Western Governors University

Academics

Distinguishing Characteristics

School type	Private
Terms	Other
Academic calendar (as submitted by school)	Students may enroll at the beginning of any month; terms are six months long with no limit on the number of courses a student may complete per term.
First year of program	1999-2000

Faculty & Classes

Full-time instructional faculty that teach courses accessible online	N/A
Part-time instructional faculty that teach courses accessible online	N/A
Average online teaching experience	N/A
Faculty have at least 1 year online teaching experience	N/A
Faculty have at least 2 years online teaching experience	N/A
Faculty have at least 3 years online teaching experience	N/A
Full-time faculty with doctorate	N/A
Part-time faculty with doctorate	N/A
Full-time faculty whose highest degree is a bachelor's	N/A
Part-time faculty whose highest degree is a bachelor's	N/A
School finances online instructor training	Yes
Continuing online instruction education required	N/A
Full-time course development tech staff supporting faculty	N/A
Part-time course development tech staff supporting faculty	N/A
Average class size	N/A
Maximum class size	N/A

Programs

Online bachelor's degree programs	23
Online courses	N/A
Five most popular majors
N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
All majors
About the online bachelor's degree program (as submitted by school)
Designed to meet the needs of working adults, Western Governors University uses a competency-based learning model, allowing students to advance by demonstrating their knowledge and abilities, rather than accumulating credit hours. Students can take advantage of prior education and experience to move quickly through course material, allowing them to focus on new learning. Enrollment begins the first of each month and terms are 6 months long. Tuition is less than $6,000 per year for most programs.

Integration With Campus

Can earn degree entirely online	Yes
Possible in-person attendance requirements
Orientations No Classes No Group projects/simulations No Exams No
Same academic track as campus-based program	N/A

Veterans

Institution is G.I. Bill certified	N/A
Institution participates in Yellow Ribbon Program	N/A
Institution is SOC Member	N/A
Offers DANTES course(s) for credit	N/A

Delivery

Archived classes	All
Classes can be received live	All
Live online/on-campus classes after 5 p.m.	N/A
Online chatrooms	Yes
Web conferencing (webinars)	Yes
Skype or other visual software	Yes
New-student orientation	Yes
Review and sign ethics statement	Yes
Percentage of classes with lectures	N/A
Number of times per week students must login to a typical course	N/A
Number of times per month faculty evaluate student participation	0
Number of times per month faculty provide feedback to students on participation	4
Courses requiring students to work collaboratively with other students	N/A
Class participation graded	No
Exams	Yes
Number of settings in which in-person exams are administered	Multiple geographically dispersed settings
Anti-plagiarism screening required for essay assignments	Yes
Measures to instill academic integrity (as submitted by school)
WGU has an Academic Authenticity policy that includes cheating, plagiarism, and other academic integrity standards. Alleged violations of the University’s policy on Academic Authenticity are reviewed and initially adjudicated by Assessment Staff. Guidelines for disciplinary actions are outlined in the student handbook. Remote online proctoring for exams uses appropriate observation and proctoring capabilities and can authenticate student identity. Student assignment and assessment submissions are evaluated by professional graders who do not teach or serve in traditional faculty roles.

List of Student Assessments Administered

Collegiate Learning Assessment (CAE)	Yes
National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE)	Yes

Graduation & Retention

One-year retention rates	N/A
Limited time to complete degree	No
Target time to earn final 25% of credits	N/A
Maximum time to earn final 25% of credits	N/A
Graduation rates	N/A
School tracks graduates	N/A