The WGU Catalog and Florida Addendum

Transcription

1 The WGU Catalog and Florida Addendum WGU maintains an institutional on-line catalog that is updated annually. This document serves as partial fulfillment of the Florida catalog requirements. Additional documents required for the Florida annual license application, not found in the institutional catalog, are included as Catalog Exhibits in order to fulfill the requirements of Rule 6E-2.004(11), F.A.C. They are: Catalog Exhibit 1: Sample Program Guide Book Catalog Exhibit 2: Administrator Listing Catalog Exhibit 3: WGU Faculty Listing Catalog Exhibit 4: Nursing Faculty Listing (Form 401) In addition to publishing the annual institutional catalog, WGU maintains a comprehensive description of the university on its public web site ( and continually updates this information throughout the year, as needed. WGU maintains the public Web site as the university s catalog of record and contract for catalog rights purposes. We produce a single-file compendium (this document) at least annually to comply with the regulations of those states that require it. Information in this document is subject to change without prior notice. Information found on the WGU public Web site includes: program offerings and degrees, admission requirements, tuition and fees, student services, accreditation, university governance, and other critical information for prospective and enrolled students.

2 Western'Governors'University'' Catalog'and'Florida'Addendum' Prepared by Western Governors University Prepared for The Florida Commission for Independent Education March 22, 2013

3 Disclaimer: As a wholly online university, Western Governors University (WGU) maintains information on its public Web site ( which serves as its catalog and provides detailed, up to date, and accurate information about the University, including program offerings and degrees, admission requirements, tuition and fees, student services, university accreditation, governance, and other critical information for prospective and enrolled students. WGU maintains the public Web site as the university s catalog of record and contract for catalog rights purposes. We produce a single file compendium (this document) at least annually to comply with the regulations of those states that require it. Information in this document is subject to change without prior notice. Although every reasonable effort is made to present current and accurate information in this compendium, Western Governors University makes no guarantees of any kind. Western Governors University Volume Number: 3.6 Publication Date: December 21, 2012

4 Table&of&Contents& Table&of&Contents&...&1 Introduction&to&the&WGU&Catalog&...&5 Western&Governors&University&Overview&...&6 AnOnlineUniversitywithaMission...6 AboutOurStudents...6 CompetencyKbasedEducation...6 NationallyandRegionallyAccredited...7 NCATE&Accredited&...&7 CCNE&Accredited&...&8 CAHIIM&Accredited&...&8 NameandAddressoftheInstitution...9 LearnmorebycontactingWGU...9 Talk&to&an&Enrollment&Counselor&about&WGU&Online&Degree&Programs:&...&9 For&Technical&Support&or&to&Contact&Student&Services:&...&9 General&contact&information:&...&9 IdentifyingData(CatalogNumberandPublicationDate)...10 ElectronicTableofContents...11 InstitutionalOwnersandOfficers...12 Board&of&Trustees&...&12 FacultyDirectory...13 InstitutionalCalendar...14 Programs&Begin&the&First&of&Every&Month&...&14 InstitutionalEnrollmentProceduresandEntranceRequirements...15 StudentPFocused&Admissions&...&15 General&Admissions&Requirements&...&15 ProgramPSpecific&Admissions&Requirements&...&15 StatePSpecific&Admissions&Requirements&...&16 StatePSpecific&Disclosures&...&16 Admissionstoouronlineteachingprograms...17 Additional&requirements&for&entry&into&the&B.A.&Mathematics&(5P9&or&5P12)&program&...&19& Additional&requirements&for&entry&into&the&B.A.&Science&(5P9),&B.A.&Science&(5P12,&Geosciences),&B.A.& Science&(5P12,&Biological&Science)&programs&...&19& Additional&requirements&for&entry&into&the&B.A.&Science&(5P12,&Chemistry),&B.A.&Science&(5P12,&Physics)& programs&...&19 Additional&requirements&for&entry&into&the&M.S.&Educational&Leadership&program&...&19 Steps&and&Deadlines&for&Enrollment&into&a&Teachers&College&Program&...&20 Admissionstoouronlinehealthprofessionsdegreeprograms...20 Admissions&Requirements&and&Deadlines&for&the&Online&College&of&Health&Professions&...&20 Special&requirements&for&WGU s&b.s.&in&nursing&or&m.s.&nursing&(rn&to&msn&option)&programs&...&20 1

5 Special&requirements&for&WGU s&m.s.&in&nursing&(education&or&leadership&and&management)&programs &...&20 Special&requirements&for&WGU s&b.s.&nursing&(prelicensure)&pilot&program&...&20 Admissionstoouronlinebusinessdegreeprograms...22 Admissions&Requirements&and&Deadlines&for&the&College&of&Business&...&22 AdmissionstoouronlineITdegreeprograms...23 Admissions&Requirements&and&Deadlines&for&the&College&of&Information&Technology&...&23 InstitutionalAttendancePolicy...25 We&Let&You&Choose&When&and&Where&You&Study&...&25 HowOurCompetencyKbasedApproachWorksforYou...25 Your&Advantage&in&CompetencyPBased&Education&Relevant&to&Your&Career&...&25 YourPersonalDegreePlan...25 How&Your&Degree&Plan&Works&...&26 Whatyou'llusetolearn...26 WGU&Bookstore&...&26 Online&Learning&Resources&...&26 PolicyonSatisfactoryAcademicProgress;GradingSystem;ReportingStudentProgress...27 Tuitionandfinancialaid...27 Satisfactory&Academic&Progress&Policy&...&27 Maintaining&Satisfactory&Academic&Progress&...&27 Financial&Aid&Appeal&for&SAP&...&28 Financial&Aid&Reinstatement&...&29 TheWGUGradingSystem...29 ProgressReporting...31 Your&Personal&Degree&Plan&...&31 How&Your&Degree&Plan&Works&...&31 Academic&Activity&Verification&(AAV)&...&32 Start&and&End&Dates&...&33 On&Time&Progress&to&Graduation&...&33 PolicyonStudentConduct;CausesforDismissal;ConditionsforReadmission...34 Student&Handbook&...&34 Rights&and&Responsibilities&...&34 Academic&Authenticity&...&35 Description&of&Each&Program&Offered&...&37 WGUpublicWebsitelinktoallprograms...37 WGUOnlineTeachersCollege...38 Online&Teacher&Licensure&Degree&Programs&...&38 Online&PostPBaccalaureate&Teacher&Licensure&Programs&...&58 Online&Master&in&Education&with&Teacher&Licensure&Programs&...&63 Online&Graduate&Programs&for&Licensed&Teachers&...&69 OnlineCollegeofBusiness

6 OnlineCollegeofInformationTechnology...95 OnlineCollegeofHealthProfessions TuitionandFeesInformation Courses&of&Study&...&125 Alumni&and&Career&Services&...&229 DeliveryofServices ResourcesforStudents/Graduates Description&of&the&Facilities&and&Equipment&Used&for&Educational&Programs&...&231 ComputerSystemRequirements Records&and&Academic&Services&...&234 PolicyforGrantingCreditforPreviousEducation,Training,andExperience RefundandCancellationPolicyandProcedures Tuition&and&Fees&Refund&...&235 Determining&Withdrawal&Dates&...&235 Calculating&the&Refund&...&236 Refunds&...&236 Tuition&Refund&Appeal&...&236 StudentGrievanceandComplaintProcedure TransferabilityofCredit;CreditTransferLimitations General&Transfer&Guidelines&...&241 Taken&Some&Courses&or&Completed&Your&Degree?&...&241 Transferring&from&a&Community&College&...&241 Transferring&from&WGU&...&242 AccesstoElectronicandHardCopyCatalog WGUCourseCodes & 3

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8 Introduction&to&the&WGU&Catalog& Asawhollyonlineuniversity,WesternGovernorsUniversity(WGU)maintainsinformationonitspublic Website( accurateinformationabouttheuniversity,includingprogramofferingsanddegrees,admission requirements,tuitionandfees,studentservices,universityaccreditation,governance,andothercritical informationforprospectiveandenrolledstudents.wgumaintainsthepublicwebsiteasthe university scatalogofrecordandcontractforcatalogrightspurposes.weproduceasinglekfile compendium(thisdocument)atleastannuallytocomplywiththeregulationsofthosestatesthat requireit. Thecataloginformationispresentedinthiscompendiuminthefollowingformat: Catalog'Topic' WGUdescriptionorsummaryofpresentedinformation,providingcontextualsupport;these explanations,presentedinatextbox,areofferedprimarilywhenthewguonlinecompetencyk basedmodelandterminologymayneedclarification. TheWebsitehyperlink,whereapplicable,e.g., TherequiredcataloginformationcopiedandpasteddirectlyfromtheWGUWebsite,Student Handbook,ProgramGuideBooks,orotherrelevantWGUsources. Together,thesetopicsandsourcematerialsconstitutetheWesternGovernorsUniversityInstitutional Catalog. 5

9 Western&Governors&University&Overview& WGU'is'a'fully'accredited'online'university'offering'online'bachelor's'and'master's'degree' programs.' Respectedonlinedegrees.Earnadegreeemployersvalue. Flexible,onlinestudy.Youlearnwhenandwhereitfitsyourlife. Affordable,lowertuition.WGUisanonKprofitonlineuniversity. Benefitfromyourexperience.Accelerateyourtimetocompleteyourdegreeonline. An&Online&University&with&a&Mission& WGUisverymissiondriven.Createdtoexpandaccesstohighereducationthroughonline,competencyK baseddegreeprograms,wgu smissionhasremainedoneofhelpinghardworkingadultsmeettheir educationalgoalsandimprovetheircareeropportunities. The mission of Western Governors University is to improve quality and expand access to post-secondary educational opportunities by providing a means for individuals to learn independent of time and place and to earn competency-based degrees and other credentials that are credible to both academic institutions and employers. Tofulfillthemission,thefoundinggovernorsalsoinsistedthatWGUbeaffordable,flexible,andstudentK focused.hence,wgustrivestoserveasmanystudentsaspossible includingminorities,firstk generationcollegestudents,thosewithmodestincomes,andotherswhoselivesorgeographiclocations donotallowthemtoattendtraditional,campuskbasedcolleges. About&Our&Students& Today swgustudentbodyisquitediverse.wguhasstudentsinall50statesandservesactivekduty militarypersonnelandtheirspousesatoverseasmilitaryinstallations.theaverageageofthewgu studentisabout36withanagerangefromthe20stothe60s. WGUstudentscomefromurban,suburban,andruralareas.MostareworkingfullKtimeorpartKtimejobs whiletheyarestudents.moststudentswhoarepursuingabachelor sdegreealreadyhavesomecollege experience. CompetencyPbased&Education& Collegesanduniversitiestraditionallyawardcreditforclassroomhoursattended,conferringdegrees basedonstudents completionofacertainsetofcoursesforagivennumberofcredithours.asan 6

10 online&institution&that&provides&its&students&the&convenience&of&studying&and&completing&coursework& outside&the&classroom,&however,&wgu&offers&a&competency;based&program&for&completing&its&degree& and&certificate&requirements.&competency;based&programs&allow&students&to&demonstrate&through& assessments&that&they&have&acquired&the&set&of&competencies&(levels&of&knowledge,&skill,&or&ability)& required&for&a&particular&degree&or&certificate.&&adult&students&have&often&acquired&many&of&the&skills& necessary&for&a&degree&through&their&life&or&previous&work&experience.&wgu s&competency;based&system& enables&students&to&employ&such&previously&learned&skills&in&proving&their&competency.& Teams&of&faculty&and&other&subject;matter&experts&have&identified&the&required&competencies&for&each& degree&offered&at&wgu.&competencies&summarize&the&critical&knowledge&and&skill&levels&essential&for& mastery&of&a&particular&field.& WGU&students&demonstrate&mastery&of&competencies&by&completing&assessments.&An&assessment&may& be&a&traditional& test, &a&project,&an&essay,&or&another&practical&demonstration&of&a&required&skill.& Therefore,&assessments&come&in&many&different&forms,&including:& Assignments&involving&problem;solving&in&science&or&information&technology;& Computerized&math&examinations&consisting&of&50&multiple;choice,&matching,&and&other& question&types;& Projects&requiring&the&student&to&design&a&lesson&plan&about&American&history;& Reflection&essays&about&case&studies;&and& Research&papers&on&particular&topics&within&the&student s&field.& Each&assessment&measures&knowledge&and&skill&in&a&given&area&through&an&appropriate&means,&allowing& students&to&prove&their&competency&in&that&content&area.& & Assessments&at&WGU&are&developed&using&a&rigorous&process&that&conforms&to&federal&guidelines&and& professional&testing&standards.&this&process&yields&high;quality&exams,&reliable&scores,&and&supports&valid& conclusions&about&each&student s&level&of&competence.&&students&can&be&confident&that&all&their& assessments,&whether&computerized&exams&or&performance&tasks,&align&to&and&demonstrate&specific& competencies&in&their&individual&degree&programs.& Nationally)and)Regionally)Accredited) Western&Governors&University&is&regionally&accredited&by&the&Northwest&Commission&on&Colleges&and& Universities&(NWCCU),&one&of&the&major&accrediting&commissions&recognized&by&the&U.S.&Department&of& Education,&and&the&Council&for&Higher&Education&Accreditation&(CHEA).& & NCATE)Accredited) The&WGU&Teachers&College&was&the&first&exclusively&online&provider&of&teacher&education&to&receive& accreditation&from&the&national&council&for&the&accreditation&of&teacher&education&(ncate).&the&ncate& accrediting&team&extensively&reviewed&the&entire&wgu&teachers&college&curriculum&to&ensure&that& "candidates&have&the&knowledge&and&skills&to&be&effective&in&helping&all&students&learn."&ncate&is&the& 7

11 premierspecializedaccreditingbodyforteacherpreparationandisrecognizedbytheu.s.department ofeducation.itaccreditscollegesofeducationthatproduceovertwokthirdsofthenation snewteacher graduatesannually.readmoreaboutthencateaccreditation. CCNE&Accredited& WGU snursingdegreeprogramsareaccreditedbythecommissionforcollegiatenursingeducation (CCNE). CAHIIM&Accredited& WGU shealthinformaticsprogramisaccreditedbythecommissiononaccreditationforhealth InformaticsandInformationManagementEducation(CAHIIM). 8

12 Name&and&Address&of&the&Institution& Learn&more&by&contacting&WGU& Talk&to&an&Enrollment&Counselor&about&WGU&Online&Degree&Programs:& BY'PHONE:'toll?free'1?866?225?5948'(1?866?CALL?WGU) EnrollmentCounselorsareavailableatthefollowingtimes: Monday&through&Friday&8&am&to&8&pm&Mountain&Time&(Except&Holidays)& Saturday&8&am&to&4&pm&Mountain&Time (Youcanleaveamessageatanytime;callsarereturnedthenextbusinessday) ONLINE:Clickheretorequestmoreinformation. For&Technical&Support&or&to&Contact&Student&Services: WGU sitservicedeskandthestudentservicesofficeareavailable: BY'PHONE:'toll?free'1?877?435?7948' ForTechnicalSupport:Option2 ForStudentServices:Option7,then2 Monday&through&Friday&6&am&to&Midnight&Mountain&Time& Saturday&through&Sunday&10&am&to&7&pm General&contact&information: Western'Governors'University' 4001South700East,Suite700 SaltLakeCity,UT84107K2533 Localphone:801K274K3280 Fax:801K274K3305 9

13 Identifying&Data&(Catalog&Number&and&Publication&Date)& CatalognumberandpublicationdatesarenotapplicabletotheWGUelectroniccatalog,whichis updatedregularlytomaintainongoingwebsiteaccuracyandrelevance. Thevolumenumberandpublicationdateforthiscompendiumare: VolumeNumber:3.7 PublicationDate:March18,

14 Electronic&Table&of&Contents& TheWebsitetabs,menus,andhyperlinksonthepublicWebsiteserveastheelectroniccatalog table ofcontents. 11

15 Institutional&Owners&and&Officers&& WGUisgovernedbyaBoardofTrusteesconsistingofeducators,industryleaders,andstategovernors. Inaddition,WGUcontinuestodrawsupport(althoughnostatefunding)fromtheGovernorsofthe MemberStatesthatwereinstrumentalinthefoundingofWGU. TheAboutWGU\UniversityGovernancemenuontheWGUpublicWebsiteprovidesinformationabout theboardoftrustees,includingthechairmananddirectors. ' Board&of&Trustees& WGUisgovernedbyaboardoftrusteesmadeupofeducators,industryleaders,andgovernors.Asof July2012,thetrusteesare: The Honorable Jim Geringer, Chairman Director, Policy & Public Sector, ESRI Governor of Wyoming, Frank Alvarez President & CEO, The Hispanic Scholarship Fund Dr. Therese (Terry) Crane President, Crane Associates The Honorable Mitch Daniels Governor, State of Indiana Dr. Emily S. DeRocco Former President, The Manufacturing Institute Senior Vice President, National Association of Manufacturers Robert Evanson Former President, McGraw Hill Education The Honorable John Hickenlooper Governor, State of Colorado Dr. Robert W. Mendenhall President, Western Governors University Lenny Mendonca Director of Firm Knowledge, McKinsey Global Knowledge David Simmons President, Simmons Media Group Dr. Samuel H. Smith President Emeritus, Washington State University Dr. Blenda Wilson Former President of California State University, Northridge 12

16 Faculty&Directory& ' FacultymembersarelistedintheStudentPortalWebsite,whichcannotbeaccessedwithoutastudent orfacultyusernameandpassword.weprovidethelinktothissitejusttodemonstratehowstudents wouldaccesssuchalist.anexcerptfromthefacultydirectory,shownbelow,providesanexampleof howfacultyandstafflistings,aswellasfacultybiographicalinformation,canbeviewed. Faculty/Staff'Directory'?'Teachers'College'Faculty' 4001South700East,Suite700 SaltLakeCity,UT84107K2533 Fax:801K274K3305 Phone:801K274K3280(unlessotherwisenoted) Key'extensions:Dialthemainofficephonenumber,thentheextensionnumber 3103TechnicalSupport 3104FinancialAid 3105StudentAccounts(Bursar) 3107Enrollment 3108StudentServices 3109AssessmentScheduling Administration&IT AlumniServices BusinessFaculty EWBFaculty HealthProfessionsFaculty InformationTechnologyFaculty LiberalArtsFaculty Marketing/Enrollment Student&Academic Services TeachersCollegeFaculty Phil'Schmidt AssociateProvostforComplianceandAccreditation;DeanoftheTeachersCollege ' 13

17 Institutional&Calendar& Thetraditionalacademiccalendarwithlimitedenrollmentperiods,holidays,andothersignificantdates isnotapplicable.inthewgucontinuouskenrollmentmodel,newgroupsofstudentsstarteverymonth. Studentscanaccesslearningresources,scheduleassessments,viewgradernotes,andcompleteonline performanceassessmentsanytimedayornight,withoutregardtoholidaysandothersignificantdates. Programs&Begin&the&First&of&Every&Month& Insteadofsemestersatwhichtimemanystudentsbegin(orcontinue)theirprograms,WGUstartsnew studentsatthebeginningofeachmonth,whichlaunchesanew"term." A"term"atWGUissixmonthsinlength.Thesixmonthsthatmakeupyourtermarebasedonwhenyou beginyourprogram.(forexample,ifyoubeginyourprogrammarch1st,yourfirsttermlastsfrom March1sttoAugust31st.YoursecondtermwouldbeginSeptember1st.) Tuitionisbilledataflatrateeveryterm.You'pay'for'the'time,'not'by'credit'hour'or'by'course. 14

18 Institutional&Enrollment&Procedures&and&Entrance&Requirements& StudentPFocused&Admissions& WGUopensitsadmissionstoasmanystudentsaspossiblewhohavethecapacityanddeterminationto completearigorouswgucompetencykbaseddegreeprogram.theadmissionsprocessisdesignedto helpyouandtheonlineuniversityreachaninformeddecisionaboutyourlikelihoodofsuccess. Foryourconvenience,WGU'starts'new'groups'of'students'in'most'degree'programs'every'month. Currently,WGUprogramsdonotrequireaminimumGPA(gradepointaverage)oraspecificscoreon eitherthesatortheact. General&Admissions&Requirements& Undergraduate'Programs' Applyforadmission Haveearnedahighschooldiploma,GED,orprovideequivalent Submitofficialtranscriptsofallprioracademicworkcompletedatcommunitycolleges,colleges,or universitiesyou veattended NOTE:If,forsomereason,youareunableordonotwishtosendpriortranscripts,yourEnrollment CounselororAdmissionsCounselorcancounselyouonavailableoptions Mustbeatleast16yearsofage Youalsomayneedtosubmitproofofanyspecificprofessionalcertifications.Thesemayhelpyou clearspecificdegreerequirements SeetheProgramKSpecificAdmissionsRequirementsbelowforadditionaladmissionsrequirements CompleteanIntakeInterviewwithanEnrollmentCounselor Graduate'Programs Applyforadmission Submitanofficialtranscriptverifyingreceiptofyourbachelor sdegreefromarecognized, accreditedinstitution.seetransferringforadditionalinformationaboutsubmissiondeadlines,etc. Submitofficialtranscriptsforallpriorcollegeacademicworkcompleted Mustbeatleast16yearsofage CompleteanIntakeInterviewwithanEnrollmentCounselor ProgramPSpecific&Admissions&Requirements Manyprogramshavespecificadmissionsrequirements.Clickontheoneofthelinksbelowtolearnmore abouttheseprogramkspecificadmissionsrequirements: 15

19 TeachersCollegeAdmissionsRequirements CollegeofBusinessAdmissionsRequirements CollegeofInformationTechnologyAdmissionsRequirements CollegeofHealthProfessionsAdmissionsRequirements StatePSpecific&Admissions&Requirements SomestateshaveadditionalrequirementsthathavetobemetbyWGUstudentsresidinginsaidstates. Clickheretoseeifyourstatehasanyadditionalrequirementsforyou. orvisithttp:// StatePSpecific&Disclosures& Alabama StateauthorizationtoprovideaprogramrelatedtothepreparationofteachersorotherPK12 school/systempersonneldoesnotindicateeligibilityforanalabamacertificate.applicantsforan AlabamacertificatebasedonreciprocitymustmeetAlabama'stestrequirementsandsubmitavalid, renewableprofessionaleducatorcertificate/licenseissuedbyanotherstateatthedegreelevel,grade level,andintheteachingfieldorareaofinstructionalsupportforwhichanalabamacertificateissought andforwhichalabamaissuesacertificate.applicantsforalabamacertificationinanareaof administrationmustalsodocumentatleastthreeyearsoffullktimeemploymentasanadministratorina PK12schoolsystem(s). Arkansas ArkansasHigherEducationCoordinatingBoardcertificationdoesnotconstituteanendorsementofany institution,courseordegreeprogram.suchcertificationmerelyindicatesthatcertainminimum standardshavebeenmetundertherulesandregulationsofinstitutionalcertificationasdefinedin ArkansasCode 6K61K301. Thestudentshouldbeawarethatthesedegreeprogramsmaynottransfer.Thetransferof course/degreecreditisdeterminedbythereceivinginstitution. Florida LicensedbytheCommissionforIndependentEducation,FloridaDepartmentofEducation,325West GainesStreet,Suite1414,Tallahassee,FL32399K0400.TollKfreetelephonenumber888K224K6684 Georgia WesternGovernorsUniversitystudentswhoresideinGeorgiashouldbeawareoftheStateofGeorgia NonKpublicPostsecondaryEducationCommission scomplaintprocessavailableonlineat: Iowa AstudentseekinganIowaeducatorlicenseisadvisedthatsuccessfulcompletionofthisinstitution's program(s)ofeducatorpreparationdoesnotqualifyyouforinitialeducatorlicensurebytheiowaboard 16

20 ofeducationalexaminers. AcandidateseekinglicensureintheStateofIowamustfirstbelicensed/certifiedinthestateinwhich thepreparationwascompleted.thisinstitutionshallassistacandidateincontactingtheappropriate licensingboardinthestateinwhichthecandidate'spreparationwascompleted.thisinstitutionshall assistthecandidateinunderstandingtherequirementsoftheappropriatelicensingboardpriortothe candidate'scompletionofthisinstitution'sprogram(s)ofeducatorpreparation. Louisiana WesternGovernorsUniversityiscurrentlylicensedbytheBoardofRegentsoftheStateofLouisiana. LicensesarerenewedbytheStateBoardofRegentseverytwoyears.Licensedinstitutionshavemet minimaloperationalstandardssetforthbythestate,butlicensuredoesnotconstituteaccreditation, guaranteethetransferabilityofcredit,norsignifythatprogramsarecertifiablebyanyprofessional agencyororganization. Maryland WesternGovernorsUniversityisintheprocessofapplyingforOutKofKStateOnlineEducation RegistrationwiththeStateofMarylandHigherEducationCommission. WesternGovernorsUniversityissubjecttoinvestigationofcomplaintsbytheOfficeoftheAttorney GeneraloftheMarylandHigherEducationCommission.ContacttheMarylandAttorneyGeneralat: ConsumerProtectionDivision 200St.PaulPlace Baltimore,MD ConsumerProtectionHotline:(410)528K8662 Minnesota WesternGovernorsUniversityisregisteredasaprivateinstitutionwiththeMinnesotaOfficeofHigher Educationpursuanttosections136A.61to136A.71.Registrationisnotanendorsementofthe institution.creditsearnedattheinstitutionmaynottransfertoallotherinstitutions. Admissions&to&our&online&teaching&programs& 17

21 AdmissionsRequirementsandDeadlinesfortheWGUTeachersCollege TheWGUTeachersCollegeisarecognizedleaderinonlineteachereducationwithstudentsalloverthe country.belowareadmissionsrequirementsspecifictoteacherscollegeprogramsthatareinaddition towgu sgeneraladmissionsrequirements. Special&requirements&for&programs&leading&to&initial&teacher&certification Studentswhoareseekinginitialteacherlicensureinabachelor s,postkbaccalaureate,ormaster s programmustalsopassastatekspecificbasicskillstestforthestateinwhichtheyliveasaprerequisite todemonstrationteaching(studentteaching).(registeringandpayingforthetestisthestudent s responsibility.)thisrequirementcanbemeteitherpriortoadmissionorbeforebeginningthe FoundationsofTeachingsubjectareaonceyouareinyourWGUprogram.Otherstatespecificsinclude: California, Illinois, Michigan, and TexasKStateswhereWGUstudentsarerequiredtotakeastateK specifictest.(thepassingscoreisidentifiedforeachstateaccordingtothestate sregulations.) Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Massachusetts, New York, and WashingtonKStateswhereWGUstudents cantakeeitherthestatekspecificbasicskillstestorthepraxisi.(washingtonstudentsalsohavethe optiontotakecalifornia scbesttest.) All other states, the District of Columbia, U.S. territories, and international studentskwgustudentsare requiredtotakethepraxisi. WGU steacherlicensureprogramsalsoincludedemonstrationteaching(studentteaching).the followingarerequirementstobecompletedpriortoenteringtheclassroomforthiscomponentofyour program: Submit to a criminal background check. Take the Haberman Online Star Teacher Pre-screener. Teacher candidates scoring in the lowest quartile will be directedtononkcertificationprogramsleadingtoabachelor sormaster sdegreewithoutlicensure. ClickheretolearnmoreaboutbecomingalicensedteacheratWGU. 18

22 Special&requirements&for&programs&leading&to&endorsement Ifyouenrollinaprogramthatalsoincludesaspecialendorsement(forexample,theM.A.in MathematicsEducation,withanendorsementtoteach5K12mathematics)andyouplantoeventually applyfortheendorsement,thefollowingisrequiredofyou: Acopyofavalidteachinglicense. Officialtranscriptsthatdemonstrateyouhaveearnedabachelor sdegreefromarecognized accrediteduniversity. AnEnrollmentCounselorwillinstructyouastowhenandhowtosubmityourteachinglicensepriorto orduringyourprogram.youdonotneedtosubmitacopyofyourlicenseifyouarenotseekingthe endorsement. Additional&requirements&for&entry&into&the&B.A.&Mathematics&(5P9&or&5P12)&program& YouwillberequiredtoshowproofofhavingcompletedacollegeKlevelPrecalculusorCalculuscoursewithagrade ofckorbetter. Werequirethisprerequisitebecauseourresearchhasdeterminedthatstudentsenteringthisprogramneedto havedemonstratedstrongcollegeklevelmathematicsabilitiesinordertohandletherigorsofthechallenging mathematicscurriculum.themathematicsinthisprogramgoesfarbeyondcalculusandisroughlyequivalenttoa mathematicsmajor. Additional&requirements&for&entry&into&the&B.A.&Science&(5P9),&B.A.&Science&(5P12,& Geosciences),&B.A.&Science&(5P12,&Biological&Science)&programs& YouwillberequiredtoshowproofofhavingcompletedbothaCollegeAlgebracourseandaNaturalScience coursewithlabcomponent(inchemistry,physics,biology,orgeosciences)withagradeofckorbetter.note:the NaturalSciencecoursemusthavebeencompletedwithinthelast10years. Werequiretheseprerequisitesbecauseourresearchhasdeterminedthatstudentsenteringtheseprogramsneed tohavedemonstratedtheirabilitytohandletherigorsofbothadifficultcollegeklevelmathematicscourseaswell asanaturalsciencecoursewithalabcomponent. Additional&requirements&for&entry&into&the&B.A.&Science&(5P12,&Chemistry),&B.A.&Science&(5P12,& Physics)&programs& YouwillberequiredtoshowproofofhavingcompletedbothaPreKCalculusorCalculuscourseandaNatural Sciencecoursewithlabcomponent(inChemistry,Physics,Biology,orGeosciences)withagradeofCKorbetter. Note:TheNaturalSciencecoursemusthavebeencompletedwithinthelast10years. Werequiretheseprerequisitesbecauseourresearchhasdeterminedthatstudentsenteringtheseprogramsneed tohavedemonstratedtheirabilitytohandletherigorsofbothadifficultcollegeklevelmathematicscourseaswell asanaturalsciencecoursewithalabcomponent. Additional&requirements&for&entry&into&the&M.S.&Educational&Leadership&program& PriortoentryintotheM.S.EducationalLeadership,youwillberequiredtosubmitanessayand PracticumSiteagreement.Clickonthelinkbelowformoreinformation.Casestudyandpracticum agreement. 19

23 Steps&and&Deadlines&for&Enrollment&into&a&Teachers&College&Program Belowisthelistofstepsandtheirrespectivedeadlinesrequiredforenrollmentintoanonlineteaching degreeprogram.clickhereifyou dlikeaprintkfriendlyversion. Admissions&to&our&online&health&professions&degree&programs& Admissions&Requirements&and&Deadlines&for&the&Online&College&of&Health&Professions CollegeofHealthProfessionsemphasizemasteryoftheskillsandknowledgethatareessentialto success.belowareadmissionsrequirementsspecifictocollegeofhealthprofessionsprogramsthatare inadditiontowgu sgeneraladmissionsrequirements. Special&requirements&for&WGU s&b.s.&in&nursing&or&m.s.&nursing&(rn&to&msn&option)&programs& Mustpossessanassociate sdegreeordiplomainnursing. Mustpossessacurrent,unencumberedregisterednurse(RN)license. Shouldbeworkinginapositionthatrequiresuseofnursingknowledgeattimeofapplicationand enrollment. Special&requirements&for&WGU s&m.s.&in&nursing&(education&or&leadership&and&management)& programs& Mustpossessabachelorofscienceinnursingdegree(BSN). Mustpossessacurrent,unencumberedregisterednurse(RN)license. MustbeactivelyworkingasanRNatthetimeofapplicationandenrollment. Special&requirements&for&WGU s&b.s.&nursing&(prelicensure)&pilot&program& NOTICE:Forthe2011programs,therewillbelimitedclinicalopportunitiesavailableinselecthospitalsin SouthernCalifornia,Texas,Florida,IndianaandUtah.Becauseoflimitedclinicalopportunities,thisisa highlyselectiveprogram.futureexpansionisplannedinthesestatesandinadditionalstatesthisyear andbeyond. 20

24 WGUisnowopeningadmissionstoaspiringnursesintheseselectareaswhohavecompletedall prerequisitesasoutlinedbelow.enrollmentintothisprogramisconductedintwophasesofadmissions: PreKNursingCurriculumandtheClinicalNursingProgram. To'be'considered'for'enrollment'into'the'Pre>Nursing'Curriculum,'you'must'meet'the'following' requirements:'' PossessacurrentCPRcertificationattheHealthcareProviderLevel. Submitatleastoneletterofrecommendationfromyourcurrenthealthcareemployer. Submitofficialtranscriptsfromallpreviousinstitutionsthatshow: o Youhaveearnedabachelor sorassociate sdegreeand/or o YouhavecompletedtheprogramadmissionsprerequisitesinLiberalArtsandSciencesand BehavioralSciences o YouhavecompletedallnursingKrelatedscienceprerequisitesin: AnatomyandPhysiology Microbiology Biochemistry Clickheretoseethespecificassessmentrequirements Note:Preferencewillbegiventhoseindividualswithapriorcollegedegree.Allprerequisitesmustbe completebeforeanapplicationforenrollmentcanbeconsidered. For'enrollment'into'the'Clinical'Nursing'Program,'you'must'meet'the'following'requirements:' IfyoumeettherequirementsaboveandwishtobeconsideredforadmissionintotheClinicalNursing Program,youmustbepreparedtoenroll,completethePreKNursingCurriculumrequirements,andapply foradmissionintotheprogram. Admission'into'the'Clinical'Nursing'Program'is'competitive.EnrollmentinthePreKNursingCurriculumis NOTaguaranteeforadmissionintotheClinicalNursingProgram. Approximately60daysafterenrollmentintothePreKNursingCurriculum,ifyouqualify,youmustapply foradmissionintotheclinicalnursingprogram.tobeconsideredforadmission,thefollowingsupport documentationmustbeprovidedbyyouaspartoftheapplicationprocess: Proofofhealthinsurance. Proofofstudentmalpracticeinsurance(usuallyamodest$29/yearcost). Proofofsuccessfullypassingofacriminalbackgroundcheck*. Proofofsuccessfullypassingaurinedrugtest*. Proofofsuccessfullypassingaphysicalexam*. ProofofcompletingtheEmotionalIntelligence(EQ)Testanddemonstratingtheattributesofa successfulnurse*. ProofofacurrentimmunizationrecordandcurrentnegativeTBtest.Clickheretoseewhat immunizationsarerequiredofyou. 21

25 Proofofmeetingthespecificphysicalrequirementsinaccordancewiththecoreperformance standardsofthenursingprofession.clickheretoseeexamplesofphysicalrequirements. ProofofpassingWGU sfoundationalnursingskillsperformanceassessment. Aletterofintent(nomorethantwopages)describingyourpriorexperiencesandreasonsfor pursuingacareerinnursing. Participationinaninterviewwithnursingdepartmentrepresentatives. *Note:Starreditemsarerequiredtobecompletedno&sooner&than&90&days&priortobeginningthe clinicalportionsofthisprogram. Note:TherearenospecialadmissionsrequirementsforentryintotheB.S.HealthInformaticsdegree program. Steps'and'Deadlines'for'Enrollment'into'a'Health'Profession'Program' Belowisthelistofstepsandtheirrespectivedeadlinesrequiredforenrollmentintoanonlinehealthcare degreeprogram.clickhereifyou dlikeaprintkfriendlyversion. Apply'for'admission'and'pay'the'application'fee' Youmayapplyforadmissionatanytimeonceyou reready.theapplicationfeeis$65.youcanpay onlineusingacreditcard,mailingacheck,orcallingthebursar sofficeat1k877k435k7948,ext Youmustpaytheapplicationfeeforyourapplicationtobefullyprocessed. Admissions&to&our&online&business&degree&programs& Admissions&Requirements&and&Deadlines&for&the&College&of&Business DegreesfromtheCollegeofBusinessemphasizemasteryoftheskillsandknowledgethatareessential forcontinuedadvancement.belowareadmissionsrequirementsspecifictocollegeofbusiness programsthatareinadditiontowgu sgeneraladmissionsrequirements. 22

26 Special'requirements'for'WGU s'mba'programs' Submitatranscriptverifyingreceiptofyourbachelor sdegreefromarecognizedaccredited institution. Submitaresumedemonstratingatleastthreeyearsofsignificantexperienceinbusiness,industry, oranonkprofitorganization. Note:Therearenospecialadmissionsrequirementsforentryintoabachelor'slevelbusinessdegree program. Admissions&to&our&online&IT&degree&programs& Admissions&Requirements&and&Deadlines&for&the&College&of&Information&Technology DegreesfromtheCollegeofInformationTechnologyincorporateupto18respectedindustry certifications.belowareadmissionsrequirementsspecifictocollegeofinformationtechnology programsthatareinadditiontowgu sgeneraladmissionsrequirements. Special'requirements'for'WGU s'it'programs' DemonstrateITexperienceeitherthrough: o Anassociate sdegreeinitorequivalent(a.s.ora.a.s.acceptable). o HighKlevelITcourseworkcompletedwithinthelastfiveyears: TwoormoreupperKlevelNetworkingcoursesOR TwoormoreupperKlevelObjectKOrientedProgrammingcourses(Java,C#,etc.)OR OneormoreupperKlevelOperatingSystemscourseOR OneormoreupperKlevelInformationSecurityandAssurancecourse 23

27 o o TransferableITcertificationsearnedwithinthelastfiveyears.ClickheretoseewhatIT certificationsmaytransfertowgu. AresumeshowingthreeKplusyearsofITworkexperience. Werequiretheseprerequisitesbecauseourresearchhasdeterminedthatstudentsenteringthese programsneedtohavedemonstratedstrongitabilitiesinordertohandletherigorsofadifficultit curriculum. 24

28 Institutional&Attendance&Policy& WGUdoesnothaveaninstitutionalattendancepolicy.Progressisgoverned,notbyclasses,butby satisfactorycompletionofchallengingassessmentsthatdemonstratemasteryoftherequired competencies.studentsengageinavarietyoflearningresourcestobuildcompetencyandpreparefor theassessments.inmostcases,theselearningmaterialsareindependentlearningresourcessuchas textbooks,eklearningmodules,studyguides,simulations,virtuallabs,andtutorials,noneofwhich requireattendance.therefore,interruptionforunsatisfactoryattendanceandreadmissionconditionsis notrelevant. We&Let&You&Choose&When&and&Where&You&Study& Onlinelearning"WGUstyle"isquiteflexible,evencomparedtootheronlineuniversities.Yourprogram ispersonalizedtoyourscheduleinseveralways,providingyoutheflexibilityyouneedtobesuccessful inallareasofyourlife,notjustinschool. Infact,manyofourgraduateshavecommentedonhowniceitwastoworktheireducationaroundtheir jobsandfamily,nottheotherwayaround. How&Our&CompetencyPbased&Approach&Works&for&You&& Successinyourcareerisbasedonwhatyouknowandwhatyoucando.WithWGU scompetencykbased approachtoeducation,successinyourdegreeprogramwillbesimilar. Asastudent,youwilldemonstrateyourmasteryofthenecessarycompetenciesbycompleting challengingassessments.anassessmentmaybeatraditional"test",aproject,anessay,oranother practicaldemonstrationofarequiredskill. Youwon tjustbecompetentinyourfield;you llalsobeawellkrounded,competentcommunicatorand problemksolverpreparedtotakeonlife schallenges. Your&Advantage&in&CompetencyPBased&Education&Relevant&to&Your&Career&& Ourapproachallowsyoutoleveragetheskillsandknowledgeyou vealreadyacquiredthroughjob experienceandpriorcollegetoyourbenefit.sincewedon taskyoutoattendclassbutratherrequire completionofchallengingassessments,assoonasyoufeelready,you llbeabletodojustthat. Thefasteryoucancompleteyourassessments,thefasteryou llgraduate.andsinceyoupayfortime insteadofcreditswithtuition,thelesstimeittakesyoutograduate,themoremoneyyou llsave. Your&Personal&Degree&Plan&& YourDegreePlanservesasyourblueprintforcompletionofyourdegreeprogramrequirements.Youwill developyourdegreeplaninclosecoordinationwithyourmentor. 25

29 How&Your&Degree&Plan&Works&& Foryourprogram,theessentialskillsandknowledgeahighlycompetentgraduateneedstopossessfor careersuccesshavebeencarefullyidentifiedandselected. YourDegreePlan"mapsout"thelearningresourcesandassessmentsyouneedinyourprogrambased upontheskillsyoualreadyhaveandthoseyouneedtodevelop.here swhatyourdegreeplantakes intoaccount: YourExistingCompetencies Theskillsandknowledgeyoualreadypossesscomingintoyour program. LearningResources Theonlinecourses,tutorials,textbooks,andotherlearningmaterialsyou lluse toprepareforwguassessments. WGUAssessments Testsandassignmentsthatmeasureyourcompetence. YourDegreePlandetailsallofyourprogramrequirements,including: o Detailsofyourterm(theamountoftimeyouhavetocompletearequirednumberof assessments) o Assessmenttype,status,andassociatedlearningresources o Requiredcompletiondates(deadlinesyousetwithinproperguidelinesforcompleting assessments) What&you'll&use&to&learn&& AsaWGUstudent,you lluseavarietyoflearningresourcestoacquiretheskillsandknowledgeyou needtocompleteyourassessments.theselearningresourcescomeinavarietyofforms,including: Textbooks WebKbasedtutorials Simulations Onlineclasses Themajorityoftheselearningresourcesareincludedinthecostoftuition.(Textbooksarenotincluded.) WGU&Bookstore& WGUoperatesanonlinebookstorethroughEdMapthatcontainsalloftherequiredtextsforyour assessments.booksarecompetitivelypricedand,insomecases,canbepurchasedinan etext format asignificantdiscount.however,themajorityoftherequiredtextbooksareavailablefreekofkchargefor studentsbyaccessingthecourseofstudy. Online&Learning&Resources& WGUalsoprovidesonlinelearningresources,suchasonlinecoursesandwebKbasedtutorialsthrough affiliationswiththirdkpartyeducationproviders 26

30 Policy&on&Satisfactory&Academic&Progress;&Grading&System;&Reporting&Student& Progress& TheelectroniccatalogandallWGUProgramGuideBooks,whichcanbedownloadedfromtheWebsite orrequestedinprintcopy,describetheuniversity spolicyonsatisfactoryacademicprogress. ItisimportanttonotethatWGUassignscompetencyunits(CUs)toeachassessmentinordertotrack academicprogress.onecuistheequivalentofonesemesterhouroflearninginthetraditional university.thisequivalencyhasbeenacceptedbyournational,regional,andprofessionalaccreditors; byotheruniversitiesforcredittransfer;andbystatesforauthorizationandprogramapproval.students demonstratemasteryoftheirprogram srequiredknowledge,skills,andperformancetasks and therebyearncus bypassingassessments. WithineachprogramdescriptionontheWGUWebsiteisalinktotheProgramGuideBook,which, amongotherinformation,containsadefinitionofunitsofcredit. Tuition&and&financial&aid& Satisfactory&Academic&Progress&Policy& Satisfactoryacademicprogress(SAP)isameasureofstudentprogresstowardthecompletionofa degreeorcertificateprogram.sapisaquantitativemeasurebasedonthenumberofcompetencyunits astudentcompleteddividedbythetotalnumberofunitsforwhichastudentenrolledcumulativelyover thestudent'sacademiccareeratwgu.itisanacademicsuccessindicatorandafinancialaid requirement.federal&regulations&require&that&all&students&who&receive&financial&aid&maintain&satisfactory& academic&progress.& StudentsreceiveamarkofPassorNotPassedontheirpermanentacademicrecordforanycoursesof studyforwhichtheyenrollinaterm,regardlessofwhethertheyattemptanassessment.agradeof Passindicatesthatthestudenthasdemonstratedcompetencyatagradeequivalentof B orbetter. GradesofNotPassedarecountedasunitsthatarefailedandarecountedagainstsatisfactoryacademic progress. Maintaining&Satisfactory&Academic&Progress& SAPisevaluatedattheendofeverytermandatthetimeofawithdrawalfromtheuniversity.To maintaingoodstandingforsap,studentsmustachieveanoverallminimumcumulativepassrateof 66.67%forallcompetencyunitsforwhichtheyenrolled.Studentsareprohibitedfromreceivingfederal financialaidformorethan150%ofthenumberofcompetencyunitsrequiredintheircurrentacademic programincludingtransferredandallwguenrolledunits.achangeinprogramwillnotaffecta student ssapstanding.studentswhoarerequestingrekentryintotheuniversitywillreturnwiththesap 27

31 statuscalculatedatthetimeofwithdrawal.studentsrequestingadmissionintoanewdegreeprogram aftergraduationwillbeginasafirsttermstudentwithanewsaphistory. StudentswhofailtomaintainSAPareplacedonprobationandmaybesuspendedfromfederalfinancial aideligibilityaccordingtothefollowingcriteria: First'Term'Students*:' EffectiveJuly1,2012,firsttermstudentswhocompletelessthan50%ofattemptedcompetency unitsareautomaticallyterminatedfromfederalfinancialaid. Firsttermstudentswhocompleteatleast50%ofattemptedcompetencyunits,butfailtocomplete the66.67%requiredforgoodstandingforsapareplacedonwarningforthefollowingtermand remaineligibleforfederalfinancialaid. *Note:FirsttermstudentsincludeWGUgraduatesinthefirsttermofanadditionaldegree. Continuing'Students:*' ContinuingstudentswhobeginatermingoodstandingwhosecumulativeSAPfallsbelow66.67% butnotlowerthan50%areplacedonwarningforthefollowingtermandremaineligibleforfederal FinancialAid. FortermsendingAugust31,2012andlater,continuingstudentswhobeginatermingoodstanding whosecumulativesapfallsbelow50%areautomaticallyterminatedfromfederalfinancialaid withoutawarningterm. Studentsinawarningtermwhoachieveacumulativecompletionrateofatleasta66.67%are returnedtogoodacademicstanding. Studentsinawarningtermwithacumulativecompletionratebelow66.67%SAPareterminated fromfederalfinancialaideligibility. *Note:Continuingstudentsarethosethatareenrolledbeyondthefirstterm. StudentswhoareterminatedfromfinancialaideligibilitymaycontinuetheirstudiesatWGUbutare requiredtoselfkpayandmakepaymentarrangementsthroughthebursar soffice.inthecaseof extenuatingcircumstances,studentsmayappealtheirterminationstatustothefinancialaidappeals Committee. Scholarship'and'Grant'Recipients Mostscholarshipsandgrantsdonotallowforawarningterm.FailuretomeetSAPinanygiventermcan resultinterminationofscholarshiporgrantfunds.pleaserefertoyourscholarshiporgrantmaterialsor Financial&Aid&Appeal&for&SAP Studentswhoareterminatedfromfinancialaideligibilityfornotmeetingsatisfactoryacademicprogress (SAP)andwhohaveextenuatingcircumstancesmayappealtoreestablishtheireligibility.Studentswho wishtomakeanappealmustbecurrentonallfinancialobligations.studentsmaynotusefinancialaid tomakeretroactivetuitionandfee(s)payments. 28

32 Theappealmustbebasedonextenuatingcircumstancesthatpreventedastudentfrommeetingthe requirementsofthesatisfactoryacademicprogresspolicy.extenuatingcircumstancesmusthave occurredwithinthepast12monthsofenrollment.circumstancesmayincludeextrememedicalissues,a deathintheimmediatefamily,employmentrelatedhardship,militarymobilization,and/orextreme personalproblems.aspartoftheappeal,thestudentmustsubmitthefollowing: SAPAppealForm SignedDatedLetter(pleaserefertotheformforfurtherinstructions) SupportingDocumentation SubmitAppealdocumentationtoWesternGovernorsUniversity,FinancialAidOffice,4001South700 orfaxto801k907k7727.thefinancialaidappealcommitteewillevaluatethemeritsoftheappealby reviewingthedocumentationsubmittedaswellasthestudent spreviousacademicperformanceat WGU.Thecommitteemayrequestadditionalinformationordocumentationasneededandwilladvise thestudentofthefinaldetermination. TheFinancialAidAppealprocessisseparatefromtheWGUAcademicProgressAppealprocess [HandbookArticle2654].IfyouarecompletingbothanAcademicAppealandaFinancialAidAppeal, pleasesubmittheacademicappealfirst. Financial&Aid&Reinstatement Studentsterminatedfromfinancialaidmayseekreinstatementoncetheymeetthefollowingeligibility requirements: SuccessfullycompletecompetencyunitssothatcumulativeSAPisatleast66.67%. HavefulfilledallpaymentarrangementswiththeBursar soffice. ApplyforreinstatementbysubmittingarequesttotheFinancialAidAppealsCommittee. The&WGU&Grading&System& StudentsareintroducedtothegradingsystemduringtheirintroductoryEducation&Without&Boundaries courseofstudy,theonly course taughtbywgufaculty.thegradingsystemisalsodescribedinthe ProgramGuideBooksthataresenttoeachapplicantandstudent. WGUsupportscompetencyKbasededucation.WGU,asacompetencyKbaseduniversity,defines competencyastheabilitytoperformajob/roletodefined,establishedstandardsintherealworld.in otherwords,agraduatewhopossessestheknowledge,skillsandabilitiesneededtobesuccessfulon 29

33 thefirstdayatworkisdeemedcompetent.thus,competentgraduatesarethosewhoareconversant withthecontentofthedomainsofknowledgeandskilloftheirparticulardegreeprogramandareready tosucceedintheworkingworld.psychometriciansatwguhavetranslatedcompetencyintoproactive assessmentdevelopmentprocessesandprocedurestoensurepassingscoresareconsistentwithour intendedinterpretation.with C beingaminimallevel,andthusonenotassuringcompetency,wgu equatescompetencywiththegradelevelof B. Wesetpassingstandards(cutscores)forourcompetencyexamsusingtheModifiedAngoffapproach. WeusetheModifiedAngoffapproachbecauseitisastandardizedmethodforsettingpassingstandards thatmeetsallapplicablenationaltestingstandardsforfairness,isconsistentwiththetypeofscoring interpretationsweuseatwgu,andmeetslegaldefensibilityrequirements.inthismethod,weorganize workshopsofsubjectmatterexperts(sme)whoknowaboutthecontentoftheexamandarefamiliar withfirstkdaykonkthekjobpractitionersinthegivenfield(s).duringtheworkshopthesesmejudges determinethedifficultyofeachtestitem,i.e.,theproportionofcompetentgraduateswhowould correctlyanswereachtestitem.standardsettingjudgesaretaughttovisualizeagroupofcompetent graduates analogoustothosewithabaverage.bywayofcomparison,wecontrastthisgroupwitha minimallyqualified personwhomay(ormaynot)succeedontheirfirstdayatwork(acstudent)and anexperiencedorexpertworker(anastudent).inthisway,ourcompetencyexampassingstandards (cutscores)canbeinterpretedasthescorethatwouldbeachievedbycompetentgraduates those whowouldlikelyfinishatraditionalprogramwitha"b"average. WesetstandardsforPerformanceTask,laboratory,observation,clinical,andportfolioassessments usingthe B gradeanalogyabove.passingfortheseassessmentsisalwayssetsuchthatcandidates mustscoreatthelevelof 3 onafourkpointscale,ortheequivalent. Transcriptsincludefivepossiblemarks: Pass:Certifiessuccessfulcompletionofacourseofstudy.Thestudenthasdemonstratedthe requiredcompetenciesbypassingthefinalassessmentwithagrade&equivalent&of&b&or&better&or& 3.00&grade&points&on&a&4.00&scale. Not'Passed:Indicatesthatastudentfailedtocompleteacourseofstudyinthetimeallotted.To meetprogramrequirements,thestudentgenerallyrekenrollsforthecourseofstudyina subsequentterm. Requirement'Satisfied:Recognizesthatastudenthassatisfiedtherequirementsofacourseof studythroughalternatecourseworkthatmaynotbedirectlytransferred. Transfer:Signifiesthatthestudenthascompletedequivalentcourseworkthatcomplieswith WesternGovernorsUniversitytransfercreditpolicies. Withdrawn:Representsthatthestudentwaswithdrawnfromtheuniversityorcoursebeforeterm completion. TheUniversitydoesnotcalculateagradepointaverage(GPA). 30

34 Onecompetencyunitistheequivalentofonesemesterhourcreditoflearningintraditionalgrading systems. Gradesaretranscripteduponcompletionofacourseofstudy,butcoursesofstudyinprogresswillnot showonthetranscriptuntiltheendofaterm. Progress&Reporting& TwokeycomponentsofprogressreportingatWGUare(1)thepersonalizedDegreePlan,and(2)the coachingreport.additionally,wgu smentoringapproachisapowerfulcomponentofboththewgu educationalexperienceandstudentprogressmanagement.eachnewlyenrolledstudentisassigneda mentorwhowillpartnerwiththestudentthroughouthis/hereducation.thementorservesasan academicadvisor,coach,andafriendlysupporterofthestudent sultimatesuccess.thestudentand mentorinteractcloselyonaregularbasisviaphone, ,andwebconferencing.together,they developapersonalizeddegreeplanthat sconsistentwiththestudent sacademicbackgroundand careerexperience,comfortwithindependentlearning,andtheamountoftimeavailablecommitto studies.thedegreeplanbecomesthestudent s"roadmap"tosuccess.thementorusesthedegree Plantodeterminethemostappropriatelearningresourcesbasedonthestudent sbackground, strengths,andweaknesses,helpthestudentstayontrack,anddeterminewhens/heisreadyforthe requiredassessments. Thesecondcomponent thecoachingreport providesfeedbackonobjectiveteststostudentsand theirmentors.itspurposeistwofold:tohelpstudentsidentifyareasofstrengthandareasfor development;andtoprovideusefulinformationformentoruseinsupportingstudentprogress. ImmediatelybelowisWebsiteinformationwithasampleDegreePlan,aswellasanexplanationof AcademicActivityVerification(AAV)andStartandEndDates.Followingthatisanexcerptfroman announcementofrecentenhancementstothecoachingreport. Your&Personal&Degree&Plan& YourDegreePlanservesasyourblueprintforyourdegreecompletionrequirements.Youaccessyour DegreePlanthroughtheWGUStudentPortal. How&Your&Degree&Plan&Works& Foryourprogram,theessentialskillsandknowledgethatahighlycompetentgraduateneedstopossess forcareersuccesshavebeencarefullyidentifiedandselected. YourDegreePlan"mapsout"thelearningresourcesandassessmentsyouneedinyourprogrambased upontheskillsyoualreadyhaveandthoseyouneedtodevelop.here swhatyourdegreeplantakes intoaccount: 31