Giving all learners the chance for education.
Talent is universal. Opportunity is not.
We know that every individual has talent in them. But access to opportunities for learning and growth is not as equally distributed. That's why here at WGU, our mission is to help more individuals get the educational access they deserve, so they can fully utilize their talent and potential. And we need partners who share our vision for bringing higher education to every learner.
Discover how your organization can partner with WGU as we work to expand educational access to those that deserve opportunity, including low-income individuals, those from rural communities, minorities, first-generation college students, and more.
Overcoming barriers.
For most learners, there are large barriers that make obtaining higher education more difficult. Here at WGU, expanding access means we are focused on removing those barriers so education is more attainable.
Cost of Education
The typical cost for a bachelor's degree in the U.S. over $12,000 per year. For most students, that number is simply not attainable. Here at WGU, we are focused on cutting the cost of education, with our bachelor's degree programs costing just over $6,000 per year—half the national average. We charge tuition per-term instead of per-credit as well, so that adding more classes in a term doesn't add to your cost.
Environment
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Education at Scale
Scaling education is a massive barrier to access for most individuals. Schools that can't scale quickly or accept more students prevent more learners from having the opportunity to learn. At WGU, we are constantly working to improve our scaling options so any learner can be welcome at WGU, at any time.
Time and Distance
Location and scheduling are two barriers that often prevent learners from being able to pursue education. WGU is 100% online, which removes the distance barrier, and can be done whenever works for your schedule, removing the time barrier. This allows students to have full access to education whenever and wherever it works best for their lives.
Learner Types
Every individual has different learning styles that help them best learn in unique ways. Some may be better at essays, while others are better at tests. Some prefer reading textbooks, and others want to watch a video. WGU has worked to provide educational materials in a variety of ways so students can adapt their learning to their style. WGU also offers resources and help so students can grow in the other learning styles as well.
Paying for College
We work with partners to ensure we have many scholarship and grant options for students, helping them have the opportunity to afford college educaiton. The cost of higher education is prohibative for many individuals, so scholarships, grants, and federal aid are all vital to expanding access.
Digital Divide
Many students don't have access to ther internet, which is critical for higher education, online or traditional. We are working with partners to help provide individuals with the internet connection they need to be able to pursue higher education, get better jobs, and improve their lives.
College Readiness
Not every individual is ready for college right now. That's why WGU offers college readiness programs that help every student get the learning they need, ensuring they can take the next step to a college education. By providing college readiness programs, students who may not otherwise be able to succeed in college are prepared for what will be expected of them to thrive.
Empowering people.
Many individuals don't have the access to education that they deserve. Our goal at WGU is to constantly work to give opportunity to all kinds of learners. Creating pathways to educational success for diverse students benefits communities and organizations as a whole. We know that every individual has the talent and potential to succeed—they just need the chance.
We are always looking for partners who share our passion for empowering individuals. We are regularly creating intiatives and making progress in helping more diverse learners get the chance to pursue higher education.
Our goal is to serve individuals, families, and entire communities as we expand access and empower people to reach their goals.
Partnering to expand access.
Here at WGU, partnerships are essential in ensuring we can continue to provoide educational access to students who need it most. From finances to innovation, we want to connect ourselves with institutions that are committed to makign a difference, just like we are.
Donations.
Donations are critical for a non-profit university like WGU. Donations help us keep our tuition low while allowing us to continue to invest in the university to deliver the things student needs. Here, every dollar matters. Big or small, every donation counts.
Policy work.
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Community partnerships.
When we are able to connect with communities we can give more students access to education they want and need. These partnerships allow us to identify students, offer them increased access to education, and see them thrive.
We also have important connections with community colleges that allow students to begin their education there, and finish their degrees at WGU. These programs are vital in helping students be prepared for easy transition to finishing their bachelor's degree.
Scholarships.
We offer a wide variety of scholarships, and your organization can be involved in helping employees obtain scholarships that help them pay for school. Private and public donations help us fund scholarships that allow more students to have the ability to afford their degree program. These scholarships directly impact students who may not be able to attend school otherwise.
Special projects.
WGU is continually working with corporate partners to create special projects that help expand access. For example, we are currently helping students in rural communities get access to the internet so they can pursue higher education. Projects like this help us transform lives and create better access for all kinds of students. And your organization can help.
Digital divide.
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College of Business
We partner with experts in the field of business to ensure that students graduate with career-specific skills. Partners of our business college continually work with us to ensure we are able to cater to all kinds of learners and professions.
Teachers College
Understanding diversity in the classroom is essential to student success. We work with experts to create programs that are designed to prepare teachers and educators for diversity in the classroom.
College of Health
Working with patients directly involves understanding diverse backgrounds—and diverse nurses and healthcare leaders help enhance patient care. We utilize courses to help students be prepared and understanding of diversity in patient needs.
IT College
Technology is constantly changing, and programs need to change with it. Understanding how diversity impacts technology is critical for success. Partners in this college work to create environments that are welcoming and inclusive.
About WGU.
Learn more about what makes WGU such a unique institution to partner with in your efforts to expand education and align your workforce to career needs.
Learning business model.
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Digital divide.
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Curriculum development.
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University leadership.
Scott Pulsipher, President, Western Governors University.
Scott Pulsipher has served as president of nonprofit Western Governors University (WGU), the nation’s first and largest competency-based university, since April 2016, leading all academic, operational, and organizational functions.
Pulsipher blends a personal drive for making a difference in the lives of individuals and families through education and a passion for technology-powered innovation. At WGU, he is driving continuous innovation to improve student outcomes by focusing on rapidly advancing curriculum quality, new faculty models, data-driven learning, and a different cost model. In 2020, EdTech Digest named him one of the Top 100 Influencers in EdTech.
Before coming to WGU, Pulsipher had more than 20 years of leadership experience in technology-based, customer-focused businesses, including Amazon, Sterling Commerce (now part of IBM), and two successful startups that traverse retail, supply chain, banking, payments, and manufacturing sectors. Pulsipher holds a bachelor’s degree in Management from Brigham Young University and an MBA from Harvard University.
WGU Governance.
WGU is governed by a Board of Trustees consisting of educators, industry leaders, and state governors. In addition, WGU continues to draw support (although no ongoing state funding) from the Governors of the Member States that were instrumental in the founding of WGU.
Board of Trustees
Dr. Charles Sorenson, Chairman
President and CEO Emeritus
Intermountain Healthcare
John W. Bluford III
President
Bluford Healthcare Leadership Institute
Cole Clark
Executive Director, Higher Education Client Relations
Deloitte Services, LP
Joseph B. Fuller
Professor of Management Practice and Co-Director of the Managing the Future of Work Project
Harvard University
The Honorable Jim Geringer
Director, Policy & Public Sector, ESRI
Governor of Wyoming (1995 – 2003)
The Honorable Eric Holcomb
Governor
State of Indiana
Tammy Johns
CEO
Strategy & Talent
Lenny Mendonca
Former Chief Economic and Business Advisor
Governor of California
Talia Milgrom-Elcott
Co-Founder and Executive Director
100Kin10
The Honorable Jared Polis
Governor
State of Colorado
Scott D. Pulsipher
President
Western Governors University
David Simmons
President
Simmons Media Group
Dr. Samuel H. Smith
President Emeritus
Washington State University
Jane Swift
President and Executive Director, LearnLaunch
Former Governor of Massachusetts
Jessie Woolley-Wilson
CEO and President
Dreambox Learning
Governors of Member States
Jim Geringer, Chairman
Governor, Wyoming 1995–2003
Michael O. Leavitt, Chairman Emeritus
Governor, Utah 1993–2003
Alaska
Governor Mike Dunleavy
Arizona
Governor Doug Ducey
California
Governor Gavin Newsom
Colorado
Governor Jared Polis
Guam
Governor Lourdes Aflague Leon Guerrero
Hawaii
Governor David Ige
Idaho
Governor Brad Little
Indiana
Governor Eric Holcomb
Montana
Governor Steve Bullock
Nebraska
Governor Pete Ricketts
Nevada
Governor Steve Sisolak
New Mexico
Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham
North Dakota
Governor Doug Burgum
Oklahoma
Governor Kevin Stitt
Oregon
Governor Kate Brown
South Dakota
Governor Kristi Noem
Texas
Governor Greg Abbott
Utah
Governor Gary Herbert
Washington
Governor Jay Inslee
Wyoming
Governor Mark Gordon
Frequently Asked Questions.
How is WGU different from other universities?
For more than 20 years, WGU has focused on unlocking opportunities and removing barriers to quality, access, and outcomes across the education-to-opportunity lifecycle. WGU is known for its flexible learning architecture, learning support systems, and job-relevant curriculum, all of which provide a better experience for working learners. Because our programs are designed around the realities experienced by a “21st century learner,” in which work, family obligations, and life events are in constant motion, employees together with their employers see higher levels of satisfaction and better outcomes in their learning and development goals.
Do WGU employer partnerships focus on a certain employee population?
WGU’s offerings create pathways to opportunities for all employees—from frontline employees to senior leaders. Our college-readiness programs prepare employees academically, socially, and emotionally to enter or re-enter postsecondary learning. Our advanced graduate programs are geared to seasoned leaders.
Our approach is built on the concept of stackability—the ability of credentials to build on each other as part of a career-long learning loop. Stackable credentials allow a learner’s education to accumulate incremental value along the learning journey, improving access to both upskilling and reskilling opportunities.
What is the process for developing a partnership?
At WGU, we design programs that are scalable, industry relevant, and flexible with little out-of-pocket cost to employees that allow them to focus on their immediate job responsibilities while also pursuing their program.
Our approach involves an initial assessment of your organization’s learning and workforce development objectives coupled with the identification of needed career development pathways and the associated WGU programs supporting these pathways.
We have an experienced team of advisors dedicated to helping your employees find the right program for their professional goals as well as program specialists providing implementation, internal communication, and reporting and monitoring support to your organization’s learning and development division.
What organizations have we worked with, and in what industries are our graduates employed?
As digital transformation continues to accelerate the pace of change across virtually all industries, investing in the learning and development of employees is becoming a universal business imperative. An organization’s future growth potential, customer experience, service quality, and ability to innovate and thrive are now more than ever inseparably tied to the pace by which executives close the skills gap among their workforce though upskilling and reskilling.
For this reason, WGU works with organizations that span the private and nonprofit spectrum—from large retailers to large school districts, from multi-state healthcare systems to large community college systems, from local government to key financial institutions.
Here are a few of the organizations we work with:
Retail (Kroger, Best Buy); Health Care (HCA Healthcare, Sentara, University of Vermont Health Network, Providence Health & Service); Airlines (Alaska Airlines, JetBlue); State & Local Government (City of Dayton, City of Memphis, Las Vegas, State of Texas); Finance & Insurance (Nationwide Mutual Insurance, Farmers Insurance, First Merchants Bank); Community Colleges & Systems (California Community College System, Ivy Tech Community College, Kentucky Community & Technical College System ); School Districts (Cincinnati Public Schools, Chicago Public Schools)