(Photo by August Jennewein)

Students of the University of Missouri–St. Louis are getting the best undergraduate online experience in the state, according to U.S. News and World Report’s 2014 Best Online Programs Rankings.

U.S. News ranks UMSL 34th nationally and 1st in Missouri in the category of online bachelor’s programs. UMSL was listed as having the 43rd best online bachelor’s programs in 2013. The full rankings were released Jan. 8 and are available online at usnews.com.

“UMSL online programs are designed to provide students maximum quality and flexibility,” UMSL Provost Glen Cope said. “We are finding that students succeed here best when they use online courses to supplement their on-campus schedules.

“The high-tech, high-touch approach resonates well with our students,” she said. “They appreciate our online courses, but continue to seek face-to-face opportunities with their peers and faculty.”

UMSL offers about 800 courses totally or mostly online. Blended courses include a mix of online work with on-campus class time or on-campus testing.

For the 2014 Best Online Degree Programs rankings, U.S. News compiled a list of public, private and for-profit colleges and universities in the U.S. that offer programs online, then collected data from each of those schools. In calculating the rankings, U.S. News officials looked at student engagement, faculty credentials and training, peer reputation, admissions selectivity, and student services and technology.

For more information, contact the UMSL Office of Online Administration.