Newswise — The University of North Florida is among hundreds of higher education institutions included in U.S. News & World Report’s 2018 Best Online Programs rankings released today. UNF is ranked among the Top 40 colleges and universities in the country for “Best Online Bachelor’s Programs,” which includes data from nearly 1,500 distance-education degree programs nationwide.
UNF, ranked No. 31, soared 17 spots from last year’s ranking and is the only local higher education institution listed among the rankings in this category. The University also landed on the “Best Online Education Programs” list, a graduate-level ranking. Only degree-granting programs offering classes entirely online were considered. For more information on the “Best Online Programs” rankings, visit www.usnews.com/online.
“It’s very rewarding to have U.S. News & World Report rank our bachelor’s and our graduate education online programs among the best in the nation,” said UNF President John Delaney. “Faculty in our online programs are committed to this form of program delivery and have developed course materials and teaching methods that are second to none.”
U.S. News assessed schools based on four general categories: student engagement (including participation in courses that allow students opportunities to readily interact with instructors and fellow classmates), faculty credentials and training (including doctoral and tenure-track faculty and formal training for faculty in distance education), student services and technology (including diverse online learning technologies, career guidance and financial aid resources) and peer reputation (including industry opinions that account for intangible factors on program quality that is not captured by statistics).
“UNF continues to support the development of high-quality online courses and programs to meet student demand,” said Dr. Deb Miller, UNF senior director for Academic Technology and Innovation. “Our focus is on online courses that promote high levels of student interaction and developing programs that expand access to the University’s excellent offerings.”
UNF is leading the way in distance learning with its innovative Doctor of Clinical Nutrition program. The fully-online DCN program is an advanced practice doctoral program with emphasis on leadership, advanced evidence-based practice and research. The DCN prepares practitioners for leadership roles in clinical, community or higher education settings through course work, advanced practice residency and the production of applied scholarship. Nationally, this program is one of only two DCN degree programs.
The University’s online graduate education programs include Doctor of Nursing Practice, Doctor of Nursing Practice in Psychological-Mental Health, Doctor of Clinical Nutrition, Master of Science in American Sign Language/English Interpreting, Master of Education in Educational Leadership: Instructional Technology Track, Master of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics, Master of Science in Criminal Justice, RN-BSN Bridge Track as well as Graduate Certificates in Early Childhood Education, Health Informatics and Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages.
This latest recognition comes on the heels of UNF receiving several other national designations, including Kiplinger’s Personal Finance’s “Best College Value of 2018,” 2018 “Best in the Southeast” by Princeton Review, 2018 “Best Regional” University by U.S. News & World Report, 2018 “Best Colleges” by College Factual and the 2017 Higher Education Excellence in Diversity Award from Insight into Diversity magazine, to name a few.
UNF, a nationally ranked university located on an environmentally beautiful campus, offers students who are dedicated to enriching the lives of others the opportunity to build their own futures through a well-rounded education.
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