A pioneer in online learning for nearly 30 years, UCF is recognized as one of the top three U.S. universities in online learning by The Times Higher Education. In the inaugural rankings, which measures online learning globally, UCF was one of 11 institutions worldwide to earn gold status.

Of the gold-ranking schools, UCF earned the highest score for resources, 86.5. This pillar considers institutional funding dedicated to online academic activities, the ratio of online faculty to students and the number of hours of professional development for online faculty.

“UCF’s online programs excel through an unparalleled ecosystem of support, where the Division of Digital Learning empowers faculty with expert instructional design, advanced media production and innovative technological resources that transform digital education,” says Thomas Cavanagh ’06PhD, UCF’s vice provost for digital learning. “This holistic approach extends directly to students through dedicated online success coaches and a responsive technical support team, ensuring that every learner has the tools, guidance and assistance needed to thrive in a dynamic, virtual learning environment.”

The only other U.S. universities that ranked gold were Arizona State University (Tempe) and American University. UCF is one of 56 total schools to make the list.

Knight Nation also earned a 71.5 score for outcomes, 71.1 score for environment and 56.8 score for engagement. These four pillars cover 17 total metrics, which include factors like accessibility and number of programs, among others.

Creating Paths to Student Success

At UCF, students thrive with a strategic mix of online, blended and face-to-face courses. In Fall 2023, about 65% of all UCF students took at least one fully online course.

“Online courses enabled students to continue studying through the COVID-19 pandemic and provide access to higher education for those living in conflict areas such as Ukraine,” The Times Higher Education stated in its release. “They bring the possibility of qualifications to those living in education deserts, and of professional development to lifelong learners.”

One striking example of this commitment is UCF Online international and global studies alum Mia Willard ’24, who continued her studies from Kyiv, Ukraine, during the ongoing conflict. Her resilience underscores the extensive support UCF extends across geographic and situational boundaries to ensure every student has the opportunity to succeed.

From admission to graduation, each academic year UCF Online supports over 8,000 fully online students who can access a range of services including academic advising, library services, career support, tech support and more.

Among the resources UCF provides to students are online success coaches, who are advisors dedicated to working one-on-one with each person to understand their academic and career goals. To reach these, online success coaches help develop realistic strategies and a plan for each student’s path to success at UCF. They also assist students with balancing their academic pursuits with other life priorities.

“The [online] success coach-student partnership is crucial because academics are directly affected by external challenges, so we work together to help students achieve the best possible results,” says Tasha Williams, director of student coaching.

Dedicated Online Faculty and Staff

UCF faculty also receive dedicated support and training to ensure they’re providing the best online learning experience for students. Faculty creating new online courses must complete 80 hours of professional development with an instructional designer. UCF also provides 35 hours of training for faculty who want to teach existing online courses.

Through this training, participants attend live seminars and consultations, complete web-based activities, and develop online or blended course materials. To date, nearly 2,000 faculty have completed Professional Development for Teaching Online, an award-winning, non-credit instructional design course. More than 3,400 fully online courses have been developed at UCF.

The Center for Distributed Learning (CDL), part of the Division of Digital Learning, assists with providing this instruction and resources for teaching online. The staff at CDL include award-winning professionals such as members of Video@CDL, a team that produces and manages multimedia for online classes at UCF. Recently, members of the team won five Emmys for their work on a documentary and docuseries connected to hands-on learning at the U.S.-Mexico border. The videos follow an annual trip led by Irene Pons ’00 senior lecturer of legal studies, and includes involvement from Rich Brunson ’84, senior instructor of journalism.

“We are committed to creating content that improves the student learning experience and adds real value,” Aaron Hosé, media production manager and lead producer, said in a story about the awards. “This is why we do what we do at the Center for Distributed Learning — to help elevate the quality of media used in online courses.”

Extensive Online Program Offerings

UCF Online offers more than 130 fully online programs, including 34 bachelor’s, 49 master’s, 43 graduate certificates and 5 doctoral degrees. From psychology to nursing, these academic offerings provide a convenient way for students to start a new or elevate their existing career across in-demand industries.

Among UCF’s new online programs is the criminal justice — professional track bachelor’s program, which not only provides students with the academic training needed to work in policing or corrections but also the state certification needed for these careers. The new track also embeds courses that culminate in a certificate in criminal justice management and leadership.

“The ultimate goal for the professional track is to equip students who want to serve their communities as they work toward becoming the next generation of law-enforcement leaders,” said Associate Professor Cory Watkins, the professional track coordinator, in a story about the program.

Earlier this year, UCF was also named No. 7 in the nation for Best Online Bachelor’s Programs by U.S. News & World Report. In 2023, UCF Digital Learning was awarded the Power Learner Potential Award by 1EdTech.