New online degrees through UW–Madison Online

The University of Wisconsin–Madison added four more degrees to UW–Madison Online—its portfolio of online undergraduate degrees—in an ongoing effort to increase access for nontraditional students and meet demands of employers across the state and beyond.

Applications are now open for these fully online degree programs:

• Consumer Finance & Financial Planning, Bachelor of Science* (launched 2020)
• Consumer Marketplace Studies, Bachelor of Science**
• Business Administration-Human Resources, Bachelor of Business Administration
• Business Administration-Management, Bachelor of Business Administration
• Business Administration-Marketing, Bachelor of Business Administration

“At a time when online education has been more important than ever, we’re leveraging technology and our top-tier faculty and programs to open up the university to more people who are seeking a degree that they can use to build a better future for themselves,” says UW–Madison Chancellor Rebecca Blank.

Blank emphasizes the importance of strengthening educational outcomes and increasing access to underrepresented populations, adding that the university must meet the needs of a growing nontraditional student audience in Wisconsin who can’t attend in person and want to balance work, family or other obligations.

UW–Madison Provost John Karl Scholz says the addition of online degrees not only removes barriers to a college education for more Wisconsin students, but the degrees carry the university’s excellence in teaching and learning.

“I am excited to see UW–Madison extend its reach to new audiences who welcome the challenges and opportunities provided by a world-class, online Badger education in these vital business and human ecology programs,” Scholz says.

Three online business degrees are being offered through the Wisconsin School of Business (WSB), ranked #7 in public undergraduate business programs across the nation. The BBA in Business Administration–Management is a flexible option that prepares people for leadership roles in a variety of growing industries. Students graduating with the the BBA in Business Administration–Human Resources will be will be equipped to a play a crucial role in motivating, developing and retaining an organization’s employees. A BBA in Business Administration–Marketing will allow graduates to meet an employer’s need to successfully market products and services.

“These new online business degrees respond to the dynamic forces of today’s digital economy,” says WSB Dean Vallabh “Samba” Sambamurthy. “As the needs of industry continually evolve, the Wisconsin School of Business is committed to creating agile learning opportunities and extending access to business education. These degrees will position students to launch meaningful careers with a solid foundation in business fundamentals.”

UW–Madison Online degrees are designed for people who have earned an associate degree or have some college credit. Eligible students can ask questions and apply. These degrees are designed to be flexible, so students can choose their course load and keep career and family commitments.

UW–Madison is not new to the online arena. For more than 20 years, the university has offered online master’s degrees and certificates. The Professional Degrees and Certificates program currently has more than 80 certificates, master’s and doctoral degrees available as flexible options for working adults—many of them online. Online enrollments for these programs have grown more than 77 percent over the past five years. UW–Madison Online hopes to enroll several thousand nontraditional undergraduate students in the next decade.

“During a challenging year, our university continues to move forward in building strong online bachelor’s degree programs that will serve Wisconsin students, families and the business community so we can grow a brighter future together,” Blank says.

* The Consumer Finance and Financial Planning online BS will no longer enroll new students after spring 2024.
** The Consumer Marketplace Studies online BS is no longer enrolling new students.