to some interesting, open and relevant dialogue.”