About Western Governors University | Online Degree Programs | WGU (2024)

Contact Us

As the most student-centric university in the world, WGU goes beyond convention to identify, develop, and implement programs, systems, and technologies that pave the path to opportunity for all.

View Our Online Degrees

A Message From Our President

At WGU, we believe in the power of human potential. We believe in the inherent worth and ability of every individual—and we know that, given the opportunity, every person has something big to contribute. But too often, for too many, the gap between talent and access to opportunity is wide. WGU exists to bridge that gap. Higher education is the surest pathway to a better life for individuals and their families. Access to high-quality education is key to helping people make the most of their potential and thrive. It is this conviction that drives what we do at WGU. It’s why we commit to being the world’s most student-centric university—and why we aren’t afraid to go beyond convention to make the promise of higher education deliver for everyone. It's why we're called the University of You—because we know that your success is what really matters.

The Story of WGU

Our History

Who we are as a university today is directly influenced by where we have come from. Our drive has always been to help more students get the access to education that they deserve. From our past to our present and to our future, enhancing education for all has been, and will continue to be, our purpose.

Learn About Our History

Our Mission

Our mission and focus all come back to expanding access to education. It's the driving force behind why we do everything the way we do here at WGU. Understanding our mission helps make clear why we have certain initiatives, programs, and partnerships in place. All of it is geared toward expanding our mission of higher education for all.

Learn About Our Mission

Our Process

Our unique approach to learning is called competency-based education, and it's proven to help students accelerate their degrees and get into the workforce. We measure impact in individuals, and competency-based education allows us to do that. We're working to expand competency-based education practices so even more students can benefit.

Learn About CBE

“WGU is about fundamental change in the way higher education is delivered. It's right, it's real, and it's efficient. It's what higher education will require to succeed in the future.”

—Michael O. Leavitt,
Former U.S. Secretary of Health & Human Services
Former Governor of Utah

What We Believe

We believe in human potential.

We believe in the inherent worth and ability of every individual. Talent is equally distributed; opportunity is not. We were founded to fix that.

We believe in the promise of education.

We believe education is the surest path to opportunity. We want to reinvent education so that every learner can have success.

We believe in our students.

If we provide them a student-centered, radically affordable, high-quality, workforce-relevant education, they will succeed.

We believe that outcomes matter.

Enrollment isn’t enough. We want to drive value for students: in their career progression, engagement, and life satisfaction.

We believe that learners are workers.

Our students don’t just want a diploma—they want a pathway to opportunity. We design our programs to maximize student success in the workplace.

We believe we can’t get there without innovation.

Sustained success depends upon doing things differently, not just better. We are compelled to innovate and change the way people engage with learning and access opportunity.

We believe that big problems demand big solutions.

The number of learners who are being left behind is massive. The only way to solve the problem is to solve it at scale.

Meet Our Leaders

We wouldn't be WGU without the hundreds of people who are working behind the scenes to make our programs, policies, and initiatives a success. WGU leaders are engaged in making a difference for individual students, organizations, and entire communities with the way they approach higher education. Commitment to change is what sets WGU leaders apart. Learn about the individuals who are making WGU successful, how they do it, and why it matters.

University Governance

2023 Annual Report

See what kind of marks we received, how we compare, and how we are working to help bridge the gap between talent and access to opportunity.

View the Report

WGU News

Conozca WGU

Vea cómo WGU se esfuerza por enfocarse en los estudiantes.

Aprenda más sobre WGU

About Western Governors University | Online Degree Programs | WGU (2024)

FAQs

Is a degree from Western Governors University respected? ›

WGU is accredited by the “Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU), an institutional accreditation body of colleges and universities in a seven-state region that includes WGU's headquarters of Utah,” according to WGU's website. NWCCU is a regional accrediting body.

Do companies recognize WGU degrees? ›

Your credits will transfer to most other accredited institutions. Your degree will be recognized and respected by other colleges and employers.

Is WGU online a good school? ›

Students, graduates, and those considering returning to school have a lot to say about WGU. See why they say it's an excellent choice for online higher education. With hundreds of independent reviews, Western Governors University has a rating of “excellent" on TrustPilot. Start your back-to-school journey today.

Is WGU online accredited? ›

Yes! WGU is institutionally accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU), the highest form of accreditation.

What is the WGU controversy? ›

The department's Office of Inspector General found in 2017 that Western Governors University, which enrolls more than 83,000 students, failed to meet federal requirements for the interaction between faculty members and students. The audit said WGU should pay back $713 million in federal student aid.

Is Western Governors a diploma mill? ›

Western Governors University (WGU) is certainly not a diploma mill. It is an accredited and reputable online university that offers bachelor's and master's degree programs.

Do employers care about online degrees? ›

How Employers Evaluate Online Degrees. As many as 83% of business leaders see an online degree at a “well-known” institution as having the same value as an on-campus degree.

How legitimate is WGU? ›

Western Governors University (WGU) is indeed a legitimate, accredited online university. It was established in 1997 by 19 U.S. governors with the intention of expanding access to higher education, particularly for working adults who require flexibility.

Are online degrees as good as regular degrees? ›

Yes, online degrees are equivalent to traditional degrees. The primary distinction lies in their delivery methods. Traditional degrees are typically delivered through in-person classes on campus, whereas online degrees utilize various digital platforms to reach learners who are often located elsewhere.

Is a degree from Western Governors University worth anything? ›

A Degree Worth Your Time and Money

Each minute you spend learning skills and earning your degree will pay great dividends. Here's why investing time and money in a WGU education is worth the effort: Increased salary potential—on average, WGU grads saw salary increases of nearly $30,000 within four years of graduation.

Is WGU 100% online? ›

WGU is an online school with career-aligned bachelor's and master's degrees in—IT, teaching, business, and healthcare—designed to help working professionals fit an online university education into their busy lives.

Why is WGU so popular? ›

As the most student-centric university in the world, WGU goes beyond convention to identify, develop, and implement programs, systems, and technologies that pave the path to opportunity for all. WGU is a university built for students.

What is Western Governors University known for? ›

As the most student-centric university in the world, the story of WGU is centered on our students. We are directly invested in their struggles, their lives, and their successes. Too many people have felt that education was out of their reach.

Does WGU send you a diploma? ›

WGU graduates receive a complimentary diploma upon completion of the program. Additional 11" x 8.5" copies of your diploma are available for purchase through Paradigm, our diploma vendor.

How much does it cost to go to WGU online? ›

Average Yearly Master's Tuition:

Average yearly master's tuition at WGU is $8,444, compared to the national average for yearly master's tuition degree price of $19,749 according to data from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (2022).

Does a WGU degree count? ›

WGU is regionally accredited with the NWCCU, which is good news for anyone who wants to earn some credits with us then transfer them to another school with relative ease. That said, each college or university sets their own criteria, so they have the final say on what transfers and what doesn't.

Is WGU a top tier school? ›

On March 20, 2023, Niche.com released their 2023 college rankings. WGU's overall ranking improved significantly year over year. CollegeFactual now ranks WGU in the top 6.6% of schools overall nationally. Most notable, however, is the fact that its IT programs are ranked #7 in the country.

Is Western university respected? ›

Ranked among the top 1 per cent of universities in the world, we are an academic institution recognized for leadership in education, research and healthcare.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Dean Jakubowski Ret

Last Updated:

Views: 6043

Rating: 5 / 5 (50 voted)

Reviews: 89% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Dean Jakubowski Ret

Birthday: 1996-05-10

Address: Apt. 425 4346 Santiago Islands, Shariside, AK 38830-1874

Phone: +96313309894162

Job: Legacy Sales Designer

Hobby: Baseball, Wood carving, Candle making, Jigsaw puzzles, Lacemaking, Parkour, Drawing

Introduction: My name is Dean Jakubowski Ret, I am a enthusiastic, friendly, homely, handsome, zealous, brainy, elegant person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.