A Guide to Online Computer Science Degrees in Illinois

DePaul University is a private institution that was founded in 1898 and is located in Chicago. It is a Catholic University located in the Lincoln Park and Loop neighborhoods. The Chicago Loop is Chicago’s central business district. The Princeton Review calls Chicago the 3rd best college city in the country. There are over 23,539 students enrolled, and the student-to-faculty ratio is just 16:1. The student body represents all 50 states, and 100 countries. There are 10 colleges and schools offering degree programs in a vast range of fields including among them business, law, nursing, and computer science. The Higher Learning Commission accredits undergraduate and graduate degree programs. According to U.S. News DePaul University ranks as the 124th best college in the nation, 82nd best college for veterans, 70th best value school in the nation, and has one of the best online graduate degree programs in America. Diversity is centric to the ethos at DePaul University. In fact they received the Higher Education Excellence in Diversity Award and have recently been recognized as on of the best places for women to work according to Diversity Magazine .

DePaul University offers 11 computer science related degrees, including 2 bachelor’s degrees in and 9 master’s degrees. The programs are varied and include computing, communication and media, computer game development, software engineering among others. There are a number of online computer science certifications as well inluding Java, Big Data and NoxSQL, .Net Web development and many more. Bachelor’s are typically completed in 4 years, but many students may select to follow the 3 year or even 2 year plan available at DePaul. Most online master’s can be completed in 1-2 years. The M.S. in computer science program for example may be completed in as little as 1 year and is available to a diverse group of individuals. Those without a bachelor’s degree in computer science will still be considered for candidacy. When it comes to the online lectures, DePaul films classes that take place on campus and makes them available to those online. Students use COL (Course OnLine) playback which can be downloaded to a computer or any mobile device and even viewed offline. The student support system BlueStar exists to connect students with advisors and instructors. Additionally, students benefit from career coaching, library loans, and tutoring services.

The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is a public university founded in 1876. It is locate in Champaign, Illinois. Champaign has a twin city- Urbana. Hence the name of the region “Urbana-Champaign.” This flagship university is also a land, sea, and space granting institution. The campus library is the second largest in the Unites States after Harvard University. There are 45,842 students enrolled at UIUC and the student-to-faculty ratio is 18:1. The Carnegie Foundation ranks UIUC as the a doctoral university with the highest research activity. In fact, UIUC is one of the top 25 American Research Universities as measured by The Center for Measuring University Performance , and is a leader particularly regarding computer based education and hosted the PLATO project. In 1971 UIUC was the first institution to license the use of the UNIX operating system. According to U.S. News UIUC is the 44th best college in the nation, the 27th best college for veterans, and has the 10th best online graduate education program and 9th best for online engineering. The Higher Learning Commission accredits UIUC to offer bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees as well as professional graduate certifications.

UIUC offers over 800 online programs in a wide variety of fields for both traditional and non traditional students. There are great options for military students and high school students as well. When it comes to computer science degrees, U of I online offers 4 master’s degrees in the field of computer science including a M.Ed. in Learning Design and Leadership, a M.S. in Computer Science, a M.S. in Library and Information Sciences, and a M.S. in Computer Data Science. All online programs are the same as their on-campus programming. The programs merit themselves on their high quality of classes, flexibility, convenience, and academic excellence. In fact, U of I has offered some kind of distance programming since 1948 and began development of online learning in 1996. The student services feature continual online tech support services, services for wounded veterans, minority student support, distance library services, and writing support.

Southern Illinois University Carbondale is a public research university located in Carbondale, Illinois. Carbondale is located in Southern Illinois and it is the flagship university of the Southern Illinois University system. There are 17,292 students currently enrolled at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. This diverse student body represents all 50 states and over 100 countries. Regardless of enrollment, classroom size remains small, and the student-to-faculty ratio is just 15:1. The student body is diverse and represents a multiplicity of ethnic and religious backgrounds. According to U.S. News Southern Illinois University of Carbondale ranks as the 214th top national university, 122nd top public school. The Carnegie Foundation ranks SIU among the top 5 percent of all U.S. higher education institutions for research. Current research include decreasing foods waste via infrared and ultraviolet light, undergraduate research initiatives, and graduate research opportunities in a vast range of fields.

Southern Illinois University offers a number of online degree programs at the bachelor’s and master’s level. When it comes to computer science-related programs, there are 3 bachelor’s degrees available completely online including a B.S in technical resource management B.S. in information systems technologies, and a B.S. in Industrial Management. The Master’s degree offered is in Health Informatics. This program is formated with 8 week accelerated courses and summer semesters to maximize convenience and flexibility. SIU offers a degree completion program for individuals returning to complete their bachelor’s degrees online. Students learning online at the bachelor’s level may select from either an accelerated pace of a flexible pace to serve their needs. Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees are appropriate for both traditional and non-traditional learners. Their Center for Learning Support Services make available academic coaching, tutoring, test prep, and other testing services.

The University of Illinois at Chicago is a public research university located in Chicago, Illinois. Chicago is the third largest city by population in America after New York and Los Angeles. There are 29,048 students enrolled at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC), and the student-to-faculty ratio is 18:1. The U.S. News and World Report ranks UIC as the 152nd best school in the nation, and the 78th top public school. The Higher Learning Commission accredits the University of Illinois Chicago to offer bachelor’s, master’s, doctorates, and professional certificates. In fact, students have over 300 diverse courses to choose from and from 14 different colleges and schools. We love the affordability and value of programs offered at UIC and their attention to diversity. UIC is among the top 5 most diverse campuses in the nation and has made a point to focus on eliminating disparities in not only the field of education but also of health and financial opportunity. This goes beyond the campus walls and even further than Chicago- the office of diversity works to improve the quality of life in metropolitan areas across the globe.

The University of Illinois offers quality online degree and certificate programs to aid the working individual who wishes to advance in their career or prefers the flexibility given to those who many study anywhere. These bachelor’s, master’s, and online doctoral degrees are great options for both traditional and non-traditional students. When it comes to computer science-related degrees UIC offers 3- a B.S. in Health Information Management, a Master of Public Health in Public Health Informatics, and M.S. in Health Informatics. The majority of master’s degrees are designed for a 2-year completion plan when enrolled full-time. The Bachelor’s degrees in health information management fully prepare their students for the RHIA certification exam. The student support services are extensive and include their academic center for excellence, African American Academic network, Asian American Resource and Cultural Center, Center for Gender and Sexuality, Learning Resource Center, UIC bookstore, library, the TRIO outreach program, a women in science and engineering center, writing center and many many more.

Lewis University is a private Roman Catholic University located in Romeoville, Illinois. Romeoville is a village community town located about 30 miles outside of Chicago. There are 6,679 students enrolled who benefit from small classes and a student-to-faculty ratio of just 13:1. According to U.S. News Lewis university ranks as the 24th best college in the region, 37th best value school, and 19th best college for veterans. The Higher Learning Commission accredits Lewis University to award bachelor’s and master’s degree programs. There are a number of technical degrees offered as Lewis University was founded as a school for aviation. Today you will find an entire department devoted to aviation and transportation studies along with music, physics, drawing, computer science, theology, and many others. The programming is truly diverse and provides opportunities for liberal arts and sciences in addition to their technical degrees.

Lewis University provides online education for working adults and undergraduates who prefer the flexibility afforded through online learning. When it comes to computer science-based degrees, Lewis University provides 5 fully-online programs including an accelerated B.A. in computer science, and M.S. in computer science, an accelerated B.S. in Information Security and Risk Management, and a B.S. in Information Technology Management, as well as a M.S. in Information Security, M.S. in Data Science, and a M.S. in Business Analytics. Classes online remain small and interactive. The accelerated bachelor’s degrees include 8-week courses to accommodate working individuals as well as traditional students. In addition to 24/7 tech support, tutoring, and writing support, Lewis University offers support for students from ethnically diverse backgrounds.