SPU Makes ‘U.S. News’ Best National University List

For the first time, Seattle Pacific University made the 2017 U.S. News and World Report’s Best National Universities list. SPU is the only private university in the Pacific Northwest to appear on the list, joining the University of Washington and Washington State University as the only three universities in Washington state to rank.

The U.S. News defines “national universities” as those institutions offering a full range of undergraduate, master’s and doctoral programs. The university should also be committed to producing groundbreaking research.

This year was the first time that Seattle Pacific has been eligible for the “national university” category, thanks in large part to the recent growth in graduate and doctoral programs in business, education, psychology, nursing and theology. Overall, SPU offers more than 65 master’s, certificate and dual degree programs alongside six doctoral programs.

Beyond being ranked as a national university, SPU also ranked as one of the best undergraduate business programs in the U.S. and ranked highly for undergraduate research. “Students work alongside faculty on important research and serve as interns at many world-renowned companies located in the Seattle area and around the country,” explained a news release.

This year, some of the new programs that were started at SPU included advanced degrees in business and theology, digital education leadership, reconciliation and intercultural studies, and a doctoral nursing program.

For MBA students, the new dual degree program of particular interest is the MBA/MA (Christian Studies) or MDiv. This degree focuses on rethinking the way businesses operate. It offers business professionals or nonprofit employees a chance to augment their business education with a theological background, providing practical tools for the marketplace as well as answers to underlying questions about why business matters. The degree is best for business professionals looking to serve as a business or finance manager of a church or parachurch organization.

regions: Seattle

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