Online degree program earns praise for its quality, innovation and student and faculty satisfaction
By earning her psychology bachelor’s degree online from Oregon State University, Kristina Tucker not only set herself on a path to becoming a Ph.D. student, but it also helped her learn how to navigate a personal tragedy.
“I never realized that my pursuit of a degree would give me the knowledge I needed to heal,” Tucker said. “The classes were difficult and sometimes it felt overwhelming, but I wouldn’t trade anything for the experience.”
Put simply, her experience as a psychology major is evidence that the Oregon State program provides high-quality learning opportunities that students value.
Here’s more evidence: On Wednesday, OSU’s psychology bachelor’s program was named the 2024 winner of the Online Learning Consortium John R. Bourne Award for Excellence in Online Programs and Programming.
The award — which is considered one of the most prestigious honors in higher education — recognizes academic programs that have a proven track record of success in providing “expanded access, learning effectiveness, and high levels of student and faculty satisfaction in a cost-effective manner.”
At a conference Wednesday in Orlando, Florida, the OLC praised Oregon State’s psychology program for its science-based online coursework that blends research methods, data analysis and problem-solving. OSU’s coursework and the related student support services are all designed specifically for the online learner population.
“I am thrilled to accept this award on behalf of the exceptional faculty and graduate teaching assistants dedicated to psychological science, excellent teaching and serving the state of Oregon and beyond,” said Kathy Becker-Blease, Ph.D., the director of Oregon State’s School of Psychological Science. “Teaching online students is one of the most rewarding parts of our work. We’ve worked hard to build a program that meets the needs of online learners.”
The psychology program launched online in 2013 and has grown steadily since. Enrollment reached 947 exclusively online learners in the 2023-24 academic year, making it the university’s second largest online program.
Its reputation for excellence also continues to grow. In addition to earning the Online Learning Consortium award, OSU’s psychology program is also ranked the No. 2 psychology bachelor’s program in the nation by U.S. News & World Report.
Here is a closer look at some of the factors that contributed to Oregon State earning this honor from the OLC:
Student success and satisfaction
OSU’s psychology bachelor’s program features dozens of online courses. Each one is designed to challenge students while providing them with the start-to-finish support they need to succeed. In direct feedback, online students consistently say they love the course rigor and how well they can engage with their instructors and peers.
It’s a common refrain perhaps best characterized by Tucker’s student experience. She valued the challenge of the coursework and appreciated the support — both in terms of guidance from her instructors and the flexibility of online learning. In essence, studying psychology was a life raft in a tumultuous time.
She was grieving in the wake of her husband’s sudden death when she decided to enroll online with Oregon State. The tragedy fundamentally changed Tucker and her children, and she wanted to understand the psychological “how” and “why” of it all. The breadth and depth of knowledge she gained in her OSU classes continues to serve her well.
“This program gives students opportunities to learn about the whole psychology field, which helped me realize where I wanted to go with my career,” she said. “I realized I was very interested in human development and ways to support positive development focused through a research lens, not necessarily therapy.”
Tucker is pursuing a Ph.D. in applied developmental psychology with Portland State University, and she plans to teach at the university level. It’s a journey that started online with Oregon State, in a program that enabled her to do what she says is most important: “To take care of my children.”
Faculty excellence and training
A hallmark of OSU’s online education enterprise is the expertise of the faculty who teach online and the training they receive to do it. All faculty members who develop online courses with Oregon State Ecampus — the university’s online education unit — are required to complete the six-week workshop, then they partner with an Ecampus instructional designer throughout the two-term development period.
Faculty in OSU’s School of Psychological Science are active participants in the full suite of training opportunities for instructors who teach Ecampus courses. In fact, they are so committed to developing the best online learning experiences that they helped Ecampus create its research-based Online Teaching Principles, which have been endorsed by the respected Quality Matters organization.
“The School of Psychological Science is thoroughly committed to the quality of its online courses and the psychology bachelor’s program, and this award from the Online Learning Consortium is well-deserved recognition of their excellence,” said Shannon Riggs, the associate vice provost for educational programs and learning innovation for OSU’s Division of Educational Ventures.
“Our partnership with the psychology program faculty has led to what we believe is a substantial contribution to effective online teaching at Oregon State University and beyond.”
The psychology program’s focus on faculty development plays a key role in the high level of instructor satisfaction. Kristen Yax, Ph.D., is a senior instructor who has taught Ecampus courses online since 2013. As the online psychology program coordinator, she feels a sense of pride and fulfillment in having helped to build and maintain its quality and success.
“Just as rewarding has been the opportunity to shape a learning experience that balances student needs with department goals and outcomes, prioritizes accessibility and equity, and emphasizes quality and effectiveness of the curriculum in a manner that leads to both learner and instructor satisfaction,” Yax said.
Innovative, relevant online coursework
Oregon State’s online psychology bachelor’s program also stands out because its curriculum is continuously updated to reflect the latest developments in the field. All online courses meet identical learning outcomes as OSU’s on-campus classes. And faculty members have access to cutting-edge tools and platforms — creating a teaching experience that benefits faculty and contributes to student success.
This formula ensures that students are learning the most current content that directly applies to real-world scenarios. Learning outcomes are meticulously tracked to ensure that the courses align with both student objectives and industry standards.
“The courses in OSU’s online psychology program are designed and delivered by well-trained, highly engaged faculty, the same ones who teach their in-person classes,” said Dylan Barth, Ph.D., the OLC’s vice president of innovation and programs. “This program puts students at the center, incorporating active learning strategies — such as interactive materials, animations, simulations and more — to provide an engaging and high-quality learning experience.
“The significant growth of this program over the past 10+ years is a testament to its quality and impact on student success. Congratulations to an exemplar in the field of online learning.”
A history of OLC award-winners
This marks the second time in six years that an Oregon State degree program has won the John R. Bourne Award for Excellence. In 2019, OSU’s fisheries, wildlife, and conservation sciences bachelor’s program received the honor.
The Oregon State Ecampus course development and training team is also a past recipient of the prestigious OLC Award for Excellence in Faculty Development for Online Teaching.
