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Western Governors University

4001 East 700 South, Suite 701, Salt Lake City, UT 84107

Website: Western Governors University

Photos:

Western Governors University Headquarters in Salt Lake City, Utah
Western Governors University Headquarters in Salt Lake City, Utah
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Western Governors University School Description

The principal mission of Western Governors University is to improve quality and expand access to post-secondary educational opportunities by providing a means for individuals to learn independent of time and place and to earn competency-based degrees and other credentials that are credible to both academic institutions and employers.

Truly a university without boundaries, Western Governors University is a non-profit university founded and supported by 19 state governors to serve the needs of today's citizens. At no other time in the history of higher education have the governors of several states joined together to create a university. In addition, WGU is supported by over 20 leading U.S. corporations and foundations.

Western Governors University is an online university driven by a mission to expand access to higher education through online, competency-based degree programs. WGU has flourished into a national university, serving over 14,000 students from all 50 states.

The university continues to open doors for adult learners who need flexibility to achieve their education and career goals. WGU’s innovative competency-based academic approach makes it possible, allowing individuals to fit their education into their lives, not the other way around.

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Western Governors University

From Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia

Western Governors University (WGU) is a private, non-profit, online university that was created by 19 western states governors and incorporated in 1997. It is supported by more than 20 leading corporations and foundations, including AT&T, Dell, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Sun Microsystems, HCA, HP, Microsoft, Qwest, Simmons Media Group and Zions Bank . The first students enrolled in 1999. WGU, based in Salt Lake City, Utah, is the only accredited online university in the U.S. offering competency-based degree programs . WGU offers bachelor's and master's degrees in information technology, business, teacher education and health professions.

WGU is the only university to be accredited by four regional accrediting organizations (February 2003); WGU is now accredited under the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. It is also nationally accredited by the Distance Education and Training Council; and received NCATE Accreditation for 5 years in October 2006, becoming the first online university ever to receive this prestigious teacher accreditation. In June 2008, WGU hit a milestone with current enrollment passing 10,000 students.

History and association with governors

The university was founded in 1997 by 19 governors, led by Roy Romer when he was governor of Colorado, Michael O. Leavitt 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.

Chairman:

  • Jim Geringer, Governor, Wyoming 1995-2003

Chairman Emeritus:

  • Michael O. Leavitt, Governor, Utah 1993-2003

Member Governors include:

  • Governor Sarah Palin, Alaska
  • Governor Janet Napolitano, Arizona
  • Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, California
  • Governor Bill Ritter, Colorado
  • Governor Felix Perez Camacho, Guam
  • Governor Linda Lingle, Hawaii
  • Governor Butch Otter, Idaho
  • Governor Mitch Daniels, Indiana
  • Governor Brian Schweitzer, Montana
  • Governor Dave Heineman, Nebraska
  • Governor Jim Gibbons, Nevada
  • Governor Bill Richardson, New Mexico
  • Governor John Hoeven, North Dakota
  • Governor Brad Henry, Oklahoma
  • Governor Ted Kulongoski, Oregon
  • Governor Mike Rounds, South Dakota
  • Governor Rick Perry, Texas
  • Governor Jon Huntsman, Jr., Utah
  • Governor Christine Gregoire, Washington
  • Governor Dave Freudenthal, Wyoming
  • Governor Jeremiah W. Nixon, Missouri

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Read the full entry on Wikipedia

Quick Facts

Chance of Admission:
Check With School
Location:
Rockies
Setting:
Mid-size City Setting
Type:
Private
Size:
Medium (2,000 to 5,000 Undergrad)
Nickname:
WGU

Students & Campus Life

Undergraduate Enrollment:
3,369
On Campus Housing:
Unavailable
Full Time Students:
100%
Athletic Programs:
Unavailable
More Students & Campus Life

Expenses

Average Tuition:
$ 5,580
Students Receiving Aid:
59%
More Expenses & Financial Aid

Admissions

Application Fee:
$ 65
Selectivity:
Highly Selective
More Admissions

Western Governors University Degree Programs

Associate Degree Programs

Learn more about Associate Degree Programs

Bachelor’s Degree Programs

Learn more about Bachelor’s Degree Programs

Master’s Degree Programs

Learn more about Master’s Degree Programs

Western Governors University Students & Campus Life

General

Full-Time vs. Part-Time
Full-Time 100%
Part-Time 0%
Men vs. Women
Women 62%
Men 38%
Race/Ethnicity
Caucasian 71%
Other 13%
African-American 9%
Hispanic 5%
Asian 2%

Geography

In State vs. Out-of-State
Out-of-State 94%
In-State 6%
Top States for Incoming Freshman
Texas 12%
Georgia 8%
California 7%
Florida 6%
Utah 6%
Percent of Students International: 0%

Housing

On-Campus Housing Available: No

Western Governors University Expenses (Tuition & Fees)

Tuition & Fees (undergraduate) Expenses  
Average Tuition for Full-Time Undergrads:
 $ 5,580    
Required Fees for Full-Time Undergrads:
 $ 90    
Financial Aid Avg. Amount Received % of Students Receiving Aid  
Federal Grants:
 $ 2,250 31%  
Institutional Grants:
 $ 1,205 6%  
Student Loans:
 $ 4,544 50%  
Any Aid:
   59%  

Western Governors University Admissions

Acceptance Rate: 37% (Highly Selective)

Application Requirements (Undergraduate Only)

Application Fee: $ 65.00
Formal Demonstration of Competencies: Required
High School Diploma or Equivalent: Not Required
High School GPA: Not Required
High School Rank: Not Required
High School Record: Not Required
Recommendations: Not Required
TOEFL: Not Required
Test Scores: Not Required

College Advice on Western Governors University

Yahoo
777
777

Question: What do you know about Western Governors University?

Hi, I'm looking into getting my teacher certification/MA (I already have a BA) and I was looking for respectable online universities and I came accross this one. Does anyone know anything about it? Is it respectable? Is it a good idea?
32 months ago
noble_savage
noble...

Best Answer

WGU was created in the 1990's as a joint project of 19 governors in western US states and territories, so it's accredited and that's the most important thing.
irecapat
irecapat

Question: Western Governors University Bachelor Program?

I am thinking of starting WGU in July. I heard that this school is good but people say its best to already have a BA. Well, my subject in study is History. So what do you guys think along getting y bachelors. I mean it is the cheapest I have found. I really want to go into English but they don't offer it but it is so much more convient and affordable. So tell me about WGU BA programs.
34 months ago
Sweetteach
Sweet...

Best Answer

I am currently enrolled in the Interdisciplinary studies program at WGU. It has been very good for me so far. The tasks that you must perform are challenging, and the graders are tough. I dont reccommend it for anyone who does not have good motivation though because it is easy to get behind with online learning. Good luck!
M_DragonKnight
M_Drago...

Question: Western Governor's University?

Does anyone know about this one, if so, can you tell me about their teaching program i.e. how did it work for you, any troubles trying to find a job with the certificate? I'm fifty and looking for a career change, and the local jr college recommended WGU, but didn't say how good it was and you can't trust people who work there to tell you the truth about it. Thank you DK
34 months ago
FK
FK

Best Answer

I don't think you will have any trouble getting a job. I am not sure what degree you are going for, but Western Governor's University MBA students all pass the Certified MBA test. www.cmba.com. I have heard many other programs are excellent too! Good luck!
nu3ndo
nu3ndo

Question: Earning an IT degree online?

I'm not sure if it's ok to do so, but a majority of people think its ok. I was looking to get a bachelors degree majoring in network security. I found an online school called Western Governors University. Western Governors University is regionally accredited by four institutions, Western Association of Schools and Colleges Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges, Western Association of Schools and Colleges Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities, Northwest Association of Schools and of Colleges and Universities Commission on Colleges and Universities, North Central Association of Colleges and Schools of Higher Learning Commission, which is four of the major accrediting commissions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. The reason why I want to do it online is because I found no program around my area that teaches network security. If you have any suggestions please feel free to respond.
34 months ago
NGC6205
NGC6205

Best Answer

Western Governors University is regionally accredited. Since the other people didn't know this, you can check accreditation on any school in the U.S. at the CHEA (Council for Higher Education Accreditation) website. If the school is acceptable to the US Department of Education, it will be listed in their database. http://www.chea.org/search/search.asp WGU is considered a pretty good school. The only downside is they charge a flat rate tuition for six months. It doesn't matter if you only take one class or four classes, you pay the same price.
Educated_guy
Educate...

Question: Any one did on-line courses from this university in US?

I am a working professional and planning to pursue education on line. I came across the following university http://www.wgu.edu/index.asp. They state that the university is regionally accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities also nationally accredited by the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC). I am planning to pursue Business-Information Technology Management from this university. Can any one share their opinion on this online university?
37 months ago
black_beauty
black...

Best Answer

I am a student at WGU and love it. They really care about your education. You will have a mentor that will guide you through your goals. It is different from most schools because they are competency based. You mainly do task online and take a few exams. They really want you to understand the information being presented. If you fail a task you take over and over again. They want you to succeed. I like this method of education! Good Luck!
Chris G
Chris G

Question: What is your opinion on western governors university?

I've been looking at Online Universities, and I have run across WGU, and I was wondering if anyone had attended it and could tell me the pros and cons that they found when attending this online university. Thanks :-)
43 months ago
Dr. Atrocity
Dr. A...

Best Answer

I haven't attended, but I can tell you from an evaluative standpoint that some four-year universities and employers still don't know what to do with degrees from WGU yet. Part of the appeal of four-year institutions is that employers know that students must have some self-motivated life experience under their belts: they woke up, got to class, turned in their papers, and passed their exams for four years. WGU, while one of the few online courses that is regionally accredited, doesn't offer the same certainty. It does, however, oblige students to demonstrate competence in their fields before receiving degrees, which some employers look favorably upon. I certainly think it's worth the risk, but be aware that opinions about the value of a degree from WGU aren't entirely settled and may not be so for several more years.

Photos

  • Western Governors University Headquarters in Salt Lake City, Utah
    Western Governors University Headquarters in Salt Lake City, Utah [source]
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Western Governors University
Salt Lake City, UT 84107
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