WGU Commits to Another Year with No Tuition Increase

Online university has not raised tuition since 2008

SALT LAKE CITY, Aug. 20, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- For the sixth straight year, nonprofit, online Western Governors University (WGU), www.wgu.edu, will not increase tuition for any of its degree programs. WGU offers more than 50 accredited bachelor's and master's degree programs in business, K-12 teacher education, information technology, and health professions, including nursing.  At $2,890 per six-month term for most programs, WGU's flat-rate tuition is very affordable, allowing students to complete as many courses per term as they are able at the same low cost. And, while the average cost for college textbooks is rising faster than the cost of tuition or healthcare, WGU's resource fee of $145 per term includes access to e-textbooks for all courses.

As a nonprofit, WGU is focused on helping adult students achieve their educational goals, and keeping tuition affordable is a key part of that focus. In addition, the university uses a learning model called competency-based education, which allows students to advance by demonstrating their knowledge rather than earning credit for spending time in class. Designed to meet the learning needs of adult learners, competency-based education allows students to take advantage of prior learning and experience to move quickly through what they already know so they can focus on material they still need to learn. Students work through course materials at their own pace, guided and supported by faculty mentors, and can complete courses as soon as they can demonstrate mastery through tests and assessments. As a result, students may accelerate their time to graduation, saving both time and money.

"The United States economy needs more workers with college degrees, and having a degree can make a substantial difference in lifetime earnings," said WGU Chief Marketing Officer Patrick Partridge. "WGU was created to provide a flexible and affordable way for working adults to complete their undergraduate and graduate degrees, and the university is committed to achieving this mission by holding the line on tuition for a sixth straight year."

WGU students are eligible for federal financial aid, and the university offers a number of scholarships for qualified students. For more information about WGU, go to www.wgu.edu.

About Western Governors University

Named one of Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies 2013, WGU has been featured on NPR's "All Things Considered," The NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams, CNN's "Schools of Thought," and in The New York Times. Now with approximately 40,000 students in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and on U.S. military bases around the world, WGU is the only university in the U.S. offering accredited, competency-based bachelor's and master's degree programs at scale. WGU is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. WGU's Teachers College is the first exclusively online provider of teacher education to receive accreditation for its teacher licensure programs from NCATE, the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education. The WGU bachelor's and master's nursing degree programs are accredited by the Commission for Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE*), and its B.S. in Health Informatics is accredited by CAHIIM (Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education).

On June 11, 2010, WGU Indiana was created by Governor Mitch Daniels as Indiana's eighth state university. WGU Washington was established by the Washington State Legislature on April 22, 2011.  On August 3, 2011, the state of Texas created WGU Texas. On February 15, 2013, Governor Jay Nixon announced the establishment of WGU Missouri, and on July 9, 2013, Governor Bill Haslam announced the establishment of WGU Tennessee. These state-based universities are state-endorsed and offer degree programs that are accredited through Western Governors University.

The university has earned the support of more than 20 leading corporations and foundations. They include institutions such as AT&T, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Lilly Endowment, HCA, Hewlett-Packard, Lumina Foundation, Microsoft, Oracle, SunGard Higher Education, and Zions Bank. More information is available at www.wgu.edu or by calling 866.225.5948.

*Western Governors University offers nursing programs that are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (One Dupont Circle, NW, Suite 5380, Washington DC 20036, 202-877-6791).

Follow WGU:
http://www.facebook.com/wgu.edu  
http://www.linkedin.com/companies/western-governors-university  
http://twitter.com/wgu  
http://www.youtube.com/WesternGovernorsUniv  
http://news.wgu.edu/news/news.xml

Contact for enrollment information:
866-225-5948     
www.wgu.edu               

Contact for media inquiries:
Joan Mitchell – VP of Public Relations
801-428-5463
[email protected]

SOURCE Western Governors University

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