CANTON -- Enrollment for SUNY Canton's online Winterterm session has reached a record high for the fourth consecutive year, said a recent press release from the college.

Total enrollment for the 2017-18 session is 1,487, which breaks the previous record of 1,474, set last year. Courses began Dec. 20 and continue until Jan. 18.

Molly A. Mott, associate provost and dean of academic support services and instructional technologies, said the session's continued popularity is due to the college's reputation for excellence in online instruction. She noted that a large percentage of students that enroll attend other public and private colleges throughout New York.

"Students receive the same quality instruction SUNY Canton is known for in an accelerated schedule, allowing them to earn credits that are easily transferrable to their home institution," she said. "We offer more than 90 courses, many of them general education courses, in a variety of subjects, including finance, business, marketing, art history and creative writing."

Mott added that off-term sessions such as Winterterm support SUNY system-wide completion goals by helping students graduate on time, as well as allow them to meet the 30-credit annual requirement to qualify for the Excelsior Scholarship Program.

SUNY Canton's online degree programs have been ranked among the best in the country for four years in a row by U.S. News & World Report. In addition, several online programs have been specifically recognized by independent research organizations for their affordability, such as Finance, Legal Studies, Nursing, Health Care Management and Criminal Justice: Law Enforcement Leadership.

Winterterm's growth closely mirrors the college's online Summer Session, which has also enjoyed a significant increase in enrollments for the past four consecutive years, said the press release.