UF Online Releases Annual Report for the 2018-2019 Academic Year

GAINESVILLE, FL – UF Online has released its fifth annual report, highlighting a number of developments in the University of Florida’s online undergraduate program.

In the 2018-2019 academic year, UF Online celebrated its fifth year with a variety of exciting innovations. Additional research opportunities, a revamped Student Plaza, and more helped bring a robust online learning experience to 4,000+ online Gators. Now offering over 20 fully-online bachelor’s degrees, UF Online is showing the world that the mission of a large, research university extends far beyond the campus walls. Celebrating a year of continued growth, more than 2,000 students have now graduated via UF Online and joined the UF Alumni network. In 2019, UF Online was also ranked as the #5 best online bachelor’s program by U.S. News & World Report, an external recognition that speaks to the hard work and dedication of countless individuals across the institution who work to bring UF’s characteristic rigor and high quality to a more versatile format.

“I’m so proud that UF is ushering in a new chapter of online and hybrid undergraduate experiences, focused on the student experience, academic rigor, quality engagement, and flexible formats – all at the hands of our esteemed UF faculty. If we remain focused on the needs of the student, we will continue to transform and evolve as a land-grant university,” said Evangeline Cummings, Assistant Provost and Director of UF Online.

Some of the notable achievements from this academic year include:

-- Welcoming new majors to UF’s online undergraduate offerings. Education Sciences, which launched in Fall 2018, is the first online addition from the UF College of Education and the only major of its kind in Florida. Digital Arts & Sciences became the first UF College of the Arts major available through UF Online in Spring 2018. These programs provide exciting opportunities for online Gators in continually evolving fields of study.

-- Introducing the first Chemistry Lab Bootcamp in the State University System of Florida. This hybrid course, launched in Summer 2019, allows General Chemistry I students to complete coursework entirely online before convening on campus for a week-long intensive lab experience. The flexible and condensed format provides online students with hands-on experience in top lab facilities. Faculty innovators at UF are forging new models and paving the way for high-quality online STEM education.

-- Hosting the first STEMpowered Symposium on the use of technology in undergraduate STEM education. UF Online invited faculty and instructional designers from across the State University System of Florida to Gainesville in October 2018 for two days of presentations, demos, panels, keynotes, and more. The symposium focused on the wise integration of educational technology, ideas on the future of STEM courses and labs, and innovative curriculum development for online learning.

“With the release of UF Online’s latest annual report, the University of Florida is demonstrating once again that our nation’s top 10 public universities are capable of impactful innovation that welcome students into higher education at any life stage,” Cummings said. “What an exciting time as we watch our campus expand its impact, meeting our busy students in their homes, communities, work spaces, on the road, and in their duty stations with an amazing UF education – enriching this great university in the process. Go Gators!”

UF Online’s versatile pathways continue to expand access to the Gator Nation. Here’s an overview of 2018-2019 by the numbers:

-- The number of students enrolled in UF Online reached 4,137.

-- 158 new sections and 82 brand new online courses were created.

-- The number of UF faculty teaching in UF Online grew by 77.

-- Students took 74,890 credit hours through UF Online.

-- More than 2,000 students have now graduated through UF Online.

For a detailed review of the past academic year, view the UF Online annual report on the Official Documents page.

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The University of Florida is the No. 7 public university in the country as ranked by U.S. News & World Report in 2019. The UF Online pathway earned the No. 5 rank in the country in the U.S. News & World Report 2019 rankings of online programs. Students can select from more than 20 UF majors and 8 minors taught by UF faculty from across 13 colleges. UF Online students also work with a dedicated academic advisor to design their own academic pathway and schedule each term. Degree programs are continually being added. Visit ufonline.ufl.edu to learn more.