Online education enrollment on the rise at University of Arkansas

Enrollment in online classes is on the rise at the University of Arkansas, according to the 2016 UA Global Campus annual report.

Almost half of UA’s student population took at least one online class last year, and the number of UA students enrolled exclusively in online classes has more than doubled in the past four years, rising to 2,747 for this year, according to the report.

In four years, 1,630 UA graduates earned degrees taking only online classes, and the report shows the trend is increasing, from 331 in 2013-14 to 460 projected for 2016-17.

Nationwide, recent data show the number of students taking at least one online course is increasing. The number grew 3.9% from 2013-14 to 2014-15, according to a UA press release citing a report from the Babson Survey Research Group, WCET and the Online Learning Consortium.

“The University of Arkansas can be proud of its efforts to promote student success by making its courses, programs and resources available to more students through distance education,” Donald Judges, interim vice provost for distance education, said in the press release. “Data show students are taking advantage of these opportunities to enrich their lives, strengthen our workforce and fuel economic growth.”

NEW PROGRAMS
The UA has added 20 new web-based undergraduate, graduate and certificate programs during the past four years, now offering more than 550 online courses in all seven of the university’s colleges and schools, according to the UA.

Five bachelor’s degrees and 25 graduate degrees now can be earned almost completely online, and others are in development, according to the school.

New online programs include a bachelor’s in communications, master’s in social work and graduate certificate in geospatial technology, all within the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences.

“We are incredibly proud of the quality of these programs, and of being able to offer them to students regardless of their geographic location to our main campus,” Todd Shields, dean of Fulbright College, said in the press release. “Our faculty worked diligently to create each program and continue to work hard to ensure our students will be successful in their online studies and have meaningful experiences that support their career desires.”

NATIONAL DISTANCE LEARNING WEEK
This week (Nov. 7-11), the university is celebrating National Distance Learning Week by highlighting achievements of its online students and faculty.

“It fulfilled a desire I’d had my whole life, when I got that diploma,” former UA student Laura Sherer of North Carolina said in the press release.

Sherer earned her bachelor’s degree in human resource and workforce development from the College of Education and Health Professions.

Danielle Tabb is stationed in Little Rock with the U.S. Air Force and enrolled in a master’s degree program of the UA College of Engineering.

“This university has provided me my best online education experience,” she said, according to the press release. “The flexibility is unparalleled, and the teachers truly love what they’re doing.”