For Release:        Immediate – May 1, 2015

Contact:               Jerry Gretzinger, Vice President of Strategic Communications and Public Relations

(518) 956-7359 |  jgretzinger@sunycnse.com

SUNY POLY ONLINE GRADUATE PROGRAM RANKED THIRD IN NATION

Master’s in Accountancy Recognized for Quality and Value to Students

Utica, NY – As a testament to Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s commitment to provide world-class educational opportunities throughout New York State, SUNY Polytechnic Institute today announced that its online Master of Science in Accountancy degree program has been ranked third in the nation in Nonprofit Colleges Online’s “Best Online Master’s in Accounting: Students Before Profits Award 2015.”  SUNY Poly was ranked above other institutions such as Northeastern University (#11), University of Connecticut (#17), Texas A&M-Commerce (#31) and St. John’s University (#38).

In determining its rankings, Nonprofit Colleges Online evaluated online programs from accredited, nonprofit colleges and universities “with objectively lower than average tuition cost.”  In announcing its rankings, Nonprofit Colleges Online wrote, “many programs here have consistently been ranked among the top of their kind by other national publications and we believe they deserve to be considered among the best online master’s in accounting programs available.”

“This national ranking is a resounding endorsement of Governor Andrew Cuomo’s leadership in providing New York State residents with affordable, quality educational opportunities through world class public colleges like SUNY Polytechnic Institute,” said Dr. Alain Kaloyeros, President and CEO of SUNY Poly. “We are extremely proud to see our online Master’s in Accountancy program receive the recognition it deserves, and applaud our faculty and staff for maintaining SUNY Poly’s high standards of excellence and delivering a truly one-of-a-kind education for our students.”

“SUNY Poly students already know the caliber and the value of the programs we offer.  This ranking helps ensure that the rest of the world is getting the message that, online or on campus, our programs are the top of the class,” said Dr. Robert Geer, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at SUNY Poly. “Our faculty are committed to providing the best education possible to our students, and this is further evidence that they are doing that, and doing it incredibly well.”

“We are thrilled to be recognized by Nonprofit Colleges Online for the outstanding level of excellence in our Master of Accountancy program,” said Dr. William Durgin, Provost for SUNY Polytechnic Institute. “It speaks to the hard work and dedication of our students and faculty and is proof that a top-tier education is available right here at public New York universities.”

SUNY Poly’s online Master of Science in Accountancy degree program started in 1998 and was one of the very first online MS-Accountancy programs in the world. It is a 33 semester-hour program consisting of 11 courses and is registered to satisfy the 150-hour licensure requirement for New York State.  The SUNY Poly College of Health Sciences and Management participates in the "SUNY Learning Network," a consortium of campuses who have joined together to offer graduate and undergraduate on-line courses.

“This distinction is evidence that SUNY Poly educates and graduates the best accounting students in the world,” said Dr. Robert Yeh, Interim Dean of the College of Health Sciences and Management. “We are incredibly proud that Nonprofit Colleges Online took notice of the impressive work being done here and the unparalleled level of education our students receive going through our Accountancy program.”

“This ranking is a wonderful indicator of the fine work being done within our department, as well as SUNY Poly’s exemplary commitment to quality education. Some of the finest and most capable accountants and auditors in the world pass through our doors, and we could not be more proud to have our online program ranked third in the nation,” said Dr. William Langdon, Chairman of the Department of Business Management at SUNY Poly.

The SUNY Poly Master of Science in Accountancy program was developed in response to the increasing number of accountants who held undergraduate degrees in accounting and wanted to continue developing their skills and education, as well as to qualify students to sit for professional accounting examinations that lead to credentials such as the CPA (Certified Public Accountant) and the CMA (Certified Management Accountant) designations.  The accounting and auditing profession is projected to grow 13 percent by 2022, according to the U.S. Bureau of labor statistics.

For more information, visit  https://sunypoly.edu/programs/graduate/msacc/.