Poli Sci Online Program Ranked No. 1 by Affordable Colleges
The Political Science Department’s online program has been ranked No. 1 in the U.S. by Affordable Colleges Online. The department has offered its degree as an entirely online option for several years, and students can complete all three tracks in the major — American Politics & Policy, International Relations & Comparative Politics, and Pre-Law – in the virtual environment.
“We are very proud to be ranked as the top program in the country for online Political Science degrees by Affordable Colleges Online,” says Kerstin Hamann, Ph.D., Pegasus Professor and chair of the department. “Our faculty are committed to giving students the best experience possible in their online classes. We also provide opportunities such as honors in the major theses to our online students to provide experiences outside the classroom.”
The number of students who complete their political science major at UCF exclusively through online courses has steadily increased, and many students enroll in a mix of online and face-to-face courses in the department. The Political Science Department also offers its other major — International & Global Studies — as an online option for undergraduate students.
Affordable Colleges Online uses four ranking factors — affordability, quality, flexibility and program – to compare different programs. While all the ranking factors are considered, affordability is the most highly weighted as it includes the cost of tuition and financial aid provided to students. Quality accounts for acceptance and graduation rates, while flexibility takes the inclusion of part-time enrollment options into consideration. The program criteria take a deeper look into the different degrees granted in the program area.
“In our seventh annual survey of online learning programs across the nation, we wanted to honor the colleges and universities that are providing innovative ways for students to complete a degree,” said Dan Schuessler, CEO and Founder of AffordableCollegesOnline.org, in a prepared statement. “These schools are going above and beyond the industry standard to help make online education programs more accessible and affordable.”