Shaped by Place
and Purpose
Rooted in Wilmington. Connected to the World.
What could be next starts here. UNCW Flight Path programs make it possible to complete your degree without stepping away from your life. With flexible, fully online programs, dedicated coaching and a clear path to graduation, you’ll have the structure and support to keep going and see it through.
A National University on the Carolina Coast
Since our founding in 1947, UNC Wilmington has grown by expanding access, strengthening communities and preparing students for what comes next. Today, our UNCW online programs carry that forward through Flight Path — what we call our approach to degree completion — offering the same academic quality and faculty in a flexible format designed for working adults. This is where you keep going, complete what you started and build something more. Here, your next step takes shape, and you begin to make your ambitions real.
As part of the UNC System, we’re committed to delivering a respected, accredited degree grounded in real-world impact. Our programs are shaped by employer and community partnerships across North Carolina, ensuring what you learn connects directly to today’s workforce and tomorrow’s opportunities. You’ll learn from the same faculty who teach on campus, supported by a dedicated support team who helps you stay on track from your first step through graduation. It’s an experience built around momentum with the structure, support and purpose to help you make waves.
“My co-workers convinced me to go. They said, ‘Your kids need to see you finish.’ I said, ‘I hadn’t thought about that. It’s an excellent point.’”
Boots Vandemark, Class of 2018
Where you will
Stand on Proven Excellence
National rankings and respected designations reflect UNCW’s commitment to academic quality, community impact and outcomes that hold value in the real world.
#15 Best Online Bachelor’s Programs
U.S. News & World Report (2026)
#6 Top Public Schools in N.C.
U.S. News & World Report (2026)
#15 Best Colleges for Veterans in N.C.
U.S. News & World Report (2026)
#8 Best Education Schools in N.C.
U.S. News & World Report (2026)
Best Colleges of the South
Associate of Public and Land-Grant Universities
Innovation & Economic Prosperity University
Associate of Public and Land-Grant Universities
Community Engaged Institution
Carnegie Classification, The Carnegie Foundation
Helping North Carolinians Finish What They Started
More than 1 million North Carolinians have some college credit but no degree. That’s not just a statistic — it’s the reason Flight Path exists.
Flight Path is our approach to degree completion, built for adults who are ready to move forward without starting over. These programs are designed to help you apply what you’ve already earned, follow a clear path to graduation and stay on track with flexible online coursework and dedicated support. It’s a model built around progress, giving you the structure and guidance to finish what you started and move toward what’s next.
What Makes the Flight Path Format Different
Maximize Your Transfer Credits
Not all programs accept transfer credits, let alone large amounts. Flight Path programs are built assuming you have accomplished a lot. Apply what you’ve earned and move forward from where you left off.
Completion With a Clear Outcome
This isn’t about checking a box. Every program is designed around workforce demand, so you develop in-demand skills, receive clear direction and are prepared for whatever comes next.
Proactive, Start-to-Finish Support
While many online programs offer support when you ask for it, we take a more proactive approach. Regular check-ins, clear next steps and ongoing outreach provide the structure and support you need to keep moving.
Our Mission
The University of North Carolina Wilmington, the state’s coastal university, integrates teaching and mentoring with research and service.
UNCW’s commitment to student engagement, creative inquiry, critical thinking, thoughtful expression and civic responsibility defines the student experience. UNCW offers undergraduate, master’s and doctoral programs in areas of expertise that serve the needs of the state, as well as the needs of our local and global communities.
Our Values
Seahawk Respect Compact
In the pursuit of excellence, UNC Wilmington actively fosters, encourages and promotes inclusiveness, mutual respect, acceptance and open-mindedness among students, faculty, staff and the broader community.
- We affirm the dignity of all persons.
- We promote the right of every person to participate in the free exchange of thoughts and opinions within a climate of civility and mutual respect.
- We strive for openness and mutual understanding to learn from differences in people, ideas and opinions.
- We foster an environment of respect for each individual, even where differences exist, by eliminating prejudice and discrimination through education and interaction with others.
Accreditation & Academic Excellence
A UNCW degree carries the weight of an institution that has spent nearly eight decades earning its reputation — not just maintaining it.
UNCW is accredited by SACSCOC to award bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees. That credential means the same thing whether you earned it on campus in Wilmington or completed every course from your kitchen table.
Whenever You’re Ready, So Are We.
We’re flexible because you need us to be. That’s why we offer six start dates per year, more than most universities.
Fall Term 1
August
Fall Term 2
October
Spring Term 1
January
Spring Term 2
March
Summer Term 1
May
Summer Term 2
June
Request
Information
Set your course with someone who knows the way.
This short form takes less than three minutes to fill out, and once you submit it, an admissions representative will reach out to answer any questions you have. No lines or gimmicks. It’s a straightforward conversation focused on your goals and experience.
You don’t need a perfect plan before you start asking questions.
Estephany G.
Admissions Representative
The goal isn’t to pressure anyone into enrolling. My goal is to answer your questions and help you understand the programs. That’s it.
Tangie W.
Admissions Representative
The right information early makes everything easier. That’s what our conversation is for.
Katwanna C.
Admissions Representative
Going back to school is a big decision. I’m here to make every step after this one a little easier.
Asjiah B. S.
Admissions Representative