TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida State University’s online graduate programs in education, criminal justice, information technology and business are among the best in the nation, according to U.S. News & World Report’s 2015 Best Online Program Rankings.

“FSU celebrates our diverse programs listed among the nation’s very best online programs,” Interim Provost Sally McRorie said. “The high rankings make great sense when you consider that student engagement and faculty credentials — areas in which we excel — comprise fully 50 percent of the criteria used. These innovative programs will help us realize our goal of being ranked among the Top 25 public universities.”

The College of Education’s online graduate program ranks No. 2 in the nation among both public and private universities. The program currently offers degrees in educational leadership/administration, instructional systems and learning technologies and special education studies.

“The College of Education was an early pioneer in online education at FSU, and we continue to develop innovative programs that provide a quality education to students who can’t travel to campus,” said Marcy Driscoll, dean of the College of Education. “It’s exciting to see our achievements earn this recognition.”

The College of Criminology and Criminal Justice’s online graduate program was No. 7 overall, and No. 4 among public universities, in U.S. News & World Report’s first-ever ranking of online criminal justice programs. The program provides the challenge and prestige of FSU’s nationally ranked criminology program with the convenience and flexibility of a distance-learning program.

“We are pleased to see that our online master’s program is recognized as one of the top programs in the country,” said Thomas Blomberg, dean of the College of Criminology and Criminal Justice. “Our online program courses are taught exclusively by our faculty who lead the country in rankings for research and publication productivity. We strive to provide the same educational excellence online as we provide our on-campus graduate students.”

The School of Information’s online master’s degree program in information technology, housed in the College of Communication and Information, broke into the rankings for the first time at No. 20 overall, and No. 13 among public universities, in the computer information technology category. The program, which started three years ago, is completely online and prepares students for 21st century careers such as networking, large-scale data management, user-centered design and web development.

“Florida’s iSchool has a 15-year history of providing outstanding online graduate programs,” said Larry Dennis, dean of the College of Communication and Information. “This IT program was created specifically to meet the needs of IT professionals, entrepreneurs and veterans.”

The College of Business’ online graduate programs ranked No. 26 overall and No. 16 among public universities.  The college offers Master of Science degrees in Management Information Systems and Risk Management and Insurance.

“We are proud of these niche programs that draw working professionals nationwide,” said David Paradice, senior associate dean and Sprint Professor of Business Administration. “We are generating new interest in our online programs, including our Master of Business Administration, now that we are able to waive the GMAT or GRE entrance exams for certain highly qualified candidates with extensive management experience.”

Florida State’s online MBA program ranked No. 62 overall and No. 47 among public universities. For the first time, U.S. News & World Report split its online graduate business rankings into two — one for online MBA programs and one for all other online graduate business programs.

U.S. News & World Report’s ranking methodology was based on several factors: student engagement; faculty credentials and training; student services and technology; peer reputation; and admissions selectivity.

“The gains we have made in the U.S. News and World Report rankings illustrate the continuing dedication of the university in providing whatever resources are needed to endow FSU students with an outstanding online education,” said Susann Rudasill, director at the Office of Distance Learning at FSU. “We continue to make enhancements to our programs and curriculum in support of our commitment to students to provide the highest quality online education possible.”