To help alleviate Nevada’s teaching shortage, WGU Nevada is partnering with the Nevada Department of Education to offer up to 20 full-ride scholarships to residents with a desire to pursue a career in teaching.
In 2015, the Nevada Department of Education provided $240,000 to WGU Nevada as part of the Nevada Legislature's Teach Nevada Scholarship Initiative. Individuals interested in applying are required to complete WGU Nevada's Alternate Route to Licensure program for elementary and secondary teaching. The ARL program is an accelerated pathway for individuals who already hold a bachelor’s degree but do not have a teaching license. After successful completion of the accelerated program, students will have completed a series of rigorous courses, in-person observations, and clinical experiences in a public school classroom that prepares them to be highly effective teachers. To learn more about the scholarship, please email scholarships@wgu.edu.
“WGU Nevada has a nationally-recognized teaching program, and we are very pleased to be helping the state as a whole with its aggressive strides to gain new teachers here,” said WGU Nevada Chancellor Dr. Spencer Stewart. Winning scholarship recipients will be awarded $3,000 per term, not to exceed a total of $12,000 per student. Scholarships are available to new students who possess a bachelor’s or master’s degree in a non-education related field from an accredited university. Unlike traditional schools, WGU Nevada starts new terms on the first of every month, so it’s never too late to begin the journey. To be considered for one of the Teach Nevada Scholarships, prospective students must be officially admitted to WGU Nevada. This is a competitive program and scholarships will be awarded based on an applicant’s academic record, financial need, readiness for online study at WGU Nevada, current competency, as well as other considerations.
WGU Nevada’s parent university—Western Governors University—has long been recognized as a national leader in teacher education. In 2014, the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) named WGU’s secondary teacher education program number one in the nation. In addition, WGU is the largest producer of math and science teachers in the country.
WGU Nevada uses an innovative approach to learning called competency-based education, which measures learning rather than time spent in class. Students earn their degrees by demonstrating mastery of the subject matter they need to know to be successful—real-world competencies developed with employer input. Designed to meet the needs of adult learners in Nevada, competency-based education allows students to take advantage of their knowledge and experience to move quickly through material they already know so they can focus on what they still need to learn. Faculty members work one-on-one with students as mentors, offering guidance, support, and individualized instruction. While WGU Nevada’s degree programs are rigorous and challenging, competency-based learning makes it possible for students to accelerate their programs, saving both time and money. For more information about WGU Nevada, visit nevada.wgu.edu.
For more information about WGU Nevada’s Teach Nevada Scholarship and Alternative Route to Licensure program, please visit http://nevada.wgu.edu/arl.
