School lauded for academic programs, full-time faculty and commitment to the community

Contact: Bill Jenkins, Grand Canyon University, 602-315-5566, william.jenkins@gcu.edu

PHOENIX, July 18, 2013 /Christian Newswire/ -- Grand Canyon University has been ranked No. 10 among the Top 20 Online Christian universities by BestSchools.org, which provides in-depth rankings of colleges and universities for people seeking an online education.

The rankings are based on the Christian character of the school, academic prestige, and the extent and quality of its online education programs.

The online list of Christian colleges is gathered from multiple sites, including U.S. News & World Report, Forbes, OnlineChristianColleges, ChristianColleges.com, Onlineeducation.net and Best and Worst Online Degree Providers.

GCU was singled out for the quality of career training in fields such as nursing, education and business, along with its full-time faculty and mission-minded community service projects.

In particular, the ranking noted the "big difference" in GCU's teacher availability and instruction. The school's Christian emphasis also was a distinguishing factor.

"The ranking is validation of the depth and breadth of our academic programs, as well as our servant leadership philosophy," said Brian Mueller, GCU's president and CEO.

During the past few years, as universities nationwide have cut budgets, eliminated programs and raised tuition, GCU has frozen tuition while also undergoing a $200 million expansion to its ground campus to serve a burgeoning student population. At the center of the expansion was a reinvention of the school's academic programs to align curriculum with high-growth fields. In addition to enhancing traditional areas of study, GCU added programs in emerging industries such as sports business and forensic science.

The university also augmented its faculty and staff, and invested $80 million in new technologies, including a proprietary new online learning system called LoudCloud.

Not only have these changes bolstered the school's enrollment (last fall, GCU welcomed the largest student body in its history), it also turned the heads of industry leaders. In 2012, GCU's nursing program ranked first among bachelor's degree programs of its kind in Arizona, resulting in partnerships with top hospitals where students apply their skills while filling a shortfall of workers.

"Our goal is to create the best possible classroom experience," Mueller said. "But beyond earning a degree, we are preparing our students to lead and serve."

The complete story by BestSchools.org can be found at www.thebestschools.org/blog/2013/07/11/top-20-online-christian-colleges 

Grand Canyon University was founded in 1949 and is Arizona's premier private Christian university. GCU is regionally accredited and emphasizes individual attention for both traditional undergraduate students and the working professional in seven colleges: the Ken Blanchard College of Business, the College of Education, the College of Nursing and Health Care Professions, the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Theology, the College of Fine Arts and Production, and the College of Doctoral Studies. GCU offers traditional programs on its growing campus, as well as online bachelor's, master's and doctoral degree programs.  The University's curriculum fuses academic and clinical rigor with Christian values to prepare its students to be skilled, caring professionals. For more information about GCU, visit www.gcu.edu.