Criminal justice online graduate degree program ranks in US News’ top 10 for 9th consecutive year

Program also climbs to 4th nationally on list of best for veterans


January 23, 2023

The online master’s degree program offered by the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Arizona State University continues for a ninth consecutive year as one of the nation’s top 10 such courses of study, according to U.S. News & World Report’s annual rankings. The online Master of Arts degree program earned a No. 6 ranking for 2023 in a tie with Michigan State University and the University of New Haven.

ASU’s No. 6 ranking is higher than those of the University of Cincinnati, the University of Nebraska — Omaha and the University of Southern California. Front of ASU's Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions building. The online master’s degree program offered by the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Arizona State University continues for a ninth consecutive year as one of the nation’s top 10 such courses of study, according to U.S. News & World Report’s annual rankings. Download Full Image

In addition, the online master’s degree program rose to No. 4 from No. 5 in 2022 in U.S. News & World Report’s Best Online Master’s in Criminal Justice for Veterans category, ahead of the University of Nebraska — Omaha, Boston University and the University of Southern California.

Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions Dean and President’s Professor Cynthia Lietz said the school’s continued top-level rankings confirm its history of offering high-quality programs online.

“These recent rankings, focused specifically on the master’s degree in criminal justice, speak to the quality of this online program that is accessible to students far beyond Arizona,” Lietz said. “To know that the program is of particular benefit to veterans speaks to our shared commitment to public service. Congratulations to our faculty, staff and students, whose work is being recognized in this way.”

MORE: US News ranks ASU among best in nation for online programs

Watts Endowed Professor for Public Safety Beth Huebner, director of the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice, said the school has taken great care to ensure that its online graduate programs meet the needs of the ever-changing workforce.

“We continue to innovate and enhance our course offerings to meet the needs of current and emerging leaders in the criminal justice field,” Huebner said. “We are particularly honored by our recognition as a leader in the higher-education space for veterans, and we hope to continue to support this group of people who are dedicated to public service.”

Most of the online graduate program’s more than 200 currently enrolled students are criminal justice professionals who seek an advanced degree to improve their career potential.

Mark J. Scarp

Media Relations Officer, Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions

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New College online psychology ranked No. 4 nationally by US News


January 23, 2023

Arizona State University’s New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences online bachelor’s degree programs in psychology are tied for fourth best in the nation, according to the U.S. News & World Report.

The ranking is a two-spot improvement from last year — in 2022, the programs were tied with the University of Florida at No. 6 for best online psychology bachelor’s degree programs.  Graphic illustration of two overlapping torsos with the heads facing away from each other. ASU’s New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences online bachelor’s degree programs in psychology are the fourth best in the nation, according to the U.S. News & World Report. Download Full Image

“I am delighted that our online psychology program has earned one of the highest national rankings among universities across the country,” said Todd Sandrin, dean of New College and vice provost of ASU's West campus. “At New College, we design degree programs that provide access — for learners at all life and career stages — to opportunities to learn from and conduct real-world research with our frontier-defining faculty.”

“I am incredibly proud of our talented faculty and staff that have made this possible. As our program continues to grow and reach even more students globally, I am optimistic that our ranking will only continue to increase."

New College’s programs in psychology came in ahead of Indiana University, the University of Arizona and Colorado State University, and tied with the City University of New York, Loyola University Chicago and the University of Florida. The rankings are made based on four categories: engagement; services and technologies; expert opinion; and faculty credentials and training.

MORE: US News ranks ASU among best in nation for online programs

New College offers both a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Science in psychology. The Bachelor of Science program has a greater emphasis on math, science and statistics, while the Bachelor of Arts program provides more exposure to a wide variety of psychological concepts. Through both programs, students build foundations in human behavior and cognition while developing an appreciation for the theoretical and practical implications of modern psychology.

In addition to these two programs, New College also offers online Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science and Master of Arts programs in forensic psychology.

As of fall 2022, there were 3,040 students enrolled in the online psychology bachelor's degree programs from 49 states and 19 different countries.

“The online psychology program brings the same strong commitment to faculty quality and student engagement that is apparent in our on-campus version of the same program,” said Scott Barclay, director of the School of Social and Behavioral Sciences. “We know firsthand how it has transformed lives and the career trajectory of our students since its introduction. So, we are not surprised that is increasingly reflected in our national standing among programs in this field.”

Emily Balli

Manager of marketing and communications, New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences