UF Online, the University of Florida’s online bachelor’s degree program, is tied for the No. 5 spot in the country – up from No. 12 last year — in the 2019 U.S. News & World Report list of best online programs released today.

The online program offers a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science through the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences that “encourages students to explore the theoretical foundations of information and computation with considerable freedom through the liberal arts.”

“The UF Online Computer Science program provides critical access to best-in-class education in order to meet the ever-growing demand for nimble computing practitioners,” said Juan E. Gilbert, Ph.D., The Banks Family Preeminence Endowed Professor and chair of the UF Department of Computer & Information Science & Engineering. “IT and computing skills are in high demand. The online computer science degree provides greater access to those that may not be able to pursue a traditional campus degree.”

“The growth in the online computer science degree program represents the demand for these skills nationwide,” Gilbert said. “I am proud to see so many students pursuing and completing the online degree that may not have had other options. It’s an honor to see the U.S. News and World Report recognize the excellence in our UF Online program.”

Read more about the ranking on the UF News site.