26
January
2023
|
16:50 PM
America/Chicago

Two UHD Online Programs Among the Nation’s Best

U.S. News & World Report Rankings Announced

Summary

By Marie Jacinto

Congrats to the College of Public Service (CPS)! Two of CPS’ degree plans were touted among the Best Online Programs by U.S News & World Report.

UHD rose 25 points to No. 55 among the 2023 Best Online Bachelor’s Programs for Applied Administration and by one point to No. 26 as Best Online Master's in Criminal Justice Program.

Last year UHD was ranked 80th in Best Online Bachelor's Programs for Applied Administration and 27th for Best Online Master's in Criminal Justice programs. U.S. News assessed schools in these categories based on a variety of objective factors, such as student engagement, faculty credentials, and services and technologies.

Designed for individuals looking to complete or further their education, this year's edition of Best Online Programs evaluates more than 1,800 online bachelor's and master's degree programs. While the methodologies are different for each discipline, they all incorporate metrics specific to online learning. The rankings only include degree-granting programs that are offered primarily online by regionally accredited institutions.

The two rankings for UHD speak volumes about the University’s commitment to Student Success, especially for transfer students, with the goal to provide support at every level in making their transition from community college to UHD as seamless as possible. The Applied Administration degree program is designed to offer students who have completed an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree the opportunity to develop competencies and skills for promotion to administrative and supervisory positions in organizations.

UHD’s Master’s in Criminal Justice prepares graduate students for leadership, critical thinking, and knowledge in the areas of criminological theory, program evaluation, and criminal justice administration. The curriculum provides for the development of skills in criminal justice planning, implementation, and evaluation to ensure that the management and administration of the criminal justice system is effective, efficient, and responsive to the needs of the community. The degree is particularly beneficial for students who are already working in a criminal justice occupation and who wish to increase their professional knowledge and skills; obtain employment in a criminal justice agency; teach at the community college level; or pursue a doctoral degree.

"Most of the undergraduate programs in the Best Online Programs rankings are degree completion programs, meaning the vast majority of their students already have some college credit," said Liana Loewus, Managing Editor of Education at U.S. News. "The methodologies are developed with those students in mind, setting these rankings apart from those that are focused on recent high school graduates pursuing higher education for the first time." Prospective students can see how UHD compares to other institutions and how the rankings are calculated on USNews.com.

More than 40 million people visit USNews.com each month for research and guidance. Founded in 1933, U.S. News is headquartered in Washington.

About the University of Houston-Downtown

The University of Houston-Downtown (UHD) is the second-largest university in Houston and has served the educational needs of the nation’s fourth-largest city since 1974. As one of four distinct public universities in the University of Houston System, UHD is a comprehensive, four-year university led by President Loren J. Blanchard. Annually, UHD educates approximately 14,000 students, boasts more than 66,000 alumni, and offers 45 bachelor’s degrees, 12 master’s degrees, and 19 online programs within four colleges: Marilyn Davies College of Business, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, College of Public Service, and College of Sciences and Technology. UHD has one of the lowest tuition rates in Texas.

U.S. News and World Report ranked UHD among the nation’s Best Online Bachelor’s Programs for Applied Administration and Best Online Master’s Programs in Criminal Justice, as well as a Top Performer in Social Mobility. The Wall Street Journal/College Pulse ranked UHD one of the best colleges in the U.S. for its 2024 rankings, with notable distinctions: No. 1 for diversity (tied) and No. 3 for student experience. The University is designated as a Hispanic-Serving Institution, a Minority-Serving Institution, and a Military Friendly School. For more information on the University of Houston-Downtown, visit uhd.edu.