ULM blazes online trail

More accolades have come to the University of Louisiana at Monroe’s online programs, and that praise is well deserved.

GraduatePrograms.com — an online resource for students searching for top-ranked graduate schools — recently released its annual “Best Online Schools and Graduate Programs” list. Based on rankings and reviews by more than 25,000 students in more than 600 programs, the University of Louisiana at Monroe’s online graduate school ranked at number 12 in the nation for best overall graduate school.

Go back and read that last sentence. It should make you say, “Wow!”

Students were asked to rate programs based on academic competitiveness, career support, financial aid, quality of network, and more.

“Our faculty work hard to offer quality courses, and they and our staff put a lot of effort into providing the support needed for students to have a positive experience,” said Dr. Eric Pani, Vice President for Academic Affairs. “I think those efforts are reflected in this ranking since students are supplying the data. eULM is succeeding in providing opportunities for people anywhere to earn advanced degrees that increase their job qualifications and earning potential.”

For those not in the know, any faculty member will tell you the preparation and work involved with teaching an online course makes lecturing in the classroom seem like a cakewalk. It’s far more difficult to develop an online course that engages students, and even more demanding to keep up with all of the communications from members of the class.

ULM’s online graduate school received a score of 9.05, and was the only program in the state to make the list. The number one ranked school, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, received a score of 9.68.

“eULM is committed to breaking down the barriers for adult learners who want to continue their education,” said Paula Thornhill, director of eULM. “We are proud to offer many of ULM’s graduate degrees in an online format so that adult learners can earn degrees and achieve their professional and personal goals. Earning this recognition is affirmation that eULM continues to successfully meet the needs and make a difference in the lives of its students.”

ULM was ranked among some of the nation’s most respected universities, including the University of Oklahoma, Boise State University, the University of Denver, Texas A&M University, Michigan State University and Georgetown University.

According to the site, rankings are determined by calculating the average score for each program based on 15 ranking categories. The scores are then compared across all ranked schools and are translated into a final ranking. A given graduate program is not ranked until a minimum threshold of graduate student surveys is completed for that graduate program.

Kudos to Thornhill and the ULM faculty for making eULM’s program so successful. This recognition can only enhance the university’s opportunities to cast a wide net nationally and internationally for students.

The editorials in this column represent the opinions of The News-Star’s editorial board, composed of General Manager and Executive Editor Kathy Spurlock, Engagement and Community Content Editor Hope Young, Watchdog and Storytelling Coach Mark Henderson and Business and Politics Reporter Greg Hilburn.