ORU Listed on U.S. News and World Report List of Best Online Programs
By Michelle Paulson
Oral Roberts University was among the academic institutions included on U.S. News and World Report’s 2015 Best Online Programs list. The list analyzed more than 1,200 degree programs across the United States to determine the best online programs for undergraduate students.
U.S. News and World Report assessed ORU based on factors that indicate the effective delivery of affordable degrees in an adequate time period. These factors included student engagement, faculty credentials and training, peer reputation and student services and technology.
See ORU's U.S. News and World Report ranking: http://www.usnews.com/education/online-education/bachelors/rankings.
ORU offers 9 undergraduate majors that are available completely online. These majors include Business Administration, Christian Caregiving and Counseling, Church Ministries, Leadership Studies, Liberal Studies, RN to BSN Completion, Biblical Literature (Concentration in New Testament or English Bible), Government and Communication.
Business Administration is for those who want to start or enhance their leadership roles in business other types of organizations. You'll learn about management, marketing, stewardship of resources, and how to assess relevance and performance of an organization. This program is excellent preparation for entering the Master of Business Administration program in the College of Business Administration at ORU.
Christian Caregiving and Counseling prepares you for lay counseling roles and related ministries within the context of the local church and church-related agencies. This program equips you to help people realize wholeness in every area of their lives -- spirit, mind and body. This major is an excellent preparatory program for the Master of Arts in Christian Counseling offered through the ORU College of Theology and Ministry.
Church Ministries is for those wanting to take an active role in their church, perhaps as a paid or volunteer lay leader, pastor's assistant, or other significant contributing role. This is a general theology degree, which may even be sufficient background for pastoral ministry in some settings. Graduates with this degree have successfully entered and completed the Master of Divinity seminary program in the ORU College of Theology and Ministry.
The Leadership Studies degree program promotes academic excellence and facilitates the strengthening of conceptual, scholarly and professional competencies for use in leadership roles. The mission is to promote the best in leadership knowledge and practice to improve the quality and diversity of leadership in organizations and communities -- regionally, nationally and internationally.
The Oral Roberts University Anna Vaughn College of Nursing is home to the online RN to BSN program, which allows students with a two year associate’s degree to complete a Bachelor of Science in as little as four semesters. Students who complete the program will receive a degree that is fully accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education and the Oklahoma State Board of Nursing. For more detailed information on this program, refer to the College of Nursing webpage.
The Biblical Literature courses are designed to give students an understanding and appreciation of the Word of God and its application. The biblical literature major exposes students to a broad spectrum of hermeneutical and exegetical perspectives, tools and methods so they may interpret the Bible responsibly and perceptively within a theological-historical framework.
Students who choose the biblical literature area through Online Learning choose one of two concentrations: English Bible or New Testament. Students with an English Bible concentration study the entire Bible; the New Testament concentration emphasizes the content of the New Testament with the acquisition of the Greek language.
The Government major at ORU examines power and authority relations in human communities...their foundations and institutional organizations and how these are used to make public policy. Through study of the institutional structures by which national and world affairs are conducted, students gain understanding of how their world fits into our modern global context.
Communication encourages a whole-life approach to communication. The theory and practice of interpersonal communication skills in the areas of functional intelligence, social decision-making and self-expression are explored with emphasis on the application of theory to life situations. Students in this program acquire skills in applications of organizational communication, including assumptions, processes, roles, relationships and responsibilities. Communication majors develop skills in public speaking, problem solving, conference leadership, seminar development, systems analysis, interviewing, listening and in-house communication consulting.
For more information about ORU’s online degree programs, visit http://www.oru.edu/academics/online_campus/
About U.S. News and World Report
U.S. News & World Report is a digital news and information company that empowers people to make better, more informed decisions about important issues affecting their lives. Focusing on Education, Health, Personal Finance, Travel, Cars and News & Opinion, www.usnews.com provides consumer advice, rankings, news and analysis to serve people making complex decisions throughout all stages of life. More than 25 million people visit www.usnews.com each month for research and guidance. Founded in 1933, U.S. News is headquartered in Washington, D.C.