An online school built for students like you.
WGU is an online school with career-aligned bachelor's and master's degrees in—IT, teaching, business, and healthcare—designed to help working professionals fit an online university education into their busy lives. Find the degree that's the perfect fit for you.
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Browse our online degrees by college.
WGU College of Business.
Expand your skill set for the 21st century with a respected business degree from WGU. Our online degrees and programs offer online schooling options for both experienced business professionals and motivated learners driven to advance their careers. WGU makes business school more attainable than ever before by utilizing competency-based education so students can progress in their courses as quickly as they master the material. Students don't have to log into classes, so they can do their coursework any time, day or night. This means they can keep their job, maintain their personal lives, and get a degree at the same time.
WGU Teachers College.
Whether you're an aspiring teacher or an experienced educator ready to advance your career, WGU's CAEP-accredited Teachers College has a teaching degree for you. Choose from more than 30 bachelor's, post-baccalaureate, endorsement-preparation, and master's degree programs in education. WGU prepares you for teacher licensure in all 50 states and will help ensure that you are ready for the classroom. For online degrees in education, WGU is a great fit.
WGU College of Information Technology.
Today's complex, ever-changing field of information technology requires you to demonstrate superior IT knowledge, keep up-to-date with certifications, and hold a relevant degree from an accredited online university. Out of many online education options, WGU is a smarter way for IT professionals to earn that online degree—with certifications included in most programs, at no extra cost. Enhance your résumé with a degree and certs at WGU.
WGU College of Health Professions.
Earn a nursing or healthcare degree at WGU and fill a vital role in today's dynamic healthcare environment. Despite a changing economy, healthcare and nursing continue to experience strong job growth. This growth represents a great opportunity for you to further your career by completing a bachelor's or master's degree in a field like nursing, health information management, or healthcare management.
This online university was made for you.
At WGU, our focus is on your success—as an online student and a graduate. WGU has been one-of-a-kind from the start.
We’re the first university where all bachelor’s and master’s degrees are competency-based. It’s an innovative approach that measures learning, not class time, and it works particularly well for adult learners. Plus, our online college courses are designed with input and guidance from industry leaders and employers, so you know you're learning what you need to know to be successful. It will be rigorous, hard work—and it will be worth it!
We are the nation’s only university created by 19 U.S. governors. Their vision: Help change the lives of working adults by giving them access to a high-quality, affordable higher education that fits into their busy lives.
We believe higher education should be affordable for everyone. WGU is a nonprofit university with tuition well below what other reputable universities charge—about $6,500 per year for most programs. Our flat-rate tuition model means you complete as many courses as you can in a term without paying more, so graduating faster also means graduating for less.
"WGU is upending the traditional college experience, and has the potential to change the way universities—both new and old—think about learning.” The Atlantic
It’s not about class time. It’s about learning.
WGU’s approach to learning is designed to fit your learning style, your schedule, your life. All of our online degree programs are competency-based, which means you’ll earn your online degree as soon as you can demonstrate that you’ve mastered the material. Competency-based education (CBE) measures actual knowledge, not time spent in class.
Finish courses by proving what you know, as soon as you're ready.
With competency-based education at WGU, success is measured by actual learning, not class time. You advance by demonstrating that you've mastered the course subject matter—whether you learned it here or picked it up through years of work experience.
How quickly you learn.
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The time you are able to devote to studying.
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How much previous knowledge you bring.
You’ll read, complete assignments, write papers, and take tests, just as you would at other universities. But, in most cases, your online learning progress won’t be tied to a class schedule—you can move quickly through material you already know and take the time you need to learn the things that don’t come as easily to you.
Have questions about WGU or online universities?
Check out our online colleges FAQ or online university guide to get the full picture of choosing an online education pathway.
Programs begin the 1st of any month.
WGU enrolls new students at the beginning of each month, launching a new term for those students. A term at WGU is 6 months long. What does this mean for you? You can start when you’re ready, rather than rushing (or waiting) for fall or spring enrollment. So, it’s back-to-school time year-round at WGU! Just enroll by the 15th to be eligible to begin next month.
A fast-track career begins with a first-rate education.
To advance in your career—or to start a new one—you don’t just need a degree. You also need respected credentials and real-world skills. Our curriculum does that by taking learning to a new level.
Our courses are designed in collaboration with major employers and industry experts in healthcare, business, information technology, and education. What you’ll learn is what the marketplace wants. Our competency-based approach to learning ensures that you’ll master the material—making you better prepared to succeed in your career.
Employers appreciate WGU grads. We’ve been endorsed by corporations such as AT&T, HP, Hospital Corporation of America, and Microsoft. We’ve also been praised by the likes of Harvard Business Review, Forbes, Time, Fast Company, CNN, MSNBC, and Bloomberg Businessweek—as well as officials and elected leaders all the way up to the White House.
WGU “is consummately focused on actual student learning far more so than almost any other university in the world.” Forbes Magazine
Frequently asked questions about online degree programs.
What is the easiest degree to get online?
Earning any degree is going to take hard work and time. Some degree programs have rigorous requirements and difficult courses that will require more concentration and dedication. The easiest online degree is really going to be personal for each student. It’s valuable to look at course descriptions before choosing an online degree program to see which is the best fit for your strengths and career goals. However, there are ways to make earning an online degree easier for any student, such as allowing them to progress on their own schedule, letting them use their previous experience to help them accelerate courses, and having expert faculty and staff they can rely on to help them thrive.
Are online degrees credible?
83% of employers say an online degree is as credible as a traditional degree in their eyes. Currently there are over 6 million online learners, and those numbers are growing every day. Online degrees that have regional accreditation are held to the same standards as traditional universities, ensuring that students earn a valuable degree that will prepare them with the skills and credentials for their career. Do research to find an online degree that is accredited and reputable, such as those offered at Western Governors University.
Can you really get a degree online?
Yes! There are many reputable online degree program options that can help you pursue higher education in a way that works for you. Online degree programs such as those offered at WGU allow you to move through your courses as quickly as you master the material, helping you earn a degree, getting important credentials and valuable skills, all in your own timeframe.
How long to finish online degree?
Depending on the degree program you may be able to finish an online degree in a matter of months. Some online degree programs like those offered at WGU allow students to move forward as quickly as they can master the material, so students can finish as quickly as they’re able. Other online degree programs require students to log in and take courses at a certain time, finishing in a set number of years. Traditional degree programs take 4 years, but some students can finish an online degree program in as little as 12 months, while other students will take the full 4 years to finish an online degree program. There are clinical requirements and student teaching requirements for some online degree programs as well to factor in for timing.
How do online degrees work?
Different online degree programs will have different methods for completion. For example, some will require you to log in to class at a certain time for a lecture or discussion. Others, like those offered at WGU, allow students to read and watch videos on the material on their own time, then prove their competency with an exam or paper. These kinds of online degree programs don’t have log in requirements, assignment due dates, or class discussions. Students are in charge of their own education.
What kind of online degrees can you get?
There are many different degree programs available from online institutions around the United States. Common online degree programs include business degrees such as marketing and accounting, healthcare degrees such as nursing and healthcare management, IT degrees such as software development and computer science, and teaching degrees.
Are online colleges legit?
Accreditation is a key factor in determining if an online college is reputable. Accreditation is done by independent agencies that determine if an institution meets the important academic standards needed to demonstrate value to employers. For example, Western Governors University is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU), a regional accreditation body of colleges and universities in a seven-state region that includes WGU’s headquarters of Utah. NWCCU provides the accreditation of many other major institutions, including the University of Washington, University of Oregon, Gonzaga University, University of Utah, and Brigham Young University, to name a few.
What is the easiest degree to get online?
Earning a degree isn't easy work, but WGU takes away many of the pain points to make earning a degree as seamless as possible. It's valuable to find a degree that is online, doesn't require you to log in at a certain time, and is affordable. WGU lets you work on your coursework any time that is convenient for you, and lets you move through the material as soon as you can prove mastery.
Online degrees won't mean you'll be alone.
College is challenging, and even the best students need help from time to time. To steer students toward success we created a unique support system—it’s consistent, dedicated, and personalized.
Faculty mentoring from day one through graduation.
Your Program Mentor will help you develop an online degree plan that works for you, and then help you stick to it. Through regular, ongoing interaction and instruction from enrollment to graduation, they will advise and guide you through your chosen program.
Subject-matter experts for every course.
In every course you take, you’ll also have access to instruction from faculty members who serve as a subject-matter experts and guides through the curriculum. Use them for one-on-one or cohort-based help to get you resolve sticking points so you can truly master the learning material.
We’re student-obsessed, and proud of it.
Our innovative support structure extends to all aspects of your student experience, including an IT help desk, student support, and centers to provide help with writing and math, counseling, budgeting, and more.
Enrolling in a college degree program is scary. That's a good thing.
The very real benefits of earning an online college degree are many. Here's one you may not have thought of: pushing yourself outside your comfort zone. Doing something that scares you is a great way to "exercise your bravery muscle," as Reshma Saujani—who founded her groundbreaking organization Girls Who Code despite having just lost an election and having no experience with coding—recently told an audience at a lecture series hosted by WGU.