American Public University System Undergraduate Programs Recognized for Overall Quality in US News & World Report 2013 Online College Rankings

CHARLES TOWN, W.Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--American Public University System (APUS) today announced that its undergraduate programs have been named to U.S. News & World Report’s second annual qualitative ranking of top online education degree programs. APUS ranked #22 out of 237 schools offering online bachelor’s degree programs, or in the top 10 percent overall.

“Moving forward, it is our hope that US News will also consider learning and career outcomes as we believe that the transparency and accountability of these outcomes is the most relevant and important information for today's students.”

“We’re pleased to be recognized for the quality of our undergraduate programs, as such credible rankings can be helpful to discerning students seeking the online program that is right for them,” said Jennifer Stephens Helm, VP of institutional research and assessment for APUS. “US News Editor Brian Kelly notes that 'Online education lends itself to output measures that are more rigorous than what we see from traditional brick-and-mortar programs.' The magazine requested feedback last year from institutions as they began their effort to collect in-depth data from online bachelor’s degree programs nationwide. As a partial result, we understand that the 2013 rankings better reflect the unique degree completion characteristics of the working adults who represent over 90 percent of our students.”

“APUS specializes in serving part-time, working adults whose career and life demands disproportionately impact their attendance and persistence,” Helm added. “Moving forward, it is our hope that US News will also consider learning and career outcomes as we believe that the transparency and accountability of these outcomes is the most relevant and important information for today's students.”

For more than two decades, APUS has offered affordable, accessible, quality academic programs to military and civilian students in a collaborative, 100% online classroom led by faculty scholar-practitioners who are leaders in their fields. The University has been nationally recognized by the Sloan Consortium for excellence in online education, and also participates in the National Survey of Student Engagement and John N. Gardner Institute for Excellence Foundations of Excellence in the First College Year program.

About American Public University System

American Public University System, winner of the Sloan Consortium’s 2009 Ralph E. Gomory Award for Quality Online Education and two-time recipient of Sloan’s Effective Practices Award, offers 87 online degree programs through American Public University and American Military University. APUS’s relevant curriculum, affordability and flexibility help more than 100,000 working adults worldwide pursue degrees in subjects ranging from homeland security to management and liberal arts. For further information, please visit www.apus.edu.