WGU Education Blog (2024)

FAQs

How fast can you get a teaching degree at WGU? ›

Leads to teacher licensure. Specific grade levels will vary depending on teaching license options in your state. Time: 63% of students earn this middle school teaching and high school teaching degree within 33 months. Tuition: $3,825 per 6-month term.

Western Governors University (WGU) is certainly not a diploma mill. It is an accredited and reputable online university that offers bachelor's and master's degree programs.

If you have not attended college before, please submit a final, official high school transcript. At WGU we are committed to decreasing the barriers to starting school. That is why we are working with a large group of education institutions to request and gather transcripts for you, free of additional fees and time.

In addition to the community impact you make as a skilled and newly credentialed member of your local workforce, there's a real monetary return. WGU grads see a salary increase of $22,200 on average, just two years after graduating. Within four years, that number grows to $29,200 for WGU grads.

How fast can I get a teaching degree? A teaching degree can be earned in less than two years. USD's MEd program offers courses exclusively online and delivered in an asynchronous format for maximum flexibility. It takes 20 months to complete.

According to Teacherpensions.org, about half of new teachers take on a full-time job at 22 or 23 after receiving a bachelor's degree and completing a student teaching program. Twenty percent start teaching in their late 20s, 16 percent begin in their 30s, and nine percent enter the field after 40.

Western Governors University Scandal

Following concerns about an “inadequate faculty role,” the United States Department of Education inspector general conducted an audit of WGU in 2017 and called for the school to pay back $713 million in federal financial aid, according to Inside Higher Ed.

WGU is not a degree mill; it is a legitimate online university that is regionally accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU).

WGU's online master's degrees in education provide a path to those skills that prepare you for initial licensure as a teacher in any of the U.S. states. While WGU doesn't grant initial licensure, our programs help you fulfill the requirements to be prepared to obtain licensure in your state.

Our unique education model allows students to move through courses as quickly as they can master the material. This means that on average students finish bachelor's degree programs in three years or less, and master's degree programs in 18 months or less.

What happens if I fail an exam at WGU? ›

WGU Academy students are allowed three attempts for each written or objective assessment. Once an assessment is passed, no additional submissions are allowed. Students who do not pass the assessment after three attempts will work with staff for additional attempts.

Applicants with a GPA lower than a 2.5 but a 2.0 or above may seek admission by submitting passing scores from the WGU program required basic skills test (e.g. Praxis CORE). An Enrollment Counselor can help you best determine whether you have the sufficient background for entry into your program of choice.

You are assured of a standard level of quality in education and services. Your credits will transfer to most other accredited institutions. Your degree will be recognized and respected by other colleges and employers.

Depending on the policies of the institution, a diploma may or may not state that it was obtained online. Some colleges decide against making a distinction because they think online programs are just as rigorous academically as those offered on campus.

Western Governors University (WGU) is a regionally accredited online university that has received recognition for its innovative competency-based education model. It has been ranked as one of the best online colleges by various organizations and has also been recognized for its affordability.

WGU's online master's degrees in education provide a path to those skills that prepare you for initial licensure as a teacher in any of the U.S. states. While WGU doesn't grant initial licensure, our programs help you fulfill the requirements to be prepared to obtain licensure in your state.

At WGU, most students are able to finish their MAT in about 18 months due to competency-based education which allows them to accelerate their academic courses.

Accredited teaching programs that lead to licensure (including WGU's) require an in-classroom student teaching experience that typically lasts between three to five months.

It will depend on how much time you're able to dedicate to your coursework. It's very possible to finish your required WGU courses in as little as two to three months. We encourage you to complete your single course or course bundle in the shortest time possible.