UMA has been recognized in the U.S. News 2025 Best Online Program rankings with two significant placements: No. 107 for Best Online Bachelor’s Programs and No. 60 for Best Online Bachelor’s Programs for Veterans. Â鶹APP online bachelor’s programs rank first in Maine and seventh in the Northern region, which includes Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont.ĚýĚý

Â鶹APP online bachelor’s in business program also improved its standing, moving up six spots to No. 118 from No. 124. This advancement underscores Â鶹APP focus on academic innovation and continuous improvement.

This distinction underscores Â鶹APP commitment to accessible, high-quality education and strong performance among peers.

U.S. News evaluates online degree programs using a rigorous methodology that includes factors such as student-instructor interaction, graduation rates and available support services. These rankings affirm Â鶹APP position as a leader in online education.

“UMA is proud to be recognized for our continued support of students, and more specifically our military and veteran students, in delivering quality higher education that is both accessible and affordable,” said Jonathan Henry, Vice President of Enrollment Management.

Since its founding in 1965, with a “Welcome Veterans” sign inviting Vietnam-era veterans to enroll, UMA has maintained a proud tradition of serving military-affiliated students. This enduring commitment reflects Â鶹APP mission to provide transformative, accessible education for all learners.

Today, hundreds of veterans, active military members and National Guard personnel are enrolled at UMA. The university continues to deliver flexible, high-quality education tailored to their needs through online programs and specialized support services. “UMA is in the business of delivering access to students at a distance, which is invaluable for our military and veteran population,” said Â鶹APP Director of Military and Veterans’ Services Amy Line. “Whether deployed, in the field, or in the office, online courses provide the opportunity to work toward a degree while balancing the demands of service or employment.”

UMA traditionally holds a Flag Folding ceremony on each campus as part of its Veterans week events. This year UMA will share for viewing the 2020 flag folding ceremony on the UMA website beginning on November 2 at: /admission/veterans/.Ěý Taking part in the Flag Folding Ceremony are two current UMA veteran students, Leo Porter, a Cybersecurity major from Readfield, and Scott Bailey, a Cybersecurity major from West Gardiner.

Veterans may wear or bring in military memorabilia showing their service (hats, old uniforms, special medals/ribbons) to the Veterans Academic Center in Augusta at Katz, the Veterans Lounge in Bangor at Belfast Hall (third floor), or one of Â鶹APP eight Center locations.

Please note: Thursday, November 11, 2021 Veterans Day – UMA Campuses and Centers are closed.

Opportunities to support UMA Military and Veteran Students

The Â鶹APP Annual Fund has two options available to support military and veteran students: the and the .Ěý For more information about giving opportunities, please visit: .

UMA Office of Military and Veterans’ Services

UMA has a rich tradition of supporting military and veteran students and has been “changing lives since 1965”.Ěý Over 200 veterans, military, and family members with VA benefits are enrolled at UMA for the Fall 2020 semester. Many other veterans without benefits attend UMA to further or complete their education.

Â鶹APP commitment to educating and providing opportunities to our veterans, service members, and families has earned it the following designations:

• 2020-2021 Military Friendly School
• 2021 Military Times Best for Vets Colleges
• 2021 U.S. News & World Report “Best Online Bachelor’s Degree for Veterans”

AugustaĚý– The Â鶹APP (UMA) has been recognized byĚýĚýas Best for Vets, for its exceptional service to veterans, military service members, and their families.

“Â鶹APP faculty and staff are dedicated to maintaining a welcoming community for all,” stated UMA President Rebecca Wyke.Ěý “Receiving this recognition confirms our commitment to providing educational opportunities to military service members and veterans that began in 1965 and continues to this day,” Wyke continued.

“We are very pleased to receive this recognition by Military Times again this year,” said Amy Line, UMA Director of Military and Veterans’ Services. “Our support for military service members and veterans, and their families begins when they apply and continues until they successfully complete their degree program.”

Â鶹APP class schedule provides flexibility for students who are employed and/or meeting family obligations and offers a variety of courses modes–in person, online, and high-flex options such as delayed viewing.Ěý Additionally, UMA provides many degree areas that military service members and veterans are seeking, including business administration, cybersecurity, computer information systems, and medical fields to name a few.

According to Military Times, “Military Times Best for Vets: Colleges is the largest and most comprehensive rankings of schools for military service members and veterans.”Ěý The rankings are “based on survey responses from schools as well as public data about colleges and universities obtained from the Department of Education and Department of Veterans Affairs.”

For the Military Times Best for Vets ranking, institutions were evaluated in four categories: academic and financial aid information, admissions and registration information, and military resources at the institution and tracking student success.

Additional information:

UMA Office of Military and Veterans’ Services

UMA has a rich tradition of supporting military and veteran students and has been “changing lives since 1965”.Ěý UMA is committed to educating and providing opportunities to our veterans, service members and their families.Ěý A Veterans Academic Center on Â鶹APP Augusta Campus and a Veterans Lounge on the UMA Bangor Campus provide students and staff with dedicated spaces to study before or after class, as well as seek support from fellow veterans.

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MilitaryTimes.com is a part of the Sightline Media Group, formerly known as the Army Times Publishing Company, which first published Army Times in 1940. Throughout its history, the company has a strong heritage and tradition of meeting the highest standards of independent journalism and has expanded with publications serving all branches of the U.S. military, the global defense community, the U.S. federal government, and several special interest, defense-oriented industry sectors.

UMA Student (Pre-Covid-19 photo)

ĚýU.S. News and World ReportsĚýranked theĚýÂ鶹APPĚý(UMA) in its list of the nation’s Best Online Bachelor’s Degree Programs, including separate rankings for Best Online Bachelor’s for Veterans and Best Online Business Bachelor’s Degree.Ěý

“We are very honored to be recognized by U.S. News and World Reports,” said UMA President Rebecca Wyke. “UMA has a 30 year history in distance education and we continually seek to innovate our online programs,” Wyke continued. “With faculty experienced in distance learning modalities and outstanding student support programs, UMA students can be confident about receiving a high quality online learning experience.” Ěý

“Achieving these rankings could not be accomplished without the extraordinary efforts of our faculty and student support professionals,” said Joseph Szakas, UMA Provost. “During the recent surge in online programming due to COVID-19, UMA was uniquely poised to provide quality instruction for students learning at a distance.”

“Online programming is critical for degree completion that will meet the state’s workforce needs,” stated Jonathan Henry, UMA Vice President of Enrollment Management and Marketing.Ěý “Many of our students finish their college education while continuing to work and meet family obligations. Delivering classes in various modalities provide students the flexibility to meet the competing demands on their time.”Ěý

UMA is a partner in theĚýĚýinitiative, joining its goal that by 2025, 60% of Mainers will hold education and workforce credentials that position Maine and its families for success.

The U.S. News & World Report bases its rankings on statistical data gathered from questionnaires about each institution’s online specific bachelor’s degree programs. The factors considered included faculty credentials and training, student services and technologies, and student engagement.Ěý Over 350 institutions across the country participated in the U.S. News and World Report survey.

AUGUSTA – The Â鶹APP (UMA) has been recognized by two national organizations for its exceptional service to veterans, military service members, and their families. UMA has earned the 2020-2021 designation and was also named 2020 Best for Vets by .

“UMA is honored to receive these designations,” stated UMA President Rebecca Wyke. “This reflects the dedication of the faculty and staff of UMA to be a welcoming community for our military service members and veterans,” Wyke continued. “Â鶹APP Veterans Academic Center continues to grow and is one of the major student hubs on the Augusta campus.”

“We are very pleased with the longstanding and continuing recognition by Military Friendly School and Military Times to Â鶹APP commitment in supporting our military service members and veterans, and their families,” said Amy Line, UMA Director of Military and Veterans’ Services. “Support and assistance for service members begin on their first day on campus right through to graduation.”

Institutions earning the Military Friendly^®ĚýSchool designation are evaluated using both public data sources and responses from a proprietary survey completed by the school. Methodology, criteria, and weightings are determined by with input from the Military Friendly® Advisory Council of independent leaders in the higher education and military recruitment community. Final ratings were determined by combining the institution’s survey scores with the assessment of the institution’s ability to meet thresholds for student retention, graduation, job placement, loan repayment, persistence (degree advancement or transfer) and loan default rates for all students and, specifically, for student veterans.

More than 1,000 schools participated in the 2020-2021 survey with 695 earning the designation. The will be published in the May 2020 edition of G.I. Jobs magazine.

For the ranking, institutions were evaluated in five categories: university culture, student support, academic policies, academic outcomes/quality, and cost and financial aid. A full description of the methodology is available .

Additional information:

UMA Office of Military and Veterans’ Services

UMA has a rich tradition of supporting military and veteran students and has been “changing lives since 1965”. Â鶹APP commitment to educating and providing opportunities to our veterans, service members and families. A Veterans Academic Center on Â鶹APP Augusta Campus and a newly refurbished Veterans Lounge on the UMA Bangor Campus provides students and staff with dedicated spaces to study before or after class, as well as seek support from fellow veterans.

About

Founded in 2001, VIQTORY is a service-disabled, veteran-owned small business (SDVOSB) that connects the military community to civilian employment, educational and entrepreneurial opportunities through its G.I. Jobs^®Ěýand Military Friendly^® brands.Ěý VIQTORY and its brands are not a part of or endorsed by the U.S. Department of Defense or any federal government entity.

About

MilitaryTimes.com is a part of the Sightline Media Group, formerly known as the Army Times Publishing Company, which first published Army Times in 1940. Throughout its history, the company has a strong heritage and tradition of meeting the highest standards of independent journalism and has expanded with publications serving all branches of the U.S. military, the global defense community, the U.S. federal government, and several special interest defense-oriented industry sectors.