Students who learn online with Oregon State University receive the highest level of academic support according to a distinction earned by the school.
The Quality Matters organization, regarded as the nation’s leading evaluator of high-quality teaching and learning experiences in online education, recently honored Oregon State with its Online Learner Support Certification.
This is the second time OSU has received this honor, with the first coming in 2019. The certification applies for a period of five years.
The QM certification applies to all programs delivered online by Oregon State Ecampus, the university’s top-ranked provider of distance education. It recognizes programs that provide “all the critical student and academic services needed for learner success and use learner feedback to continuously improve those services.”
Online student support improvements and adjustments
“We wouldn’t have been able to earn this certification without our partners across campus being so willing to go above and beyond to meet the needs of our students,” said Marleigh Perez, the Ecampus senior director of student success. “This recognition will inspire us to expand our efforts, continue to seek students’ opinions and find new ways to help them succeed.”
OSU Ecampus regularly solicits feedback through a series of surveys, the results of which have spurred notable enhancements in student support services. Such changes include the expansion of success coaching services throughout the student lifecycle, and the creation of a financial hardship grant for learners whose unexpected financial issues interfere with their academic progress.
In 2024, Oregon State also earned QM’s Online Learner Success Certification for the university’s ability to “demonstrate that their learners are achieving success at a high rate, based on external comparisons and benchmarks.”
Support throughout the online student experience
In partnership with other Oregon State colleges and departments, the Ecampus staff provides access to resources and services that help students succeed academically, manage challenges and prepare for what comes next.
Personalized support
Ecampus success navigators offer help for students from the moment they enroll until the day they graduate. The team offers enrollment coaching for new students, success coaching for current students, group coaching, resource navigation and more.
Student care resources
When life gets complicated, Oregon State offers a variety of support services students can access, no matter where they live. Those services include free mental health counseling, crisis support services and food bank locator assistance.
Online tutoring
Oregon State partners with Brainfuse to provide 30 hours of free online tutoring appointments. Students connect with a live person in a virtual meeting to work through complex problems, gain additional support or ask questions about their coursework.
Career resources
The Ecampus Career Hub is a virtual career center designed specifically for students learning online. In one spot, students can discover job openings, sign up for career-focused events and explore market insights.
Library research assistance
OSU Libraries offers extensive help for online students, including research guides and live chat support. Students can have books and videos from the libraries delivered to their home and use the interlibrary loan service to find materials that aren’t available online.
Find out more about learning online with Oregon State and explore the resources available to support you on your journey to a degree.
