Featured on NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams in their "What Works" segment, WGU is the recipient of the USDLA 21st Century Award for Best Practices in Distance Learning for 2011, awarded in recognition of their success in expanding access to higher education.

Online degrees based on your skills and knowledge

At Western Governors University, a nonprofit private university, your competence is the ultimate focus of every degree program. By emphasizing mastery of essential skills and knowledge instead of accumulating credit hours, WGU's approach to earning a degree rewards focused, hard-working professionals. Progress toward your online degree is based on passing rigorous assessments (such as tests, projects, assignments, etc.) that measure your skills and knowledge in your field of study. We call it competency-based learning. WGU's programs are best designed (well suited) for people with at least one year or more of college completed. With multiple degree programs in education, business, healthcare, and information technology, WGU's rigorous yet flexible approach gives the university a unique advantage over other online programs. Here's what the WGU advantage means to you:

• Flexibility and Affordability. Our competency-based approach allows for extensive personalization of your degree program. With assessments determining your success instead of credit hours, you'll enjoy an education that fits your lifestyle. In most cases, you will access course material or study independently at the time and place you choose. Also, if you come into your program With years of knowledge and experience, you may be able to complete your assessments faster. you pay one flat rate per six-month term, so you may be able to save time and money depending on how quickly you can adequately demonstrate your competency In your field of study.
• Credibility through Accreditation. WGU is regionally and nationally accredited. It is the only university ever to have received accreditation from four regional accrediting commissions. WGU's Teachers College is Also now NCATE-accredited – the first online university to achieve that distinction.
• Commitment and Support. at WGU, students are supported by a mentoring team committed to success. you'll work With a progress manager, faculty mentors and a support staff that will keep you motivated as they steer you toward your degree.

If you're an organized, independent learner willing to devote at least 15-20 hours a week to your studies but require flexibility in time and place to complete your education, WGU could be the university you're looking for. As a nonprofit institution, WGU does not rely on state or federal funding and is not subject to review from funding agencies.

Western Governors University is the only university to have received simultaneous accreditation by four regional accrediting commissions. Currently, WGU's "home" accrediting commission is the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, the same organization that accredits such leading institutions as the University of Washington, University of Oregon, University of Utah, Brigham Young University, and other public and private colleges. WGU is also nationally accredited by the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC). WGU is the first online university to receive NCATE accreditation for its degree programs that lead to teacher licensure from the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). WGU's Health Informatics program is now accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM). WGU's Nursing programs are CCNE accredited.