First Online Bachelor's Program for Bumpers College Among New Offerings

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The University of Arkansas Global Campus will offer five new online degree programs starting this fall. Among the five programs, the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences will launch its first online undergraduate degree program.

Bumpers College will offer the Bachelor of Science with a major in Human Development and Family Sciences online, while the College of Engineering will offer the Master of Science in Operations Analytics degree. The College of Education and Health Professions will also offer three new online programs including: 

• Master of Education in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages
• Post-Master's Certificate in Advanced School-Based Speech-Language Pathology
• Graduate Certificate in Nursing Education

"Our School of Human Environmental Sciences in the Bumpers College is proud to offer our first online undergraduate degree program," said Deacue Fields, dean of Bumpers College. "We've had online graduate degrees for some time, but this allows us to reach undergraduate students where they are and hopefully makes it easier for them to earn a degree and pursue a career they love. Just as important, this degree prepares graduates to serve communities, families and individuals in wide-ranging areas of need. We're excited about this program being available and looking forward to getting students enrolled."

"We know an education from the University of Arkansas transforms lives," said Cheryl Murphy, vice provost for distance education and leader of the Global Campus. "By expanding distance education options, the colleges and faculty are making higher education more accessible to people who cannot come to the Fayetteville campus every day."

The bachelor's degree in human development and family sciences will prepare students for careers in human services that assist individuals and families, from infants to seniors. Graduates would be able to pursue careers in counseling, community education, family crisis centers, hospice care, child welfare, alcohol and drug treatment, employee assistance and more.

Bumpers College already offers three online master's degree programs in agricultural and extension education, food safety, and human environmental sciences.

These additions will bring the U of A's total to 65 online degree, certificate and licensure programs, which are showcased at the University of Arkansas Online website.

Nationwide, more than 3.2 million higher education students, or about 16 percent, studied exclusively in distance education courses in the 2018-19 academic year, according to data from the National Center for Education Statistics. In the same academic year at the University of Arkansas, about 3,150 students, or about 10 percent, studied exclusively online.

The Global Campus supports U of A colleges and schools in the development and delivery of online, distance and workforce education programs and courses.  It provides instructional design services, technology services and assistance with registration, marketing, recruiting and strategic academic development.

About the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences: Bumpers College provides life-changing opportunities to position and prepare graduates who will be leaders in the businesses associated with foods, family, the environment, agriculture, sustainability and human quality of life; and who will be first-choice candidates of employers looking for leaders, innovators, policy makers and entrepreneurs. The college is named for Dale Bumpers, former Arkansas governor and longtime U.S. senator who made the state prominent in national and international agriculture.

About the College of Education and Health Professions: The College of Education and Health Professions offers advanced academic degrees as well as professional development opportunities and learning communities in service to the education and health systems of Arkansas and beyond. The college provides the education and experiences for a variety of professional roles, ranging from community mental health counselors to school teachers and leaders. Programs in adult and higher education, along with educational technology and sport management, offer a broad range of options. In addition to education-related opportunities, the college prepares nurses, speech-language pathologists, health educators and administrators, recreation professionals, rehabilitation counselors and human performance researchers.

About the College of Engineering: The University of Arkansas College of Engineering is the largest engineering program in the state of Arkansas. The College of Engineering offers graduate and undergraduate degrees in nine engineering fields, as well as incorporating distance learning and interdisciplinary programs.

About the University of Arkansas: The University of Arkansas provides an internationally competitive education for undergraduate and graduate students in more than 200 academic programs. The university contributes new knowledge, economic development, basic and applied research, and creative activity while also providing service to academic and professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the University of Arkansas among fewer than 3% of colleges and universities in America that have the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the University of Arkansas among its top American public research universities. Founded in 1871, the University of Arkansas comprises 10 colleges and schools and maintains a low student-to-faculty ratio that promotes personal attention and close mentoring.