Western Governors University is a non-profit online college founded as a collaboration among the governors of 19 western states. Established in 1997, WGU currently has over 19,000 students from all 50 states, and offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs in Business, Teacher Education, Information Technology, and Health Professions, including Nursing. It offers highly personalized degree programs primarily through competency assessments.
Unlike traditional colleges, Western Governors University does not have required courses –instead, students demonstrate their understanding through writing assignments and exams. If a student is already competent in a particular subject he or she may prove knowledge immediately. Alternatives, they may study on their own or through virtual coursework until they are ready to prove what they know. Mentors work with students to create personal study plans.
Accreditation
Western Governors University is regionally accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Schools. It is nationally accredited by the Distance Education Training Council.
Western Governors University's teacher education programs are accredited by the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education.
WGU has Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education accreditation for its nursing programs.
Academics
Western Governors University is comprised of four colleges:
- College of Business
- Teachers College
- College of Information Technology
- College of Health Professions
In addition to offering several bachelor degree options to prospective teachers, WGU offers online bachelor's degrees in the following majors:
- Information Technology
- Health Informatics
- Nursing
- Business, Finance or Accounting
- Business or Marketing Management
As part of their program, Information Technology students receive 8-9 nationally recognized IT certifications.
Online masters programs include:
- Business (MBA graduates receive Certified MBA designation)
- Nursing
- Health, Special, Mathematics, Science or General Education
- English Language Learning
Admission
The University accepts applications only from individuals living in the United States or its territories, active military personnel deployed abroad and select geographical areas of Canada. Although there is no minimum high school grade point average for admission, and no minimum SAT or ACT score, all applicants must pass an admissions examination administered by WGU.
Prospective undergraduate students must:
- Have a high school diploma
- Submit any previous college transcripts
- Complete an intake interview
- Pass an online readiness exam, which tests the student's preparation for independent learning
Graduate students applicants must:
- Have a bachelors degree
- Compete an intake interview
- Submit transcripts
- Pass the readiness exam.
In addition to these requirements, online MBA students must also have three years of relevant work experience.
Teacher preparation students have different requirements, based on each student's home state.
For more details on admission and the requirements for a specific course, students should consult the school's website or contact an admissions advisor.
Five Features that Make Western Governors University Stand Apart
- Competency-Based Education. WGU student are offered a unique competency-based program for completing their degree and certificate requirements. There is no class attendance requirement. Instead, the competency-based program allows students to demonstrate through assessments that they have acquired the requisite levels of knowledge, skill, or ability required for a particular degree or certificate.
- Personal Pace. Instead of credits, students at WGU aim to acquire Competency Units (CUs). Under the CU system, students progress by finishing evaluations in the form of assignments, tests and papers which measure aptitude and comprehension. Students who focus enough time and energy to understanding a subject, can acquire CUs quicker than the regular course method. If students are already proficient in a subject, they can finish the related course quickly.
- Flat-Rate Tuition. WGU aims to offer an opportunity for affordable higher education to students who may not otherwise have access to traditional colleges or universities. Thus, WGU has a flat rate tuition plan that allows students to finish as much of their program each term as they can manage.
- Employer Ratings. Well-known organizations such as Microsoft, Oracle, and Google comprise the college's National Advisory Board. These businesses endorse WGU, recognizing that WGU graduates have pertinent skills needed in the job arena. In fact, 90 percent of employers rate WGU graduates' preparation for the workforce as "Good" or "Excellent."
- Working Mentor. Each WGU student is assigned a working mentor whose role is to advise and assist the student from enrollment through degree completion. Each mentor/student team is required to create a personal academic action plan to help the student track his or her progress through each 6-month term.
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This school report was prepared by a member of the Online Schools Research Team & Reviewed by our Editor. It is accurate to the best of our knowledge, but if you find any inaccuracies please email editor (at) onlineschools dot org. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
