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TheBestSchools: Thank you for allowing us to interview you for TheBestSchools.org. You are the author of The Resurrection of Jesus (IVP Academic, 2010). Though recently published, that book is already one of the standard works on the historicity of the Resurrection. You are also the author, co-author, or editor of several other widely read books of Christian apologetics. And you are a highly skilled public debater.

But before we get into your accomplishments, let’s start with some personal background. Could you please tell our readers about your early life? Where and when were you born? What were your most significant formative influences growing up? What religious upbringing did you have? How did you first get interested in Christian ministry, theology, New Testament studies, and apologetics?

Michael Licona: I was born in Baltimore in 1961 and raised in a Christian family. I became a Christian at age 10 and my parents have told me I was an easy kid to raise, though by no means perfect. I’ve always had an interest in religious matters and ended up going to a Christian university. The first semester of my freshman year I decided I wanted to go into Christian ministry. But I thought it would be a music ministry, since I played the saxophone. As my education progressed, so did my desire to understand the Bible. That led me to do a master’s degree in religious studies with a concentration in Koine Greek, the Greek in which the New Testament literature was written. As I neared the end of my coursework, I began to have doubts about the truth of the Christian faith. How could I know if Christianity is really true, especially since many who are a lot smarter than I believe differently? Would I be of the same opinion had my parents been Muslims, Hindus, Jews, or atheists? This led me to search for answers and that’s how I became acquainted with the field of Christian apologetics.

TBS: You did your doctoral work at the University of Pretoria in South Africa, and you recently joined the faculty at Houston Baptist University (HBU). Could you tell us why you chose the University of Pretoria and how your connection with HBU came about?

ML: I was in my early forties when I decided to pursue doctoral studies and was leading a donor-supported ministry, had a family and a home, and was far behind in my savings for retirement. I would have loved to have studied at a big-name university. But it didn’t seem to be the wise thing for me at that point in my life to uproot my family and go into debt. A professor who is twice a Fulbright Scholar told me he regarded many of the South African universities to be on par with most major state universities in the U.S. Prominent New Testament scholars Ben Witherington and Richard Burridge had both taught at the University of Pretoria in South Africa and regarded it as a fine academic institution. What attracted me to it was that they have a doctoral program that can be completed almost entirely at a distance, just as some prominent universities in the U.K. now have (e.g., Durham University and the University of Wales). The cost was very reasonable given the exchange rate between the U.S. dollar and South African rand. So, it worked out very well for me in every respect.

I recently signed with Houston Baptist University for a unique faculty position. I will be teaching in Houston several weeks a year, but won’t be relocating there. The remainder of the time I will be engaged in research, writing, and speaking on university campuses all over North America, representing HBU. It’s an impressive university with great plans. The president, Dr. Robert Sloan, is an extraordinary person and a visionary who can take the school to the highest level, just as he did with Baylor. And the recent hire of John Mark Reynolds as provost will be a real game-changer. I’m very excited and proud to be a member of their faculty.

TBS: You did your undergraduate work at Liberty University. What took you to that school? Jerry Falwell, the school’s founder, was a polarizing figure in American life. Describe Falwell’s influence on you and the school at the time.

ML: My parents had watched Jerry Falwell on television in the 1970s and noticed that he had a college. They encouraged me to check out Liberty and attend their “College for a Weekend,” which I did in the spring of 1979. I wasn’t excited about going. But once I was there, I fell in love with the school. I was most impressed with the warmth and kindness I observed. It was amazing. Liberty provided a wonderful environment for me to grow spiritually and academically.

I attended Liberty during the pinnacle of Jerry Falwell’s political activities. I’ve never been very interested in politics and you’re correct that he was a polarizing figure. He took bold stances publicly and did so against causes that made him unpopular with the political left. But those on the left were also polarizing. Why should they be the only ones allowed to spread and defend their ideologies? When you take a stance, people on the other side are going to throw tomatoes at you. That’s part of the ideological war, I suppose, and Jerry Falwell fought it well. He was a great man, a moral man, who deeply cared for the students and we all knew it.

TBS: Your undergraduate degree is in music performance (saxophone). What role has music played in your life? How do you see the role of music in Christian ministry, if any? You are also an accomplished martial artist. Tell us about that aspect of your life.

ML: I used to love music and playing my saxophone. I loved playing jazz and classical music. But today music has a very small role in my life. In fact, I haven’t picked up my horn in more than ten years. It’s not that I don’t desire to play. I love research and any time I take to play the saxophone is time away from research. So, I guess you could say that I loved playing the saxophone, but I’m passionate about my research.

In the martial arts, I had two amazing instructors. Mr. Robert Fujimura served as my instructor while I was at Liberty University and ended up being one of the coaches of the U.S. Taekwondo Olympic Team as well as an esteemed leader in the art. I ended up training most under the eye of Mr. Sang Ki Eun. Master Eun had learned the art personally from its founder. I went on after graduate school to earn my first- and second-degree black belts under him, and for three years ran a school for him in Alexandria, Virginia. It was a great time!

TBS: On your web site, RisenJesus.com, you say you experienced a crisis of faith in 1985, shortly after taking your BA from Liberty University. What caused the crisis? How was it finally resolved?

ML: I was actually in the final semester of classwork in graduate school when I began to question whether Christianity is true. After all, I had been raised in a Christian family and had gone to a Christian university and graduate school. It was the only worldview I knew. Would I be a Muslim if I had been raised by a Muslim family in Saudi Arabia? Or a Hindu if I had been raised by a Hindu family in India? You get the idea. I was young and had the bulk of my life ahead of me. I didn’t want to spend it being devoted to a fairy tale. That’s what caused my doubts at that time. I wanted to know and follow the truth, wherever it led.

Dr. Gary Habermas was a philosophy professor at Liberty and had a great reputation among the students. So, I went to his office, introduced myself, and asked if I could speak with him about some doubts I was experiencing. He invited me in, put me at ease, and allowed me to express my thoughts. He never condemned me or made me feel ashamed in any way. In fact, he shared that years before he had likewise experienced a period of serious doubts. He really helped me that day and would do so even more in the future. In fact, I’m still a Christian today because of Gary Habermas.

Later on in life, I would experience a few more crises of faith. The most painful one occurred during my doctoral studies. I came to realize that all of my previous bouts with doubt ended when I found the answers I was looking for. In other words, I had been looking for ways to confirm the truth of my Christian faith. This time, I wanted to engage in a most sincere quest for truth, no matter where it led. I wanted to take a thorough look at whether Jesus rose from the dead. I would not avoid any difficult question or troubling issue. And I would, in a sense, document my journey for others to view and criticize. That’s why the book that resulted ended up being so large.

TBS: During this period of your life, you investigated the arguments for atheism. What were the strongest arguments you found for atheism? What counterarguments did you discover that persuaded you atheism is false?

ML: Most would agree that the best argument atheism has to offer is the problem of evil, pain, and suffering in the world. And it’s a powerful card to hold in one’s hand. But it’s not at all conclusive. The highly esteemed Christian philosopher Alvin Plantinga has demonstrated the unlikelihood of a race of beings with free will who all choose to do the right things all of the time. Thus, in a world of free beings, there is going to be evil, pain, and suffering that result, and especially so if the report of the fall in Genesis is accurate.

What the atheist must demonstrate is that there are possible worlds of free beings in which there is on balance a greater amount of good and lesser amount of evil than we experience in this world. This burden cannot be met. The late agnostic philosopher William Rowe countered Plantinga by noting what appears to be senseless evil in the world, such as a fawn burned to death by a tree that fell on it after being struck by lightning. This argument makes the problem of evil more difficult to answer. But there are Christian philosophers such as Ed Martin, Jeremy Evans, Bruce Little, and David Wood who have presented what I regard as plausible solutions to Rowe’s challenge.

I think the historical evidence for Jesus’ resurrection destroys any probability atheism may have had of being true. Moreover, select, well-evidenced Near Death Experiences (NDEs), veridical apparitions, evidential miracles, and evidential cases of profoundly answered prayer strongly suggest that the world in which we live is far more compatible with theism than atheism.

TBS: In 1997, you founded TruthQuest Ministries, renamed Risen Jesus in 2001. Tell us how you first became involved in Christian ministry, and what part this ministry has played in your life over the years and continues to play today.

ML: During my freshman year of college, I developed a strong desire to be involved in Christian ministry on a full-time basis. I thought that was going to be some sort of music ministry, since I was a music major and loved musical performance. As I continued in my sophomore through senior years of college, I developed a desire to go much deeper in Bible study and began teaching the Bible. I enrolled in a graduate degree program in New Testament Studies and specialized in learning Koine Greek, the language in which the New Testament literature was originally written. During my final semester of graduate school, the fall of 1985, I began having my doubts about the truth of the Christian faith. As I wrestled through the issues in the years that followed, Christian apologetics became a passion of mine. In the early 1990s, I began to teach Christian apologetics in churches and on university campuses. I loved it and decided that’s what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. Eventually, the number of speaking opportunities increased and in 2000 I went into an apologetics ministry on a full-time basis and have been in it ever since.

TBS: You’ve been a prominent figure in Southern Baptist circles over the years, more recently working for its North American Mission Board (NAMB). Tell us about your work there, how you came to work for the NAMB, and what your aims were in taking that appointment.

ML: In the summer of 2004 I was loving life. I lived in Virginia Beach, could go to the beach any time I wished, and had great friends and the autonomy of working out of my home. But I started having a sense that God was going to move me into something else and I didn’t know what that was. I didn’t want to move. I asked God for His guidance and told Him I was willing to do whatever He desired. Unknown to me, someone had thrown my name into the hat to become the Director of Apologetics for NAMB. At the time, I went to a non-denominational church. I wasn’t a Southern Baptist and had the same negative stereotypes of them as do others. But I consulted with my board members. We all prayed about it and in the end were unanimous in our belief that this is where the Lord was leading me because of the platform of influence it would give me in the largest Protestant denomination in North America. So, I began in January 2005. I oversaw the construction of a new apologetics web site (www.4truth.net), started a program by which others could be certified in apologetics, and with my team members provided training all over North America. I never regretted the decision. My time of service with NAMB was fruitful and enjoyable. There are some great people I served with there.

TBS: With Kevin Ezell assuming leadership at the NAMB, it now appears that Christian apologetics is taking a back seat there to church planting. Can you comment on this change in direction? Why is apologetics now getting short shrift in conservative Baptist circles?

ML: Overall, I think apologetics is now getting some good attention among conservative Baptists. Apologetics is now taught at most of the Southern Baptist seminaries. A few of them even offer earned doctorates in apologetics. We live in tough economic times and charitable giving is way down. NAMB has had to implement drastic cuts to its budget in order to survive. And that has meant drastic downsizing. Many ministries and corporations have had to make similar calls.

TBS: You have also been a prominent public apologist for the veracity of the New Testament. For example, you have engaged in public debates with such well-known atheists as Dan Barker and Richard Carrier, as well as with such revisionist New Testament scholars as Bart Ehrman, Elaine Pagels, and Stephen Patterson. Describe some of the high points in these debates. What are some key things that persons of faith should bear in mind as they face skeptics of the New Testament like this? What made you want to get involved in public controversy and debate? Looking back on your career on the debating platform, would you say, overall, it has been time well spent? If so, why?

ML: Sometime in the mid-1990s, I purchased audio-cassette tapes of William Lane Craig debating Frank Zindler and John Dominic Crossan. I was very impressed when I heard Dr. Craig pick apart their arguments in an intellectually sound manner. I have never enjoyed heated discussions. But there was something about confronting bad philosophy and arguments and being able to present a sound case for the truth of Christianity that was very appealing to me. I never imagined I would participate in a debate. At that point, Dr. Craig had two doctorates while I had not even completed my master’s thesis and had no intention of doing so. So, engaging in public debate in the type of forum he was doing was not even on my radar.

In the spring of 2003, Gary Habermas was invited to debate Dan Barker (left). He didn’t like debating and asked me if I would be interested in debating Dan. He said that if I ever wanted to get involved in debate, this would be a good first one for me, since Dan is not a scholar. So, I accepted an invitation to debate Dan and loved the experience. The next year, Gary turned down two more debates and referred them to me, which I accepted. Later Bill Craig passed along a few to me. And that’s how I got started.

Some items others should keep in mind if they decide to engage in debate or dialogue with nonbelievers is that your opponents are not your enemies. I don’t regard anyone I have debated as an enemy. In fact, I now consider some of them as friends. Hopefully, we’re all after truth. If Christianity is true, my opponents will have to answer to God some day. That’s between them and God. Since Jesus taught for us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us, there is no reason for us to act in a nasty way toward those with whom we have a disagreement. I’d also suggest that if you’re going to get in the ring with some major scholars like Bart Ehrman and Stephen Patterson, you better be willing to do your homework and prepare diligently. Debate is not easy. It takes a lot of work and it can be very emotionally draining. It’s not for everyone. But if you have the personality for it and are willing to put in the effort, there will be plenty of opportunities to engage in public debate and we need more Christians who will join us. I love the challenge and doing something that I think has a lot of value.

Being engaged in public debate has been time well spent and there have been positive results. I’ve seen some who were on an authentic quest for truth become followers of Jesus after attending or viewing one of my debates, while others have returned to faith in Christ. Some have expressed that their faith was significantly strengthened after attending one of my debates, while others devoted their lives to full-time Christian ministry. Hey, I don’t give an altar call. I just present truth and answer objections as best and as honestly as I can. Students are hungry for truth. They want a foundation on which to base their lives that’s based on truth rather than wishful thinking.

TBS: In 2010, you published your doctoral dissertation as The Resurrection of Jesus: A New Historiographical Approach (IVP Academic, 2010). [Hereafter referred to as “Resurrection.”] It is an extremely impressive piece of work, which has now set the standard for historiographical work on the historicity of Jesus and the Resurrection. Just the list of endorsers reads like a Who’s Who of New Testament scholarship. What was the research path that led to your magnum opus?

ML: Gary Habermas and I were working on our book The Case for the Resurrection of Jesus (Kregel Publications, 2004). I regard Habermas (right) to be the world’s leading expert on the topic. For several years he had been compiling a bibliography on academic sources written on Jesus’ resurrection and had more than 2,000 sources at that time. Today, that bibliography has expanded to around 3,400! Habermas had read the major works and catalogued where scholars stood on more than 100 topics related to Jesus’ resurrection. So, I asked him to which discipline the majority of scholars writing on the subject belong. He said the overwhelming bulk of them are biblical scholars and a small percentage are philosophers. I asked him if any professional historians outside the community of biblical scholars had published on the subject and he said he recalled seeing perhaps a handful of journal articles and one short book. At that point I decided that I wanted to conduct a thorough investigation of Jesus’ resurrection as a historian. I wanted to know how historians conduct their investigations and how those investigations differ from those conducted by biblical scholars and philosophers.

After being accepted into the doctoral program at the University of Pretoria, I immersed myself in literature written by philosophers of history and professional historians on the nature of historical knowledge and the various methods of discovering the past. It didn’t take me long to discover that I had a serious challenge before me: Historians are virtually unanimous in admitting that the completely objective historian does not exist and that we are all persons of bias. I realized that I had my own biases. After all, I wanted to show that the resurrection of Jesus was an historical event. So, I put together a list of recommended steps for managing my bias and did my best to follow them. Did I obtain complete objectivity? No one can and I wasn’t an exception. I discovered that I could get pretty close to my goal of complete objectivity if I genuinely wanted to be there and engaged in a serious effort to get there. However, I found that unless I took deliberate and sustained efforts toward remaining there, I would go back to my default position. It was a continuous struggle.

I became obsessed with my research. I agonized over my biases and attempts to suspend judgment while my investigation proceeded. I was intentional in debating some of the finest and toughest minds taking a contrary view. I wanted to put my method and conclusions before them in order to see what they had to say and to learn from the process.

My completed dissertation ended up being around four times the size of the average one. It was a long and laborious process. But it yielded priceless knowledge to me. So, I was thrilled when IVP decided to publish it.

TBS: Resurrection is a 700-page work dense with scholarly annotation. Nevertheless, would you be able to summarize the main conclusions you reach in this work for our readers? What does this book add to conservative New Testament scholarship about the Resurrection? What’s new here? How does it differ from other magisterial work in this area, such as that of Gary Habermas and N.T. Wright?

ML: I think there are three major differences between my new book and where others have previously gone. First, I discuss issues pertaining to the philosophy of history and historical method with a depth that exceeds by far what other scholars have offered pertaining to the question of Jesus’ resurrection. Second, I interact with the debate over whether historians are within their professional rights to investigate miracle claims to a far greater degree than has been previously offered. Third, I subject a variety of hypotheses to strictly controlled historical method in a more comprehensive manner than has been previously offered. There are other contributions the book makes to the discussion, such as a discussion pertaining to the historicity of Jesus’ predictions pertaining to his imminent death and resurrection, as well as the meaning of two Greek terms upon which an important discussion hinges. But the above three are the major ones.

TBS: Resurrection, despite its very traditional view that the bodily resurrection of Jesus occurred in space and time, has engendered a good deal of controversy in the evangelical community. In particular, Norman Geisler accused you of denying biblical inerrancy for your interpretation of a few verses in Matthew 27. As a result, you resigned your appointment with the North American Mission Board and left Southern Evangelical Seminary. On the other hand, you have also received public support from William Lane Craig, Gary Habermas, J.P. Moreland, and many others. Please give us your version of what happened.

ML: Matthew’s story of some saints raised at Jesus’ death has left people scratching their heads, from the early Church through modern scholarship. Why is Matthew the only one to report it? If these saints were raised with resurrection bodies, then Matthew contradicts Paul who wrote that Jesus was the first to have been raised with a resurrection body (1 Cor. 15:20). But if they were raised in their old bodies, like Lazarus who would die again, then what happened to them after they were raised? They were homeless, without jobs, food, and shelter. You’d think they’d have some very interesting stories to tell!

As a historian, I realize that a lack of desired data does not justify the rejection of a report. As I read through the commentaries, I discovered that many conservative scholars don’t comment much on the historicity of Matthew’s raised saints. As I had been reading through the Greco-Roman and Jewish literature of the period, I found numerous examples of similar reports of phenomena that were connected to historical events having a huge amount of significance. In one case, Virgil lists 16 phenomena related to the death of Julius Caesar in what is certainly a poetic genre. So, I posited that this may have been a poetic element of Matthew’s account of Jesus’ death—the addition of “special effects,” you might say. It’s much like we might say that the events of 9-11 were “earth shaking” or that “it rained cats and dogs.” When North Korea’s leader Kim Jung Il died in December, 2011, it was reported that a snowstorm hit as he died. Ice cracked on the volcanic Chon lake near his reported birthplace at Mount Paektu. When the snowstorm ended at dawn, a message carved in rock glowed brightly until sunset saying, “Mount Paektu, holy mountain of revolution. Kim Jong-il.” Finally, on the day after his death, a Manchurian crane also adopted a posture of grief at a statue of Kim’s father in the city of Hamhung. So, the same sort of rhetoric is occurring today.

A few ultraconservatives who have what I regard as an overly wooden view of the doctrine of biblical inerrancy accused me of dehistoricizing the biblical text because I didn’t believe it because of its supernatural nature. I was shocked! And did it not occur to them that my treatment of Matthew’s raised saints appeared in the context of a large book that contended for the physical resurrection of Jesus? The matter for me was whether Matthew had intended for his readers to think that some saints had actually been raised. My opinion was that he did not. And you cannot dehistoricize a text that was not intended as history. Could it be that, on the contrary, it was my detractors who were historicizing a text not intended as history? The biblical authors lived in a different culture than us. So, there are going to be times when the literal meaning of the text is not how we should interpret it. Granted, that’s not always easy for us to determine. Many early Christian males castrated themselves after misinterpreting Jesus’ teaching about some making themselves eunuchs for the sake of God’s kingdom (Matthew 19:12). Hermeneutical blunders can have unpleasant consequences! And notice they had adopted a literal interpretation of a text not intended to be understood in that manner.

I understand their concern that, taken to the extreme, one might attempt—as many already have—to make the same move with Jesus’ resurrection. But I provided reasons in my book why such a move fails.

Most of the highly respected evangelical scholars sided with me in the controversy. Many did not agree with the interpretation of Matthew’s raised saints I proposed. But they were all in agreement that this was entirely an interpretive matter and had nothing to do with whether the Bible contained any errors.

TBS: Your own Southern Baptist denomination was less than supportive once Geisler accused you of denying biblical inerrancy. For instance, Southern Seminary president Al Mohler, while praising Resurrection’s scholarship, ensured that you would never work again in Southern Baptist circles, at least the conservative ones in which he wields influence (see Mohler’s piece against Licona here). How have you handled such internecine attacks on your work? What does your treatment say about the direction in which the Southern Baptist denomination is headed? Are you optimistic about the future of the Southern Baptist Convention? Why or why not?

ML: I respect Dr. Mohler and he is highly regarded by many in the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC). But there is no pope of the SBC. Every state convention, every association, and every church in the SBC is autonomous. In this way, the SBC differs from most other protestant denominations. Dr. Mohler wields a lot of influence in some SBC circles and I wish the very best for him. My new ministry is flourishing and many of my post-NAMB speaking engagements are with SBC entities and churches. Before accepting their invitations to speak, I ask them if they’re aware of the controversy brought on by Drs. Geisler and Mohler. In every case they have been and they’ve been comfortable with me.

I remain persona non grata with some SBC entities and that’s unfortunate. But they have every right not to want me at their events and I’m comfortable with that. I spoke for many denominations prior to coming to NAMB, such as the PCUSA, PCA, the Episcopal Church, the United Methodist Church, Calvary Chapel, non-denominational churches, and charismatic churches. And even after joining NAMB, I didn’t limit myself to speaking for SBC entities. Nor do I now. I’ve never regarded Southern Baptists as the only true evangelical Christians.

I’ve been very disappointed to see the ungodly behavior of a few of my detractors. The theological bullying, the termination and internal intimidation put on a few professors in SBC seminaries for having the opinion that the interpretation of Matthew’s raised saints I proposed in my book was not incompatible with the doctrine of biblical inerrancy, the deliberate misrepresentation of my words and the working behind the scenes of some leaders to marginalize me—all this revealed the underbelly of fundamentalism.

I’ve handled the fighting largely by ignoring it. One prominent scholar counseled me at the beginning of the controversy that responding to the attacks would be to tangle with the tar baby. And we know how that turned out for Brer Rabbit! I also listened to the book A Tale of Three Kings (Tyndale House, 1992), by Gene Edwards, at the recommendation of a friend who once had a similar experience. That book was very encouraging and instructive. For me, most theological matters outside of the essentials of the Christian faith don’t interest me. So, I also didn’t want to spend my time splitting hairs over an interpretation that, in my opinion, doesn’t have any bearing on the essentials.

You ask for my thoughts about where I think this controversy suggests the SBC is headed and if I’m optimistic about the future of the SBC. My opinion is that this controversy suggests that within the SBC there is still an ultraconservative wing that would like to pull the denomination back into fundamentalism where people are told, “We know the answers. Don’t question me. Just get back in line and follow me. I’m protecting the Church.” However, I don’t think that’s where the majority of SBC church members or even SBC professors are.

Am I optimistic about the SBC? There are a lot of very good people in leadership positions there. For example, Frank Page is the most powerful person in the SBC and he’s an amazing guy for whom I have a great deal of respect. Tom Eliff, the president of the International Mission Board, is a great man by whom I have been profoundly impacted. Danny Akin and Jeff Iorg are presidents of SBC seminaries for whom I have a lot of respect. And there are a number of professors in SBC seminaries who are fine thinkers and are publishing regularly in respectable peer-reviewed journals and with reputable publishers. In spite of the good in the SBC, denominations in general are in decline in North America. Many younger evangelicals are disenchanted with denominations altogether and I think some of their concerns are legitimate. The SBC will survive. But I have no idea how it will look 20 years from now.

TBS: Why is biblical inerrancy such a hot-button issue among evangelicals? How do you personally understand biblical inerrancy? Do you still consider yourself a biblical inerrantist? Do you regard it as crucial to sound Christian theology? Please explain.

ML: My opinion is that inerrancy is a hot-button issue among many evangelicals as a result of the battle against theological liberalism that took place in the 1970s and ’80s. There are two primary ways of defining biblical inerrancy in Protestantism. The Lausanne Covenant, signed by more than 3,000 evangelicals including the late John Stott and Billy Graham, states the Bible is “without error in all that it affirms.” The Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy defines it most exhaustively. But even those who helped compose it aren’t in complete agreement about its meaning. I continue to be a biblical inerrantist and subscribe to both the Lausanne Covenant and the Chicago Statement. However, I don’t think everything in the Bible should be interpreted literally. For example, I don’t think that Jesus’ teaching on lust meant that guys should actually gouge out their eyes if they struggle with it (Matthew 5:28-29). Sometimes it’s difficult to know whether a biblical text was meant to be interpreted literally.

I do not regard the doctrine of biblical inerrancy to be foundational to the Christian faith. There is so much in the Bible historians can verify, such as Jesus’ personal claims to being God’s divine Son, his performance of deeds that both he and his followers regarded as divine miracles and exorcisms, his death by crucifixion, and—I would add—his bodily resurrection shortly thereafter. Biblical inerrancy is not the foundation of the Christian faith; Jesus is. If Jesus rose, Christianity is true even if it were to turn out that every last detail reported in the Bible is not.

TBS: Was Resurrection a career-ending book for you? Was it in some ways a career-initiating book for you? In light of all the controversy, is there anything that you would now add to or subtract from Resurrection? In a nutshell, how are you wiser now than before the controversy?

ML: Academically speaking, it has been a career-initiating book. The academic reviews it has received thus far have been quite positive and the controversy has only brought attention to it in the academic community. Ministerially speaking, I initially thought it might kill my ability to minister in the same manner. It certainly put a momentary check on it within Southern Baptist circles. But my ministry appears to have rebounded and I’m as busy as ever with speaking invitations, research, and writing.

I wish that I had spent more time working through the issue of Matthew’s raised saints prior to publishing the book, since I had no idea it would cause this much of a stir among some believers. But that’s Monday morning quarterbacking. I had offered the same interpretation several times since 2006 in my debate with Muslim Ali Ataie on the University of California (Davis) campus and no one ever expressed being troubled by it. So, I had no reason to think its presence in the book would be a source of controversy. The controversy forced me to dig deeper and I have since modified my position to one of uncertainty pertaining to how Matthew intended the saints raised at Jesus’ death to be interpreted.

TBS: You have also written a book entitled Paul Meets Muhammad: A Christian-Muslim Debate on the Resurrection (Baker Books, 2006), and another one called Behold, I Stand at the Door and Knock: What to Say to Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses When They Knock on Your Door (TruthQuest Publishers, 1998). You clearly have an interest in interfaith dialogue. Could you please tell us why you think it is important, and how a Christian ought best to engage in it?

ML: Jesus commanded His followers to share His message with others and make disciples of all peoples. That means those of other worldviews. So, Christians should be engaged in dialogue with others on these matters in obedience to our Lord and because we love others. If Jesus was being truthful that He is the only way, it’s in everyone’s best interest to follow Him. That’s why we should share Jesus’ message with others.

This can be accomplished in a number of forums. But Christians should always remember that the Bible instructs us to share Christ with gentleness and respect (1 Peter 3:15) and that our speech should always be gracious (Colossians 4:6).

TBS: One of our special concerns here at TBS is the connection between higher education and what one might call the science-philosophy-religion nexus, especially as it gets refracted through the media. What is your take on the state of higher education in America today, from this point of view?

ML: In 2007, two Jewish researchers published the results of a massive study in which they polled nearly 1,300 faculty members in nearly 700 academic institutions in the U.S. They discovered that 53 percent of those faculty members acknowledged having unfavorable feelings toward evangelical Christians, far more than for any other group. The feelings were so unfavorable, that the researchers concluded that the common belief of Christian parents that their children may be discriminated against while attending a secular university were well founded.

I’ve spoken on more than 50 university campuses in the U.S. and have heard stories from many students who have told me about professors who have on the first day of class informed their Christian students that s/he has the objective of ridding them of their Christian faith by the end of the semester. If that professor had said that about Muslims or Hindus or Jews or if a Christian professor had stated their overt objective to convert their students to Christianity by the semester’s end, there would be a huge outcry against them. But there is seldom a problem with the attack on Christian students.

I have also heard from many students that their professors are teaching there is no truth and that we all choose our own truth. Of course, this only applies to worldviews, since one’s math professor is not going to settle for any other solution to an equation than the correct one. Political liberals have very strong convictions that political conservatives have got it wrong and vice versa. Our politically correct academic culture demands absolute tolerance when we speak of different views. But they are militantly intolerant of the views of evangelical Christians. Moreover, most secular universities only teach according to a secular worldview: naturalism. And naturalism requires just as much faith as religious belief.

My point is that there is a growing hostility toward evangelical Christians on many campuses. I’m not suggesting that Christian students avoid attending a secular university. I’m merely stating that this is the state of our system of higher education in the U.S. today.

TBS: What advice do you have for parents concerned about the anti-Christian propaganda their sons and daughters are likely to receive in America’s secular universities today? Which Christian colleges would you recommend for undergraduate work—what is your top-ten list? What about graduate work?

ML: Parents have options. And what is best for some may not be so for others. First and foremost, they should make some effort to see that their children develop critical thinking skills. This will allow them to assess arguments logically. An introduction to logic book or even Gregory Koukl’s book Tactics (Zondervan, 2009) can be very helpful. I’d also strongly encourage them to have their children read some good introductory books on apologetics, such as the series by Lee Strobel—The Case for Christ (1998), The Case for Faith (2000), The Case for a Creator (2004), The Case for the Real Jesus (2007) (all published by Zondervan)—and On Guard (David C. Cook, 2010) by William Lane Craig. These books will provide great information, some of which their children will remember. They will also serve as references their children can return to when their faith is challenged.

Another option is for their children to attend a Christian university. In terms of my top-ten list for undergraduate work at Christian colleges, that’s not easy, since there are many good ones. My list would certainly include (in alphabetical order) Biola University, Houston Baptist University, Liberty University, Palm Beach Atlantic University, Trinity International University, and Wheaton College. For graduate work in New Testament studies, philosophy, and apologetics, there are also many good schools. Here, my top-ten list would have to include Asbury University, Baylor University, Biola University’s Talbot School of Theology, Denver Seminary, Duke Divinity School, Houston Baptist University, Liberty University, and Wheaton College.

TBS: Any final thoughts you would like to share with our readers? What are your personal plans for the future? Where do you see New Testament studies headed? Christian ministry? Christian culture, generally?

ML: Since my new ministry is a startup, I anticipate it will evolve over time. Five years from now, I’d like to be spending nearly all of my time researching, writing, speaking on university campuses (lecturing and debating), and teaching a few courses a year.

Students can select from full-time and part-time online Masters of Social Work programs. Some schools offer accelerated online Master’s of Social Work programs. A social work masters degree is required for jobs in clinical or public school social work. People with a master’s degree in social work typically work as counselors, social workers or therapists.

Employment Growth for Social Workers

The notable Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) forecasts a 25 percent job growth for social workers from 2010 to 2020, faster than the average for all occupations. The expected job growth is due to an increase in demand for a variety of social services and healthcare, but will vary by specialty.

From 2010 to 2020 the BLS forecasts a 34 percent job growth for healthcare social workers; 31 percent for mental health and substance abuse social workers and 20 percent for child, family and school social workers. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports the average salary in 2011 for social workers was $53,900.

MSW Online Programs Ranking Guidelines

We’ve created a list of the best online MSW programs. We base our rankings on academic quality, awards, reputation, rankings by notable sources and internship opportunities.

#1 Fordham University (New York, NY)

The Graduate School of Social Service at Fordham University is ranked #11 by U.S. News & World Report in social work. The MSW online degree program includes class work focused on theory, social work application, policy and research. The program also includes field placements. As part of the field work students participate in an integrative seminar in order to enhance the connection between online classroom and field learning.

The part-time online masters of social work program includes a clinical concentration. The program takes about three and a half years to complete. The program is asynchronous; in general, there are no specific times students are required to be online.

The first two years of the MSW program provide the foundation, the next two years are advanced. The online students are required to attend face-to-face sessions in New York City two times each year for the duration of the program. The online Master’s of Social Work degree qualifies graduates to take the certification or licensing examination in their home state, which is required in most states.

#2 University of Southern California (Los Angeles, CA)

The USC School of Social Work is ranked as tied for #11 by U.S. News & World Report in social work; the social work department is ranked #15 by the Princeton Review‘s Gourman Report of Graduate Programs. The Master of Social Work degree online program is flexible, highly interactive and has the academic rigor of the on-campus program. Students connect with their peers and professors via live online classes, chat sessions and study groups.

Students obtain hands-on training in the field in their local community. The school arranges the supervised internships. Students can begin the online MSW program at their convenience; the USC school of Social Work provides multiple start dates. The foundation-year curriculum offers a common base of knowledge, values and skills. In the second year, students select a specialized area: Families and Children; Health; Mental Health; and Community Organization, Planning and Administration.

All concentrations require a field placement in addition to specialized coursework. A sub-concentration is available in Military Social Work and Veteran Services.

#3 Virginia Commonwealth University (Richmond, VA)

The VCU School of Social Work is ranked as tied for #11 by U.S. News & World Report in social work. The MSW online degree has synchronous and asynchronous elements, thus students are expected to be online with classmates at specific times for some activities as well as work offline independently at their convenience.

The Masters of Social Work online students have an internship at a nearby social services, government agency, hospital, school or business under the supervision of an experienced social worker. Students are required to obtain 1,050 hours in an approved internship/placement site. VCU’s MSW Distance Education (DE) program is a part-time program completed in about four years. The online students use the curriculum provided to the on-campus MSW students.

Students select a concentration option in Clinical Social Work or Social Work Administration, Planning and Policy Practice. The online students are prepared to engage in development of the profession, influence community decision making as well as formulate, implement and evaluate interventions, programs and policies.

#4 Boston University (Boston, MA)

Boston University (BU) School of Social Work is ranked as tied for #16 by U.S. News & World Report in social work. The school provides a part-time online Master of Social Work program in Clinical Social Work Practice. Students can select the Traditional MSW Track or the Human Service Experience Track.

Candidates for the Human Service Experience Track are required to have at least two years of supervised human services experience. The track includes a single 1,000 hour field internship. The Traditional MSW Track includes two field internships totaling 1200 hours in the field. Faculty advisors help students find field internships in their community.

The online courses are taught by the Boston University’s faculty. The Online MSW program is completed in about two and a half years. The Master of Social Work program includes synchronous (face-to-face) components; students have to be available at a specific time.

#5 Florida State University (Tallahassee, FL)

Florida State University College of Social Work is ranked #44 by U.S. News & World Report in social work; the social work department is ranked #24 by the Princeton Review‘s Gourman Report of Graduate Programs. The school reports its online MSW program is the first of its kind in the country. The Florida State University College of Social Work offers an asynchronous instruction which allows students to be online at their convenience. Campus visits are not required.

The online MSW program includes field placement opportunities. The program takes about two years to complete. The program is guided by the same standards as the traditional program. The Masters of Social Work program is available to students living in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota. Non-residents can appeal for a non-resident tuition waver, which significantly reduces the cost per credit hour.

#6 University of North Dakota Online & Distance Education (Grand Forks, ND)

The University of North Dakota is ranked #79 by U.S. News & World Report in social work. The part-time MSW distance program takes two years to complete. Students are prepared to serve as an advanced generalist social worker. The online MSW program is designed for students with a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree. Candidates without a BSW degree are required to apply to the Master of Social Work for Non-BSW Students distance program. Students pay in-state tuition regardless of where they live.

Live Web classes are held during the evenings and weekends. Students are required to visit the campus one time. Students gain experience in local field placements.

#7 University of New England (Portland, ME)

The School of Social Work at the University of New England is ranked #130 by U.S. News & World Report in social work. In 2010, UNE was ranked as one of the “Best Universities” in the North offering “A full range of undergraduate and master’s programs” by U.S. News & World Report. The accelerated online MSW degree program is available to those with a social work degree and those seeking to begin a new career. The online Master of Social Work degree program includes supervised fieldwork in the students’ community. Campus visits are not required.

The School of Social Work at the University of New England provides a Traditional Track and an Advanced Standing Track. Some students may qualify to enroll directly in the Advanced Standing Track which builds on the basic social work curriculum by focusing on advanced social work subjects, skills and theory. Students in the Advanced Standing Track are required to select the Individual, Family and Group Practice concentration or the Organizational and Community Practice concentration.

#8 Texas State University (San Marcos, TX)

The School of Social Work at Texas State University/San Marcos is ranked #148 by U.S. News & World Report in social work. The online MSW degree program is available on a part-time basis. The program provides the Foundation Curriculum and the Administrative Leadership Concentration Curriculum. A field practicum is a major element of the MSW program.

Online students in the Regular Track or Advanced Track have the same curriculum requirements and syllabi as the on-campus students. The Regular Track takes part-time students four years to complete and full-time students two years to complete. The Advanced Standing Track takes part-time student two years to complete and full-time students one year to complete. Students in the Advanced Standing Track take specialized coursework in the Direct Practice concentration or the Administrative Leadership concentration.

The online students are taught by core faculty members specially trained to deliver interactive online courses. The program is available to students across the nation and throughout the world. The Regular Track is available to people with an accredited baccalaureate degree in any area of social work. The Advanced Standing Track is available to people with a BSW degree from a CSWE accredited program.

#9 Saint Leo University (Saint Leo, FL)

Saint Leo University, a Catholic university, has been selected by U.S. News & World Report as one of the “Top Universities in the South”. The school is open to people of all faiths. Saint Leo University School of Education & Social Services offers a Master of Social Work online program with an Advanced Clinical Practice concentration.

Students are prepared to be leaders in advanced clinical social work practice, serving all populations, especially the elderly, member of the workforce, military personnel as well as individuals and group experiencing discrimination and oppression.

The online MSW program is only available to students living in Florida, Georgia and Virginia. The program includes an internship. Students are required to attend one weekend seminar on the Saint Leo campus in the summer. The Master of Social Work online program takes two years to complete. Students with a BSW degree from a CSWE accredited program can take the accelerated one-year program.

#10 Northeastern University (Boston, MA)

In 2011, Northeastern University was ranked #8 in U.S. News & World Report‘s list of Up-and-Coming-Schools. The Northeastern University online Master of Science in Human Services program prepares students for careers with nonprofit organizations, government agencies and nongovernmental organizations. The online program allows students to master skills in a flexible and highly interactive manner.

The program includes a core curriculum and electives. Students choose one of the following specializations: Organizational Communication, Leadership or Global Studies. The program includes work-based applications and a capstone service-learning project. Part-time students complete the Master of Science in Human Services program in three years and full-time students complete the program in two years.

Full-time students typically complete a master’s degree in social work in two years. However, many schools offer advanced-standing MSW programs to students with a bachelor’s degree in social work. These programs take less time to complete.

Salaries

According to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the average salary in 2011 for social workers was $53,900.  The annual mean wage for social workers in industries with the highest level of employment for the occupation was the following, in descending order: Federal executive branch; general, medical, and surgical hospitals; local government; state government; and individual and family services.

The median salaries by skill/specialty of employees with a Master of Social Work degree are shown below:

• Counseling: $49,500
• Case Management: $54,267
• Geriatrics: $40,976
• Spanish language: $45,750
• Psychiatric: $51,000
• Operations Management: $64,709
• Fundraising: $49,500
• Program Management: $57,250

(Source: PayScale, April 2012)

Employment Growth

The BLS forecasts a 25% employment growth for social workers, faster than the average for all occupations. The expected job growth is due to an increase in demand for social services and healthcare, but will vary by specialty. The BLS forecasts a 34% employment growth for healthcare social workers, 31% for mental health and substance abuse social workers, and 20% for child, family, and school social workers.

Some of the employment opportunities for people with an MSW are shown below:

• Aging
• Public welfare
• Child welfare
• Justice corrections
• School social Work
• Health care
• Employment/occupational social work
• Developmental disabilities
• Community organization
• Mental health/clinical social work
• Management/administration
• International social work
• Research
• Politics
• Policy and planning
• Adoption and foster care agencies
• Private practice
• Employee assistance programs
• Advocacy and coalition groups
• Domestic violence agencies
• Drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers
• Nursing homes/skilled nursing facilities
• Homelessness & hunger advocacy networks
• Women’s shelters
• Long-term care facilities
• Military counseling offices
• Assisted living facilities
• Senior centers
• Social and human services centers

MSW programs include classroom learning and practical field experience. There’s a large number of Master of Social Work degree programs to choose from, so it’s not easy selecting a school. We’ve thoroughly evaluated the top schools. We base our rankings on academic quality, reputation, awards, rankings, internship opportunities, and facilities.

#1 University of Michigan (Ann Arbor, MI)

The University of Michigan School of Social Work is ranked as tied for #1 by U.S. News & World Report and as #3 by the Princeton Review‘s “Gourman Report of Graduate Programs.”

The MSW program prepares students to serve society at the local, state, national and international levels. The faculty includes internationally recognized experts. The comprehensive Master of Social Work degree program offers nine concentrations. Students choose a concentration in a practice method and a practice area.

The University of Michigan School of Social Work provides a Peace Corps Master’s International program, which allows students interested in working with children and youth to integrate 27 months of Peace Corps service into their MSW program. Students with an undergraduate degree in social work can enroll in the advanced-standing program, which takes 45 credit hours to complete.

The School of Social Work offers dual degree programs that combine social work with either business administration, information, public health, law, urban planning, or public policy. The school also provides student-initiated combined master’s programs with social work and other units.

Practice methods include:

• Interpersonal Practice
• Community Organization
• Social Policy and Evaluation
• Management of Human Services

Practice areas include:

• Children and Youth in Families and Society
• Aging in Families and Society
• Health and Mental Health
• Society, Community and Social Systems

#2 University of Chicago (Chicago, IL)

The School of Social Service Administration at the University of Chicago is ranked as tied for #3 by U.S. News & World Report and as #1 by the Princeton Review‘s “Gourman Report of Graduate Programs.” The School of Social Service Administration is one of the oldest graduate schools of social work in the country.

The AM degree from the School of Social Work Administration is equivalent to an MSW, but has a wider educational and experiential foundation. It combines direct social work practice with interdisciplinary research, policy development, and social science theory. The school prepares students to become leaders in the human services field by fostering a commitment to social and economic justice.

The master’s degree program provides a strong foundation in policy, as well as direct practice with families, individuals, communities, and organizations. Students select a clinical concentration or a social administration concentration. The School of Social Service Administration at the University of Chicago provides two elective options: clinical practice and social administrative.

#3 Washington University (St. Louis, MO)

The Brown School of Social Work at Washington University in St. Louis is ranked as tied for #1 by U.S. News & World Report and as #9 by the Princeton Review‘s “Gourman Report of Graduate Programs.” A leader in its field, the Brown School of Social Work has influenced policy strategies at local, national, and international levels. The school provides training in policy, practice, and research.

The school reports that it provides the most flexible curriculum of any graduate school of social work. The curriculum provides a strong understanding of the fundamentals and also allows students to create their own courses of study. Students can select their concentration and select when and where to do field work. Students have numerous opportunities for experiential learning via over 400 domestic and international field placement options.

Students with a BSW may be awarded between three and 19 credit hours of advanced standing for their BSW course work. Also, nearly four $4 million in scholarships are provided every year.

The Master of Social Work degree program provides six concentrations:

• Management
• Social & Economic Development
• Gerontology
• Children, Youth & Families
• Mental Health
• Health

#4 Columbia University (New York, NY)

The Columbia University School of Social Work is ranked as tied for #5 by U.S. News & World Report and as #2 by the Princeton Review‘s “Gourman Report of Graduate Programs.” The school has a world-renowned faculty.

The Columbia University School of Social Work offers a two-year program, a 16-month program, an advanced-standing program, a reduced-residency program, and an extended program. Students with an undergraduate degree from a Council on Social Work Education–accredited BSW program can take the advanced-standing program and complete the MSW program in only one year. The Master of Social Work program includes 1200 hours of field instruction.

Students choose one of four advanced-practice method concentrations:

• Advanced Clinical Social Work Practice
• Advanced Generalist Practice and Programming
• Policy Practice
• Social Enterprise Administration

Students learn to provide direct social work services to client populations. Situated in the diverse city of New York, the school offers numerous local opportunities for social work delivery, research, and policy development.

Students select one of seven fields of practice:

• Contemporary Social Issues
• Aging
• Health, Mental Health, and Disabilities
• Family, Youth, and Children Services
• School-Based and School-Linked Services
• The World of Work
• International Social Welfare and Services to Immigrants and Refugees

#5 University of Washington (Seattle, WA)

The School of Social Work at the University of Washington is ranked as tied for #3 by U.S. News & World Report in social work and as #29 by the Princeton Review‘s “Gourman Report of Graduate Programs.” The MSW prepares students to enter into a concentrated area of social work practice. The Master of Social Work degree program offers a broad understanding of social welfare, as well as a strong foundation in social work knowledge, skills, and ethics. The program also provides advanced study of social work interventions.

Students have internships with human service providers in Seattle. The advanced year prepares students for advanced professional practice in an area of concentration in a way which fosters social work leadership and a commitment to a just and diverse society, effective social interventions, and public service. The School of Social Work at the University of Washington provides a 10-month advanced-standing program for graduates of baccalaureate programs in social work or social welfare. Students can complete the program in one year.

#6 University of California, Berkeley (Berkeley, CA)

The School of Social Welfare at the University of California, Berkeley, is ranked as tied for #7 by U.S. News & World Report and as #12 by the Princeton Review‘s “Gourman Report of Graduate Programs.” With a nationally and internationally recognized faculty, the School of Social Welfare at the University of California, Berkeley, performs research on major world, U.S., and California issues. Via the school’s Center for Social Services Research, professors and graduate students perform research to identify best practices, improve service delivery, and design innovative social interventions.

Via the field placement program, students in the master’s degree program contribute hours of vital support to human service agencies and their low-income clients throughout the San Francisco Bay Area.

The MSW program trains students for a range of leadership positions, as well as advanced-practice roles in their profession. The program prepares students for professional responsibility in the field of social welfare, as well as the institutional systems which comprise it, especially public social services and publicly supported voluntary social services.

Students select one of six concentrations:

• Direct Practice in Child and Family Services
• Direct Practice in Child and Family Services/Title IV-E Child Welfare Program
• Direct Practice in Gerontology Services
• Direct Practice in Community Mental Health
• Management and Planning
• Direct Practice in Health Services

Besides a Master of Social Work degree, the school also offers the following programs: MSW/PhD, MSW/MPW, MSW/JD Concurrent degree, Title IV-E MSW Child Welfare Training program, and a MSW/IAS dual degree program.

#7 University of Texas at Austin (Austin, TX)

The School of Social Work at the University of Texas at Austin is ranked as tied for #7 by U.S. News & World Report and as #19 by the Princeton Review‘s “Gourman Report of Graduate Programs.” The school provides a master’s degree in social work for people interested in social work practice, administration, policy, and teaching.

The students can choose a concentration in Clinical Social Work or Community and Administrative Leadership. Students receive 1020 hours of field practicum. Internships are available at selected organizations, government agencies, and nonprofit and for-profit agencies. Internships are provided both in Texas and out of state, as well as abroad. Students have research opportunities with local and state service organizations and the larger community.

Students with a BSW from an accredited school complete 42 to 48 credit hours to acquire their MSW degree. The School of Social Work at the University of Texas at Austin provides portfolio programs, as well as four dual-degree master’s degree programs in collaboration with the LBJ School of Public Affairs, the University of Texas School of Law, the Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, and the UT Health Science Center School of Public Health.

#8 Case Western Reserve University (Cleveland, OH)

The Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences at Case Western Reserve University is ranked #9 by U.S. News & World Report and #6 by the Princeton Review‘s “Gourman Report of Graduate Programs.” Students at the Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences can choose a concentration in Community and Social Development or Direct Practice.

Joint master’s level degree programs are provided in the areas of nonprofit management, law, bioethics, and business administration. Students who selected the Direct Practice Concentration specialize in one of five areas: Aging; Children, Youth, and Families; Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse; Child/Adolescent Mental Health; and Adult Mental Health.

#9 University of North Carolina (Chapel Hill, NC)

The UNC School of Social Work is ranked as tied for #5 by U.S. News & World Report. Besides studying a core curriculum, students select one of three concentrations: Direct Practice; Management and Community Practice, or a self-directed concentration.

The MSW program prepares students for direct agency–based practice, direct-community practice, management of nonprofit and public agencies, policy practice, as well as advocacy and leadership positions in the social work profession. Students are placed in government, nonprofit, and other human services agencies throughout North Carolina.

Students with a BSW degree may apply for advanced standing. Students in the advanced-standing program acquire an MSW degree after taking 40 hours at the UNC School of Social Work during one calendar year.

Students have the opportunity to expand their studies by participating in the UNC School of Social Work’s dual degree program partnerships with the Department of Public Administration, the School of Public Health, and School of Law, as well as with Duke University’s Divinity School.

#10 University of Pittsburgh (Pittsburgh, PA)

The University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work is ranked as tied for #11 by U.S. News & World Report and as #8 by the Princeton Review‘s “Gourman Report of Graduate Programs.” Students serve local, national, and international communities by developing and participating in collaborations with social agencies, government agencies, community-based organizations, and foundations.

Students participate in experimental and integrative learning in affiliated community organizations. Students are prepared to work with vulnerable children, youth, and families. The Child Welfare Education for Leadership project provides MSW education and training to employees of public child welfare agencies. Students can choose a concentration in Community Organization and Social Administration or Direct Practice with Individuals, Families, and Small Groups.

The University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work offers the following dual, joint, and cooperative degree programs:

• Master of Social Work/Master of Public Administration
• Master of Social Work/Master of Divinity
• Master of Social Work/Doctor of Philosophy in Social Work
• Master of Social Work/Master of Public and International Affairs
• Master of Social Work/Juris Doctor
• Master of Social Work/Master of Public Health

Students serve local, national, and international communities by developing and participating in collaborations with social agencies, government agencies, community-based organizations, and foundations.

#11 Fordham University (New York, NY)

The Graduate School of Social Service at Fordham University is ranked as tied for #11 by U.S. News & World Report. At the advanced level students select an area of concentration and a field of practice with families, individuals, and small groups. Students can select the Administration concentration or the Research concentration. The program includes field work.

Students with a bachelor’s degree in social work from a school accredited by the Council on Social Work Education may qualify for advanced standing and complete the master’s degree in social work program in one year. Those with over three years’ experience working in a social work capacity may qualify for the Experienced and Employed Social Service Practitioner model and complete a single extended field placement at their place of employment.

The Graduate School of Social Service at Fordham University offers areas of specialization:

• Substance Abuse
• Older Persons and their Families
• Social Work and Law
• Global Service

#12 University of Southern California (Los Angeles, CA)

The USC School of Social Work is ranked as tied for #11 by U.S. News & World Report and as #15 by the Princeton Review‘s “Gourman Report of Graduate Programs.” The curriculum prepares students to provide leadership in complex and culturally diverse urban settings.

Students learn how to work effectively with a wide range of families, individuals, communities, and groups in the Los Angeles region, in southern California, and throughout the Pacific Rim. Students learn how to design and implement innovative, evidence-based, and compassionate solutions. Field internships are provided by 500 partner agencies situated throughout southern California.

While earning an MSW, students can obtain an MBA, a law degree, a master’s in gerontology, planning, management, Jewish nonprofit, public health, or public administration, or a Ph.D. The USC School of Social Work provides a 35–credit unit advanced-standing MSW program. The program waives the first-year foundation course requirements.

The school offers the following concentrations:

• Families and Children
• Community Organization, Planning, and Administration
• Health
• Mental Health
• Work & Life

All concentrations require a field placement in addition to specialized coursework.

Subconcentrations are available in the following areas:

• Older Adults
• Military Social Work and Veteran Services
• School Settings
• Systems of Recovery from Mental Illness
• Public Child Welfare

#13 University of Wisconsin—Madison (Madison, WI)

The School of Social Work at the University of Wisconsin—Madison is ranked as tied for #11 by U.S. News & World Report and as #4 by the Princeton Review‘s “Gourman Report of Graduate Programs.” The MSW program at the School of Social Work at the University of Wisconsin—Madison prepares students for advanced social work practice. The first year provides students with a foundation of knowledge, skills, and values required for solid social work practice, and prepares students for advanced social work practice in an area of concentration. In the second year, students specialize in a social problem area of concentration. Advanced practice concentration are available in Child, Youth, and Family Welfare; Health, Aging, and Disability; and Mental Health.

Students gain a field education in an agency setting. Exemptions for some or all of the generalist practice year courses may be granted to students who graduated from an accredited undergraduate social work program.

#14 Boston College (Chestnut Hill, MA)

The Boston College Graduate School of Social Work is ranked #10 by U.S. News & World Report. Students have the option to create an individualized field by combining two or more concentrations. Students can also choose electives provided by the Boston College Graduate School of Social Work or from a consortium formed with other universities. All the concentrations require a field placement in addition to specialized coursework.

Students in the master’s of social work degree program select clinical or macro practice in one of four concentrations:

• Global Practice
• Children, Youth, & Families
• Older Adults & Families
• Health & Mental Health

The school offers dual degrees including the MSW/MBA, the MSW/JD program, and the MSW/MA in Pastoral Ministry. The advanced-standing program is available to students who have completed an undergraduate program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education. Students beginning the program in June complete the program in one calendar year, while students beginning the program in January complete the program in 16 months.

#15 Virginia Commonwealth University (Richmond, VA)

The VCU School of Social Work is ranked as tied for #11 by U.S. News & World Report. The school has an internationally recognized faculty. Students are prepared to work in a broad range of practice settings such as hospitals, family service agencies, mental health, criminal justice, policy practice, schools, and administrative settings.

Students select a concentration option in clinical social work or social work administration, planning, and policy practice. Students at the VCU School of Social Work are prepared to formulate, implement, and evaluate interventions, programs, and policies, as well as engage in development for the profession and influence community decision making. Students take field instruction. Students in the advanced-standing program are required to complete 39 credit hours taken over three continuous semesters.

#16 University of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA)

The Penn School of Social Policy & Practice is ranked as tied for #16 by U.S. News & World Report and as #5 by the Princeton Review‘s “Gourman Report of Graduate Programs.” The MSW program promotes the profession of social work by educating students to become leaders for social change.

The master’s of social work program prepares students for professional social work practice in an array of systems and settings with diverse client populations. The MSW program prepares social workers for leadership roles in developing and providing services to families, individuals, communities, organizations, and groups.

In the second year of study, students choose a clinical or a macro practice method of concentration. Students are required to take a research course every semester. Students gain experience in the field practice component of the curriculum. The Penn School of Social Policy has an advanced-standing program. The school offers numerous dual degree programs which include an MSW.

#17 University of California, Los Angeles (Los Angeles, CA)

The Department of Social Welfare at UCLA is ranked as tied for #16 by U.S. News & World Report and as #23 by the Princeton Review‘s “Gourman Report of Graduate Programs.” Students can select a minor or macro track. Each of the two years includes field placement.

The master’s in social work program has social work methods concentrations, including practice in organizations, communities, and policy settings, as well as social work practice with families, individuals, and groups. The school offers concurrent degree programs including MSW/JD, MSW/MA in Asian American Studies, MSW/MPH, and MSW/MPP.

The Department of Social Welfare at UCLA offers specializations in the following areas:

• Children and Youth Services
• Gerontology
• Health Services
• Mental Health Services
• Nonprofit Sector Services

#18 City University of New York, Hunter College (New York, NY)

The Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College is ranked as tied for #16 by U.S. News & World Report and as #25 by the Princeton Review‘s “Gourman Report of Graduate Programs.” The school’s mission is to graduate excellently prepared and civically engaged social workers for New York’s diverse communities.

Students at the Silberman School of Social Work at CUNY have a choice of advanced concentration in three courses in one focus of intervention or methods concentration: Group Work; Clinical Practice with Individuals and Families; Organization Management and Leadership; or Community Organization, Planning, and Development.

#19 University of Maryland, Baltimore (Baltimore, MD)

The University of Maryland School of Social Work is ranked as tied for #16 by U.S. News & World Report and as #27 by the Princeton Review‘s “Gourman Report of Graduate Programs.” Academic concentrations are available in Clinical as well as Management & Community Organization. The school offers dual degree programs featuring a Master of Social Work degree combined with one of the following degree programs: Jewish communal service/Jewish studies; Juris Doctor; MBA; or Master of Public Health.

Students have two different field placements in social services agencies, departments, or other service-delivery systems situated throughout Maryland and surrounding areas. The University of Maryland School of Social Work has a programmatic relationship with Rajagiri College of Social Sciences in Cochin, India. Students can participate in a six-month field placement program in India.

Students are required to select one of the following specializations:

• Families and Children
• Aging
• Health
• Mental Health
• Social Action and Community Development

The school also offers an Employee Assistance Program Subspecialization and a Child, Adolescent, and Family Health Subspecialization.

#20 Smith College (Northampton, MA)

Smith College School for Social Work is ranked as tied for #16 by U.S. News & World Report and as #28 by the Princeton Review‘s “Gourman Report of Graduate Programs.” The master’s of social work degree program specializes in clinical social work. The MSW program has a focus on working with individuals, families, and groups in a clinical setting. The students learn about clinical theory and practice, as well as social service and policy contexts of practice.

The curriculum emphasizes the promotion of service to society, social justice, and a greater appreciation of individual and cultural diversity in multicultural communities. The program includes field placement instruction and a community practice project. The school has a nationwide internship network. The Smith College School for Social Work offers an advanced-standing program for students with a BSW degree.

#21 Boston University (Boston, MA)

Boston University School of Social Work is ranked as tied for #16 by U.S. News & World Report. Students are prepared to integrate and apply clinical and macro practice methods in urban environments and diverse communities. Students are prepared for social work practice with families, individuals, organizations, groups, and communities. The MSW includes foundation and advanced-level courses and field education. In the advanced curriculum, students choose to specialize in clinical practice or macro practice.

Students at the Boston University School of Social Work obtain knowledge and skills from the advanced-methods courses in clinical or macro practice. Content on ethics, diversity, populations-at-risk, and social and economic justice is incorporated in the foundation and advanced courses. Also, students gain experience working with families, individuals, communities, and groups through field education.

Dual degree programs are available in social work and public health, social work and theology, and social work and education. The advanced-standing program is available to graduates of an undergraduate social work program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education. Students in the advanced-standing program receive 24 credit hours.

The field practicum of the MSW program allows students to develop competence in practice skills within the framework of social work values and ethics. The field practicum encourages the incorporation and application of principles and concepts learned in the classroom and the practicum agency.

#22 New York University (New York, NY)

The NYU Silver School of Social Work is ranked as tied for #16 by U.S. News & World Report. The MSW program teaches technical skills. The program has a focus on developing relationship-centered practice with groups, individuals, and families. An objective of the program is to develop an integrative, holistic approach to social work practice that allows versatility in the selection and application of intervention methods.

The MSW programs have an emphasis on clinical training. The practice classes have a high level of coordination with field learning. The NYU Silver School of Social Work offers dual degree programs including MSW/MA in Child Development, MSW/Executive MPA, MSW/JD, and MSW/MPH.

Graduates of an undergraduate social work program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education may apply for admission into the advanced concentration (second year) of the two-year program.

#23 Ohio State University (Columbus, OH)

The College of Social Work at Ohio State University is ranked as tied for #26 by U.S. News & World Report and as #11 by the Princeton Review‘s “Gourman Report of Graduate Programs.” The MSW program prepares students for advanced social work practice. The advanced concentration is highly applied and focuses on students obtaining expertise in one of several practice areas.

The College of Social Work at Ohio State University provides an extensive field practicum which incorporates theory, foundation, and advanced practice. The school offers dual degree programs, including joint social work and public affairs; social work and public health; and social work and city and regional planning.

#24 Michigan State University (East Lansing, MI)

The School of Social Work at Michigan State University is ranked as tied for #26 by U.S. News & World Report and as #17 by the Princeton Review‘s “Gourman Report of Graduate programs.” The major focus of the MSW program is on preparation for foundation and advanced practice in clinical social work (micro-level interventions), as well as organization and community practice/leadership (macro-level interventions). The master of social work program includes field experience.

The clinical social work concentration prepares students to practice advanced clinical skills in settings which focus on individuals, families, and groups. The Organization and Community Practice/Leadership concentration prepares students to practice a wide range of advanced skills for leadership, as well as change management in diverse organizations and communities.

The School of Social Work at Michigan State University also offers an advanced standing MSW program. The School of Social Work and the MSU College of Law provide a joint MSW/JD program.

#25 University of Illinois at Chicago (Chicago, IL)

The Jane Addams College of Social Work at the University of Illinois at Chicago is ranked as tied for #24 by U.S. News & World Report and as #26 by the Princeton Review‘s “Gourman Report of Graduate Programs.” The master’s of social work degree program prepares students for advanced social work practice in an area of concentration. Advanced curriculum content, tailored to the concentration, is offered in the areas of social work practice, social work research, human behavior in the social environment, social welfare policy, and services and field instruction.

Concentrations are available in the following areas:

• Child and Family
• Community and Urban Development
• Mental Health
• School Social Work

Interdisciplinary concentrations are available, including Interdepartmental Concentration in Gender and Women’s Studies and Interdepartmental Concentration in Violence Studies.

The advanced-standing option at the Jane Addams College of Social Work is available to those who have completed a baccalaureate degree program in social work accredited by the Council on Social Work Education. They may receive a maximum of 28 credit hours toward their MSW.

1. Develop a Sense of Self-Motivation
Some of us are just born with a natural sense of self-motivation, while others have to work toward achieving this highly valuable trait. Although you might be used to professors, classmates, and parents reminding you when assignments are due and what criteria these assignments must meet, you will have to prepare for an educational experience that requires initiative, motivation, and self-reliance.

2. Utilize All Resources
Your online education will require a great deal of independence and self-reliance. However, many institutions offer a variety of helpful resources for students to ensure the utmost success from the program. These resources include support teams for help with coursework and technical problems, and chat rooms to help connect with the instructor as well as your fellow classmates.

3. Understand Degree Program Availability
Even if you aren’t sure which major you want to stick with, it’s a good idea to understand what your options are for each online school you are considering. Many online institutions offer a wide range of different degree programs. For example, American InterContinental University (AIU) offers degrees in the following categories: Business, Information Technology, Criminal Justice, Design, and more—with various concentrations to choose from in each program.

4. Establish Proficiency Using Technological Software
Since your academic success will rely partially on your ability to use various kinds of computer software, it’s important that you familiarize yourself with the technology you will likely encounter on a daily basis. This includes databases, online forums, email, websites, webcams, and more. To ensure the greatest success in your online program, you must be able to navigate the web and use computer programs without any problems.

5. Be Able to Manage Your Time Effectively
Time management is one of the most important components of ensuring a successful online education. When your instructors provide you with a syllabus for each class, there is potential that this will be the only time you receive information about due dates for upcoming assignments. This means you alone have to keep a calendar and maintain a schedule to ensure that all of your work is completed on time.

6. Start Out Small
Although you may be eager to get your education underway, you want to avoid overwhelming yourself with a full course load if you have never experienced online learning before. For this reason, it might be in your best interest to take one online course during a summer semester to get a feel for how it all works and how well you like the program.

7. Proofread Everything You Submit
Unlike a standard college setting, much of your communication in an online course will be written. Grammar and punctuation are an important component of ensuring your message gets across accurately, but you should also check for clarity and conciseness when proofreading your work to ensure smoother communication.

8. Use Downtime Wisely
Chances are you won’t receive instant feedback on discussions and assignments in an online course. However, don’t waste your time playing games or watching television while you’re waiting for a response. Instead, use your extra time to get a head start on next week’s assignments or to complete your work in another course.

9. Get into a Routine
It’s usually easier to maintain self-discipline for your online course when you develop a routine for doing work. For example, if you tend to work better at night when the kids are asleep and the house is quiet, plan on regularly completing your schoolwork by working a few hours each night to develop a productive habit.

10. Communicate Often with Classmates and Instructors
You may not be able to simply raise your hand to get the attention of your instructors and classmates, but using email and other technical communication features is an excellent way to stay in touch and avoid misunderstandings. If you have a question about an assignment, email your instructor and classmates to collaborate and determine a solution to your problem.

* * *

As you progress in your online education, you will likely find that it shares more similarities than differences with the traditional institutions you’re used to. Following the steps above will help you better prepare for your academic success and avoid potential challenges along the way.

—Zach Buckley is a freelance writer who is interested in exploring the intersection of culture, science, and education. He lives in the Midwest and enjoys music, literature, and good food.

It’s therefore with trepidation that we offer this article on schools for children with autism. In many of our articles here at TheBestSchools.org, we rank schools and provide positive recommendations about programs; and even though we check and double-check our facts, if we’ve made a mistake or missed something, it’s unlikely to have dire consequences.

Not so with this article. The decisions struggling parents of autistic children make in response to this article may be life changing, for good or ill. We have therefore tried to be scrupulously accurate in the information provided here. Moreover, we did not feel it appropriate to rank schools for children with autism, as though these schools admit a straight linear ordering and that parents of autistic children should vie to get their children into the “top schools.” There is too much sorrow connected with this disability to play such games.

So, as you read this article, please do not take it as the final word. We recognize that school recommendations by parents with autistic children can be very useful. We therefore encourage parents to talk to as many other parents as they can about schools they are considering. We also encourage them to talk with special education advocates and attorneys, who are good sources of information regarding which school districts to seek and which to avoid.

From Special Ed to Schools Specifically Targeting Autism 

Because autism can be so debilitating to children, parents are often urged to seek out programs that go beyond the special education resources available in public schools. Ideally, such programs use treatment procedures and methods with a documented history of effectiveness—programs that have been well researched and shown to significantly help autistic children. Yet just what sort of intervention will in fact help an autistic child is often hard to say in advance.

In any case, and despite such caveats, many parents desire to place their autistic children in private schools specifically dedicated to helping children with that disability. These schools provide strong therapeutic interventions, tailored for children with autism. However, these schools are expensive; the tuition can easily be as high as $75,000 per year.

The tuition for these private schools may sometimes be paid, at least in part, by local school districts. Typically, in order for a school district to cover the expense of a private school, parents are required to prove to the school district that no available public school can meet their child’s needs.

State Legislation for Health Plans

This web page provided by the National Conference of State Legislatures includes the names of the 29 states that have enacted autism insurance reform laws requiring state-regulated health plans to provide coverage for the treatment of autism.

If you live in one of these states, or you’re considering moving to one of these states, use the State Autism Reform Initiative Map to get information about the state’s autism insurance law and what it requires health plans to cover. After clicking on the state, click on the name of the state on the web page you land on and scroll down to find the information on the state’s autism insurance law.

According to the Wall Street Journal, insurers in these states with autism insurance reform laws will have to cover treatments until the federal health care law, currently scheduled for 2014, is implemented. Currently, in some states insurers can deny coverage of developmental disorders because they’re considered an educational service.

Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and DIRFloortime

Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is commonly utilized in schools to teach children with autism. ABA has been endorsed by The National Institutes of Health, the Surgeon General, and the Association for Science in Autism Research.

DIR/Floortime is also commonly used in schools. DIR/Floortime is based on the works of the late Dr. Stanley Greenspan, formerly Clinical Professor of Psychiatry, Behavioral Sciences, and Pediatrics at George Washington University Medical School, and Chairman of the Interdisciplinary Council on Developmental and Learning Disorders.

Possible Drawback of Private Schools

Some parents are concerned that kids attending schools for children with autism only interact with other kids with autism and people who understand them and care for them. They believe the kids don’t have enough opportunities to learn the coping skills they’re likely to need after they graduate.

Many schools for kids with autism try to compensate for this by providing opportunities for students to interact with the public in a variety of settings.

Guidelines for Our List of Schools

Our list includes nationally recognized schools, as well as schools which have received special recognition from an expert or organization, a notable award, or a ranking from a notable organization. We also consider the backgrounds of the faculty, the types of services available, the faculty-to-student ratio, and other factors.

The schools on our list are private (the vast majority), unless otherwise indicated.

TheBestSchools did extensive research on the Web and gathered information from relevant organizations and experts via email inquiries. We strongly encourage parents to thoroughly research any of the schools on the list they’re considering. We recommend that parents ask a school representative for testimonials from parents, as well as contact parents who have not voluntarily provided a testimonial. Ask local special education advocates and special education attorneys if they have any information about the schools.

We realize there are some very good schools worthy of consideration not included in the list. There are excellent schools that have not received recognition from notable sources, awards, or rankings. If school representatives believe their school meets our criteria, or any parent believes their child’s school meets the criteria for our list, please use our contact form to send us information about the school. If TheBestSchools agrees, the school will be included in the updated editions of the list.

It should be noted that TheBestSchools is not recommending schools; we are only providing information. TheBestSchools has no connection with any of these schools.

CALIFORNIA

Applied Behavior Consultants, Sacramento

Applied Behavior Consultants provides schools designed to meet the needs of kids diagnosed with autism or autism spectrum disorder between the ages of three and 18. Schools are located in Sacramento and Ontario, California.

Joseph Morrow, PhD, BCBA, President of Applied Behavior Consultants, received the Outstanding Service Award presented by Families for Effective Autism Treatment. He also received an award from the Association for Behavior Analysis International for Outstanding Contributions to the International Dissemination of Behavior Analysis.

Brenda Terzich-Garland, Vice President of Applied Behavior Consultants, also received the Outstanding Service Award presented by Families for Effective Autism Treatment.

The students receive Intensive Behavioral Treatment (IBT) within a language-based, applied behavior analysis educational setting where teaching is highly structured. Each child’s curriculum includes functional activities, critical language skills, initiation/spontaneity, socialization, and generalization of mastered concepts/skills.

The goal is to prepare students for reintegration into their neighborhood school. Each classroom has a credentialed teacher, a lead behavior technician, and technicians. The classrooms provide a 1:1.5 technician-to-student ratio for students ages three to nine and a 1:2 ratio for students ages nine to 12.

Applied Behavior Consultants provides classroom consultations for specific students and autism classroom training and consultation to school districts. Applied Behavior Consultants trains staff members nationally and internationally.

Kendall School & Therapeutic Pathways, Inc., Modesto

Kendall School & Therapeutic Pathways, Inc., is an agency and school serving students with autism spectrum disorders. The Kendall Schools are located in Elk Grove, Modesto, Sacramento, Stockton-Lodi-Galt, and Tracy, California. The organization also provides consultation services to school districts. The school’s goal is to improve the social functioning of children and teenagers. The Kendall School provides a center-based intensive ABA program.

The Edutopia website, part of the notable George Lucas Educational Foundation, reports that the Kendall School has received praise for its program. The organization reports that its work has been published in peer-reviewed journals and has been cited over 100 times in the treatment literature by a wide range of professionals, including a group empanelled by the American Academy of Pediatrics to describe best practices. The staff members also regularly present papers at state, regional, and national conferences.

Land Park Academy, Sacramento

The Land Park Academy is a nationally recognized school for kids with autism. The school serves students diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders from three to 22 years of age. The Land Park Academy provides services to Sacramento Valley school districts. The academy has multiple Sacramento campus locations.

The academy offers intensive, individualized educational programs developed for each student based on assessments to determine skill deficits, general adaptive functioning, and behaviors interfering with learning. The program has a strong behavioral basis while addressing every individual through wide-ranging programming.

The academy provides onsite occupational and speech therapy and has a 1:1.5 student-to-staff ratio. Classroom and group skills are targeted to support students for potential success in public school settings. Placement of students at the academy is made through the joint cooperation of each student’s home district, the Land Park Academy, and the student’s Individual Education Plan (IEP) team.

May Center for Child Development Schools, Santa Cruz

Please read the description of the May Center for Child Development Schools located in the Massachusetts section of the list.

FLORIDA

Carrie Brazer Center for Autism & Alternative Approaches, Inc., Miami

Carrie Brazer Center for Autism & Alternative Approaches, Inc., a nonprofit and a nationally recognized school, serves students in elementary, middle, and high school. The center provides a vast amount of support for children and their families. The center has licensed speech therapists, occupational therapists, and physical therapists. Licensed social workers aid the family through psychotherapy and bi-weekly support meetings and parent training classes.

An individual program is designed to meet the specific developmental, educational, and emotional needs of each child and its family. Professionals, neurologists, and pediatricians within the community also host monthly workshops for parents to learn about the newest approaches to help children with autism.

The programs consist of highly structured, consistent-behavior-based instruction, combined with opportunities to generalize new skills and behaviors through being involved in community-based outings. The center uses applied behavior analysis.

The center offers full-day therapy programs. The full-day school program serves middle school and high school students and runs for 40 weeks. Children receive seven hours of intensive, hands-on educational training, behavior modification, and cognitive-sensory-based activities. The classrooms have small student-to-teacher ratios and are staffed by a master’s degree–level, Florida-certified special education teacher plus one trained teacher assistant per classroom. The program provides a 1:1 teacher-to-student ratio for kids who need it.

The elementary school specializes in serving kids diagnosed with classical autism spectrum disorders and other communicative and social disabilities. The program consists of highly structured, consistent-cognitive and community-based instruction based solely on the principles of positive reinforcement through the school and camp curriculum.

ILLINOIS

NewHope Academy, Niles

NewHope Academy serves students ages 11 through 21 in grades six through 12 with autism, emotional disabilities, learning disabilities, and other health impairments. The academy was named a School of Excellence in 2010-11 and 2011-12 by the National Association of Special Education Teachers (NASET).

The academy provides a therapeutic educational environment where students develop skills to become effective learners, gain personal insight, and develop coping strategies for their social-emotional challenges.

INDIANA

Behavior Analysis Center for Autism (BACA), Fishers

The Behavior Analysis Center for Autism (BACA) utilizes the principles and procedures of Applied Behavior Analysis to teach language, self-help, social, academic, and daily living and life skills to children with autism and related disorders in the Greater Indianapolis area. The school reports treatment is based on current research findings from the most experienced scholars in the field of behavior analysis.

BACA utilizes the B.F. Skinner analysis of Verbal Behavior within the framework of applied behavioral analysis to teach kids with language and social deficits. BACA also provides natural environment training in the community and home and has meetings with families and outside professionals to create a cohesive team to benefits clients. The Behavior Analysis Center for Autism reports the staff members receive continuous education and training in regular seminars and training sessions from its esteemed clinical team.

Dr. Carl Sundberg, BCBA-D, is Executive Director/President of BACA. He has publications in the professional journal, The Analysis of Verbal Behavior, and in A Collection of Reprints on Verbal Behavior (1998), which he also co-edited. Dr. Sundberg works with school districts and has been invited to speak at workshops and conferences across the country. Dr. Sundberg also teaches Skinner’s Analysis of Verbal Behavior at Ball State University and was president of the Hoosier Association for Behavior Analysis (HABA).

In 2003, Dr. Sundberg received the “Angels of Autism Award” as an invited presenter for The Coalition on Autism. Mark Stafford, Interim Director of the recognized Mariposa School, stated that “The Behavior Analysis Center for Autism (BACA) based in Fishers, Indiana, is a wonderful program operated by Carl Sundberg, brother of Mark Sundberg. He is a PhD, and Mark and Carl have co-authored a number of studies.”

BACA has two buildings in Fishers, as well as facilities in Zionsville/Whitestown and Elkhart, Indiana.

KANSAS

Heartspring, Wichita

Heartspring serves students from ages five to 21. The school reports that teams of specialists discover and develop the whole child using a multidisciplinary approach.

Connie Erbert, Heartspring’s Director of Autism Research, received the 2011 Lindt USA Unsung Hero Autism Award. Heartspring has twice received the National Association of Special Teachers (NASET) School of Excellence Award. Several of the teachers have been recognized as a model of excellence by Exceptional Parent magazine.

Heartspring believes all individuals with autism spectrum disorders deserve and require evidence-based interventions and services which allow them to reach their full potential and participate as fully as possible with family, communit,y and school life.

The organization of learning activities is founded upon Structured Teaching Strategies. The school believes physical structure, work systems, daily schedules, and visual organization help students transition successfully, organize time and space, build independence, increase flexibility, and obtain vocational skills.

Heartspring receives donations and tuition through school districts and state and/or federal funding. Heartspring provides many services at reduced costs and provides significant financial assistance to the children and families.

MARYLAND

Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore

Kennedy Krieger Institute’s programs have the objective of preparing students to transition back to their communities and lead successful lives. Kennedy Krieger Institute educational programs include a K–8 program, the Kennedy Krieger High School, the LEAP program, the Montgomery County campus, the public school partnership program, and the physically challenged sports and recreation program.

The school programs provided at the Kennedy Krieger Institute have received a 2012 Leadership and Innovation in Special Education award conferred by the National Association of Private Special Education Centers (NAPSEC).

The institute offers a wide range of programs to support the inclusion of kids with special needs. The programs are provided through their nationally recognized day schools and partnership programs in public schools across Maryland. The Kennedy Krieger School programs also serve students from Washington, DC, and Pennsylvania.

The knowledge the institute’s educational professionals have acquired through their unique experiences is shared through the institute’s individualized educational training and consultant programs and its work with the Maryland State Department of Education.

The Ivymount School, Rockville

The Ivymount School, a special education day school established in 1961, serves children with autism spectrum disorders, health impairments, developmental delays, and speech and language deficits. The school has about 200 students with an age range from six to 21. The Ivymount School has been twice named a Blue Ribbon School of Excellence by the U.S. Department of Education.

The school provides individualized student-focused programming using research-based procedures. The program keeps a strong commitment to the advancement of research in the education and treatment of people with autism within the field of applied behavior analysis.

The Ivymount School reports that it is building expertise in using Affective Q Sensors (left) with the long-term goal of providing students with autism spectrum disorders a new way to self-regulate by acting on the warning signs of outbursts.

MASSACHUSETTS

May Center for Child Development Schools, Randolph

May Center for Child Development schools are part of the May Institute, an award-winning nonprofit active center for research and training. The institute provides educational, rehabilitative, and behavioral healthcare services to people with autism spectrum disorders and people with other developmental disabilities, brain injury, mental illness, and behavioral needs. The May Institute established one of the first schools in the nation for children with autism.

The May Institute received the 2007 Award for Enduring Programmatic Contributions in Behavior Analysis from the Society for the Advancement of Behavior Analysis. In 2005, the May Institute received the Outstanding Training Program Award from the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies.

The schools offer full-day, year-round educational services to children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders and other developmental disabilities. The students receive individualized behavioral, academic, and vocational programming. The programs are based on applied behavioral analysis. The teachers work with students one-on-one or in small groups.

Classroom activities emphasize all areas of a child’s development, including language, communication, self-care, social skills, and play skills. The schools provide physical, occupational, and speech therapists, as well as family support services and training, including counselors, family therapists, and social workers.

For students ages 15 to 22, the focus is on transitional skills which bolster self-confidence and promote self-sufficiency. The May Center for Child Development schools are located in West Springfield, Randolph, and Woburn, Massachusetts, and Santa Cruz, California.

New England Center for Children (NECC), Southborough

The New England Center for Children, a private nonprofit autism research and education center, is one of the oldest and largest private schools for kids with autism in the United States. The NECC provides evidence-based educational services. The NECC provides full-year day services, serving people diagnosed with autism or PDD from 14 months to 22 years of age. The day services curricula focus on academic, social, communication, play, and self-help skills.

The Edutopia website, part of the notable George Lucas Educational Foundation, called the New England Center for Children “a leading private school for autism.” In 2000, NECC received the National Award for Model Professional Development from the U.S. Department of Education. NECC reports its the only special education school to receive such recognition.

NECC has developed a wealth of curricula grounded in the principles of behavior analysis, which has been incorporated into the Autism Curriculum Encyclopedia (ACE), a web-based tool-kit. ACE is used with all of their students.

The teachers are guided by applied behavior analysis principles. Students participate in various activities which encourage them to interact with their peers, while promoting communication and social skills. The student-to-teacher ratio is 1:3. The school has about 200 students.

NEW JERSEY

According to Joan Voss (right), a state assembly woman in New Jersey, statistics show that New Jersey has the highest autism rate in the nation, with one in 94 children in the state affected by an autism spectrum disorder. Steven Krapes, director of The Forum School, thinks the numbers might reflect the reality that more families with autistic kids are moving to New Jersey, not only because of its high level of education, but also due to the state’s efforts to provide innovative educational programs for the autistic community. Krapes stated “People move here for the quality of the programs. If your child falls on the spectrum, you want them to be educated in New Jersey.”

Alpine Learning Group, Paramus

Alpine Learning Group, a non-profit education and treatment program, specializes in serving individuals with autism. The school offers a full-day, one-year program for students from three  to 21 years of age. Alpine Learning Group received a resolution from New Jersey assembly woman Joan Voss recognizing its outstanding program for students with special needs. The school’s mission is to provide students with autism and their families comprehensive, scientifically validated educational and behavioral services designed to foster individual growth and personal achievement.

The Alpine Learning Group uses a wide range of applied behavior analysis teaching techniques, individualized to each student. The program includes intervention in structured and natural settings, one-to-one teaching, and highly structured small group instruction, as well as individualized programming across a wide range of curriculum areas. The tuition is covered by the state.

Children’s Institute, Verona

For over 50 years the Children’s Institute has developed the academic, behavioral, social, communication, career, and life skills of children, adolescents, and young adults on the autism spectrum and with related disabilities. The institute teaches students ages three through 21. The institute received the “Innovations in Special Education” award from the New Jersey School Boards Association (NJSBA) and ASAH in 2009.

The institute utilizes an array of evidence-based strategies, including applied behavioral analysis, universal design, and differentiated instruction. The institute provides opportunities for integration into community activities and interaction with typical peers. The Children’s Institute promotes self-determination in every student to help him or her  become independent and productive members of the community.

The Children’s Institute is a state-approved private school for students with disabilities. The tuition is paid by local school districts at no cost to families.

ECLC of New Jersey, Ho-Ho-Kus

Established in 1970, the nonprofit school serves students ages five to 21 with autism, learning, and/or language disabilities or multiple disabilities. The school received a resolution from New Jersey assembly woman Joan Voss recognizing its outstanding program for students with special needs. The school has been recognized for innovation by the New Jersey School Board Association and ASAH, a nonprofit organization of private schools and agencies serving students with disabilities. In 2010, the school’s teacher Diane Haderthauer was named the state’s “Educator of the Year” in a competition sponsored by ASAH.

Students are grouped together by abilities, not by grade level. The school has 105 students. They might stay in the same class for several years or move on when appropriate. The classes have a student-to-teacher ratio of 4:1 with a maximum of 12 students per class. The maximum age range in a class is four years.

Students work at their own pace, individually or in small groups. The curriculum places an emphasis on improving academics and developing the social-emotional well-being of the students.

Teachers use the SCERTS framework in every class. Students in the upper-school classes participate in a work-readiness program called SKIL (Seeking Knowledge for Independent Living). Eligibility and placement are determined by the sending district and the ECLC Child Study Team.

Forum School, Waldwick

The Forum School, founded in 1954, is a nonprofit day program for developmentally atypical children from three through 16 years of age. The program admits children with autism spectrum disorder, Asperger’s Syndrome, developmental disabilities, and other characteristics. The school received a resolution from New Jersey assembly woman Joan Voss recognizing its outstanding program for students with special needs.

The school serves children from northern New Jersey, Rockland County, and New York City whose educational needs can’t be met in their local district. The classes are small and ungraded. The school provides parent training and a parent support group. Psycho-educational and behavioral techniques are used along with a structured, developmentally stimulating curriculum appropriate to each student’s level. The classes have a ratio of at least one adult for every student.

Teachers are certified in special education by the New Jersey Department of Education. The school has about 150 students. Tuition is covered by the sending school district for those who qualify.

Institute for Educational Achievement (IEA), New Milford

The Institute for Educational Achievement is a dissemination site of the Princeton Child Development Center Institute. The institute uses the organizational model and curriculum created, tested, and refined by the Princeton Child Development Center Institute. The school uses scientifically developed teaching techniques and a curriculum individually tailored to build upon each student’s strengths.

The program also teaches the skills required for students to become functioning members of their family and community. A goal of the school is to prepare students with autism for enrollment in public classrooms and/or vocational settings, when appropriate.

The Institute for Educational Achievement has a 1:1 staff-to-student ratio. Students spend time in individual and group sessions. The students learn social, academic, and language skills. For preschoolers, most of the day is focused on building social skills and preparing them for their educational years. As students become adolescents and young adults, the programs are tailored to emphasize the development of the daily living, social, and vocational skills needed to allow them to function with the greatest possible independence within their family and community.

Princeton Child Development Institute (PCDI), Princeton

Established in 1970, PCDI is a nonprofit program providing a broad range of science-based services, including education to children, youths, and adults with autism. PCDI reports that through its research it has pioneered comprehensive intervention modules used nationally and internationally to benefit people with autism. Preschool and school-aged children attend school five days per week. Individualized preacademic as well as academic programs are provided to children and youths ages three to 21.

The Edutopia website, part of the notable George Lucas Educational Foundation, called the Princeton Child Development Institute “a leading private school for autism.” In 1993, the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis recognized the Princeton Child Development Institute as one of the three “enduring programs” in applied behavior analysis. PCDI’s work has also been recognized by the National Teaching-Family Association, the Senate of the State of New Jersey, the Norwegian Association for Behavior Analysis, and Division 25 of the American Psychological Association.

The programs teach young children to talk and play with friends and siblings, as well as to read and write. Adolescents continue academic and work-study programs while learning to participate in their homes and communities.

Small group activities alternate with intensive one-to-one sessions which teach children to participate in social situations and to relate to classmates. Every child’s schedule of learning activities is especially designed to meet its particular needs, but all the programs place an emphasis on language development and social interaction.

Somerset Hills Learning Institute, Bedminster

Somerset Hills Learning Institute, a nonprofit program, provides a broad spectrum of services to children, adolescents, and adults with autism. Somerset Hills Learning Institute, a dissemination site of the Princeton Child Development Institute, uses the organizational model and curriculum created, tested, and refined by the Princeton Child Development Institute. The school uses scientific-based education and treatment to educate students. When students become 21 years of age, they’re eligible to enter the institute’s adult services program and acquire job and life skills training to become productive, independent people.

NEW YORK

Ascent, Deer Park

Ascent is a small nonprofit school for kids diagnosed with autism and atypical pervasive developmental disorder. The school provides a full-day, year-long academic and behavioral treatment program for students ages three to 21, preschool through 12th grade.

The Ascent education program was evaluated during the 2000-2001 school year by Dr. Jan Handleman, Director of the Douglass Developmental Disabilities Center, a specialist with more than 30 years of work in the field of autism at that time. He stated that Ascent is a “model program for the education of children with autism.” Ascent plays an integral role in writing curriculum for New York State’s only Master’s in Autism Education program.

The school primarily serves children with severe behavioral issues who have experienced failure in the continuum of available public special education environments and require a high degree of individualized attention and intervention.

All the teaching strategies are based on the scientifically derived principles of applied behavior analysis. The program includes intensive one-to-one sessions and small group sessions which teach children to relate to their classmates and participate cooperatively in group activities.

Autistic Services Inc., Williamsville

Autistic Services offers specialized educational and therapeutic services to children with autism spectrum disorders. Autistic Services offers full-year school services to students ages five through 21. The organization has the following goals: Independence at its highest levels, development and attainment of personal goals, societal inclusion, and normalization maximizing educational, vocational, and cultural opportunities.

Autistic Services has impressed Ruth Aspy, PhD, and Barry Grossman, PhD, of the Ziggurat Group. They’re the co-creators of The Ziggurat Model, a book on designing interventions for students with Asperger’s Disorder and high-functioning autism. The book won the 2008 Autism Society of America’s National Award for Literacy Work of the Year in Education. Aspy and Grossman believe Autistic Services addresses the whole person and has a creative and caring approach that’s apparent when people meet the staff. They emphasize having well-trained staff members.

Classes have one teacher and one teacher assistant per six kids, with additional support from clinicians and aides, including one-to-one programs, where needed. The staff members work closely with every family and the child’s home school district to develop the student’s Individualized Educational Program (IEP).

Imagine Academy, Brooklyn

The Imagine Academy has students ages three to 21. Allen J. Frances, MD, Professor Emeritus and former chair of the Department of Psychiatry at Duke Medical Center, has stated that “Imagine has developed a uniquely integrated approach that combines creatively what are usually seen as the two leading competing methods, Applied Behavioral Therapy and DIR/Floortime. Imagine offers the very best in Speech, Occupational, and Music Therapy. The various components work beautifully together so that the whole is even greater than the sum of its individually excellent parts.” He went on to say that “It is my hope that Imagine becomes a prototype for schools in the region and nationally.”

Dr. Serena Wieder, PhD, co-author of Engaging Autism, Director of DIR Institute, and founder and Associate Chair of the Interdisciplinary Council on Developmental and Learning Disorders, has stated in a letter sent to Mr. Jemel, President of Imagine Academy, dated December 8, 2008: “This is a truly remarkable school. The dedication serving children with the most significant challenges is experienced the moment one steps into the building and feels the warmth, caring and commitment to help each child realize his or her potential.”

The Imagine Academy offers parent support groups, therapeutic swimming, speech language pathology, occupational therapy, respite program, music therapy, art therapy, and vocation/life skills training. The students participate in a daily yoga routine. The school has a 1:1 student/professional ratio.

New York Child Learning Institute (NYCLI), College Point

The New York Child Learning Institute is modeled after the Princeton Child Development Center Institute’s intervention program. The program has produced treatment and educational gains allowing children to obtain social, language, and educational skills. Instruction is presented via activity schedules consisting of one-to-one instructional sessions.

The institute emphasizes including parents in the educational process. NYCLI staff members work in the home together with the parents to develop and implement programs which help incorporate the child into the family. Parents get ongoing support and assistance to promote the transfer of a child’s newly obtained skills from school to home.

NYC Department of Education ASD Nest Program, New York City

New York City’s ASD Nest Program is an integrated co-teaching program designed for higher-functioning children in public K–5 classes with autism spectrum disorders. Models are being developed for middle and high school students.

Inclusion is the core of the program. Catherine Lord, director of the Autism & Communication Disorders Center at the University of Michigan, has stated that “Nest is probably the most effective inclusion program I have ever seen.” Brenda Smith Myles, a consultant for the Ziggurat Group, an assessment and intervention program for children with autism based in Texas, has said that “Replicating the Nest approach nationwide would greatly improve the employment outlook for people with autism.”

The inclusion program includes teachers trained to understand the special needs of kids with autism, with support from occupational and speech therapists, as well strategies for individual students.

The program was developed in collaboration with New York University and Hunter College, continuing with the partnership of Dorothy Siegel, Senior Project Director, NYU Stenhardt School of Education, and Shirley Cohen, Professor of Special Education, Hunter College, CUNY. The New York City Department of Education provides the ASD Nest program at 23 locations, serving more than 500 children on the autism spectrum.

The program, offered in supportive neighborhood schools, helps kids learn how to function well academically, socially, and behaviorally in school as well as in their community. The ASD Nest program provides a therapeutic setting where the requisite support is provided by a team of specially trained educators and therapists.

The ASD Horizon program is provided in self-contained classes in community schools to kids on the autism spectrum who work well in a classroom with a ratio of six students to two adults. The ASD Horizon program is a collaboration with the New England Center for Children and uses the ACE (Autism Curriculum Encyclopedia) curriculum. ACE is an interactive database which allows students to benefit from individualized instruction plans. Instruction is based on the principles of applied behavior analysis. The staff includes teachers, occupational therapists, speech pathologists, and social workers.

Rebecca School, New York City

The Rebecca School uses a developmental and interdisciplinary approach to learning, based on meaningful and respectful relationships. The school uses the DIR model, created by Dr. Stanley Greenspan (left), which is based on the belief that relationships are the foundation of learning.

The Rebecca School provides a year-around school year. The education program at the Rebecca School fosters a child’s ability to communicate, relate, and think. The objective is to create classrooms which promote a child’s ability to think critically about his or her world, rather than relying upon memory to perform trials or discrete tasks.

NORTH CAROLINA

Mariposa School for Children with Autism, Cary

Mariposa School for Children with Autism, a non-profit organization, provides intensive instruction year-round to children with autism and other developmental disabilities. The school serves students from 18 months to 12 years of age. The school reports being frequently recommended by the faculty and staff of Duke University’s Autism program. The school also reports that families from across the nation and world have relocated in order for their child to attend the school.

Each education program is tailored to fit the needs of the student. The Mariposa School for Children with Autism reports that they reassess every student’s skills on a daily basis to monitor and modify teaching strategies as required. The teaching techniques are based on what research studies have shown to be the most effective.

The curriculum is based on the manual “Verbal Behavior Milestones Assessment and Placement Program” (VB-MAPP), created by Mark L. Sunberg, PhD. The manual is a language and social skills assessment program for kids with autism or other developmental disabilities. The VB-MAPP combines the procedures and teaching methodology of ABA with Skinner’s analysis of verbal behavior. Also, the school reports having a low staff-to-student ratio.

OHIO

Haugland Learning Center, Columbus

The center serves the educational needs of more than 200 children and young adults with autism, Asperger’s Syndrome, and other developmental disabilities. The Haugland Learning Center has classroom-based programs in Columbus/Dublin, Portsmouth, Lancaster, Sandusky, and Pedro, Ohio. The school serves students from preschool through 12th grade. The center has received praise from Michael Slutsky, Executive Director of the Autism Spectrum Disorder Foundation.

Every student with an autism, Asperger’s, or PDD-NOS diagnosis is eligible to receive the Autism Scholarship from the Ohio Department of Education, which can be used to pay for the educational services provided by Haughland Learning Center. Also, any student with any learning disability is eligible for placement at Haugland Learning Center by their home school district. All educational costs are covered by the Autism Scholarship or directly by school districts.

The academic programs are designed for each student’s skill level. The Haugland Learning Center uses scientifically based teaching methods. The programs help students become aware of their social skills difficulties and teaches students how to compensate and overcome them. The academic and behavioral specialists work with family members to develop educational and behavioral plans to strengthen the educational process and the home environment.

The Autism Academy of Learning, Toledo

The Autism Academy of Learning, a year-round public school, has programs designed for the needs of students with autism spectrum disorders. The academy serves students ages five through 21 in a year-round school curriculum. The academy has a student-to-teacher ratio of 7:1. The academy has about 50 students.

The Autism Academy of Learning had been ranked #3 in Ohio for Performance Index Scores. Stan Heffner, Superintendent of Public Instruction, has stated that “The ranking list is a powerful tool we can use to see how local schools stack up with similar communities around the state.”

The academy provides an appropriate foundation in the areas of academics, daily living skills, behavior, independence, and vocational skills. The Autism Academy of Learning believes vocational skills and life skills are paramount to the development of people with autism spectrum disorder. The academy uses a structured teaching program named the TEACCH Program.

PENNSYLVANIA

Camphill Special School, Glenmoore

Camphill Special School, a nonprofit, nationally recognized school, is a Waldorf school, serving children with a variety of autism spectrum disorders and other cognitive and developmental disabilities. The curriculum offers traditional scholastic subjects and allows the students to work with their hands every day, encouraging practical, artistic, and social growth. The class teachers continue with a class from one year to the next throughout the elementary and middle school classes to develop close relationships with students and teachers. Other teachers may be responsible for special subjects.

The school provides visual, dramatic, movement arts, musical, and practical skills. Waldorf schools including the Camphill school are known for educating the whole human being; head, heart, and hands. The school provides residential, day academic, and prevocational programs. The school offers a transitional program for people ages 18 to 21.

Pace School, Pittsburgh

Pace School, a nonprofit day school, serves kids ages five to 15, K–9, with autism, emotional challenges, or pervasive developmental delay in school districts in Allegheny and surrounding counties. The program has been called excellent by the President of the Autism Society of Pittsburgh. On a daily basis, the Pace School programs incorporate educational and mental health/behavioral services for every child. Supports are evidence-based and individualized to maximize each child’s achievement potential. Daily routines are highly structured. Each autism support classroom has three staff members and no more than 10 students.

Pace School uses evidence-based practices. Besides traditional academics, students in the autism support program receive intensive focus on functional communication skills development, social skills training (incorporated throughout the day), an individualized behavior support plan, and therapeutic interventions, including speech, physical, and occupational therapy, as indicated on the child’s IEP, and more.

The school reports that the verbal behavior programming supported by the Pennsylvania Verbal Behavior Initiative has proven to significantly increase language acquisition and functional use of language.

Pace School provides a unique alternative to traditional ESY programming for students with autism through a partnership with Gateway to the Arts. The program uses art as a context for learning, introducing students to a wide array of artistic opportunities using hands-on creative processes tailored to maintaining academic and behavioral progress—returning to school ready to learn. All referrals are required to come through the home school districts’s department of special education.

Spectrum Charter School, Inc., Monroeville

The school’s mission is providing school-to-work transition instruction in the classroom and on-site business and community-based work sites for students ages 13 to 21. The program is structured for students who don’t learn well in a typical classroom setting due to a unique cognitive, sensory, or communication challenges, including students with autism spectrum disorders.

The program has been called excellent by the President of the Autism Society of Pittsburgh. The PA Bureau of Special Education stated that the program should be “commended for its community involvement and integration of technology.” Spectrum Charter School, Inc., is a two-year Partner of Duquesne University and The Autism Society of Pittsburgh’s Transition Project—a grant originating from the PA Department of Public Welfare, Bureau of Autism Services.

The curriculum consists of traditional, functional, and transitional (school-to-work) academics. There’s one teacher and para-educator for every eight students. The student’s home school district pays the tuition.

RHODE ISLAND

Groden Center, Providence

The Groden Center, part of the Groden Network, offers day and residential programs to children and youth with autism spectrum disorder. The day program serves children and youth from three to 21 years of age. The residential program serves adolescents between the ages of 12 and 21 from Rhode Island and other neighboring states. The Groden Network is recognized nationally and internationally as a leader in autism services.

The Groden Center provides instruction in functional skill development, emotional and social development, communication, domestic responsibilities, physical and recreational skills, adaptive living skill, community awareness, and vocational education.

The programs include a wide array of opportunities, including individual, small-group, and large-group instruction; home visits, family resources; community exploration; integrated experiences; sensory integration activities; as well as assistance with school and other programmatic transitions. The programs are grounded in evidence-based practice and based on applied-behavior analysis.

According to the Autism Research Institute, Dr. June Groden is regarded as one of the pioneers in the field of autism and developmental disabilities. She has focused on the development of relaxation- and imagery-based procedures for a population with autism and developmental disabilities. Dr. June Groden, Executive Director of the Groden Network, participated in the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services 2011 Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee’s Services Workshop.

Dr. Groden serves on the clinical faculty at the University of Rhode Island and is also a visiting lecturer at the Center for the Study of Human Development at Brown University. She also serves on the Panel of Professional Advisors of the Autism Society of America. She co-authored Relaxation: A Comprehensive Manual for Adults, Children, and Children with Special Needs. The Groden Network has performed considerable research in autism and has received numerous requests for their publications.

TEXAS

Monarch School, Houston

The Monarch School serves students in Pre-K through 12th grade and provides a post-graduate program. The school provides therapeutic education for individuals with neurological differences such as those associated with autism spectrum disorder, learning disabilities, attention deficit disorder, mood disorders, and others.

The Monarch School is a service of the Monarch Institute for Neurological Differences. The Monarch Institute has trained more than 5000 administrators, teachers, and religious educators at Monarch training, presentations, and consultations. The Monarch Institute received the Mental Health Association Award 2010 for outstanding community leadership. The Monarch Institute also established the Special Schools Coalition of Greater Houston which has 17 schools/centers. The school received national recognition in Newsweek‘s “Kids Who Don’t Fit In,” by Lorraine Ali (2007).

The Monarch School believes learning must be learner-centered and intrinsically motivated. The program focuses on the critical cognitive, motivational, and affective factors research suggests determine success in school and life.

The school helps students progress in four core goal areas: Executive functions, self-regulation and self-awareness, relationship development, and academic and professional competence.

Integrated multidisciplinary teams of psychologists, counselors, social workers, and therapists work with professional educators to develop relationship-based behavioral and cognitive plans, and to design tracking and reflection systems which support the student’s work through the school’s Level System. The school has a faculty-to-student ratio of 1:2.5.

VIRGINIA

Virginia Institute of Autism (VIA), Charlottesville

The Virginia Institute of Autism offers education programs to students from two to 22 years of age. The Edutopia website, part of the notable George Lucas Educational Foundation, called the Virginia Institute of Autism “a leading private school for autism.” The school reports that it uses innovative, evidence-based education programs. The primary objective of VIA’s James C. Hormel School is to enable students to participate in family and community life, as well as to develop skills required for success in less restrictive educational settings.

The school uses an array of behavior analytic strategies to teach kids with autism new skills and to increase socially validated behavior. The teachers use teaching procedures based on the ABA principles with supports designed to address the unique learning characteristics of students with autism.

Every student’s program is based on his or her needs and is created with the educational team, including the student’s parents. The education program may include a combination of intensive one-on-one, discrete trial instruction, dyadic and group instruction, and incidental teaching, as well as inclusion in school, vocational, and community settings.

Each classroom has up to eight students. When a student is placed at VIA through an IEP team decision, the tuition is paid by the local school district.

With all the schools to choose from, it’s not easy selecting an online school. The quality of online schools ranges from excellent to poor. We’ve done extensive research on online colleges and universities to make the selection process easier.

We base our rankings on the following factors: Academic quality, rankings by organizations, online teaching ability, awards, reputation, affordability, student satisfaction (measured by retention and graduation rates), and student-to-teacher ratio.

Data was collected from independent sources, including The National Center for Education Statistics, from school websites, and from notable ranking organizations such as U.S. News & World Report and Princeton Review.

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#1 Penn State University World Campus

In 2012, Penn State University was ranked #12 by U.S. News & World Report in its “Top Public Schools” list. In 2011, the school was ranked #12 nationally by SmartMoney Magazine in its “Colleges That Help Grads Get Top Salaries” list.

Penn State University World Campus has a combination of high research (as measured by peer-reviewed publications) and instructional quality of faculty, excellent student satisfaction indicators, and a world-class reputation.

Penn State University World Campus provides the same high-quality instruction as traditional, campus-based classes.

#2 University of Florida Distance Learning

The University of Florida was named one of the top performers in online bachelor’s degree programs by U.S. News & World Report. In 2010, it was ranked #2 in Kiplinger’s “Best Values in Public Colleges” list, and in 2010, it was ranked #19 by U.S. News & World Report in its “Top Public Schools” list.

The University of Florida was ranked #3 in the 2011 SmartMoney magazine’s list of colleges and universities that help graduates obtain top salaries and #32 in the 2011 Princeton Review‘s “Best Value Public Colleges” list.

The school offers online certificates and bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degree programs, as well as specialist programs.

#3 UMass Online

The University of Massachusetts, a highly respected school, was ranked #42 by U.S. News & World Report in its 2012 list of “Top Public Schools.” The Times Higher Education Supplement of London ranked UMass as the 45th best university in the world and 22nd best in North America.

UMass provides online degrees through UMass Online, which won the Sloan Consortium Award for the Most Outstanding Online Teaching and Learning Program.

UMass Online offers more than 100 degree and certificate programs and over 1,500 online courses in education, liberal arts, nursing, business and management, information technology, public health, and many other fields.

The online students learn from the same world-class instructors as students who attend campus-based classes. The school has reasonable tuition rates.

#4 Colorado State University—Global Campus

In 2012, Colorado State was ranked #62 by U.S. News & World Report in its “Top Public Schools” list. It is also ranked in the top tier of the 2011 U.S. News & World Report “America’s Best Colleges” edition. Princeton Review named the school one of the nation’s best institutions for undergraduate education, while Kiplinger ranked it among the 2011 “100 Best Values in Public Colleges.” Princeton Review reports that Colorado State’s College of Business offers one of the best MBA programs in the nation.

Colorado State University—Global Campus provides several online degrees designed for professionals in the fields of management, business, technology, and education, all backed by the standards and reputation of the Colorado State University System.

Graduate degrees, undergraduate degree, completion programs, and individual courses are available. The school ranks high in quality and student satisfaction.

#5 Florida State University Online

In 2012, Florida State University ranked #46 by U.S. News & World Report in its “Top Public School” list. In 2010, Florida State University was named a “Budget Ivy” university by the Fiske Guide to Getting into the Right College. In 2010, The Princeton Review and USA Today ranked Florida State University #4 in their list of public “Best Value Colleges.”

The school also has nationally ranked programs in many academic areas, including engineering, sciences, medicine, social policy, political science, business, and law.

Florida State University Online provides a wide array of undergraduate and graduate degree programs, as well as certificate programs. The school ranks high in student satisfaction and completion. The school is affordable.

#6 Arizona State University Online

Arizona State University was named one of America’s Best College Buys” by Forbes magazine. In 2010, ASU was ranked #81 in the world and ranked #45 in the United States by the Academic Ranking of World Universities, a publication established by the Shanghai Jiaotong University.

ASU online is the online school of Arizona State University.

ASU online offers an array of online undergraduate and graduate degree programs and certificates.

#7 Drexel University Online

The University was chosen for the 2010 Sloan Consortium Award for Excellence in Institution-Wide Online Education. In 2011, Drexel University was ranked among the top 100 colleges and universities by U.S. News and World Report and ranked among the “Best Online Graduate Programs” in the fields of engineering, business administration, and library science by U.S. News & World Report.

The school has a high student-satisfaction rating. The university received the 21st Century Best Practice Award for Distance Learning from the United States Distance Learning Association.

Drexel University Online offers undergraduate and graduate degrees and certificates.

#8 Rochester Institute of Technology

BusinessWeek named Rochester Institute of Technology among the top programs in North America. The school was rated a “Best Buy” in the Fiske Guide to Colleges 2012. Rochester Institute of Technology has been recognized by U.S. News & World Report as the #1 comprehensive university in the North for reputation and as one of the nation’s “Best College Values”.

In 2008, the university received the Center of Excellence Award for outstanding online education from The New-Media Consortium.

The institute has a high student satisfaction rating. The school offers more than 50 online undergraduate and graduate programs.

#9 Boston University

Boston University was ranked #71 by the Academic Ranking of World Universities, a publication established by the Shanghai Jiaotong University.

Boston University Online has a good reputation and provides a quality education. The school received a 2010 Silver Best Practices Award for Distance Learning programming from the United States Distance Learning Association, as well as the 2010 Sloan-C Award for Excellence in Institution-Wide Online Education.

Boston University Online mostly provides graduate degree programs. It also offers an undergraduate degree completion program, as well as certificates. The university also provides professional courses.

The school has high completion and graduation rates. Boston University Online has a selective admissions, ensuring a high quality online learning experience. The school also has a very low student-to-teacher ratio.

#10 Pace University Online

The school was named one of the top performers in online bachelor’s degree programs by U.S. News & World Report. The Washington Post called it “One of the leading schools in America for helping students to transform their prospects in life.” BusinessWeek stated Pace was “Among the top 50 colleges in the nation whose graduates have the highest earnings potential.”

Pace University Online has been providing online degree programs since 2004. Online courses are offered by all of Pace University’s schools:

• Dyson College of Arts & Sciences
• Lubin School of Business
• College of Health Professions
• School of Education
• Seidenberg School of Computer Science & Information Systems

Online undergraduate and graduate degree programs are available.

#11 Western Governors University Online

Western Governors University was named “the best and cheapest university you’ve never heard of” by Time Magazine. The school also won the Sloan Consortium’s 2010 Ralph E. Gomery Award for Excellence in Online Education.

Established in 1995 by the governors of 19 western states, the institution was the first school founded by a group of state governors.

Western Governors University Online provides bachelor’s and master’s degrees in subjects such as education, business, health, and information technology.

The school offers programs at a very affordable price.

#12 Utica College

Utica College has been ranked among the top “Best Values” regarding comprehensive colleges in the northeastern U.S. by U.S. News & World Report. Utica College was ranked as one of the top colleges in the North by U.S. News & World Report.

The school ranks well in terms of affordability and has a very low student-to-teacher ratio.

The private institution provides online undergraduate and graduate degrees in an array of healthcare fields, as well as business administration and economic-crime management.

Utica College was established by Syracuse University in 1946 and has close ties with the university.

#13 University of Missouri

In 2012, the University of Missouri ranked #39 by U.S. News and World Report in its “Top Public Schools.” In 2009, the Health Management Executive program ranked #5 among the “Top Business Graduate Schools for Physician Executives” by Modern Physician magazine. The health services administration master’s-degree program has been ranked for over a decade in the top 20 by U.S News & World Report.

The university provides numerous online bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degree programs in a variety of subjects.

Mizzou Online is the online school of the University of Missouri.

#14 North Carolina State University

In 2012, North Carolina State University was ranked #46 by U.S. News & World Report in its “Top Public Schools” list.

North Carolina State University, a major research institution, has a worldwide reputation for leadership and innovation in engineering, education, science, and mathematics. The school provides the same high-quality education in the online undergraduate and graduate degree programs as provided in the traditional on-campus programs.

North Carolina State University Distance Education offers programs at affordable prices and ranks high in student satisfaction.

#15 Saint Leo University

Saint Leo University, a catholic university, has been selected by U.S. News & World Report as one of the “Top Universities in the South.”

Saint Leo University Online offers a variety of online associate’s, bachelor’s, and master’s degree programs, as well as graduate certificate programs.

The school is open to people of all faiths.

#16 Oregon State University

Oregon State University has nationally recognized programs in many fields, including agricultural sciences, conservation biology, forestry, nuclear engineering, community health, fisheries and wildlife management, and pharmacy.

Oregon State University Online offers a wide range of bachelor’s and master’s degree programs.

Oregon States University Online rates well according to overall student-satisfaction metrics.

#17 Lewis University

Lewis University was named one of the “Best Midwestern Colleges” by The Princeton Review and is included in the top tier of U.S. News & World Report‘s rankings.

Lewis University, a non-profit, Catholic university, welcomes students of all religious faiths and cultures.

Lewis University Online offers numerous bachelor’s and master’s degrees, as well as continuing education programs.

#18 Portland State University

Portland State University (PSU) is an internationally recognized university.

PSU is ranked  by U.S. News & World Report among the nation’s best colleges in five categories that lead to student success.

PSU Online provides undergraduate and graduate degree programs, special endorsements, certificate programs, and independent study programs.

#19 Champlain College

The college was named as one of the “top up-and-coming schools in America” by U.S. News & World Report in 2010. Champlain College has been placed among the “Best colleges” by The Princeton Review.

The school rates high in instructional and peer quality.

Champlain College has 12 separate graduate and undergraduate degrees you can earn 100% online, including in the fields of business, technology, and healthcare.

#20 University of Nebraska at Kearney

In 2011, the University of Nebraska at Kearney (UNK) was ranked as a top-10 public midwest regional university by U.S. News & World Report. UNK is widely recognized as one of the best public universities in the Midwest.

UNK serves a global market with online students in 47 states and several foreign countries. The UNK eCampus offers undergraduate and graduate programs in history, education, organizational communication, business, and other subjects.

#21 Liberty University Online

Liberty University Online is one of the world’s largest online educators, with over 25 years of experience in distance education. It is also the world’s largest Christian University.

The university offers over 115 undergraduate and graduate degree programs to choose from. Total enrollment for all programs is around 68,000.

Liberty University Online offers excellent online library resources, as well as advisers specific to each discipline. It is known for its high student satisfaction, and its tuition rates are among the lowest in the nation.

#22 Fort Hays State University

Fort Hays State University was placed on the Online Education Programs Honor Roll by U.S. News & World Report. For student services and technology, the school has been ranked #10 by U.S. New & World Report for bachelor’s programs, #5 nationally for master’s business programs, and #6 nationally for master’s nursing programs.

The university has relatively strong graduation and retention rates.

Fort Hays State University Virtual College has graduates in every U.S. state, as well as in Europe, Asia, the South Pacific, and other areas.

Its affordability makes the school attractive to students throughout the world.

#23 Everglades University

The not-for-profit university provides undergraduate and graduate degrees.

The university has strengths in business, aviation, alternative medicine, and management.

Graduates of the online degree programs earn the same course credits and degrees as those students who complete equivalent courses and programs on campus.

Everglades University has impressive retention and graduation rates.

#24 National University

Established in 1971, National University is the second-largest nonprofit institution of higher education in California and among the top 20 in the nation.

The school offers a wide range of undergraduate and graduate degree programs. National University Online offers a wide selection of online courses.

The institution has four schools and one college including:

• School of Business and Management
• School of Education
• School of Engineering Technology and Media
• School of Health and Human Services
• College of Letters and Sciences

#25 Northeastern University Online

Founded in 1898, Northeastern University, which is located in Boston, Massachusetts, is a global, experiential research university.

Northeastern University Online offers more than 70 degrees.

The school has high retention and graduation rates as well as a very low student-to-teacher ratio.

Selective admissions ensure a high-quality online learning experience.

William Lane Craig is Research Professor of Philosophy at Talbot School of Theology in La Mirada, California. He holds a doctorate in philosophy from the University of Birmingham and a doctorate in theology from the University of Munich. He is the author of numerous articles in professional journals, the author or editor of over 30 books, and a world-renowned debater. Professor Craig is considered by many to be the preeminent practitioner of Christian apologetics in the English-speaking world today.

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[to discuss this interview, visit our blog by clicking here]

TheBestSchools: Thank you for agreeing to this interview, which will focus on a narrow slice of your wide-ranging career, namely, your engagement with atheists. You are a widely read and highly influential philosopher of religion, the author or editor of more than 30 books, and one of the best-known Christian apologists in the world. You are also well known as a formidable opponent of atheists on the debating platform. Could you please tell us about how you first were drawn out of the study and the classroom, and into the arena of public debates with leading atheists?

William Lane Craig: I participated in eight years of high-school and collegiate debate competition. For me, at that time, it wasn’t a ministry, it was just a sort of sport. It was an intellectual sport. I was no good at athletics, but I could represent my schools by being on the debating team. We debated matters of public policy—for example, that the military-assistance program of the United States should be significantly curtailed, and so forth. I never dreamt that someday I would be debating as a ministry.

But after I had finished my doctoral studies and began teaching graduate school, I started getting invitations from campus ministries in Canada to participate in debates with prominent atheist philosophers on subjects like: “Does God exist?” or “Humanism vs. Christianity.” And what I discovered was that whereas a few score might come out and hear me give a lecture, hundreds—even thousands—of students would come out to hear a debate.

And so it became very clear to me that debating was really the forum for doing evangelism on the university campus today. And to my delight, I found that my debating days were not over—that, in fact, I got back into debating, but this time as a ministry activity.

TBS: Over the years, you have engaged in debates with an array of atheist scientists and naturalist philosophers, including such distinguished figures as Peter Atkins, A.C. Grayling, Sam Harris, Kai Nielsen, Quentin Smith, and Michael Tooley. Looking back over your career as a whole, do you think it’s been worth the time and effort? What lessons have you learned from your experience debating these men about the atheist mind set? What have you learned about which apologetic arguments work best, and which not so well, when debating with persons of this caliber?

WLC: Well, it has been fantastically worth the time and effort involved! It has been so much fun, and God has used it so powerfully in the lives of both Christians and non-Christians alike. Many of these debates now are on the Internet, on YouTube, where they have received literally millions of views from people around the world. And we get email correspondence all the time at our web site, reasonablefaith.org, from people expressing gratitude for the impact that these debates have had in their lives.

Too many nonbelievers and believers alike have been under the false impression that there are no good reasons for believing that Christianity is true, and they certainly did not think that a Christian could stand and go toe-to-toe with top academic scholars in various fields in a university-debate context. And so these debates have been just tremendously powerful in impacting the lives of people who see them. So it’s been more than worth the time and the effort, besides being a great deal of fun for me!

In terms of lessons that I’ve learned, I guess I would say that what I’ve learned is that these debates can be very powerful in influencing students who are opened-minded and searching for God, who are in the audience. The debate is not intended to reach or persuade the opponent. Anybody who gets up in front of hundreds or thousands of people and denounces God or Jesus Christ isn’t going to change his mind in the space of an hour and a half. But the debate isn’t really targeting that person. It’s targeting that open-minded seeker in the audience who is looking for meaning and purpose in life. And I’ve learned that these debates can be very effective in reaching that type of person.

In terms of which arguments work the best, I guess I would say that all of them work very well in terms of the debate context. My opponents do not do very well in responding to any of the arguments, frankly. In terms of working well with the audience, I find that students really resonate, I think, most with the moral argument, because this has such deep existential importance for them. Every day that you wake up, you answer the question: Am I going to treat other persons as intrinsically valuable, as having objective moral worth, or am I going to treat people as though moral values and duties are simply the product of my subjective opinion, or evolutionary programming that I’m not bound to go along with? So the moral argument, I think, is the most effective with students. My own personal favorite is the cosmological argument, but I think that is more easily ignored by determined skeptics because it doesn’t strike existentially as deep.

TBS: We recently published an interview with Richard Carrier, a young atheist historian and philosopher who is a prolific debater himself, as well as an author and blogger. You debated Carrier in 2009 on the subject of the resurrection. [See video, below.] In our interview, he charges you with using some underhanded debating tactics. Specifically, he claims you ignored many of his main points, put out a scattershot of rebuttal points that he would not have time to address, and “poisoned the well” by unfairly ridiculing some of his writings, thus accusing you of an ad hominem argument. How do you respond to these charges?

WLC: Well, I think that what Richard Carrier said in the interview is partly true. He says: “Craig spent most of his time rattling off a long series of rebuttals to things I had written elsewhere but had not mentioned in the debate. As a result, most of what he said would have been mysterious to the audience who, unlike Craig, won’t have read my writings and thus didn’t know what he was talking about half the time.”

I think that is largely true. And the reason is because I made a very deliberate decision to aim at a quite different audience than the one that was gathered in the auditorium that evening. Namely, the audience that I was aiming to reach was the thousands and thousands of people who would later view and study this debate online. And therefore, my tactic was not, as Richard Carrier thinks, trying to spread him thin by bringing up so many arguments; rather, my purpose was clearly educational. It was to educate that wider audience about how intellectually indefensible so many of Richard Carrier’s positions are. And that’s why I did not simply respond to his major contentions in the debate. I did respond to those, but I went beyond that. I presented what I took to be a devastating critique of his arguments for skepticism about Jesus’s resurrection that are offered in his published work. I wanted to show this wider audience that Carrier’s views are extremist and represent, just as I said, crank exegesis, and therefore are not to be trusted.

And I did that because Richard Carrier has been a very influential figure in the Internet Infidel community who look to him as a leader for skepticism and atheism, particularly with respect to the resurrection of Jesus. And I wanted to expose just how untenable his skeptical critique really is.

TBS: It is widely reported that between 70 and 80 percent of young people raised in evangelical churches leave their faith behind once they go off to college. To what extent do you see this “falling away” as a consequence of churches and seminaries having abandoned apologetics? How effective can apologetics be at reversing the spread of atheism? How do you explain a John Loftus, who on his Free Thought Blog characterizes himself as a “former Christian minister and apologist” who was a student of yours at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School? He is now an atheist. Why didn’t apologetics take, with him?

WLC: Well, if you read the testimonies of persons who have fallen away from the faith, and especially those who have then come back as a result of reading materials such as is on our website, they will often say that the reason they fell away was because they just couldn’t handle the doubts anymore—that they had intellectual questions and objections to Christian faith that no one could answer. And so, while it’s impossible to quantify, I think—from their own testimony—the absence of having been provided a good intellectual foundation for Christian belief in the lives of Christian teenagers has been a very important influence in leading to this falling away that you described. And I believe that apologetics can be very effective in helping to reverse this trend.

In fact, I have to say, we have been so thrilled by the number of emails coming into our web site from people who are coming back in the opposite direction—coming out of atheism, out of agnosticism, to a commitment to Christ, and in many cases a recommitment to Christ after a temporary lapse. We are seeing, I think, a reversal of momentum starting to happen. It is no longer a drain out of Christianity into atheism. We’re starting to see a strong reverse-current coming back the other way. So I am tremendously encouraged by what can happen and what is happening, I think, through this revival of apologetics that is going on in our day among the laity in churches.

Now apologetics alone isn’t going to do the job. We also need a deep spiritual and moral commitment to Christ, and the case of John Loftus illustrates this. John, in his own reverse-testimony, so to speak, explains what led him to fall away from Christ. It wasn’t intellectual objections; it was adultery and pornography addiction. And he felt that when he fell into these and needed the support and help of the Christian community, Christians didn’t rally around him. The people in his church didn’t support him in the way that he needed, and this led to bitterness and anger and his eventual walking away from Christianity. So in this case there are clear, self-confessed moral and spiritual problems that lie at the root of unbelief, and not simply intellectual difficulties.

TBS: You have just returned from a very successful tour of the U.K., where you participated in nearly a dozen lectures and debates. Even so, the most famous atheist you were to debate—evolutionary biologist and bestselling author, Richard Dawkins—was a no-show. In a public statement that got a lot of web play, Dawkins claimed he did not want to debate with you because you refuse to distance yourself from God, who in the Book of Deuteronomy orders the destruction of the Canaanites, which Dawkins termed “genocide.” In hindsight, what do you make of this episode?

WLC: Well, in hindsight I have to say that Dawkins’ attacks in The Guardian and elsewhere turned out to be the best publicity for the event at the Sheldonian Theatre [at Oxford University---ed.] that we could have possibly made up! [See video, below.] His reaction was so counterproductive, from his point of view. Other atheists in the blogosphere and also in The Guardian roundly condemned him for what were clearly manufactured pseudo-reasons for not participating in the debate with me. So the whole fiasco just proved to be a boon to the public profile of the lecture that I gave in the Sheldonian Theatre, which was responded to by three other Oxford faculty, who apparently didn’t share Richard Dawkins’ reservations about being on the platform with me. So it really was very helpful to our outreach!

TBS: How big a threat is the New Atheism, and a threat to whom and against what? What does debating and refuting atheism accomplish? Is the New Atheism a significant problem or is it symptomatic of a deeper problem, and if so, what? How do you counsel younger scholars who would follow in your footsteps to try to unseat atheism?

WLC: I think it’s very important that readers understand that the so-called New Atheism is not an intellectual, academic movement of scholarship. This is a pop-cultural movement. It is taking place on the popular level and is going in a direction that is quite opposite to the tide that is going on in academia, where Christianity—especially in my field of philosophy—is experiencing a tremendous renaissance.

Having said that, however, it does seem to me that the New Atheism does represent a very significant trend in pop culture, and one that I think is probably unlikely to be reversed anytime soon. Richard Dawkins has said that his goal is to raise the profile of atheism in such a way that it is no longer shameful to be publicly an atheist, and it seems to me that he has achieved that goal. Many people now are quite willing to come out and embrace atheism, whereas before to do so would have been a mark of shame or embarrassment. So it does seem to me that they have been successful in changing popular culture, and that’s unlikely to be reversed at any time in the near future.

However, I do see this broader or deeper trend of a renaissance of Christian scholarship as, in the long run, more important. It will have a trickle-down effect to the popular culture that we’re already beginning to see, I think, in the tremendous hunger for training in apologetics that we’re seeing in our churches among the laity.

And so my advice to younger scholars would be to do first-rate work in your scholarly discipline. Show the atheist scholars that you can beat them at their own game—that we are better scholars, we are better historians, better philosophers, better scientists than they are—and we do it from a Christian world and life point of view. And I think that ultimately this will have the more significant long-term effect upon our culture.

Healthcare employees work with caring workers, cutting-edge technology, and patients grateful for their help. There’s rarely a dull moment in the fast-paced world of healthcare.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) expects the healthcare industry to create more new jobs from 2008 to 2018 than any other industry. If you’re looking for a high-paying, in-demand job in the healthcare industry, these 10 are worthy of your consideration:

CERTIFIED REGISTERED NURSE ANESTHETIST

What they do: Certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) administer anesthesia to patients before and after surgical, diagnostic, therapeutic, and obstetrical procedures. They also provide pain management and emergency services, including airway management. CRNAs also oversee the health of patients post-surgery. They’re an advanced practice registered nurse.

CRNAs can work independently. Their practice varies by state. They provide anesthetics to patients in every practice setting and for every type of surgery or procedure. They’re the only anesthesia-providers in most rural hospitals.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts a high demand for CRNAs, especially in medically underserved areas such as rural areas and inner cities.

Education requirements: CRNAs need a bachelor’s degree in nursing, or other appropriate bachelor’s degree, and at least a master’s degree from an accredited nurse anesthesia educational program. The programs take 24 to 36 months to complete, and require a current registered nurse’s license.

CRNAs have to pass a national certification examination and have at least one year of work experience in an acute-care nursing setting, such as a surgical intensive-care unit or a medical intensive-care unit.

Average annual salary: $151,139 (Medical Group Management Association, 2010)

PHARMACIST

What they do: Pharmacists spend less time filling prescriptions and more time providing information and advice; assistants do a lot of the prescription-filling. One of their most important tasks is making sure patients can safely take multiple drugs together.

Most pharmacists work in community pharmacies. One fourth of pharmacists work in hospitals. Besides working in pharmacies, some pharmacists work for pharmaceutical companies on new-drug development. Some pharmacists specialize in particular drug-therapy areas, such as geriatric pharmacy, oncology, or nuclear pharmacy.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts a 17-percent employment growth for pharmacists from 2008 to 2018, which is faster than the average for all occupations.

Education requirements: Pharmacists need a Pharm.D. degree from an accredited college or school of pharmacy. Pharm.D. programs typically take four years to finish. Applicants to a Pharm.D. program need two or three years of prior university coursework. This requirement typically includes courses in chemistry, biology, physics, mathematics, humanities, and social sciences.

Average annual salary: $111,570 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2010)

MEDICAL DOSIMETRIST

What they do: As part of a radiation-oncology team, a medical dosimetrist helps treat cancer patients by calculating the radiation dose required to destroy a tumor and leave the healthy tissue intact. Medical dosimetrists, also known as radiation therapy dosimetrists, create complex treatment plans using sophisticated 3-D computer models to destroy patients’ cancerous tumors.

Many medical dosimetrists begin in the field as radiation therapists. There’s a growing demand for all professionals who provide radiation therapy, including medical dosimetrists.

Education requirements: Radiation therapy certification and specialized training or completing a two-year dosimetry program.

Average annual salary: $96,846 (Monster.com, 2011)

CARDIOVASCULAR PERFUSIONIST

What they do: Cardiovascular perfusionists maintain heart and lung function during open-heart operations, vascular surgery, and orthopedic and other medical procedures. During surgery, a cardiovascular perfusionist operates bypass machines and other equipment that temporarily controls a patient’s circulation and respiratory function.

Education requirements: Cardiovascular perfusionists are required to graduate from an accredited program which may take from one to four years to complete. Some employers require a bachelor’s degree. Typically, applicants are required to complete a wide array of college-level science and math courses before enrolling in a program.

Average annual salary: $93,500 (Forbes, 2011)

CERTIFIED NURSE-MIDWIFE

What they do: Certified nurse-midwives have an integral role in the health and welfare of mothers and babies. They’re very involved with labor and the delivery of babies. A certified nurse-midwife typically coordinates all aspects of the birthing procedure, either independently or as a member of a healthcare team. Certified nurse-midwives provide a personalized style of healthcare management.

Certified nurse-midwives also provide prenatal and gynecological care, perform physical exams, provide family planning and birth-control counseling, and prescribe birth-control medications. They work in hospitals, private practices, birthing centers, and home settings.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts a high demand for certified nurse-midwives, especially in medically undeserved areas such as rural areas and inner cities.

Education requirements: Certified nurse-midwives are required to complete a Certified Nurse-Midwife program. A midwifery degree is a graduate degree. Most programs require a prior bachelor’s degree; however, many certified nurse-midwife schools provide an RN-to-MSN program for nurses with an associate’s degree. Some programs require applicants to be registered nurses.

Average annual salary: $91,843 (Salary.com, January 2012)

NURSE PRACTITIONER

What they do: Nurse practitioners serve as primary- and specialty-care providers. Nurse practitioners provide diagnosis, treatments, and consultations. They educate patients regarding preventive care and their prescribed treatments. Some nurse practitioners serve as a patient’s primary healthcare provider. They can work independently or as part of a treatment team. Some nurse practitioners prescribe medications.

According to the American Nurses Association, about 60 to 80 percent of primary and preventive care can be performed by nurse practitioners. They’re increasingly attractive to healthcare employers because they can provide a lot of the healthcare typically provided by physicians and they receive less pay.

Here are some of the most common specialties:

• Family practice
• Women’s health
• Adult practice
• Acute care
• Pediatrics
• Geriatrics

The Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts a high demand for nurse practitioners, especially in medically underserved areas such as rural areas and inner cities.

Education requirements: Nurse practitioners need at least a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree. The program usually takes two to three years to complete. Applicants to an MSN program are required to have a prior Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) or Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing (BDN) degree.

Average annual salary: $90,770 (National Survey of Nurse Practitioners, 2010)

PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT

What they do: Physician assistants perform a variety of healthcare services that traditionally were provided by doctors. They practice medicine under the supervision of a physician. A physician assistant diagnoses and treats illnesses and develops and implements treatment plans. Some physician assistants assist in surgeries. Their duties vary with their training and experience, as well as by state laws.

In most states, a physician assistant can treat patients while the doctor is out of the office. In some inner-city or rural clinics, physician assistants may be the primary-care provider; a physician may only be present one or two days per week. In these situations, they consult with a supervising physician and other medical professionals as needed and as required by law. In many states, physician assistants can write prescriptions.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics has forecasted a 39-percent employment growth for physician assistants from 2008 to 2018, which is much faster than the average for all occupations.

Education requirements: Physician-assistant education programs usually take at least two years to complete. Most of the programs are provided by allied health schools, medical schools, four-year colleges, and academic health centers.

Most applicants to physician-assistant educational programs have a college degree and some health-related work experience. However, admissions requirements vary by program. Many physician assistants have prior work experience as registered nurses, emergency medical technicians, or paramedics.

Average annual salary: $86,410 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2010)

PHYSICAL THERAPIST

What they do: Physical therapists, also known as PTs, diagnose and treat people of all ages who have a limited ability to move and perform functional activities due to illness or disability. They help patients build flexibility and strength. Physical therapists create a plan utilizing treatment techniques to promote a patient’s ability to move, restore function, reduce pain, or prevent disability. They need to be good motivators. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics about 60 percent of physical therapists work in hospitals.

Education requirements: A master’s degree or a doctoral degree from an accredited physical therapy program. Master’s degree programs usually take from two to two-and-one-half years to complete, whereas doctoral degree programs take three years to complete.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts a 30-percent employment growth from 2008 to 2018, much faster than the average for all occupations.

Average annual salary: $76,310 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2010)

RADIATION THERAPIST

What they do: Medical advances have made radiation therapists among the most in-demand workers in the field of radiologic technology. A radiation therapist needs to precisely hit the cancer with ionizing radiation without damaging nearby healthy tissue. Improvements in treating cancer have improved survival rates, so more people require therapy. Radiation therapists must be detail-oriented.

Education requirements: Employers usually require a bachelor’s degree or an associate;s degree in radiation therapy. Some states and employers require radiation therapists to be certified by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT).

The Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts a 27-percent employment growth for radiation therapists from 2008 to 2018, much faster than the average for all occupations.

Average annual salary: $74,980 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2010)

OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST

What they do: Occupational therapists help people with disabling physical, mental, developmental, and emotional conditions recover or develop and maintain daily living and work skills. Occupational therapists helps their patients have productive and independent lives. They help patients such as recently disabled people or amputees compensate for the loss of function.

Occupational therapists also help people enhance their motor skills and reasoning and perceptual abilities. Some occupational therapists have a specialty. They need to be caring and compassionate, and often receive a tremendous sense of accomplishment.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts a 26-percent employment growth from 2008 to 2018, much faster than the average for all occupations.

Education requirements: Occupational therapists need a master’s degree or higher. They’re required to take a program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) in order to take the national certifying exam.

Average annual salary: $72,320 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2010)

Our list of the 25 best entry-level jobs makes looking for a good entry-level job easier. We looked for rewarding jobs that also provide a good salary, have good projected employment growth, provide career advancement opportunities, and require only a certificate, or else an associate’s or bachelor’s degree.

ASSISTANT ACTUARIAL ANALYST

What they do: In the field of insurance, assistant actuarial analysts use mathematics and statistics to estimate the possibility and cost of claims associated to death, injury, illness, or property damage in order for an insurance company to cover its expenses and stay profitable. They also help decide the premium. Some assistant actuarial analysts work for private or public employers to manage risk for pension plans and programs such as Social Security.

Education requirements: A degree is not required; however, many companies prefer to hire people with an associate’s or a bachelor’s degree, and who have good computer skills.

Median salary: $54,000 (PayScale.com, 2010)

BIOMEDICAL ENGINEER

What they do: Biomedical engineers have improved and saved lives throughout the world through their innovations. They develop devices and procedures to solve health- and medical-related problems. They help develop and improve a wide array of medical instruments and device,s including kidney machines, heart valves, and lasers used in eye surgery. The Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts a whopping 72-percent employment growth from 2008 to 2018, which is much faster than the average for all occupations.

Education requirements: Most biomedical engineer entry-level jobs require a bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering or a related subject.

Median Salary: $81,540 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2010)

CIVIL ENGINEER

What they do: Civil engineers build and oversee the infrastructure which allows societies to function. They plan, design, and oversee the construction of bridges, highways, water treatment systems, and other types of structures. Some civil engineers are involved in urban renewal and community planning. Most civil engineers specialize in one area. After gaining experience, they can seek supervisory or administrative positions. The Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts a 24-percent employment growth for civil engineers from 2008 to 2018, which is much faster than average for all occupations.

Education requirements: Many civil engineer entry-level jobs require a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering.

Median Salary: $77,560 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2010)

CIVIL ENGINEERING TECHNICIAN

What they do: Civil engineering technicians assist civil engineers with planning and overseeing the construction of a variety of projects. Some civil engineering technicians are involved in urban renewal and community planning. They also inspect the site during the construction process to make sure the work is following the building plans. The Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts a 17-percent employment growth for civil engineering technicians from 2008 to 2018.

Education requirements: Most jobs require at least an associate’s degree in civil engineering technology or in engineering technology.

Median Salary: $46,290 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2010)

COMPUTER HARDWARE ENGINEER

What they do: Computer hardware engineer is a good job for people who are creative and analytical problem solvers. They create new technologies and improve on existing technology. Computer hardware engineers, also known as hardware engineers, design and develop computer hardware, such as circuit boards, chips, and computer systems, as well as related equipment such as keyboards, routers, and printers. They’re involved with equipment used for commercial, industrial, scientific, and military purposes.

Education requirements: Some computer hardware engineer jobs only require a bachelor’s degree. Popular degrees are in systems engineering, computer engineering, and computer science.

Median Salary: $98,810 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2010)

COMPUTER SUPPORT SPECIALIST

What they do: If you enjoy working with today’s sophisticated technology, then a computer support specialist job is worthy of your consideration. They provide technical assistance to employees and customers for a variety of computer issues. They play an important role in any office that uses computers on a daily basis. They help ensure a computer system runs smoothly. The widespread and expanding adoption of new technology will continue to create demand for people who can provide technical assistance.

Education requirements: The education requirements for computer support specialist positions vary; however, many employers prefer to hire people with some college education. For some positions, a bachelor’s degree in computer science or information systems is required. Some jobs may only require a computer-related associate’s degree. For some positions, computer experience and certifications may suffice. Completing certification training programs offered by product manufacturers and vendors may increase your chances of obtaining an entry-level position.

Median Salary: $46,260 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2010)

ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEER

What they do: Environmental engineers design systems and solutions related to protecting the environment. They try to improve water, air, and land resources. They design infrastructure to reduce environmental hazards and promote health. They usually work on large projects, including waste management, pollution control, and water treatment. The Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts a 31-percent employment growth for environmental engineers from 2008 to 2018, much faster than the average for all occupations.

Education requirements: Many environmental engineer entry-level jobs require a bachelor’s degree in environmental engineering or a related subject.

Median Salary: $78,740 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2010)

ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING TECHNICIAN

What they do: Working with engineers and scientists, environmental engineering technicians take care of a variety of tasks to prevent dangerous materials from degrading the environment. Environmental engineering technicians survey the effects pollution has on the environment. They also test, inspect, operate, and decontaminate an array of equipment used to control and remediate environmental pollution. The Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts an impressive 30-percent employment growth from 2008 to 2018.

Education requirements: Most environmental engineering technicians have an associate’s degree in a subject such as environmental engineering technology, hazardous materials, information systems technolog,y or environmental technology. These programs are available at vocational schools and community colleges.

Median Salary: $43,390 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2010)

HEALTH DATA ANALYST

What they do: In the booming healthcare field, health data analysts help design, produce, and analyze health data reports and computer applications and procedures. Due to the recent emphasis on electronic health records, the healthcare industry is relyng more and more on data, making health data analysts vital. The Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts a 20-percent employment growth through 2018 for health information technicians, including data analysts, which is much faster than the average for all occupations.

Education requirements: Most health data analyst entry-level jobs require an associate’s degree or a bachelor’s degree in health information technology or in a related subject. A bachelor’s degree is often preferred. A strong background in computer sciences is helpful. The certification provided by the American Health Information Management Association recognizes expertise and validates specialized competence.

Median Salary: $41,000 to $64,000 (PayScale.com, 2010)

JUNIOR TAX ASSOCIATE

What they do: Junior tax associates review a company’s fiscal reporting system and make sure the company adheres to Internal Revenue Service guidelines, as well state and local directives.

Education requirements: Many companies prefer to hire people who have a degree in accounting, taxation, or auditing.

Median Salary: $53,000 (PayScale.com, 2010)

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT

What they do: Landscape architects use their technical skills and creative talent to create functional, attractive outdoor settings. They use natural elements such as bushes, trees, and land to create attractive environments for buildings, highways, shopping centers, parks, residential areas, and other types of settings. The Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts a 20-percent job growth for landscape architects from 2008 to 2018, which is much faster than the average for all occupations.

Education requirements: Many landscape architects have a bachelor’s degree in landscape architecture. However, some landscape architects have a master’s degree.

Median Salary: $62,090 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2010)

LOGISTICIAN

What they do: Logisticians are the unsung heroes of global commerce. They ensure that merchandise moves properly and speedily across the world. Logistics has become a boardroom issue; companies are looking for people to make improvements in supply-chain management and to lower costs. Logisticians are responsible for the complete life cycle of a product, including acquisition, distribution, internal allocation, and delivery, as well as the final disposal of resources.

Education requirements: Many entry-level jobs require a degree in logistics, supply-chain management, industrial engineering, or business studies.

Median Salary: $70,800 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2010)

MARKET RESEARCH ANALYST

What they do: Market research analysts research what types of products customers want, as well as what types of people will purchase products, and at what price. They also determine the demand for potential products and services. After gaining experience by assisting others, they obtain their own projects.

Education requirements: Typically, a bachelor’s degree is sufficient for an entry-level job as a market research analyst.

Median Salary: $60,570 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2010)

MULTIMEDIA ANIMATOR

What they do: Multimedia animators use computers to create characters, special effects, and landscapes for much of the media people consume. With creativity and imagination, multimedia animators produce images and special effects for movies, cartoons, television shows, websites, mobile technologies, computer games, commercials, and more.

Education requirements: There are no specific education requirements; however, most employers prefer candidates who have an associate’s or bachelor’s degree. The jobs with more responsibility and higher pay typically require a bachelor’s degree. Degrees are available in subjects such as media design, multimedia, computer animation, graphic design, video and animation production, and multimedia design and development.

Median Salary: $58,510 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2010)

NETWORK SYSTEMS AND DATA COMMUNICATIONS ANALYST

What they do: Information technology is vital to many companies because it transmits, stores, and analyzes information. Network systems and data communications analysts help companies store and share information via computer systems and networks, such as computer databases and the Internet. The Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts a 53-percent employment growth for network systems and data communications analysts from 2008 to 2018, which is much faster than the average for all occupations.

Education requirements: Many entry-level jobs require a bachelor’s degree in a computer-related field, such as computer science.

Median Salary: $73,250 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2009)

OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY ASSISTANT

What they do: The job of occupational therapist assistant is a good fit for people who have a passion for helping people. They’re part of a team which helps improve the lives of clients with physical, mental, emotional, and developmental impairments and disabilities. The Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts a 30-percent job growth for occupational therapist assistants from 2008 to 2018. You’ll need a graduate degree to become an occupational therapist.

Education requirements: Employers typically prefer candidates with an occupational therapy assistant associate’s degree or a one-year certificate in the subject.

Median Salary: $51,010 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2010)

PARALEGAL

What they do: Paralegals perform many of the tasks lawyers perform; however, they’re prohibited from performing duties regarded as within the scope of the practice of law. They’re an integral part of a legal team. Some of their most important tasks include helping lawyers get prepared for trials, closings, hearings, and corporate meetings. Paralegals also perform research. The Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts a high 28-percent job growth from 2008 to 2018, much faster than the average for all occupations.

Education requirements: Community colleges and vocational schools offer paralegal associate’s degrees. People who already have a college degree can get a certificate in paralegal studies. A small number of schools provide bachelor’s and master’s degrees in paralegal studies.

Median Salary: $46,680 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2010)

PETROLEUM ENGINEER

What they do: Petroleum engineers design methods for extracting oil and gas reserves from deposits below the earth. After the deposits have been discovered they work with geologists and other specialists to determine the drilling methods. They also monitor drilling and production operations. The Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts an 18 percent employment growth for petroleum engineers from 2008 to 2018.

Education requirements: They typically need a bachelor’s degree in engineering. Some schools provide a bachelor’s degree in petroleum engineering.

Median Salary: $114,080 (Bureau of Labor Statistics 2010)

PHARMACEUTICAL SALES REPRESENTATIVE

What they do: Pharmaceutical sales representatives spend a lot of time talking to hospital personnel, pharmacists, doctors, and staff members of retirement homes in order to increase the visibility of the company’s products and increase sales. The job rewards persistence, assertiveness, and knowledge.

Education requirements: Most jobs require a bachelor’s degree. Employees get on-the-job training.

Median Salary: $51,000 (PayScale.Com, 2010)

PHYSICAL THERAPY ASSISTANT

What they do: Physical therapy assistants help improve the quality of life of patients. They help physical therapists provide care to patients who have limited use of their body due to injury or a disability. Physical therapy assistants provide exercise and instruction, as well as therapeutic methods such as mechanical traction, electrical stimulation, and ultrasound. They also provide massages and gait and balance training. The Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts a 33-percent job growth for physical therapists assistants from 2008 to 2018.

Education requirements: Most physical therapist assistants have completed a physical therapy assistant associate’s degree program. Most states require physical therapist assistants to have an associate’s degree. They’ll need a graduate degree to become a physical therapist.

Median Salary: $49,680 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2010)

PURCHASING AGENT

What they do: Purchasing agents buy items and services for a company, including finished products, parts, and raw materials for manufacturing. They ensure the company has the goods and services it requires to operate efficiently. When making purchases, balancing quality with cost is a major consideration.

Education requirements: Most employers prefer applicants with a bachelor’s degree.

Median Salary: $56,580 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2010)

REGISTERED NURSE

What they do: Registered nurses treat and educate patients. They also help prevent disease. If you’re seeking a personally and financially rewarding job, a registered nurse position is worthy of your consideration. Nursing also provides good job security. There are a variety of specialties to choose from. The Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts a 22-percent employment growth for registered nurses from 2008 to 2018.

Education requirements: You can become a registered nurse with just an associate’s degree in nursing and then advance in your career by acquiring a bachelor’s degree. If you have a bachelor’s degree in another field, you’re allowed to take an accelerated BSN program which can be completed in from 12 to 18 months.

Median Salary: $64,690 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2010)

SOFTWARE ENGINEER

What they do: From video games to missile systems to the iPhone, software engineers create software for today’s computational devices. They both develop and design software, including business applications, network control systems, operating systems, and middleware. Their tasks evolve quickly due to changes in technology and new areas of specialization. The Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts a 32-percent employment growth for software engineers from 2008 to 2018, which is much faster than the average for all occupations.

Education requirements: Many positions require just a bachelor’s degree. Some of the complex jobs require a master’s degree. They typically obtain a degree in software engineering, computer science, or mathematics.

Median Salary: $93,470 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2009)

WEB DESIGNER

What they do: Web designers translate a company’s marketing or informational content into an effective, functional website. They create and edit images and graphics. Talented web designers are in demand.

Education requirements: Many employers prefer web designers with formal education and training. Associate’s and bachelor’s degrees in web design, as well as diplomas and certificates, are available. A degree or certificate can increase your chances of getting a web designer position.

Median Salary: $59,000 (Simply hired, Inc., 2012)

WIND TURBINE TECHNICIAN

What they do: Wind turbine technicians are part of the growing field of alternative energy. They inspect and repair wind turbines for electrical, hydraulic, and other problems. They also perform maintenance on the equipment. Some wind turbine technicians help assemble and construct wind turbines. They play a vital role in the alternative energy industry.

Education requirements: Many employers require an associate’s degree; some employers also want certification. Some community colleges and technical schools offer programs with names such as wind energy and turbine technology, wind energy technology, wind energy technician, renewable energy technology, renewable electricity technician, and wind turbine technician.

Median Salary: $47,000 (PayScale.com, 2010)

According to the 2011 Year-End Poll of Employers provided by the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC), 74 percent of the employers who responded plan on hiring individuals with an MBA in 2012. The poll received responses from 229 employers at 216 companies worldwide.

The GMAC Corporate Recruiters’ Survey 2011 shows new hires with an MBA can expect to receive an average base salary of $91,433.

A 2011 report produced by GMAC shows MBA rankings are more important to corporate recruiters than the quality of the school’s MBA curriculum and especially the quality of the school’s faculty. Vital MBA and business school rankings are produced by several notable organizations, including U.S. News & World Report, BusinessWeek, Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, Entrepreneur Magazine, Princeton Review, The Economist, and Financial Times.

We’ve analyzed the lists of all these top organizations. Based on their combined evaluations, our own analysis of the schools’ MBA programs, and awards received by the schools, we’ve created our own thoroughly researched list of the 10 best online MBA programs.

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#1 Duke University, Fuqua School of Business (Durham, NC)

Rankings: #10 Best MBA program (Financial Times, 2011), #12 Best MBA program (Forbes, 2011), #12 Best MBA program (BusinessWeek, 2011), #6 Best Business School (BusinessWeek, 2010), #12 Best Business School (U.S. News & World Report, 2011), #28 Best Business School (The Economist, 2010)

School/Online MBA Program: The school focuses on producing global business leaders. Fuqua School of Business places an emphasis on teamwork. The cohort-based Global Executive MBA is recognized as the world’s first global MBA program for senior executives. The program integrates learning experiences in contrasting economies and incorporates opportunities to learn about the economic, social, political, and cultural issues which affect the way business is performed around the world. Students can choose a concentration in entrepreneurship, finance, energy and environment, strategy, marketing, or health sector management (certificate available).

The Global Executive MBA program is completed in 15 months. The program combines distance learning and five residencies at seven locations around the globe. Sixty percent of classroom time occurs in residencies in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Also, throughout the program students work with a personal coach.

Admissions:

• Bachelor’s degree
• At least 10 years’ work experience with current or pending global responsibilities
• No minimum GMAT score; average GMAT score = 697
• Provides merit-based scholarships
• Rolling admissions
• Very competitive

Tuition: The $152,500 tuition includes books, class materials, lodging, and meals at the five residential sessions. The tuition does not include travel costs to and from the residential sessions.

#2 Thunderbird School of Global Management (Glendale, AZ)

Rankings: Top-ranked International MBA program (U.S. New & World Report, 2012), #1 International Business (U.S. News & World Report, 2010), #1 International Business (Financial Times, 2010), #2 Distance Learning MBA (The Economist, 2010)

School/Online MBA program: All the courses are taught from a global perspective. The school has an extraordinary level of ethnic and cultural diversity. Thunderbird School of Global Management is dedicated to producing global citizens committed to utilizing the power of business to produce sustainable worldwide wealth.

Students can select from 19-, 28-, and 36-month programs. Three quarters of the program is completed online in an asynchronous format. One quarter is administered via regional business seminars located around the world. The online MBA Program offers concentrations in International Studies, World Business, and Cross-Cultural/English Business Communication.

Admissions:

• Bachelor’s degree
• Very competitive
• Rolling admissions
• GMAT required; average GMAT score = 603

Tuition: $66,800. The tuition includes books, as well as room and board for orientation, international study, and graduation. Travel cost is not covered.

#3 Carnegie-Mellon, Tepper School of Business (Pittsburgh, PA)

Rankings: #3 Best Part-time MBA program (BusinessWeek, 2011), #15 Best MBA program (BusinessWeek, 2011), #23 Best MBA program (Forbes, 2011) #15 Best Business School (BusinessWeek, 2010), #16 Best Business School (The Economist, 2011), #18 Best Business School (U.S. News & World Report, 2011)

School/Online MBA program: Students are attracted to the school due to its quantitative reputation and core competencies in entrepreneurship and technology. The Flexmode: Distance Learning MBA, a part-time program, is completed in two and a half years. The online MBA program is delivered to corporate locations (a minimum of six students). Students take two classes per mini-semester and attend school year-round. Students who do not select a specialized track select multiple concentrations within the general management curriculum.

Admissions:

• Bachelor’s degree
• Average GMAT score = 694

Tuition: The $81,936 tuition does not include books, room and board, or travel.

#4 The University of North Carolina, Kenan-Flagler School of Business (Chapel Hill, NC)

Rankings: #16 Best MBA program (BusinessWeek, 2011), #16 Best MBA program (Forbes, 2011), #10 Best Business School (The Wall Street Journal, 2010), #15 Entrepreneurship (Princeton Review, 2011), #16 Best Business School (BusinessWeek, 2010), #16 Best Business School (Forbes, 2011), #19 Best Business School (U.S. News & World Report, 2011), #47 Best Business School (The Economist, 2011)

School/Online Program: The MBA@UNC program can be completed in two to three years. The program was established in the fall of 2011. During the first year, students complete a mandatory integrative exercise, based on a case competition. Students then select one or two career concentrations from the following areas: Corporate finance, entrepreneurship, customer and product management, investment management, global supply-chain management, real estate, or management consulting.

Kenan-Flagler School of Business has connections with national companies. Students have the opportunity to attend in-person immersions at the end of each quarter. Students are required to complete two weekend residencies at various places around the world. A total of four weekend residencies are allowed and included in the tuition. The program combines asynchronous and synchronous formats.

Admissions:

• Bachelor’s degree
• At least two years of professional experience
• Rolling admissions with quarterly intakes in July, October, January, and April
• Competitive

Tuition: The $89,000 covers the whole program, including materials, books, room and board, and four immersion weekends.

#5 Indiana University, Kelley School of Business (Bloomington, IN)

Rankings: #2 Distance-learning MBA (The Economist, 2010), #19 Best MBA program (BusinessWeek, 2011), #23 Best Business School (U.S. News & World Report, 2011)

School/Online program: The Kelley Direct Online MBA program focuses on general administration. The program thoroughly reviews different subject areas, including economics, business law and ethics, finance, marketing, operations, project management, and information technology. The Kelley School of Business is strong across multiple business disciplines, especially entrepreneurship and marketing. The asynchronous online MBA program can be completed in two years. Campus visits are required, including orientation at the beginning of the program.

Admissions:

• Bachelor’s degree
• Average GMAT score = 620
• At least two years’ professional experience
• MBA program begins in the fall, with a June 15 application deadline
• Very competitive

Tuition: $54,111. Books and travel cost are not covered.

#6 Arizona State University, W.P. Carey School of Business (Phoenix, AZ)

Rankings: #17 Best Part-time MBA (U.S. New & World Report, 2012), #10 Best-Value MBA in the U.S. (Business Week), #13 Best Business School (The Wall Street Journal, 2010), #27 Business School (U.S. News & World Report, 2011).

School/Online MBA program: Success in the job market is the hallmark of the Carey full-time MBA program. The program’s placement rate after graduation has been among the top 10 MBA programs in North America. The program, provided mostly online, requires students to visit the school just one time.

Students can select an emphasis in subjects such as finance, international business, supply chain management, or marketing. The classes are designed and taught by Carey faculty members. The program is completed in two years.

Admissions:

• Bachelor’s degree
• GMAT required; average GMAT score = 672
• Competitive
• Two years’ work experience
• MBA programs begin in January and July
• Average GPA = 3.18

Tuition: $53,200 estimated total cost.

#7 University of Florida, Warrington College of Business Administration, Hough Graduate School of Business

Rankings: #1 Distance Learning MBA (The Economist, 2010), #2 U.S. Best-Value MBA (Financial Times, 2011), #9 Recruiter’s Choice (The Wall Street Journal, 2010), MBA rated as one of the nation’s top values (U.S. News & World Report, 2011), #47 Best MBA program (U.S. News & World Report, 2011), #39 Best Business School (The Economist, 2011).

School/Online MBA program: The school’s strengths are marketing, finance, real estate, supply-chain management, real estate, and urban analysis, as well as entrepreneurship. Hough offers a standard two-year MBA program and an accelerated 16-month MBA program.

A one-weekend campus visit per four-month term is required for both programs. In the two-year program, students select nine electives, out of over 100 electives to choose from. The program offers 14 concentrations.

Admissions:

• The two-year program requires a bachelor’s degree
• The accelerated program requires a bachelor’s degree in business
• GMAT required for both programs; average GMAT score = 686
• At least two years’ professional experience for both programs
• Rolling admissions
• Competitive

Tuition: Standard program: $47,150; accelerated program: $41,400. Tuition does not include books, room and board, or travel costs.

#8 Drexel University, Lebow College of Business (Philadelphia, PA)

Rankings:#1 in the nation for academic quality for part-time MBA (BusinessWeek, 2009), #3 Entrepreneur Business School (Entrepreneur Magazine, 2009), #3 Entrepreneurship (Princeton Review, 2011).

School/Online MBA Program: Lebow College of Business uses a strategic approach to business defined by industry perspectives, leadership, and ethics, as well as technological orientation. The two-year, cohort program offer specializations in finance, marketing, entrepreneurship and innovative management, and business analytics. The program integrates technology management, leadership, and ethics with industry perspectives. Students can design the program for their career path. Three four-day on-campus residencies are recommended. One on-campus residency is required.

Admissions:

• Bachelor’s degree with a 3.0 GPA or higher
• GMAT or GRE required; average GMAT score =  620
• Rolling admissions
• Moderately competitive
• Spring and fall intakes

Tuition: The $58,000 tuition does not include books, room and board, or travel.

#9 Worcester Polytechnic Institute, School of Business (Worcester, MA)

Rankings:#8 Part-time MBA program (BusinessWeek, 2011), #10 Entrepreneurship (Entrepreneurship Magazine, 2010), #5 Greatest Opportunities for Women (Princeton Review, 2011).

School/Online MBA program: WPI School of Business offers more of a technical leadership program than a traditional MBA program. The program combines business essentials with highly specialized instruction in technology, as well as technology management. Most of the coursework is taught from a technological perspective. The program emphasizes practical applications to business theory. All the courses use a hands-on experimental approach.

Concentrations are provided in the areas of information security management, entrepreneurship, operations management, information technology, supply-chain management, process design, technology marketing, and technological innovation. Students can take electives in other WPI departments.

Students can complete the Blended Cohort program in two and a half years. Two two-hour synchronous Internet sessions and three residency Saturdays are required per semester.

Admissions:

• Bachelor’s degree
• GMAT required; median GMAT score = 570
• Application deadlines are October 1 for spring and July 1 for fall
• Competitive

Tuition: $55,632. The cost of books, room and board, and travel are not covered in the tuition.

#10 Pennsylvania State University, Smeal College of Business & World Campus

Rankings: #44 Best Business School (BusinessWeek, 2010), #48 Best Business School (U.S. News & World Report, 2010), #56 Best Business School (The Economist, 2010).

School/Online MBA program: Thanks to a high level of interaction, students are able to network with professionals from an array of industries and geographic locations. Students are part of a virtual team throughout the program. The program is designed for professionals with work experience in a wide array of fields, including engineering, business, technology, healthcare, and many other fields.

The two-year program covers topics such as marketing, management, accounting, finance, and operations. Students focus on the following business themes: Process management, strategic planning, customer and market, leadership, information analysis, and human resources.

In the Term 3 residency, students spend a week on-site at a prominent U.S. firm evaluating their organizational structure and strategy. In the Term 8 residency, students participate in a team business simulation at Penn State University Park in State College, Pennsylvania.

Admissions:

• Bachelor’s degree
• GMAT or GRE required
• Two years’ of professional experience preferred, but not necessary
• Begins in August

Tuition: The $54,760 covers fees, books, and room and board.