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UNO Online Degrees Among Best in Nation

BGS Degree

Bachelor of General Studies student Victoria Novak works on her classes from home

The University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) is home to two of the nation's top online degree programs according to new rankings from U.S. News and World Report.

The rankings, released Tuesday, Jan. 12, name UNO’s online Bachelor of General Studies (BGS) degree as the 17th best online bachelor’s program in the country and UNO's online Masters of Science in Criminology and Criminal Justice as the 18th best in the nation for that field for 2016.

These rankings place both programs as the best in the state of Nebraska for their respective categories.

Bachelor of General Studies

The BGS degree program features more than 50 areas of concentration, 12 of which can be completed entirely online. Other areas can be completed through a mixture of online and in-class coursework.

The flexible, multidisciplinary nature of the degree makes it attractive to online students, adult learners, transfer students and military and veteran students.

In determining its rankings, U.S. News assessed UNO’s BGS program on four general categories: student engagement; faculty credentials and training; student services and technology; and peer reputation. Detailed results are available at the U.S. News website.

Approximately 1,300 UNO students are currently pursuing a BGS degree.

All of UNO’s online students have full access to a team of professional academic advisors who provide guidance and support. Academic advising is available online, over the phone and on campus.  

As part of its online course offerings, UNO provides live streaming audio and video; recorded audio and video; mobile applications; and online labs.

UNO’s BGS degree was first offered in 1951; the program began offering distance education courses in 1997 and an entirely online degree in 2007.

All of UNO’s online bachelor’s and masters degree programs are co-marketed on University of Nebraska Online Worldwide, a university-wide distance education initiative that provides access to more than 100 online degree and certificate programs.

Prominent alumni earning a Bachelors of General Studies degree at UNO include:

  • Former Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel
  • Former Senior Vice President of Motorola Leonard DeBarros
  • U.S. Army General Johnnie Wilson
  • United Way of the Midlands CEO Michael McLarney
  • Singer Billy McGuigan

Masters of Science in Criminology and Criminal Justice

The Masters of Science degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice is a 36-hour program designed to meet the needs of working professionals and traditional students by providing educational access and flexibility in an online format.

Courses in the program range in topics and cover everything from risk assesment, violent crimes, corrections, and juvenile justice.

The School of Criminology and Criminal Justice is no stranger to national attention as the School of Criminology and Criminal justice was also ranked as the No. 17 overall graduate program in the nation in the lastest rankings from U.S. News and World Report.

Prominent alumni from the criminal justice program at UNO include:

  • Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer
  • Douglas County Corrections Director Mark Foxall
  • Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert's chief of staff, Martin Bilek
  • Executive Director of Project Harmony Gene Klein
  • Urban League of Nebraska President Thomas Warren

Related Links

Recent BGS Graduate Created Her Own Path
BGS Areas of Concentration
 Crimnal Justice Research with Community Partners

For media inquiries, please contact:

Sam Petto, UNO Media Relations Coordinator
unonews@unomaha.edu
402.554.2704

or

Charley Reed, UNO Associate Director of Media Relations
unonews@unomaha.edu
402.554.2129
About the University of Nebraska at Omaha

 Located in one of America’s best cities to live, work and learn, the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) is Nebraska’s premier metropolitan university. With more than 15,000 students enrolled in 200-plus programs of study, UNO is recognized nationally for its online education, graduate education, military friendliness and community engagement efforts. Founded in 1908, UNO has served learners of all backgrounds for more than 100 years and is dedicated to another century of excellence both in the classroom and in the community.

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