Western Governors University Earns CCNE Accreditation for Another 10 Years

SALT LAKE CITY, May 21, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Nursing programs at Western Governors University (WGU), www.wgu.edu, will retain their accreditation from the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) through June 2024. WGU's undergraduate and graduate nursing programs were first accredited by CCNE in 2009.

CCNE is the nation's premier accrediting body for undergraduate and graduate nursing degree programs. Earning national accreditation from CCNE shows that WGU's nursing programs meet the highest standards for nursing education and contribute to improving healthcare in the United States. To receive CCNE reaccreditation, WGU's nursing programs were rigorously reviewed to ensure WGU nursing students gain the needed knowledge to be successful in the healthcare workforce.  

WGU currently has over 8,000 nursing students enrolled in undergraduate and graduate programs. As of April 2014, over 6,800 students had graduated from WGU's nursing programs, which include:

• B.S. Nursing­--Prelicensure
• B.S. Nursing (RN to BSN)
• M.S. Nursing--Education
• M.S. Nursing--Leadership and Management

"We are proud of this reaccreditation action, which confirms that WGU's nursing programs continue to improve, use the most contemporary standards of practice, and meet rigorous national review," said Jan Jones-Schenk, National Director of the College of Health Professions at WGU.

With more than 46,000 students and 35,000 graduates nationwide, WGU is the pioneer and leader in competency-based education. This approach allows students to study at their own pace and accelerate through their programs when they can prove mastery of a subject. Competency-based education measures learning rather than seat time and ensures that graduates are prepared with the knowledge and skills needed for the workforce. This also allows students to apply what they have learned through work and previous experience and apply it to their studies, often times saving time and money.

About Western Governors University 
Recognized by President Obama as an innovative university that "awards credits based on learning, not seat time," Western Governors University is the only university in the U.S. offering accredited, competency-based bachelor's and master's degree programs at scale. Named one of  Fast Company's "Most Innovative Companies for 2013," WGU has been featured on NPR's "All Things Considered," NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams, CNN's "Schools of Thought," and in The New York Times.

WGU is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. The WGU bachelor's and master's nursing degree programs are accredited by the Commission for Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE*), and its B.S. in Health Informatics is accredited by CAHIIM (Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education).

Western Governors University has partnered with five states to establish state-based universities aimed at adding affordable capacity to state higher education systems. WGU Indiana, WGU Missouri, WGU Tennessee, WGU Texas, and WGU Washington are key elements in their states' strategies for increasing the percentage of adults with bachelor's or master's degrees. These state-endorsed universities offer degree programs that are accredited through WGU.

The university has earned the support of more than 20 leading corporations and foundations, including AT&T, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Lilly Endowment, HCA, Hewlett-Packard, Lumina Foundation, Microsoft, Oracle, SunGard Higher Education, and Zions Bank. More information is available at www.wgu.edu or by calling 866.225.5948.

*Western Governors University offers nursing programs that are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (One Dupont Circle, NW, Suite 5380, Washington DC 20036, 202-877-6791).

About CCNE 
The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) is an autonomous accrediting agency, contributing to the improvement of the public's health. The Commission ensures the quality and integrity of the baccalaureate, graduate, and residency programs in nursing. The commission serves the public interest by assessing and identifying programs that engage in effective educational practices. As a voluntary, self-regulatory process, CCNE accreditation supports and encourages continuing self-assessment by nursing programs and supports continuing growth and improvement of collegiate professional education and post-baccalaureate nurse residency programs. CCNE accreditation is a nongovernmental peer review process that operates in accordance with nationally recognized standards established for the practice of accreditation in the United States. 

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Contact for media inquiries:
Joan Mitchell – VP of Public Relations
801-428-5463
[email protected]

Contact for enrollment information:
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SOURCE Western Governors University