KINGSTON, R.I., – Oct. 10, 2023 –Talk about growth, the University of Rhode Island’s online initiative has seen plenty in just over three years.

When the University of Rhode Island launched URI Online in 2020, it offered only one program. Today it offers 22.

Jill Firtell, director of URI Online, said “This is a very exciting time for URI Online. It has been more than three years since our inception and we have really started to redefine the delivery of the professional master’s degree. There have been many lessons learned and we are fortunate to have an exceptional team dedicated to delivering the best of URI. We are looking to the future now by carving out what it means to be ‘Best in Class’, and at the forefront of those conversations is the question – who are our students and how do we serve them best?” 

Firtell adds that “it is not just about what our students learn, but how they learn. Online is more than just a modality. It is an opportunity.  Those who think it is merely a mechanism of delivery are missing the gift especially when it comes to professional degree programs. We are not here to simply award degrees. We are here to challenge our academic community, our students, and the world of online education.”  

Marissa Micheletti, marketing manager for URI Online, said they started with one master’s degree in health care management. Today, there are 22 programs with 18 more in development for a 2024 targeted release.  Among the new choices is a master’s degree in environmental management where the course of studies is taught by world-renowned faculty and experts in the fields of natural resources and the environment, fisheries science, and geospatial technologies. 

Additional new programs being offered this fall include graduate certificates in quantum computing and social media, as well as a M.S. in health outcomes and data analytics. Starting in the spring semester is a stackable Professional Science Master’s (PSM) degree, which leverages the URI Online portfolio of STEM certificates by pairing them with fundamental business and leadership coursework that is critical to the business sector. 

Firtell emphasized that the goal is to take the excellence of URI and bring it to students in a way that challenges them to succeed. It is about connecting their passion to their industry of interest. URI Online is achieving this by delivering a range of degree offerings aimed at preparing individuals to make a difference in their chosen field. URI Online is the vehicle to help them achieve their goals.

 “We also have an amazing student support team that delivers individualized, white-glove support services to our students,” Firtell said. “We are here to help students make a difference in their lives and in the lives of those they encounter. 

The programs are developed by keeping in mind the range of students seeking to advance their education. “Our programs at URI Online are geared toward the professional working population. We aim to provide a high-quality education to individuals who seek growth within their career, but also need the flexibility to achieve their professional and personal goals. It is not just about obtaining a degree, but instead about obtaining the right degree to meet that individual student’s needs.” said Micheletti.

“We aim to be inclusive and accessible,” Firtell said. “If we look at the professional adult learner, many finished their undergraduate degree 5 to 10 years ago. Their GPA might not be indicative of who they are today as a learner, a student, an individual. We want to ensure that we’re inclusive of all people.  Therefore, we’re looking at the entire student, as a whole and partnering with them by asking what they’re coming to the table with; whether it is workforce experience, advanced training, or simply the drive to succeed.  We want to say that these programs are for you because they are going to prepare you to achieve your goals.  We believe you’re going to benefit from the program and succeed.” 

Ultimately, the URI Online student experience is of the same quality as the student who attends URI in person. “Our courses are created and taught by the same faculty in our face-to-face programs. They meet the same standards.” Firtell says. 

“We do not hire out.  All of this has been built in-house from the ground up.”

This story was written by Hugh Markey.