Methodology
About the E-Learning and Distance Education Guide
Updated January 2008
The number of institutions offering courses and degrees taught via E-learning technologies grows rapidly every month. To help you navigate this expanding universe, we've created a searchable directory of E-learning and Distance Education providers—institutions that offer courses, certificates, and degrees via Internet, video, CD-ROM, and other distance-education technologies.
The directory includes both undergraduate and graduate offerings.
Method of data collection
In the summer and fall of 2007, U.S. News surveyed over 2,800 traditional colleges including several online entities or "virtual universities." For the third year in a row, U.S. News also surveyed two-year colleges that grant associate's degrees or certificates. Institutions reported their credit-granting E-learning and Distance Education offerings for the 2007-2008 academic year. All institutions that we surveyed have at least two characteristics in common: They are all regionally accredited and offer E-learning or Distance Education courses for credit. Some of the institutions, particularly those that offer online graduate degrees, are also professionally accredited by an appropriate association (depending on the discipline).
Each institution that responded to our survey has a page in the directory. In addition, we have created separate pages for online graduate degree programs in six disciplines: business, engineering, education, public health, nursing, and library science. These online graduate degree program profiles are also accessible from the main E-learning and Distance Education directory.
In the main directory, we've included schools that responded to our survey even though they did not offer any credit-granting E-learning offerings in the 2007-2008 academic year, as some may find this information helpful.
To learn about how we use such terms as "distance education," "online education," and "E-learning," please consult our glossary.
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