Submitted by Mike Cavalier
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University’s online bachelor’s programs ranked No. 1 in the nation, tied with the University of Florida, by U.S. News & World Report, based on metrics such as student engagement, faculty credentials and training, expert opinion and student services/technology. The university has ranked either No. 1 or No. 2 in this category every year since 2016.
Additionally, for the seventh consecutive year, U.S. News & World Report ranked Embry-Riddle’s online bachelor’s programs for military veterans the best in the United States, out of 101 colleges and universities analyzed. U.S. News & World Report also requires that institutions accept GI Bill tuition waivers and Yellow Ribbon funding in order to be considered in this ranking category.
“Embry-Riddle’s top rankings for online bachelor’s programs reflect our commitment to making quality education accessible around the world and at any point in a person’s career,” said Embry-Riddle President P. Barry Butler, Ph.D. “As a pioneer of distance learning, we have built an online community that engages and serves students, with many courses taught by working aerospace professionals. It is a particular point of pride that Embry-Riddle has helped so many veterans make a transition to well-paid jobs that contribute to our economy and security.”
“It should be a point of pride for all Floridians to see Embry-Riddle and the University of Florida sharing honors as the No. 1 online bachelor’s programs in the country,” Mori Hosseini, chairman and CEO of ICI homes, added. “As the chair of the board of trustees for both institutions, I’m privileged to have an insider’s view of the effort and value these online programs represent. On a personal level, online education helps students launch and advance their careers. For our state, online education is the skill-building resource that creates a workforce with the talent and ingenuity critical to our prosperity and security.”
Embry-Riddle’s Worldwide Campus, which administers the university’s virtual-learning programs in addition to offering in-classroom courses, ensures the academic success of its students by continually working to find new ways of engaging with distance learners and offering the resources they need to excel. Some of these services include virtual reality and extended reality applications, faculty coaching, a working Student Government Association, an internal social networking community (eUnion) and a recently launched program to boost English proficiency of air traffic controllers in Brazil. Leveraging cutting-edge technologies remains a key component to ensuring the university’s mission of creating virtual environments that encourage student engagement. That initiative was recently strengthened with the launch of the campus’s new Academic Innovation Division.
“Year over year, we push ourselves to discover new ways to deliver robust, industry-relevant coursework throughout all of our programs,” said Dr. John R. Watret, Worldwide Campus chancellor. “We take a holistic approach to education, ensuring that all of our staff and faculty make the student experience a primary goal. We understand that our graduates make a significant impact on society on a global scale, and the care and preparation we provide when they are students is paramount to their success in the industry.”
Additionally, the Worldwide Campus College of Business was recognized in the top 20, out of 228 schools, for Best Online Bachelor’s Programs – Business. And, for the first time, the College of Aeronautics’ Department of Engineering and Technology submitted for consideration in the Engineering category, and it was recognized as having the 23rd-best (tied) Online Masters in Engineering Program for Veterans, and the 37th-best (tied) Online Master’s in Engineering Program.
For more than 50 years, Embry-Riddle has offered world-class educational opportunities in multiple modalities to include online and in-person courses. Degree programs are offered at nearly 125 locations around the world, including many military installations. Online degree programs feature multiple start dates and courses generally run for nine weeks. Bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral programs are available to the Worldwide Campus’s 23,000 students.
