About Us
In partnership with UNM colleges and schools, faculty, and staff, UNM Online facilitates the planning, scheduling, marketing, recruitment, delivery, and support of online courses and degree programs.
In the Fall 2023 semester, over 1,000 course sections were delivered online, accounting for about 30% of UNM’s total student credit-hour production. The University offers 14 bachelor's degree-completion, 21 fully-online graduate programs, and three graduate certificates. Most programs are in a fast-paced accelerated format. And we are working to sustainably increase the number of degree programs. For bachelor’s degrees requiring a minor, there are seven minors offered in a format that complements the accelerated online courses.
Current and prospective students often choose to pursue an online degree because, whether due to distance from campus or other mitigating factors, it is their only access to higher education.
Quick Help
Need assistance and not sure where to look?
- Are you considering an online degree? Visit our Readiness Guide, Prospective Students page, explore the Online Degree Programs page, or search for individual online course offerings.
- Are you a current online student in need of resources? Visit our Current Students page.
- Are you a Staff or Faculty member with questions about online courses? Visit our Admin Resources page.
A Message from our Director
Elisha Allen, Director, Online Strategies & Academic Technologies
Pursuit of an advanced degree is an investment in yourself and a contribution to your family and community. Congratulations on taking the first step in that journey by evaluating the degree options available to you through UNM Online. You may be familiar with the University of New Mexico as the university close to home, or you may be new to UNM, attracted to one of our degree programs and low tuition cost. Regardless of how you found UNM, "becoming a Lobo" means pursuing a degree from an institution with nationally ranked programs, world-class research faculty, and a campus culture that celebrates diversity. Whether online or in person, Lobos benefit from high-quality courses, respected faculty, and a constellation of opportunities and services. We're glad you're here.
We want an invv about the accelerated online programsWe want you to experience the power that comes from having a degree from UNM. It means realizing your potential by developing new skills and harnessing campus services. With work, family, and other commitments, online education is a clear path to reaching your educational goals. Read on to get to know our student support team. They are prepared to help you weigh options, dispel myths about online education, digitally navigate the university, and connect you to the right people. We look forward to connecting.
Meet Your UNM Online Marketing, Outreach, Recruitment, Retention Team (MORR)
The MORR team is the student support branch of UNM Online. They are here to provide help and guidance whether you are just considering online learning with UNM, are a current online student, or are a staff/faculty member with questions about online classes. Their contact information is below.
Olivia Torres Jojola, BA, Program Planning Officer. Olivia is a first-generation student who graduated UNM with her BA in English and minor study in Art History. With ten years’ experience at UNM, she provides resource connections through her student advocacy background. In her spare time, Olivia likes to explore local craft beer and food truck offerings, gardening, and experimenting in the kitchen with cooking and baking.
Rick Robb, MFA, Online Student Advisement Coordinator. Rick has been at UNM since 2007 and is a first-generation student who graduated from UNM with a BA in English (’09) and an MFA in Creative Writing (’12). He taught first and second-year writing — in-person and online — at UNM for ten years before joining the student support team at UNM Online in 2020. In his spare time, Rick enjoys gardening and getting out in nature.
Samantha Marquez, BS, Student Recruitment Specialist. Samantha graduated from UNM in 2020 with a BS in Family & Child Studies and joined the UNM Online team in December of 2023. Before UNM Online, she worked at NM Workforce Connections where she helped clients find training and employment. In her spare time, Samantha enjoys traveling and learning about new cultures (as well as binging Netflix with her dachshund, Koa.)
Ellie Walton, BA, Student Recruitment Specialist. Ellie graduated from UNM in Spring of 2024 with a BA in Political Science. She joined the MORR team that October. Prior to coming to UNM Online, she worked as a Student Registration & Marketing Assistant at UNM Continuing Education (UNMCE). In her spare time, Ellie loves reading, exploring new textile hobbies — She’s currently learning how to knit! She also enjoys watching a good show, or spending time with friends and family. “When I have time,” she said “I like exploring new places, watching documentaries, and working on other creative projects.”
about the degree program
UNM Online’s student support team are experts in “wayfinding.” They have insight into the academic and support services successful students rely on. As you will find from our blog posts about them, they are quite knowledgeable about navigating the University.
They send welcome emails to online students just before the start of each semester. Later, a check-in email to help students gear-up for midterm exams is sent. You may chat with them through virtual advisement hours held twice a week. (See the Zoom link below.) Drop-ins are most welcome! They’re also available Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. by email at online@unm.edu and by phone at 505-277-9000.
The UNMBot is available to answer questions 24/7. It is accessible on any page at the UNM Online website at online.unm.edu. If the chatbot is stumped, Rick or Olivia will do the research and follow up.
UNM Online Strategic Plan 2023-2030
Mission Statement
In alignment with UNM’s 2040 strategic framework, UNM Online facilitates the development and delivery of accessible, flexible, high-quality online learning experiences to meet the educational and economic goals of diverse learners in the State of New Mexico and beyond.
Vision Statement
UNM Online fosters a supportive and transparent environment in which students, faculty, staff, and community partners are empowered to build vibrant families and communities through lifelong learning and degree attainment as they study, teach, research, create, innovate, and fully participate in their personal and professional lives.
Values
Empowerment
We provide resources and services that develop agency in our staff and stakeholders, support them in achieving their academic and professional aspirations, and cultivate accessibility in higher education.
Collaboration
We nurture diversity and innovation through a culture of clarity, openness, and respect that supports rich collaborations with internal and external constituents.
Quality
We are committed to decisions and processes that are informed by data, ensure quality, and support continuous improvements and advancements in online education.
Growth
As a learning organization, we promote sustainable growth of programs and opportunities for diverse students, faculty, staff, and community in alignment with UNM’s Strategic Plan.
Strategic Goals
Goal 1: Develop partnerships across the university to position UNM Online as an essential service provider and expert leader for UNM’s distance and online education matters.
Objectives
- Serve as the institution’s authority on online education regulatory matters. Be the primary contact for the New Mexico Higher Education Department regarding the institution’s legal obligation to comply with distance and online education matters. Standardize communication practices to effectively share updates across UNM campuses and other institutions. Serve as the primary agent collecting and reporting on the online education data that ensures the University remains in good standing.
- Develop practices to broaden our reach. Identify new constituents and enhance current partnerships by increasing communications and opportunities for engagement. Establish new knowledge pathways to share insight about high-quality course development, administrative processes, curriculum analytics, the rules and regulations surrounding out-of-state delivery of educational content, and industry news.
- Commit to a culture of transparency. UNM Online aims to increase process efficiencies, update internal policies and expectations, concisely communicate them, and make the information broadly accessible.
- Create a vibrant website with concise, engaging and on-point content alongside authentic imagery. Develop and deploy a process to systemize continuous updates.
- Strengthen our meaningful rapport with Branch Campuses by sharing knowledge and resources through reliable and lively discussions on course design best practices and industry regulations.
- Advocate for an elevated partnership with the Center for Teaching and Learning. Actively contribute to discussions and decision-making around course design best practices, improvements to course review protocols, and addressing the inclusivity and accessibility of educational content delivered online.
- Pursue opportunities for cross training, and other meaningful collaborations across campuses, giving particular focus to the main campus Scheduling Office.
- Practice patience with ourselves and others. Bring bravery, joy, and purpose to work. Develop professionally, share expertise, empower, cleverly solve, and overcome setbacks. Show gratitude for, and continue contributing to, rich partnerships. Open ourselves to creative opportunities for new partnerships. We do what we do for Lobos everywhere.
Goal 2: Foster the educational and career goals of online students through personalized support and initiatives, and through robust partnerships with academic, service and support offices across UNM campuses.
Objectives
- Improve the experience of students transitioning to UNM from branches and community colleges. Boost the quality of communication and coordination among campus offices. Develop engaging guidance materials on the admissions process, the variety of programs available online, and resources for academic success, student support and personal well-being.
- Analyze, design, and deploy student retention strategies in alliance with offices performing similar proactive strategies.
- Add content relevant to today’s online student to the University’s new student, and transfer student, orientation materials. Seek input from diverse voices through vibrant relations with the College Enrichment Program and academic advising units.
- Increase student voice in UNM Online initiatives by regularly seeking input and feedback from current students and alumni.
Goal 3: Build an exemplary work culture by encouraging staff participation and innovation in analyzing, appropriately resourcing, and streamlining workflows, services, and processes.
Objectives
- Comprehensively catalog the services UNM Online offers.
- Implement methods to collect and analyze information about requests, frequently asked questions, and services UNM Online provides to our stakeholders.
- Review staffing and resources needed to match departmental needs with job responsibilities and daily tasks.
- Identify, support, and celebrate skillsets and contributions of each team member so that they can fully participate and feel valued for their unique contributions to UNM Online.
- Establish a purposeful meeting culture.
- Nurture connections among staff by maintaining regular communication and celebrating accomplishments.
- Encourage and support professional development and continuous learning / teaching opportunities for team members.
Goal 4: Build stable, scalable, and user-friendly data infrastructure, employing automation and self-service entry points, to generate timely insights that are useful for internal and external stakeholders.
Objectives
- Design a database that accepts data from UNM’s enterprise resource planning (ERP) system alongside data generated by UNM Online and other sources.
- Develop a method to migrate historical UNM Online data into the new database.
- Explore, test, and implement features that enhance the end-user experience while also streamlining operations. Give specific focus to reducing the time it takes to complete associated routines, increasing reporting automations, and improving systems to allow for large-scale, secure information sharing.
Goal 5: Broaden UNM Online’s impact by developing systems, measures, and supports to promote exemplary online learning experiences for students and faculty.
Objectives:
- Identify, develop, and fund ways to recognize and reward online teaching excellence.
- Improve the online instructor’s course review experience by incorporating new technologies and leveraging new ways to aggregate and share information broadly.
- Advocate for and support increased opportunities for experiential learning in online programs and expand the University’s inventory of general education offered online.
- Partner with key stakeholders to analyze and improve the course development and review experiences that faculty, instructional designers and unit administrators navigate.
Contact Us
- Hours: Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. -5:00 p.m. MST
- Web: online.unm.edu
- Email: online@unm.edu
- Phone: Albuquerque: (505) 277-9000 or Toll free: (866) 869-6040
- Virtual Advisement Hours: Join us on Zoom for virtual Advisement Hours Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to noon (Mountain Time). Meeting ID: 967 7118 3893
