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Tuesday, January 25, 2022
The University of North Carolina Wilmington is ranked 26th nationally on U.S. News & World Report’s list of “2022 Best Online Bachelor’s Programs,” and several graduate programs were also recognized among top online programs.
Tied at 26th with Concordia University-Chicago and University of Missouri in the overall ranking, UNCW was also selected for “Best Online Bachelor’s Programs for Veterans,” ranking 34th.
“Online education is an important part of our program portfolio,” said Dr. James Winebrake, provost. “This recognition is a testament to our university’s commitment to deliver high-quality education experiences for our growing and diverse student body.”
U.S. News considers a variety of factors in developing its ranking of “Best Online Bachelor’s Programs,” which applies to undergraduate programs in which all required coursework is completed online. UNCW’s qualifying program for 2022 is the RN to BSN online nursing program.
Among the online graduate programs recognized, the UNCW master’s in nursing online program made it on several national lists, ranking 46th overall for “Best Online Master’s in Nursing” – rising 34 places from 80th last year and tying with Clarion University of Pennsylvania/Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, Duquesne University, University of Missouri-Kansas City and University of San Francisco.
Additionally, for the first time, the nursing program was ranked for both “Best Online Master’s in Nursing for Veterans” (12th) and “Best Online Master’s in Nursing Education Programs” (9th).
“We are pleased that U.S. News & World Report continues to recognize our outstanding faculty, staff and curricula as among the best in the country,” said Dr. Charlie Hardy, dean of the College of Health and Human Services. “Our online students receive high-quality education that prepares them to meet health needs of our community. The ongoing pandemic has only reinforced the importance of health care professionals in our communities. We are meeting the challenge of preparing our students to enter the front lines and make a difference.”
Two additional UNCW online graduate programs ranked in the 2022 report, selected once again for “Best Online Master’s of Business” (201) and “Best Online Master’s in Education” (192).
Guided by its Strategic Plan, UNCW continues to develop and refine the quality of its academic programs, research endeavors and partnerships to prepare students for careers in emerging industries and high-demand jobs. Current enrollment figures are at an all-time high and have steadily increased by 40% over the past 12 years from 12,924 in fall 2009 to 18,030 in fall 2021. Online student enrollment is also rapidly growing, more than tripling in six years from 1,369 in fall 2015 to 4,382 in fall 2021.
U.S. News & World Report also recognized UNCW as one of only three UNC System schools among the Top 100 Public National Universities for 2022 in its “Best Colleges 2022” list.
This is the third year that UNCW has made the publication’s Top 100 list of national public universities, following the university’s elevation in 2018 to the category of “Doctoral Universities: High Research Activity” in the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. UNCW tied with Oklahoma State University and University of Louisville at 96th place. UNC-Chapel Hill and N.C. State University are the other two UNC Systems schools on the Top 100 list.
Additionally, UNCW was named a “Best Southeastern School” among 143 colleges that made the list of “2022 Best Colleges: Region by Region” by The Princeton Review. The Princeton Review’s list does not rank colleges and universities, but UNCW is among just 143 colleges featured on the “Best Southeastern” list.
Earlier this year, UNCW launched Like No Other: The Campaign for UNCW, and with the generous support of thousands of alumni, students, employees and donors, the university is moving ever closer to its goal to raise at least $100 million in philanthropic support for scholarships, professorships, programs and other university priorities.
— Krissy Vick
#RANKINGS
