Western Governors University
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| Western Governors University | |
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| Motto | Accelerated. Affordable. Accredited. |
| Established | 1997 |
| Type | Private, Non-profit |
| President | Robert Mendenhall |
| Location | Salt Lake City, Utah, United States |
| Status | Non-profit |
| Website | www.wgu.edu |
Western Governors University (WGU) is a private, nonprofit, American university with nearly 30,000 students across the United States and in military bases overseas, as of December 2011. It is a competency-based university. Western Governors University is driven by a mission to expand access to higher education through online, competency-based degree programs. WGU has flourished into a national university, serving more than 30,000 students from all 50 states.
The University only accepts students living in the United States and select geographic areas of Canada. (The exceptions are U.S. active-duty military personnel and their families stationed at overseas installations, and individuals living in Guam, Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin Islands.) There is no minimum high school grade point average for admission, and no minimum score on the SAT or ACT. All applicants must pass an admissions examination administered by the university.
WGU receives grants from state and federal agencies, for-profit corporations, and nonprofit foundations. It is self-sustaining on tuition and does not rely on state or federal funding for its operations. Corporations and foundations supporting WGU include AT&T, Dell, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Lumina Foundation for Education, Sun Microsystems, HCA, HP, Microsoft, Qwest, American Express, Simmons Media Group and Zions Bank.
The administration is based in Salt Lake City, Utah and Dr. Robert Mendenhall serves as university president. The University also operates an office in Phoenix, Arizona and Indianapolis, Indiana. All academic operations are virtual. WGU has over 1,200 staff and faculty members located throughout the U.S; many work from virtual offices. In 2010, WGU Indiana , a wholly owned subsidiary of Western Governors University opened to expand access to higher education for Indiana residents [1], followed by the opening of WGU Washington and WGU Texas in 2011. [2]
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[edit] Aims
According to the school's mission, WGU aims to "...improve quality and expand access to post-secondary educational opportunities by providing a means for individuals to learn independent of time or place..." WGU's Promise states that the institution helps its "students achieve their dreams for a degree and career success by providing a personal, flexible, and affordable education based on real world competencies."[1] According to WGU, as a nonprofit it aims to focus on the needs of individuals with modest incomes, first-generation college students, minorities, and those who live in rural locations[2]. WGU students are eligible to apply for federal financial aid and the university offers a number of scholarship programs.
[edit] Foundation
The university was founded in 1997[3] by 19 governors,[4] led by Roy Romer[5] when he was governor of Colorado, Michael O. Leavitt[6] when he was governor of Utah, and Jim Geringer when he was governor of Wyoming. As of 2008 Geringer remains directly involved with WGU as Chairman of the Board of Trustees.[7]
Chairman:
- Jim Geringer, Governor, (R) – Wyoming 1995–2003
Chairman Emeritus:
- Michael O. Leavitt, Governor, (R) – Utah 1993–2003
Member Governors include:[8]
- Governor Sean Parnell, (R) – Alaska
- Governor Jan Brewer, (R) – Arizona
- Governor Jerry Brown, (D) – California
- Governor John Hickenlooper, (D) – Colorado
- Governor Eddie Calvo, (R) – Guam
- Governor Neil Abercrombie, (D) – Hawaii
- Governor Butch Otter, (R) – Idaho
- Governor Mitch Daniels, (R) – Indiana
- Governor Brian Schweitzer, (D) – Montana
- Governor Dave Heineman, (R) – Nebraska
- Governor Brian Sandoval, (R) – Nevada
- Governor Susana Martinez, (R) – New Mexico
- Governor Jack Dalrymple, (R) – North Dakota
- Governor Mary Fallin, (R) – Oklahoma
- Governor John Kitzhaber, (D) – Oregon
- Governor Dennis Daugaard, (R) – South Dakota
- Governor Rick Perry, (R) – Texas
- Governor Gary Herbert, (R) – Utah
- Governor Christine Gregoire, (D) – Washington
- Governor Matt Mead, (R) – Wyoming
The support from governors for WGU is bipartisan, of the 20 governors, 14 are Republican, and 6 are Democrat.
[edit] Academic offerings
Western Governors University comprises four colleges, each offering bachelor’s and master’s degree programs.
[edit] College of Business
The College of Business has bachelor's degree programs in business management, marketing, accounting, finance, HR, and IT management, as well as three MBA programs.
[edit] Teachers College
The Teachers College has more than 10,500 students nation wide and is NCATE-accredited. The WGU Teachers College has licensure and master's programs in interdisciplinary studies, mathematics, science, special education, ELL/ESL, learning and technology, instructional design, and educational leadership.
[edit] College of Information Technology
The College of Information Technology offers bachelor's and masters degrees, some of which incorporate up to 10 IT certifications. Degree programs are offered in databases, software, security, health informatics, network administration, and design and management. The IT certification exams are integrated with the degree program.
[edit] College of Health Professions
The College of Health Professions offers degree programs in nursing, nursing education, nursing leadership and management, health education, health informatics, and healthcare management.
[edit] Online learning and one-on-one mentoring
All aspects (with the exception of demonstration teaching for educators and the prelicensure program for nurses) are completed entirely online. The university states [9] that "learning resources come in a variety of forms, including textbooks, web-based tutorials, simulations, [and] online classes." Each student at WGU is assigned a working mentor who advises and assists the student from enrollment through degree completion. Each mentor/student team creates a personal academic action plan (AAP) that helps the student track his or her progress through each 6-month term. Students at WGU have some control over how much coursework they complete per term, but are required to complete a minimum each term to maintain full-time status. There are no written limitations regarding course loads, but students must have the approval of their mentor to add courses during a term. Courses can only be added one at a time during the term, and only after the student's current courses have been completed successfully. Students may take certain exams without study for some courses if they show competency via pre-assessments. Other courses require weeks-long participation in online courses and in written submissions that are graded by independent contract evaluators.
[edit] Assessment methods
Courses are generally assessed using an equal weighting of examinations and coursework. The coursework component normally is done by submitting marked assignments. The examinable component is a proctored exam. Exams are taken at proctored exam sites, which are located across the country or via Kryterion online monitoring, using a webcam. There are no "open book" exams. Students must prepare themselves to take the exams after completing their "course of study" materials; they must also pass a pre-assessment exam that is available for most subjects before attempting the final exam.
[edit] Competency-based learning
WGU has competency-based programs for completing degree and certificate requirements, with no requirement of class attendance. Competency-based programs allow students to demonstrate through assessments that they have acquired the set of competencies (levels of knowledge, skill, or ability) required for a particular degree or certificate. For example, the University states that the business management bachelor's degree requires "132 Competency Units (credit equivalents)" and can be completed in four to five years for students with little or no prior college, but that "successful students who commit 20 hours or more per week to their studies are often able to complete their programs more quickly."[10] Adult students have often acquired many of the skills necessary for a degree through life and work experiences.
[edit] Accreditation
Western Governors University is regionally accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.[11] WGU is nationally accredited by the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC).[12] In 2006 the WGU Teachers College became the first exclusively online school to receive accreditation from the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE).[13]
In May 2009, Western Governors University's Nursing Education Programs were accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). The initial accreditation, which has a five-year term, was awarded following a process that included a site visit as well as a review of WGU's nursing curriculum.[14]
In 2011, WGU's B.S. degree in Health Informatics received accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM). The accreditation, is granted after extensive reviews based on industry-developed standards.[15]
[edit] Tuition
In 2010, tuition for WGU is $5,780 per year for most undergraduate programs, having increased by $200 in the past four years.[16] Tuition is charged at a flat rate per six-month term, regardless of the number of courses taken or credits completed.
[edit] Recognition
Western Governors University's Online MBA Ranked Among Top 10 Best Values by GetEducated.com [17]. WGU was awarded Utah Best of State for Online Education in 2009 and 2010. The university’s president, Robert Mendenhall, was named 2010 CEO of the Year by Utah Business Magazine [18][19]. In 2010, President Mendenhall received the Harold W. McGraw, Jr. Prize in Education.[20] In 2008 WGU won a 21st Century Award for Best Practices in Distance Learning from the U.S. Distance Learning Association (USDLA).[21]
[edit] References
- ^ , http://www.wgu.edu/about_WGU/overview, retrieved 2011-10-05
- ^ "This college lets students earn their degrees online". Los Angeles Times. 26 December 2010. http://articles.latimes.com/2010/dec/26/business/la-fi-perfin-20101226. Retrieved 5 October 2011.
- ^ http://www.clir.org/activities/registration/sympslides2004/garlett.ppt, http://cshe.berkeley.edu/research/ebusiness/casestudies/wgu.htm, http://www2.nea.org/he/head9697/advo9711/inknow.html, http://www.answers.com/topic/western-governors-university, http://www.springerlink.com/content/1v28jd3lv2yufrdx, http://www.governor.state.ut.us/governor/5julupdt.htm, http://chronicle.com/colloquy/99/online/background.htm
- ^ http://www.westgov.org/wga/press/web-fcc.htm, http://www.wgu.edu/index.asp, http://www.edinformatics.com/online_degrees/teacher_administrator_programs.htm, http://www.petersons.com/distancelearning/code/articles/distancedollars.asp, http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS193567+19-Mar-2008+MW20080319, http://www.ncate.org/public/1031_WesternGovernorsU.asp?ch=148, http://www.firstmonday.dk/issues/issue3_5/margolis/index.html
- ^ http://connect.educause.edu/Library/Abstract/AMatterofDegreesColoradoG/40958, http://www.govtech.com/gt/95141, http://www.du.edu/~buffer/julaug96/wesgovu.html
- ^ http://www.govtech.com/gt/95141, http://www.du.edu/~buffer/julaug96/wesgovu.html, http://www.utah.gov/governorwalker/newsrels/1998updates/updates_110798.html, http://www.governor.state.ut.us/governor/25aprupd.htm
- ^ Board of Trustees
- ^ http://www.che.state.in.us/meetings/agendas/1998/9802121a.pdf
- ^ http://www.wgu.edu/student-experience/life
- ^ http://www.wgu.edu/business/business_management_bachelor_degree
- ^ Directory of Institutions, Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, accessed April 10, 2011
- ^ Western Governors University School Details – Accredited Institution Search – DETC
- ^ Western Governors University Receives NCATE Accreditation, press release, National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education, October 31, 2006. Archived by archive.org, April 11, 2008.
- ^ [1]
- ^ [2]
- ^ http://www.wgu.edu/about_WGU/no_tuition_increase_4-12-10
- ^ http://www.geteducated.com/online-college-ratings-and-rankings/best-buy-lists/best-buy-online-bachelor-business-management
- ^ http://news.wgu.edu/news.php?include=142114
- ^ http://www.bestofstate.org/winner2011_education.html
- ^ http://mcgraw-hill.presslift.com/mcgrawprize
- ^ http://www.usdla.org/index.php?cid=118
