2024 Top Online Colleges in Connecticut
Scroll down to see the top not-for-profit colleges and universities in Connecticut offering online degree programs.
Want to see the most affordable colleges in Connecticut? View them here
Scroll down to see the top not-for-profit colleges and universities in Connecticut offering online degree programs.
Want to see the most affordable colleges in Connecticut? View them here
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Charter Oak State College specializes in degree-completion programs for adults who have already completed some college work. In addition to transferring credits from previous schools no matter how long ago the classes were taken, students can earn credit in alternate ways such as through testing, a portfolio process, or for military training. In fact, the only courses undergrads must take through Charter Oak are the cornerstone and capstone courses. The college has bachelor's degree programs for eight different majors plus a bachelor's and associate degree in general studies. The college also has an online Master of Science in Organizational Effectiveness and Leadership that lets students select a business or non-profit track.
Accreditation: New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Commission on Institutions of Higher Education
Sacred Heart University offers the following online degree programs in nursing: RN to BSN, RN to MSN, and a stand-alone MSN program. A Master of Science in Applied Psychology (MSAP) degree is also available. Coursework in the RN to BSN program includes health, wellness, and care across cultures, clinical leadership development, qualitative and quantitative measures of care outcome, bioethics, and information technology for nursing practice. The RN to MSN program allows students to earn their BSN on the way to an MSN, thus saving students both time and money. The program offers specializations in nursing management and executive leadership, nursing education, and clinical nurse leader. The MSN program has no residency requirement and practicum hours can be completed in a student's geographical area. The MSAP program has concentrations in industrial-organizational psychology, community psychology, and general applied psychology. Sacred Heart University also offers a complete, four-level English as a Second Language (ESL) program that can be accessed by students in the United States or anywhere else in the world. The program is professor-led (not self-paced) and can be completed within one year. Online degree-seeking undergraduate students are considered eligible for federal financial assistance such as the Federal PELL Grant (up to $5,775/year).
Accreditation: New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Commission on Institutions of Higher Education
Quinnipiac University offers two online undergraduate programs for students who already have an associate's degree or 60 transferrable college credits: Bachelor of Business Administration and Bachelor of Science in Health Science Studies. The latter is designed for students who want to pursue post-graduate studies or for applicants with an unrelated background who wish to make the shift to the health science field. A third online program, BS in Nursing (RN to BSN), considers junior-level applicants. On the graduate level, students accepted to the online Master of Business Administration program can choose from three tracks: Chartered Financial Analyst, health care management, or supply chain management. Online Master of Science (MS) programs are available in the following fields: business analytics, organizational leadership, interactive media, instructional design, special education, and teacher leadership. Qualified students can also pursue an MS in Nursing in Operational Leadership degree online. For those interested in a doctoral program, Quinnipiac University offers an Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD) and a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree, which can both be completed online. At the current time, three online certificate programs are offered by the university: Health Care Compliance Certificate, Advanced Graduate Certificate in Social Media, and Special Education Certificate of Completion.
Accreditation: New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Commission on Institutions of Higher Education
The UConn eCampus has more than 100 online courses. Graduate degree programs are offered in Accounting, Educational Technology, Gifted and Talented Education, Human Resource Management, Neonatal Nursing and Survey Research. Also offered through the UConn eCampus are a Post-Baccalaureate Certificate Program in Occupational Safety and Health, a Hybrid Graduate Certificate in Holistic Nursing and 12 Graduate Certificate Programs. Students taking online classes may be eligible for financial assistance. UConn eCampus uses the Blackboard learning management system, which it refers to as 'HuskyCT.'
Accreditation: New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Commission on Institutions of Higher Education
The University of Bridgeport has online programs from bachelor's to a doctorate. The undergraduate programs are targeted at adult learners, and options include a degree in general studies, professional studies, or psychology. Licensed dental hygienists or registered nurses can complete a corresponding Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene or Nursing. (An online MS in Dental Hygiene is also available.) At the graduate level, Bridgeport offers an MBA and degrees in nutrition, educational leadership, and global development and peace. Depending upon the program, classes run for eight or 16 weeks. All applicants work with an admissions counselor, and an acceptance decision is usually made in less than two weeks after all required materials are received.
Accreditation: New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Commission on Institutions of Higher Education
The University of Saint Joseph in Connecticut offers four science-based master's degrees through its online education program. The college also offers a Doctor in Nursing Practice and two health-related graduate certificates online. The master's degrees are in biology, chemistry, biochemistry, and nutrition. Each Master of Science program requires students to complete 30 credits, and some offer students a choice between preparing a thesis or taking a comprehensive exam. All the master's programs have prerequisite classes, which vary by the degree being sought. All classes for the Doctor of Nursing Practice are offered online. The program is open to applicants who have a Master of Science in Nursing earned with a GPA of 3.2 or higher. USJ's Graduate Certificate in Health Informatics prepares students for a field that combines health care with information technology to improve medical decisions. An online Graduate Degree in Health Coaching is designed for dietitians, nutritionists, psychologists, nurses, and exercise physiologists who want to help patients change their behavior to improve their health. Online courses at USJ are delivered in an asynchronous format so students can view class assignments when it fits their schedule. Students may start these programs at the start of any term.
Accreditation: New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Commission on Institutions of Higher Education
St. Vincent's College offers two bachelor programs online: an RN to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) completion program and a Bachelor of Science in Radiologic Services (BSRS). In addition, there are two online certificate programs available - Healthcare Management and Health Promotion. There are almost 60 courses that can be taken completely online as part of a student's on-campus degree. There are five hybrid courses currently being offered. St. Vincent's uses Angel Learning as its course management system to facilitate online instruction and interaction.
Accreditation: New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Commission on Institutions of Higher Education;New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Commission on Technical and Career Institutions
The University of Hartford offers six master's programs that can be completed entirely online. Most of the programs offer asynchronous classes that allow students to choose when and where they will log on to do coursework. The online MBA is available to full-time and part-time students, and candidates can choose to concentrate in finance, business analytics, international business, or management. The Master of Science in Accounting and Taxation offers a taxation track with accelerated classes that run in six- or seven-week terms. The Master of Education in Special Education is a non-licensure program designed for licensed teachers who want to develop expertise in working with special-needs students. Students working toward the Master of Education with Montessori concentration can take all the master's level coursework online, but they must complete the required Association of Montessori Internationale training in person. Montessori candidates select whether to work for the master's in early childhood education or elementary education. Hartford also has online programs leading to a Master of Science in Organizational Psychology and a Master of Science in Management.
Accreditation: New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Commission on Institutions of Higher Education
The University of New Haven offers four online programs leading to master's degrees and also has a bachelor completion program for adult students. The 36-credit Master of Science in Criminal Justice is offered in a 100 percent online format with asynchronous courses that last from six to eight weeks. Students can complete the degree in about two years. The Master of Science in Emergency Management is a part-time program that only requires students to take one course per term. Terms are six to eight weeks long for maximum flexibility. The online Master of Science in Environmental Engineering is a 30-credit program with classes delivered in six eight-week terms throughout the year. Students in the Master of Science in Investigations program can choose a concentration in criminal investigations, white collar crime investigations, or forensics computer investigations. Students can complete the fully online degree in about one year. Applicants for any of the online degrees do not have to submit GRE or GMAT scores. The Bachelor of Science in Professional Studies is a 100 percent online degree completion program that students can earn in as few as 30 months if they already have an associate degree.
Accreditation: New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Commission on Institutions of Higher Education
Thinking of earning an online degree in Connecticut? It can help to have guidance! Once you’ve decided on distance learning, you’ll probably face a lot of questions about prices, degree completion programs, and accreditation. You may want more info on affordable choices. You may be interested in discounts.
That’s why we created this short guide to choosing an online program in Connecticut. Here we highlight some great online course/degree catalogs and talk about online universities that have experienced accreditation issues. You’ll also find a list of useful links at the end.
Connecticut’s Office of Higher Education (CTOHE) has a handy Academic Program Search, where you can search for online or hybrid degrees in any subject, at any degree level, at any Connecticut community college or university! Not sure about your options? Along with a list of regionally accredited institutions in Connecticut (independent and state-supported), CTOHE also has a list of out-of-state institutions registered in Connecticut to offer online instruction.
The Connecticut State Colleges & Universities (CSCU) website provides info on all of CSCU’s university degree & certificate programs (on-campus and online). It’s very easy to use its Academic Program Catalog to search for online-only programs at your desired degree level (e.g. associate’s, bachelor’s, etc.). This site also has contact info for admissions offices, useful advice on transfer options, a comprehensive financial aid section, details about the Connecticut Tuition Waiver Program for veterans, and a whole lot more!
The CT Adult Virtual High School (CTAVHS) allows adult high school students to take online courses as part of their Adult Credit Diploma work and/or their GED or ESL preparation. There’s a flexible enrollment schedule, courses can be accessed 24/7, and no fees, schedule slots, or licenses are required. All CTAVHS teachers are CT certified.
Charter Oak State College is a regionally accredited state college that offers online courses and degree completion programs. It also develops coursework for the CT Education Academy (CEA). The college is deliberately aimed at working professionals, veterans, adult students, and others who wish to advance their careers or return to work. However, it does not participate in the Connecticut Tuition Waiver Program for veterans. In addition to info on its online degrees, the college’s website has details on other distance learning programs (e.g. online CEUs for teachers, alternate ECE certification, free non-credit online courses, etc.).
To be classed as affordable, schools must meet our stringent criteria for quality, flexibility, price, and use of financial aid money. Schools that qualify appear on both our “Top Online” and “Most Affordable” lists. No Connecticut school met our CAG criteria in 2018, although Central Connecticut State University and Eastern Connecticut State University have appeared in this section in the past.
Connecticut doesn’t have as many diploma mill problems as states like California or Alabama, but it’s not immune. Avoid any online school that isn’t fully accredited by an organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Although national accreditation applies to for-profit distance learning institutions, regional accreditation is the gold standard for non-profit institutions (independent or state-supported) in Connecticut.
You can double-check these results using the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) Database. We also discuss a few online Connecticut universities with accreditation issues below.
SCSU is regionally accredited by NEASC. However, in 2013, its online Master of Library Science (MLS) program lost its national ALA accreditation due to a lack of faculty productivity, an out-of-date curriculum, and other concerns. In 2014, SCSU’s School of Education was also put on probation for three years by the State Board of Education, but it remains accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE).
Suffield University was an online diploma mill selling bogus degrees. Customers could even select their own grades. The operation was run by a Connecticut man called James Enowitch, who was convicted in 2014 of mail fraud and aiding and abetting mail fraud. Other phony schools in this scheme included Redding University, Glendale University, Greenwood University, and Bryson University.