WGU Named Best Value Among Online Colleges and Universities

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Nov. 5, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The No. 1 best value in online college degrees is Western Governors University (WGU) – parent university of WGU Tennessee – according to the publisher of a free guide covering the nation's online universities and colleges.

OnlineU named WGU, with its annual tuition of $5,780 for most programs, as the best overall value in its new Best Value Online College Rankings. The rankings were compiled using data from the National Center for Education Statistics, the Federal Student Aid Office, and the schools' official websites. Student reviews from GradReports.com also factored into determining a school's value.

WGU's tuition is charged at a flat rate, which means in addition to being remarkably low—about half the cost of many other online universities—it also allows students to complete as many courses as they are able within a six-month term. WGU's competency-based programs measure learning, not seat time, so as soon as students have mastered a course's subject matter—real-world competencies developed with employer input—they complete an assessment to demonstrate their knowledge and then move on to the next course. Students who dedicate more time to studying, as well as students whose work and previous college experience have armed them with prior mastery of certain subjects, can often accelerate, completing many more courses than the standard full-time load, graduating faster, and saving money.

In addition to taking the top overall spot on the list, WGU earned a top ranking in five of the guide's program-specific rankings:

• #1 for accounting
• #1 for business
• #1 for education
• #1 for human resources
• #2 for nursing

WGU serves more than 50,000 students in all 50 states, including 1,700 in Tennessee. The university has awarded more than 40,000 bachelor's and master's degrees in the 17 years since it opened its virtual doors, more than 800 of which are in the Volunteer State. The OnlineU ranking is the latest in a string of awards and recognitions dating back to the university's founding by 19 U.S. governors. Recent recognitions include:

• The White House highlighted WGU in a report on post-secondary job-training and education programs that are achieving results.
• The National Council on Teacher Quality named WGU's secondary teacher-preparation program the best in the country.
• Affordable Online College ranked WGU #1 in the nation for combining affordability with academic quality.
• Accounting Degree Review named WGU #1 on its list of top affordable online bachelor's degree programs in accounting.
• The 2015 Military Friendly^® Schools list included WGU as a top school for military service members, veterans, and their families for the fifth year running.
• For the sixth consecutive year, WGU received the Best of State medal in its headquarters state of Utah for best online education.

WGU offers 55 degree programs—including bachelor's and master's degrees as well as postbaccalaureate and teacher endorsement preparation programs—in four disciplines: business, information technology, teacher education, and nursing. Learn more at tennessee.wgu.edu.

About WGU Tennessee
WGU Tennessee is an online, nonprofit, competency-based university established to expand Tennesseans' access to higher education throughout the state. Formed through a partnership between the state of Tennessee and nationally recognized Western Governors University, WGU Tennessee is open to all qualified Tennessee residents. The university offers more than 50 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in the high-demand career fields of business, K-12 teacher education, information technology, and health professions, including nursing.

Degrees are granted under the accreditation of Western Governors University, which is accredited through the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU). Teachers College programs are accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), and nursing programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).*

For more information, visit the WGU Tennessee website, http://tennessee.wgu.edu/, or call 855-948-8495.

*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).

Follow WGU Tennessee:
https://www.facebook.com/WGUTennessee
http://www.linkedin.com/company/western-governors-university
https://twitter.com/wgutennessee
http://www.youtube.com/user/WGUTennessee

Contact for media inquiries:
Kirk Graves                            
615-472-6055                         
[email protected]

Contact for enrollment information:
855-948-8495 
tennessee.wgu.edu

SOURCE WGU Tennessee

Related Links

http://tennessee.wgu.edu