The University of Arkansas at Little Rock has been recognized as having the best online doctoral program in computer science in the country, following a trend of UA Little Rock being a leader in STEM education.

UA Little Rock has been ranked first in Phds.me’s list of Best Online Computer Science Doctorate Programs for 2022.

The Computer and Information Sciences Ph.D. program is designed to promote collaborations across several computing disciplines. The information science track focuses on the theory, applications, and technologies, while the information quality track focuses on the theory, principles, models, and techniques for maximizing the value of an organization’s information assets.

Dr. John Talburt, Acxiom Chair of Information Quality and graduate coordinator for the program, said the success of the online doctoral program stems from the fact that the online and on-campus programs are fully integrated. Online students receive the same course lectures, assignments, and exams and have access to all the resources as on-campus students with the convenience of taking classes on their own schedule.

“This stimulates a lot of interaction among the instructors, online students, and on-campus students,” Talburt said. “This interaction is often missing in traditional ‘work-at-your-on-pace’ type of instruction where students complete posted assignments in isolation. Many of the students in the program are working professionals with many years of experience in information science and technology, and their interactions with traditional students enriches everyone’s experience in the program.”

Graduates from the program often earn good job placements in academia and industry. Some alumni are working at companies like Google, Silicon Valley Bank, Walmart, London Stock Exchange Group, and Visa, and four alumni have already advanced to chief data officer positions in their organizations. Other graduates have decided on academic careers with schools such as UA Little Rock, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, North Texas State University, and the University of Central Oklahoma.

To determine the rankings, PhDs.me looked at factors like the availability of academic and career counseling services, student-to-faculty ratios, job placement services for graduates, tuition, and the number of enrolled students in online programs. To be considered, all schools must hold an active regional accreditation from an agency approved by the U.S. Department of Education.