WGU Continues to Lead the Nation in Educating Math and Science Teachers

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Online university's secondary math education program is ranked #1 in the nation by the National Council on Teacher Quality

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Western Governors University

Dec 10, 2014, 12:49 ET

SALT LAKE CITY, Dec. 10, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The university producing the largest number of science and math teachers in the U.S. is online and competency-based, according to a new study by Eduventures. In 2013, Western Governors University (WGU), www.wgu.edu, conferred more bachelor's and master's degrees in STEM education than any other institution in the country. WGU also had the largest number of new enrollments in math and science education last year.

WGU has more than 53,000 students and 40,000 graduates nationwide, and the university's NCATE-accredited Teachers College has earned a national reputation for quality and value. In 2014, the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) ranked WGU's secondary math education program first in the nation, citing its quality, accessibility, and outstanding student teaching experiences. WGU is also a partner in 100Kin10, a multi-sector network focused on training 100,000 science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) teachers by 2021.

"Improving and expanding STEM education in our K-12 schools is vital to sustaining and growing the nation's economy," said Dr. Philip Schmidt, Vice President and Dean of WGU's Teachers College. "WGU has been focused on educating great math and science teachers from the beginning, and the strong growth in these programs is evidence of their quality."

Like all of WGU's degree programs, the university's teacher education programs are competency-based, an approach to teaching that focuses on measuring learning rather than time spent in class. Designed to meet the needs of busy adults with work and family obligations, competency-based learning allows students to advance as soon as they demonstrate mastery of course subject matter. Students have 24/7 access to course materials, studying and learning on their own schedules with the individualized support and guidance of faculty mentors. Because they are not restricted to standard semester or term calendars, many students are able to accelerate their time to graduation—the average time to earn a bachelor's degree at WGU is less than three years.

Tuition at WGU is affordable—about $3,000 per six-month term for teacher education programs—and it is charged at a flat rate, regardless of the number of courses taken. The university is committed to keeping costs as low as possible; tuition has not increased since 2008.

More information about WGU's Teachers College can be found at http://www.wgu.edu/education/online_teaching_degree.

About Western Governors University
Established in 1997 by a bipartisan group of U.S. governors with a mission to expand access to high-quality, affordable higher education, WGU has been recognized by the White House as what works in post-secondary education. The nation's first competency-based university, which is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, WGU has been named one of Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies and featured on NPR, NBC Nightly News, CNN, and in The New York Times.

WGU has earned the support of more than 20 leading corporations and foundations, including 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.

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Contact for media inquiries:
Joan Mitchell – VP of Public Relations
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Contact for enrollment information:
866-225-5948
www.wgu.edu

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SOURCE Western Governors University