January 21, 2025
A Decade of Distinction in Online Learning
The University of Florida College of Education is again recognized as a national leader in online education, achieving one of the top two spots in U.S. News and World Report’s Best Online Graduate Education Programs for the tenth consecutive year.
In addition to its online graduate education programs, the University of Florida was recognized as the best online bachelor’s program for veterans and active-duty service members for the third year in a row. UF was also named No. 2 in the country for online bachelor’s degree programs overall.
“A decade of dominant rankings is evidence of our collective drive to achieve the college’s mission, preparing exemplary scholars and practitioners through a dynamic array of programs,” said College of Education Dean Glenn Good. “After ten years of trailblazing, our faculty, students, staff, alumni and partners around the globe are prepared to continue pushing the boundaries of education.”
Glenn Good, Ph.D.
College of Education Dean
Ranked at No. 2 in the country among 322 peer institutions the college also secured the top spot in the state of Florida.
The college’s remarkable achievement this year rounds out a decade of national distinction for developing innovative programs and preparing an exceptional education workforce – a recognition regularity that is unparalleled among other education colleges.
The College of Education currently offers a wide variety of online graduate degree programs and is constantly improving its online offerings through collaborative partnerships between dedicated faculty and the college’s E-Learning, Technology, and Communications (ETC) staff. This highly skilled team of instructional designers, videographers, editors, graphic designers, and web and application developers help to implement best practices and build learning environments that leverage emerging technologies and support learning objectives to improve student engagement and success.
"Leading our college’s course development team over the past decade has been infinitely rewarding, and the dedication of our faculty, staff, and students has been instrumental in maintaining our high standards of learning,” said Jason Arnold, director of ETC. “While a consistently high ranking is not our primary goal, it serves as a testament to our unwavering commitment to the highest quality of education. We are driven not by accolades, but by our passion for enriching lives and empowering future leaders."
Jason Arnold, Ed.D
Director of E-Learning, Technology and Communications
Specialty Area Rankings
Since U.S. News began ranking specialty programs in 2020, the College of Education has ranked in the top 10 of all available specialty areas. These specialty area rankings are based on peer assessment of academic reputation and are as follows:
- No. 1 – Special Education
- No. 3 – Curriculum and Instruction
- No. 7 – Administration & Supervision
- No. 7 – Instructional Media Design/Educational Technology
“Once again, the College of Education is recognized as a leader in online education, acknowledging the tireless dedication of our faculty to ensure students are well-prepared as exemplary practitioners and scholars, ready to make an impact in their chosen fields of study.”
Elayne Colón
Associate Dean of Academic and Student Affairs
According to U.S. News, a master’s degree in education increases opportunities for advancement in leadership positions and can help further careers in teaching, training and development, and administration. Overall program rankings are determined based on five general components: student engagement (30 percent), expert opinion (20 percent), faculty credentials and training (20 percent), student services and technology (20 percent), and student excellence (10 percent).
Engagement
Quality online graduate education programs grant aspiring teachers and educational administrators opportunities to readily interact with their instructors and classmates to create an experience rewarding enough that students stay enrolled and complete their degrees in a reasonable amount of time.
Services and Technologies
Programs that incorporate diverse online learning technologies allow greater flexibility for students to take classes from a distance. Outside of classes, strong support structures provide learning assistance, career guidance and financial aid resources.
Faculty Credentials and Training
Strong online programs employ instructors with academic credentials that mirror those of instructors for campus-based programs, and they have the resources to train these instructors to teach distance learners.
Peer Assessment
A survey of high-ranking academic officials in education helps account for intangible factors affecting program quality that statistics don’t capture.
Student Excellence
Student bodies entering with proven aptitudes, ambitions and accomplishments can handle the demands of rigorous coursework.
