SUNY Oswego's online MBA continued as the highest-ranked public school offering in New York state and among the nation's top online master of business administration programs in U.S. News & World Report's 2021 "Best Online Degree Programs: MBA" released today (Jan. 26). 

Oswego was one of four schools in New York state in the top 100 (ranking #62 overall), and the only public college program in the state on that level.

“This ranking reflects many dimensions of our faculty excellence that include their student-centric approach, flexibility, globally recognized leadership and expertise in their area of teaching,” School of Business Dean Prabakar Kothandaraman said. “Their continued pursuit of cutting-edge content and state-of-the-art pedagogy have always come in for praise by our MBA program alumni, and that is what is reflected in this ranking.”

“Our MBA program success is grounded in the outstanding faculty in our program, the specialized student support we provide to MBA students and the collaborative effort between many departments on campus to serve our faculty and students,” said Irene Scruton, director of MBA programs and assistant dean of the School of Business.

Understanding the specific needs of working professionals furthering their careers through the online MBA is a significant strength, Scruton said, as Oswego’s program has higher retention rates than average for national online programs.

“The majority of our MBA online students are working professionals with significant career and personal responsibilities,” Scruton noted. “Our MBA program is experienced with that perspective and our team and faculty are able to offer customized student support for their program success.”

This has meant adapting to any number of factors, including the way the COVID-19 pandemic impacts the professional and personal lives of those students. 

“Our student-centered approach was displayed this past year during the pandemic as our faculty and our team worked with students individually, especially those in the healthcare industry, to address their needs so that they could continue and complete the program,” Scruton said.

The School of Business also boasts an AACSB accreditation that reflects a rigorous and industry-relevant curriculum with a strong alumni network for students, she added.

“SUNY has long been a leader in online learning, so when the pandemic hit in March, our colleges and universities had the foundation necessary to pivot, adapt, and continue to provide high quality education to our students," SUNY Chancellor Jim Malatras said. "I applaud the 12 SUNY online programs ranked among the best in the nation this week by U.S. News and World Report. It’s more proof that as students’ needs shift and as teaching and learning tools and platforms evolve, SUNY continues to reimagine itself to ensure that we are delivering a dynamic learning experience for all of our students —no matter where they are.”

Team effort

Since most of Oswego’s online MBA students will never visit campus, a team effort to deliver services is another key ingredient, Scurton explained.

“We collaborate with campus departments such as Extended Learning, Graduate Studies, EXCEL, Career Services, Student Accounts and the Registrar, who all are also committed to providing that personal connection to our campus for our online students so that they can succeed,” Scruton said.

Ongoing recognition “is really a reflection of our institution's commitment to creating worthwhile learning experiences that prepare our graduates to be leaders in their industry,” said Kristen Eichhorn, SUNY Oswego dean of graduate studies.

“The strong reputation of our online MBA continues to grow,” Eichhorn noted. “Students in our MBA program feel the deep commitment from our faculty to personalize the graduate experience and appreciate the opportunities to connect with alumni and industry professionals. It is rewarding that our intentional efforts to keep the MBA experience relevant and current is being recognized.”

An impressive ranking effectively answers questions applicants might have about whether schools understand needs of students from various backgrounds, including working full-time; the quality of teaching and advising; and how students, alumni and the industry feel about their programs, Kothandaraman said.

“Through its strong showing in the rankings, the School of Business has positioned itself exceptionally well for our potential students who are looking for a high-quality business school to pursue their MBA,” Kothandaraman said.

“Our online MBA program ranking affirms our high degree of commitment to have the same faculty members who teach on-campus programs also teach online, the passion with which our Graduate Studies division and concierge advising professionals help to ensure the success of every student and the tremendous emphasis our alumni place on the low-cost, high-value proposition offered by SUNY Oswego's MBA programs,” he added.

When U.S. News listed the top part-time MBA programs in spring 2020, Oswego was also among those listed. 

Other recent honors include Oswego making the Princeton Review’s Top 50 Online Programs for 2021 (#33, also the highest of any New York state public college) and making the ranking service’s Best Business Schools for 2021: On-Campus MBA Programs. The Oswego MBA also ranked #30 overall and top in the state on business school website Poets and Quants’ most recent top online MBA rankings.

About Oswego’s MBA

Oswego -- the first comprehensive college in the SUNY system to offer an MBA degree, starting in 1997 -- has increased the options students have for specializing within their graduate business studies, offering MBA programs in health services administration, management and public accounting. The college also offers a variety of graduate programs and five-year options that combine an MBA with such bachelor's degrees as in broadcasting, public accounting or psychology.

MBA delivery options include classroom-based in Oswego and/or at SUNY Oswego's Syracuse campus or blended classroom-online programs, as well as the online MBA.

For more information on Oswego's MBA programs, visit https://www.oswego.edu/mba or email mba@oswego.edu.