The University of Wisconsin–Madison ranked fifth among schools offering high-quality online graduate engineering programs for veterans by U.S. News and World Report. The ranking comes just months after U.S. News ranked UW-Madison in the top 10 for online graduate engineering programs.
Schools were evaluated on program reputation, faculty credentials, retention rates, and graduate debt loads.
“The College of Engineering is committed to providing access to academically rigorous programs through distance education and supporting veterans and service members in their professional interests and career goals through authentic online learning experiences,” said Gary Henderson, student services coordinator in the UW-Madison College of Engineering. “We are proud to support these students in their career development in the military or in their transition to the civilian sector.”
Veterans and active-duty service members gain most from distance education that is affordable, accessible, and reputable, according to U.S. News. These rankings also consider financial benefits available specifically to people with military experience. Because veterans and active-duty service members often wish to take full advantage of federal benefits to finance their education, programs included in the rankings must belong to an institution that is certified for the GI Bill and that participates in the Yellow Ribbon Program.
“UW-Madison’s online programs are particularly attractive because veterans can attend a highly regarded institution while being covered under the Post 9/11 GI Bill or Wisconsin GI Bill,” said Joe Rasmussen, UW-Madison’s veteran services coordinator. “The UW-Madison College of Engineering brand is strong and is known among veterans to be an outstanding program.”
A new outlook
Corey Chonsky, reactor mechanical division officer in the U.S. Navy, graduated from UW-Madison’s Master of Engineering Management program in 2014. The program offered him the flexibility to take classes that fit into his busy schedule, were immediately applicable on the job, and gave him a new outlook on his work.
“Being exposed to different perspectives, either through the other students in the cohort or through different courses throughout the two years [of my program], allowed me to think outside the box on issues and come up with unique solutions to problems,” Chonsky said. “Additionally, many of the course lessons and assignments applied at work the following day, which brought a fresh perspective to how my organization was conducting business.”
UW–Madison’s College of Engineering and Department of Engineering Professional Development offer online engineering graduate programs in subject areas including:
- Sustainable systems engineering
- Engineering management
- Environmental engineering
- Engine systems
- Polymer engineering and science
- Electrical and computer engineering (power electronics)
For more information on UW–Madison’s online engineering degree programs, contact Gary Henderson, gary.henderson@wisc.edu, 608-262-0133.