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IU Kelley Direct online MBA program ranked fifth best in the world by the Financial Times

• March 10, 2014

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- The Kelley Direct online MBA program at Indiana University's Kelley School of Business has been ranked fifth worldwide by the leading U.K.-based business publication, The Financial Times.

This is the third Top Five ranking in the past two months for Kelley Direct, which shares the same faculty who teach in the Kelley School's acclaimed in-residence programs. Kelley was third among all U.S. schools in the new Financial Times ranking.

In mid-January, U.S. News and World Report ranked Kelley Direct No. 1 overall among more than 200 offerings nationwide. QS Top MBA, which also produces the World University Rankings, ranked Kelley No. 3 in the world and No. 1 in the United States.

Kelley Direct also scored well in several sub-categories in the Financial Times rankings, including No. 1 for research rank, No. 2 in program delivery, No. 3 in online interaction rank and No. 5 for career services.

This was the first time the Financial Times has ranked online MBA programs.

Kelley School Dean Idalene Kesner said the multiple accolades for the program are testament to its innovative curriculum, international experiences and excellent faculty.

“Our faculty members are engaged with our students online and offline. Students can work according to their schedules but also connect with professors in real time. And they work in teams with real companies on real challenges,” said Kesner, who also holds the Frank P. Popoff Chair of Strategic Management.

"Our online program incorporates these key experiences from our in-residence program, as well as leadership and career training, and international trips that provide global experiential learning.”

Established in 1999, Kelley Direct was the first online MBA offered by a business school whose other MBA programs also are top ranked. For example, Kelley's residential MBA program has consistently been in Bloomberg Businessweek's Top 20 since it began ranking such programs in 1988. It currently is ranked 15th overall by the magazine, which also gave it No. 1 rankings for teaching, career services and student satisfaction.

Admissions requirements are the same for Kelley Direct as for all other Kelley MBA programs. The program also offers flexibility and access to the school's alumni network of more than 100,000 graduates.

Since 1999, more than 2,000 students have earned Kelley MBAs through the program, and it currently has an enrollment of 728 students. The average salary of the class of 2012-13 was $107,447, a 28 percent increase over the average salary of the graduates when they began the program. More than 65 percent of graduates received a promotion while completing their MBA degree. 

Related Links

• Kelley School of Business
• The Financial Times