"It's certainly an honor to have these programs recognized," said Jay Boyington, assistant director for Graduate Programs in Spears School. "Our distance learning students continue to work while earning their degrees, and tuition cost and the time commitment are major considerations for choosing online programs."

GetEducated.com is a consumer watchdog and advocacy group that rates, ranks, and verifies the cost, quality and credibility of online colleges and universities. A Best Buy designation from GetEducated.com indicates a program has been reviewed and judged to offer a high-quality distance master's degree to a national audience at tuition rates well below the national average.

With Spears School's Master of Science in Telecommunications Management costing $9,440 for Oklahoma residents and $15,520 for non-residents, this distance learning degree ranked No. 5 in GetEducated.com's 2008 national survey. The Master of Management in Information Systems ranked No. 7, with costs of $9,735 for Oklahoma residents and $16,005 for non-residents.

This ranking is based on a review of 127 competing options nationwide in the regionally accredited university class. The average cost of a distance learning master's degree in the management/administration area is $20,181, according to the survey.

"We congratulate OSU on their contributions toward making quality education more accessible to all Americans through innovative delivery methods coupled with fiscally responsive practices," said Melissa Eubank, director of information services for GetEducated.com. "We are pleased to recommend both programs as national Best Buys."

Eubank said the top question GetEducated.com counselors receive relates to affordability.

"Consumers want to know where they can obtain a high quality degree at a reasonable cost," she said. "We launched our Best Buy award program to help spotlight and promote the truly affordable gems of online learning."

Boyington said in a lot of cases, the competitive price of the Spears School's distance learning programs means companies with employer tuition reimbursement plans can cover most, if not all, of the cost. In addition, he said distance learning appeals to many students because geography is not an issue. Students who travel for work, including military personnel going to Afghanistan and Iraq, can take the classes through distance learning.

Oklahoma's only university with a statewide presence, Oklahoma State University is a five-campus, public land-grant educational system that improves the lives of people in Oklahoma, the nation, and the world through integrated, high-quality teaching, research and outreach. The Spears School of Business is dedicated to the original land-grant vision of research, instruction and extension. For more information about OSU's distance learning programs, contact the Center for Executive and Professional Development's Distance Learning office at 405-744-4048.