Is UMass Global An Online College?

For years now, online learning has become more and more popular. It's a convenient way to earn your degree even if you have a busy life.

UMass Global has recently shifted its focus to adult and distance learners. Keep reading to learn more about whether UMass Global is an online college.

What Is UMass Global?

The University of Massachusetts Global, or UMass Global, is a non-profit, private affiliate of the public University of Massachusetts. It offers programs for busy adult and non-traditional learners.

Founded in 1958 as a branch of Chapman College, it started by offering courses on military bases in California. The name was changed to Brandman University in 2009.

In 2021, the University of Massachusetts acquired the university in order to expand its online offerings. It was renamed UMass Global.

Today, UMass Global enrolls nearly 9,000 students in associate, bachelor's, master's, doctoral, certificate, and credential programs.

These programs are primarily designed with adult learners in mind; the average age of students at the university is 36 years old and 52% of students have at least one dependant.

UMass Global is regionally accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.

Is UMass Global an Online College?

While UMass Global still maintains campuses in Irvine and San Diego, California, the university has transitioned to almost exclusively online programs.

Most of the programs at UMass Global are available in a traditional, yet flexible format. The pace is set by the instructor, and while assignments have due dates, students are typically not required to log in at a set time.

Courses are offered in eight-week terms with six terms each year. This makes it easy for students to take a term or two off if life gets hectic.

Many programs offered through the School of Business and Professional Studies are also available in the university's self-paced MyPath format.

These are competency-based education programs without set deadlines. Once you finish one section, you'll move on to the next. You can take as many or as few classes per term as you like.

What Online Programs Does UMass Global Offer?

UMass Global offers over 65 online programs through its five schools.

These are:

• School of Arts and Sciences
• School of Business and Professional Studies
• School of Education
• School of Nursing and Health Professions
• School of Extended Education

Through these schools, UMass Global offers associate degrees, bachelor's degrees, master's degrees, doctoral degrees, certificates and courses, and credentials and authorizations.

Online Associate Degrees at UMass Global

Associate degrees are undergraduate degrees that usually require about 60 credits. UMass Global offers two online associate degrees.

The first is an Associate of Arts in general business. This is a MyPath program offered through the School of Business and Professional Studies

The second is an Associate of Art in General Education offered through the School of Arts and Sciences. This program is offered in a traditional format and covers a broad range of subjects.

Online Bachelor's Degrees at UMass Global

A broad range of bachelor's degree programs are available online through the different schools at UMass Global.

The most popular bachelor's degree is the Bachelor of Business Administration.

This program offers several concentrations, including:

• accounting
• finance
• marketing
• supply chain management and logistics

The Bachelor of Arts (BA) in organizational leadership is also popular. Together, these programs account for 35% of the bachelor's degrees conferred by UMass Global in 2022.

Both programs are offered through the School of Business and Professional Studies and are available in the traditional and the MyPath formats.

Other popular degrees include the Bachelor of Arts in psychology, with concentrations in areas like child psychology or industrial/organizational psychology, and the Bachelor of Arts in social work.

These programs are both offered by the School of Arts and Sciences. The social work degree is programmatically accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE).

The School of Education offers one bachelor's degree program: a BA in early childhood education. This program is accredited by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CCTC).

Likewise, the School of Nursing offers a Registered Nurse to Bachelor of Science in Nursing as its only bachelor's program.

This program is for licensed registered nurses and is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).

Online Master's Degrees at UMass Global

Master's degrees are the most common level of degree earned at UMass Global. Like bachelor's degrees, master's degrees are available in a wide variety of fields.

Degrees in education are the most popular, accounting for nearly half of all master's degrees earned in 2022. School counseling was the top field in education, followed by elementary education and general education.

The College of Business and Professional Studies also offers popular degrees, like the Master of Business Administration (MBA) and the Master of Arts in organizational leadership.

Other popular degrees include the MA in marriage and family therapy and the Master of Social work, both offered through the College of Arts and Sciences.

The College of Nursing and Health Professions at UMass does not offer master's degrees.

Online Doctoral Degrees at UMass Global

Only two doctoral degrees are available at UMass Global: a Doctor of Education and Doctor of Nursing Practice degrees.

The Doctor of Education is focused in organizational leadership and is offered through the College of Education.

The Doctor of Nursing Practice is offered through the College of Nursing and Health Professions. It's for students who are registered nurses with at least a bachelor's degree looking to become nurse practitioners.

Students in the nursing practice program can choose to go into family practice or psychiatric and mental health practice.

Both the doctorate in education and in nursing are programmatically accredited.

Online Extended Education Programs at UMass

In addition to degrees, UMass also offers credentials, certificates, and courses to help you further your career.

These degrees are primarily offered through the School of Education and are available in fields like:

• business
• information technology
• leadership
• teaching and education

Most extended education programs are offered in the traditional online format, but some business and IT programs are available as MyPath programs.

Find Online Degree Programs at UMass Global

UMass Global is an online college that caters to adult students. It offers degrees and programs from the associate to the doctoral level online.

With the guide above, you can determine if an online degree through UMass Global is right for you!