Getting a degree online is a great way to get started on a better career and a better paycheck and many of the top online colleges in Florida are extremely competitive. When you earn an online degree from one it looks no different than if you had attended in person. The quality of education and the price make Florida online schools an exceptional value.
Where To Find The Top Online Colleges in Florida
Florida State College
Florida State College offers Associate in Arts, Associate in Science and Certificate Programs online. The AA and AS programs are 60 credits, and they prepare students to enter Bachelor’s programs in the junior year. All general education coursework is completed. Students are encouraged to meet with an advisor prior to enrollment to make certain that they take all courses required for their major. After program completion students may continue at the Florida State University on campus or they may attend a BA/BS program at another university. Specialized Associate degrees are offered in Industrial Management, Criminal Justice Technology and Business Administration. Certificate programs are offered in Office Support and Accounting Technology.
Florida State University
FSU requires that you have an Associate’s degree or BA/BS in order to do online work at the BA level. Bachelor’s degrees in Computer Science, Criminology, Interdisciplinary Social Science and Public Safety and Security with a focus in Law Enforcement and Police Science are offered. These programs allow you to complete your degree from wherever you live without visiting the campus. However, some testing at a proctored site may be required. When you study at FSU you will receive the same quality education that you would as a student on campus and you will also be eligible for the same state and federal financial aid. In addition to undergraduate programs, FSU also offers graduate programs online. MBA, Master’s in Management Information Systems (MIS), Nursing and Master’s in Library Science are just a few of the available graduate offerings.
University of West Florida
Undergraduate Degrees are available in Engineering Technology (BS), Exceptional Student Education (BA), Health Sciences (BS), Information Technology (BS), Maritime Studies (BA), Nursing (BSN) and Oceanography (BS). Proctored testing will more than likely be required of some courses. Most public college and university campuses are acceptable sites and remotes testing sites are available throughout the state.
Resource: Top Online Colleges for Education
University of Florida
The University of Florida is possibly the most prestigious university in the state. To attend UF online, you must meet the same admission requirements of any UF student and you must meet the requirements of the department as well. At the undergraduate level, the University of Florida offers Microbiology and Cell Science (BS), Business Administration (BA), Interdisciplinary Studies (BS), Fire and Emergency Services (BS), Digital Arts and Sciences (BA), Health Education and Behavior (BS) and Criminology (BA). UF also has an extensive variety of graduate level programs.
University of South Florida
Rated #23 by US News Online Education in Faculty Credentials and Training, the University of South Florida offers Bachelors, Masters and Ph.Ds online. The only undergraduate program offered is the BS in Applied Science. The prerequisite for this program is prior completion of an Associate’s degree. Graduate level programs include Master of Arts in Adult Education, Speech Pathology, Library Science, Global Sustainability, Reading K-12 and Special Education. A Master’s in Education (MED), Public Health (MPH) and MS in Engineering Management, Electrical Engineering, Nursing Education and Educational Sciences are additional graduate offerings. The Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction is another fully online program offered at the University of South Florida.
Financial Aid for the Top Online Colleges in Florida
Online Colleges in Florida that are programs of established Florida state colleges and universities offer financial and academic advantages over other online schools. First of all, it’s hard to beat in-state tuition. Annual undergraduate tuition varies from $6,400 per year at University of West Florida to $3,397 at Florida State University. However, since tuition is often a prohibiting factor for students wanting to attend college, financial aid is often available. And there are many top online colleges with no application fee.
Financial aid for many of the top online colleges in Florida is available both through the federal government’s FAFSA program, offering general grants, scholarships, and loans available for any program of study, and through more specific scholarship programs that target those seeking to attend college online. Florida students may be eligible for the merit based Bright Futures Scholarship. This scholarship is funded by the Florida State Lottery and has 3 tiers determined by GPA in core subjects, SAT scores and 75 hours of volunteer work. Bright Futures pays $75 to $101 per credit hour depending on your qualifications. Bright Futures is a great scholarship, but it has many requirements, so make sure you look in to them before senior year is well underway.
