U of A Online Programs Rank Well; One Climbs in 2023 'U.S. News' Report

Photo Submitted

Online bachelor’s degree programs offered by four colleges at the U of A ranked No. 35 overall nationally in the 2023 “Best Online Programs” ranking by U.S. News & World Report. Other U of A online programs ranked well.

The undergraduate online programs ranked No. 29 among public institutions. U.S. News ranked 359 institutions with online bachelor’s degree programs.

Graduate engineering online degree programs from the College of Engineering climbed seven spots overall to No. 42 among 113 ranked institutions, and they rose four spots among public institutions to No. 33. 

In a subcategory, online graduate engineering programs ranked No. 29 overall for “Best Online Programs for Veterans.”

Online graduate education programs ranked No. 74 overall among 329 ranked institutions, and they ranked 64 among public institutions.

Online programs from academic colleges across the U of A are showcased on the U of A ONLINE website.

“The university is proud to be recognized for its outstanding online degree programs,” said Cheryl Murphy, vice provost for distance education. “Dedicated instructors and caring support staff are committed to the success of U of A online students. This recognition honors them.”

Undergraduate Business

Online bachelor’s degree programs from the Sam M. Walton College of Business scored No. 12 overall nationally in a subcategory for online business programs. U.S. News ranked 214 institutions in the business subcategory based on a four-point scale, which is different from the 10-point scale used in categories.

These business programs ranked No. 10 among public institutions. 

U of A Online Degree Programs

Providing quality online programs is imperative as more people rely on distance learning to access higher education, both at the U of A and nationwide. The U of A offers more than 85 online degree, certificate, microcertificate and licensure programs.

Online bachelor’s degree programs are offered by the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences; the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences; Walton College; and the College of Education and Health Professions.

Programs offered online by the College of Engineering are master’s degrees in engineering, electrical engineering and engineering management.

Online master’s degrees in education are offered by the College of Education and Health Professions.

The U of A has awarded more than 7,340 degrees and certificates in the last 10 years through online courses, with numbers rising each year, according to the 2021-2022 Global Campus annual report.

About 16,400 U of A students took at least one online course in the academic year 2021-22, which represented about 51 percent of the student population. About 14 percent of all U of A students, or 4,332 students, studied exclusively online in the same academic year, as shown in the Global Campus annual report. Online course data do not include enrollment for courses that were classified by the campus as “remote” during the pandemic.

Nationwide, about 7 million undergraduate students were exclusively enrolled in distance education courses in Fall 2020, according to the National Center for Education Statistics website.

In November, Newsweek and Statistica ranked the U of A 20th in the nation among 200 colleges and universities that offer degree programs online. Ranking criteria was different from those used by U.S. News. Feedback from online learners accounted for 80% of Newsweek’s ranking.

Methodology

U.S. News rankings for undergraduate degree programs are based on four categories: student engagement; student services and technology; faculty credentials and training; and peer assessment. Rankings for graduate education and graduate engineering programs include those four categories and student excellence. Full rankings, data and detailed methodologies are available on the U.S. News website.

About the Global Campus: 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 University of Arkansas: As Arkansas' flagship institution, the U of A provides an internationally competitive education in more than 200 academic programs. Founded in 1871, the U of A contributes more than $2.2 billion to Arkansas’ economy through the teaching of new knowledge and skills, entrepreneurship and job development, discovery through research and creative activity while also providing training for professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the U of A among the few U.S. colleges and universities with the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the U of A among the top public universities in the nation. See how the U of A works to build a better world at Arkansas Research News.