UF Online, the University of Florida’s online bachelor’s degree program, is tied for the No. 5 spot in the country – up from No. 12 last year -- in the 2019 U.S. News & World Report list of best online programs released today.
Also coming in at No. 5 were Penn State World Campus and the University of Illinois at Chicago.
“Through UF Online, UF is demonstrating that a preeminent, research university can modernize its undergraduate experience, expand access to higher education, and deliver engaging and supportive bachelor’s programs fully online without compromising the academic rigor it is well-known for,” said Evangeline Cummings, UF assistant provost and director of UF Online.
“I believe we are on the right path to affordable, accessible, excellent educational opportunity. This ranking offers some affirmation of progress, but our quest for the best continues,” said Andy McCollough, associate provost for teaching and technology at UF.
The U.S. News & World Report online rankings are based on the following criteria: student engagement (35 percent); student services and technology (25 percent); faculty credentials and training (20 percent); and peer reputation (20 percent).
UF was also recognized for its leadership role in best online graduate programs, including:
The full U.S. News & World Report rankings are available at online at undergraduate: https://www.usnews.com/education/online-education/bachelors and graduate: https://www.usnews.com/education/online-education/graduate
Marking its fifth year, UF Online is the university’s online undergraduate experience providing online pathways to earn 20 bachelor’s degrees from UF colleges. Over 13 colleges, hundreds of faculty across UF deliver hundreds of online courses to thousands of online students each semester.
To date, UF has also celebrated the graduations of over 1,300 Gators from UF colleges with bachelors earned via the UF Online path. In the coming semesters, UF Online will add programs in Digital Arts and Sciences, Tourism and Recreation Management with plans to expand to 30 programs by 2024. In 2017, UF Online launched the Employer Pathways Program and now partners with the Walt Disney Company, Walmart and Discover Financial services to support Gators that work at these companies and therefore attend tuition free, if qualified for UF admissions.
