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M.S. IT Management

MASTER OF SCIENCE Information Technology Management

You’re an adaptive problem-solver, a skilled strategist, and you know how to prioritize. Earn the IT degree that will upgrade your career. Earn the degree to get the IT leadership role you deserve.

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Named a "Best Value School" by University Research & Review for four consecutive years.

Best Value School according to University Research and Review

Overview
Earn your master’s degree in Information Technology Management online.

Leaders drive innovation. Nearly every organization in almost every industry needs qualified IT leaders. Today’s employers are looking for skilled information technology professionals who possess project management and problem-solving abilities to drive change and keep organizations running smoothly. The Master of Science in Information Technology Management degree program at WGU prepares emerging leaders seeking advancement into IT executive-level leadership positions in ever-changing, fast-growing global industries and organizations. This program provides practical and relevant coursework in leadership, technology operations and integration, sourcing, risk, planning, influence, finance, solutions development, and project management with a global perspective on emerging technologies, practices and methodologies.

For individuals with or without a background in technology, this program will teach you to how to integrate business needs with IT solutions. WGU’s online M.S. Information Technology Management degree program is designed with input from CIOs, industry experts, and leading tech employers.

In addition to earning your master's degree, as you complete the coursework for this program you will earn the PMI Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) certification—exam costs covered by your low, flat tuition and fees! Earning this cert on your way to your master's gives your résumé an immediate boost as soon as you've earned it, even before you complete your degree.

Compare this degree: Also considering the MBA in IT Management? This article can help you understand the differences.

82% of graduates finish in

6–24 mos.

WGU lets you move more quickly through material you already know and advance as soon as you're ready. The result: You may finish faster.
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Tuition per 6-month term is

$3,540

Tuition charged per term—rather than per credit—helps students control the ultimate cost of their degrees. Finish faster, pay less!
See how time is money

Graduates who recommend WGU:

97%

The vast majority of alumni say WGU delivered on its promises. In fact, over 50% of students found WGU thanks to a friend's recommendation.
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Tuition as of January 1, 2019.

IT managers are the cornerstones of their organizations.

Information is the engine that runs almost all industries. Whether it's finance or medicine, advertising or education, success centers on technology. The result is an ever-increasing need for IT managers who can combine proven tech skills with management acumen to navigate emergencies, and plan and execute strategies that will keep all systems functioning. Students who earn a master’s degree in IT management will be prepared to maximize leadership opportunities in their career.

Learn about our grads' careers
What you’ll learn: relevant, up-to-date curriculum developed by IT experts.

At the core of WGU’s M.S. Information Technology Management degree program is a set of competencies—core concepts you need to master for a successful IT management career.

Download Program Guide

The WGU M.S. IT Management degree program was designed by and is regularly updated with input from the experts on our Information Technology Program Council. This ensures that you learn best practices for the latest developments.
Key Subject Areas

Your program consists of courses focused on IT management, including:

Financial Management for IT Professionals

Project Management

Information Technology Management

Technical Communication

Technological Globalization

Managing Technology Operations and Innovation

IT Sourcing and Development in a Global Economy

Power, Influence and Leadership

MS, Information Technology Management Capstone

Current and Emerging Technology

See all courses
Areas of Study

The competencies you gain through this program will span these crucial topical areas:

Ethical Leadership

Managing Operations

Emerging Leadership, Processes and Technologies

Managing Organizations and Leading People

Technological Globalization

Data-Driven Decision Making

IT Strategic Solutions

Institutional Intelligence

Data Modeling

Explore the curriculum
The WGU Difference

We reimagined the path to a degree. How it works for you:

It’s doable.
Efficient, flexible, individualized, and supportive, WGU puts you in the driver’s seat—allowing you to advance as quickly as you're able.

It’s surprisingly affordable.
Low, flat-rate tuition and the opportunity to speed up your program allow you to control the cost of your education.

It’s worth it.
Employers love WGU graduates. And grads report greater satisfaction, career advancement, and income growth after earning a WGU degree.

See how we do it
A supported, personalized experience.

WGU is unlike any university you’ve experienced before—in the best possible way! Take a look at what we mean:

Faculty Learning Assessment Capstone Alumni Support

Faculty

SUPPORTING YOU: Faculty focused on students.

WGU faculty members have one goal in mind: your success. Your Program Mentor is your individually assigned faculty member, providing guidance and instruction from the day you start to the day you graduate. In addition, Course Instructors provide subject-matter instruction and support, typically one-on-one, exactly when you need it.

Learning

YOUR ROADMAP: A personalized learning plan.

Your program is made up of a series of courses, each a personalized journey toward subject mastery. A preassessment provides insight into what you already know. You’ll then learn what you still need to learn, using online learning resources—available 24/7—along with one-on-one or cohort-based faculty instruction.

Assessment

PROVE IT: Show you know your stuff.

WGU measures learning, not time, so each course culminates in an assessment—a test, paper, project, or certification that allows you to prove what you know. As soon as you’re ready, take the assessment—including the ability to take proctored exams from the comfort of your own home— via webcam, any time of day!

Capstone

APPLY IT: Solve a problem.

Throughout your program, you will focus on acquiring and proving specific competencies. At program’s end, you’ll complete a final capstone project that allows you to show off everything you’ve learned by proposing a solution to an relevant issue in your industry. Your mentor can help you select your capstone topic.

Alumni Support

ALWAYS a Night Owl.

Continued support after you graduate includes many opportunities for professional development and enrichment, career support, and networking. Night Owls may be independent learners, but they also become highly engaged in our active alumni community through apps, groups, and events.

The accreditation you need, plus industry respect and recognition.

Accredited

Western Governors University is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU), which provides the accreditation of many other major institutions, such as the University of Washington, University of Oregon, Gonzaga University, University of Utah, University of Idaho, and Brigham Young University, to name just a few.

Respected

Recognized

“I’m impressed by the results in places like Western Governors University. Its low-cost online programs rely on competency-based progression, not class time or credit hours. It uses external assessments to evaluate student proficiency.”
Bill Gates
“Why American Colleges Have to Change”

Accredited

Respected

Recognized

Our programs check all the boxes. If this degree is your goal, get started toward becoming a student today—programs start the first of each month.

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Cost & Time
When we say affordable, we mean it.

$3,540

Tuition per 6-month term

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+$295

Resource and Program Fees, per term

=

=$3,835

TOTAL PER TERM

+$65

One-time application fee

Apply FREE this week

$295 per-term fees include Resource Fee of $145 (covers all e-books and learning resources, saving you hundreds per term) and Program Fee of $150 (covers additional costs specific to this program).
Control the cost of your program: Our tuition links cost to time.

By charging per term rather than per credit—and empowering students to accelerate through material they know well or learn quickly—WGU helps students control the ultimate cost of their degrees.
Flat-rate tuition of $3,835 per term links cost to time.

By charging per 6-month term rather than per credit hour—and empowering students to accelerate through material they know well or can learn quickly—WGU helps students control the ultimate cost of their degrees.

Adjust the time and see your costs change

Your time

2 yrs

Your cost

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1 yr
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There's help if you need it.

Financial aid is available.

WGU is approved for federal financial aid and U.S. veterans benefits.

View more about financial aid.

WGU students borrow less than half the national average.

Our goal: You graduate with little or no debt.

The average student loan debt of WGU graduates in 2016 (among those who borrowed) was less than half the national average. WGU’s three-pronged approach to keeping your debt low and your return on investment quick: One, provide useful information and advice on responsible borrowing before enrollment. Two, keep tuition low while you're enrolled. And three, offer degree programs that lead to better-paying jobs after graduation.

Read about our Responsible Borrowing Initiative.

Degree Cost Comparison*

For-Profit Online University

Other Nonprofit Online University

WGU

Earn your master's degree for about half what you’d pay at another university.

Low tuition and the ability to accelerate make WGU more affordable than most other schools. When you compare us with other programs, WGU’s Master of Science Cybersecurity and Information Assurance degree program offers rigorous curriculum with competitive post-graduation results for about half what you'd pay at another university—or even less.

*Estimates based on July 2017 WGU and comparable universities' tuition data. Learn more about WGU's tuition and how it compares.

Transparent fees and no hidden costs.

The cost of attending college often includes much more than tuition and fees. WGU is designed to be different, and that translates to cost savings everywhere from books to babysitting.

Other universities bury you in unexpected costs. Not WGU.

Click to explore the extra costs:

Tuition Books

Parking Gas

Library / resource fees Babysitter every week for
nighttime classes

WGU

Other online college

Traditional
4 year school

This demonstration shows how various costs—including official fees and incidental costs of attending school—can add up in different learning environments. It's meant as an illustration only.

Scholarships make our already-low tuition even more affordable.

Many scholarship opportunities are available. Here are a few you may be eligible to apply for:

$2,000

Sage Scholarship

$3,000

Salute to Veterans Scholarship

$2,000

Future in IT Scholarship

The affordable, flexible programs offered at WGU put high-quality education within your reach. Start working toward your future.

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Courses & Competencies

Curriculum that ensures you’ve mastered the things employers want you to know.

Program consists of:
10 Courses
Total courses in program
Download Program Guide

At WGU, we design our curriculum to be timely, relevant, and practical—all to ensure your degree is proof you really know your stuff.

Every course focuses on a set of clearly defined competencies that you must prove you’ve learned—through tests, papers, projects, or other assessments. Demonstrating mastery is how you pass a course, so learning what it takes to be outstanding in your career is at the heart of WGU’s M.S. Information Technology Management curriculum.

That means what you learn is often directly applicable the next day at work—and it means what you’re doing at work frequently informs the work you’re doing in your courses. It’s all about real-world applicability so every moment spent studying is time well spent.

Courses in this online degree program.

This program is composed of the following courses. You will typically complete them one at a time as you make your way through your program, working with your Program Mentor each term to build your personalized Degree Plan. You’ll work through each course as quickly as you can study and learn the material. As soon as you’re ready, you’ll pass the assessment, complete the course, and move on. This means you can finish as many courses as you're able in a term at no additional cost.

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IT Management

Financial Management for IT Professionals

Financial Management for IT Professionals develops learners’ skills in financial management, budgeting, and procurement. This course teaches how to leverage financial know-how to improve workplace decision-making. This course also provides learners with the knowledge and skills necessary to spend money on the right projects and right equipment, while aligning operating budgets with strategic initiatives. There are no prerequisites for this course.

Project Management

Project Management is for students seeking the Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) credential. The course is a thorough exploration of the inputs, tools, techniques, and outputs across the five process groups and ten knowledge areas identified in the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) Guide. The essential concepts and practical scenarios included enable students to build the competencies required to successfully complete the CAPM certification exam. There is no prerequisite for this course.

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Information Technology Management

Information Technology Management

IT Management introduces the key topics and skills needed to lead next-generation technology organizations. This course explores how common applications and innovation drive value and business needs. Ethical and regulatory compliance issues are discussed, including current practices for risk management, disaster recovery, and cybersecurity. Students will also analyze the key leadership skills and traits necessary to lead responsive, competitive, and innovative organizations. This course has no prerequisites.

Technical Communication

Technical Communication examines communication types and strategies that information technology executives will use to communicate effectively within an organization. As leaders, IT executives frequently contribute to business goals by designing and communicating specialized information in a variety of media to customers, clients, and other departments. In this course, students learn to communicate accurately, effectively, and ethically to a variety of audiences. Students choose, design, and deliver the communication product and assess the effectiveness to improve future communication. This course has no prerequisites.

Technological Globalization

Technological Globalization explores information and communication technologies used to meet business needs in global markets. IT executives must analyze their organization’s technological needs, develop internationally-capable strategic plans, and mitigate the operational challenges of each of the countries in which the organization does business. This course provides students with the practical knowledge and understanding of how to plan, evaluate, and successfully integrate effective and efficient technical communication solutions in the global business market. This course has no prerequisites.

Managing Technology Operations and Innovation

Managing Technical Operations and Innovations explores the importance of innovation in the processes of operations management and business competitiveness. From the formulation of tactical operations plans from strategic objectives, IT executives need to create partnerships to drive innovation within an organization. This course provides students with the practical knowledge and understanding of operations management concepts, business models, methods, tools, applications and best practices used by successful organizations to improve their operations. This course has no prerequisites.

IT Sourcing and Development in a Global Economy

IT Sourcing and Development in a Global Economy examines the practice of sourcing and developing global IT projects from a management perspective. In today’s organizations, leaders look for efficient and effective ways to deliver goods and services. This course will allow students to explore the strategic, operational, tactical, and security-related impacts to the organization of sourcing and supporting a global IT project. Students will cultivate a deep understanding of the documents, skills, and stakeholders needed for any given project and develop the ability to leverage these elements to achieve success. This course will also explore the ethical, cultural, and regulatory considerations surrounding sourcing and managing IT projects in a global space. There are no prerequisites for this course.

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Power, Influence and Leadership

Power, Influence and Leadership

Power, Influence and Leadership focuses on the development of the critical leadership and soft skills necessary for success in information technology leadership and management. The course focuses specifically on skills such as cultivating effective leadership communication, building personal influence, enhancing emotional intelligence (soft skills), generating ideas and encouraging idea generation in others, conflict resolution, and positioning oneself as an influential change agent within different organizational cultures. There are no prerequisites for this course.

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Capstone

MS, Information Technology Management Capstone

MSITM Capstone course challenges students to demonstrate mastery of all the MSITM program outcomes. The capstone challenges students to integrate skills and knowledge from all program domains into one project.

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Current and Emerging Technology

Current and Emerging Technology

Current and Emerging Technology explores organizational leadership trends, practices, processes, and technology in contemporary technology-intensive organizations. IT executives need to continually stay informed of technological trends to determine their relevance and implementation within an organization. This course requires students to read and evaluate academic literature pertaining to emerging IT topics. This course has no prerequisites.

Plan to work hard: Program requirements and expectations.

The M.S. IT Management degree program is an all-online program that you will complete through independent study with the support of WGU faculty. You will be expected to complete at least 8 competency units (WGU's equivalent of the credit hour) each 6-month term. (Each course is typically 3 or 4 units).

The first person you speak with at WGU will be your Enrollment Counselor, an expert in your program who can explain all the requirements and expectations in more detail. You can also read more about each course in the Program Guide.

Request info from an Enrollment Counselor.

Download the Program Guide.

Special requirements for this program:

Capstone project: At the end of your program, you will complete a capstone project that represents the culmination of all your hard work—a project that allows you to take what you’ve learned and apply it to a real-world situation, proposing a solution to an actual issue you face in your place of business

Give your résumé the boost it needs!

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Quality you can trust: Curriculum developed with guidance from IT leaders and experts.

Program councils—teams of industry and academic experts—drive the creation of our programs, providing input on the competencies a successful graduate needs to have mastered.
How You'll Learn
Competency-based education puts working IT professionals in the driver’s seat of their education

As a competency-based university, WGU allows you to speed up your progress—no waiting for other class members, no waiting for a new semester to start.

Already familiar with a subject? Review the material, take the assessment, and move on. Taking a course in a subject that’s new for you? Maximize all available resources and ensure you’re comfortable with the material when you take the assessment.

“WGU’s advantage is its flexibility. The education itself is top-notch, and the flexibility allows busy people to get through school. I recommend WGU to everybody, particularly in IT fields. The certifications you get at WGU are fantastic—some of the best in the industry.” Ken Krauss
M.S. Information Security and Assurance, 2015

Designed for working IT professionals.

At WGU, you’re not committed to attend class at a set time, complete homework on a professor’s schedule, or log “attendance” hours. You’ll earn your degree by garnering new skills and proving what you know. Whether you’re a quick-study, have extra time to dedicate to your program, or can draw on your years of IT experience, you can put these advantages to good use: graduating faster.

When you’re comfortable with a course’s material, you’ll prove your competency through tests, papers, projects, or other assessments, earning respected credentials and certifications designed to prepare you for increased success and career advancement.

Competency-Based Education (CBE)

How it helps you

Efficient

Save time and money by focusing your efforts where they matter the most.

Your knowledge, experience, and drive to finish your degree are valuable. Put those qualities to work and master material more quickly, potentially graduating ahead of schedule.

Flexible

Learn on your own terms.

Because all of WGU’s M.S. IT Management courses are online with no set meeting times, you can study whenever and wherever works best for you. Early in the morning, on weekends, or even at your child’s soccer practice. Earning a degree will take hard work, but you can fit your study around your existing commitments, not the other way around.

Results

Know you're learning real-world skills.

You will frequently find that what you learn in your courses can be applied directly to what you are doing at work, which can improve your effectiveness as well as expand your education.

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 through your study at WGU or picked up that knowledge through years of work experience.

Your progress through a course is driven by you.

How quickly you learn

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The time you devote to studying

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How much previous knowledge you bring
See it in action.

Play the game to see how a competency-based course works at WGU.
competency, noun

Demonstrated knowledge, skill, or ability required to advance in a degree program.

At WGU, course competencies are defined by an expert council, including employers.

For this course, there are 3 areas you need to prove competency in.

Start

First, let's take a pre‑assessment.

Determine what you already know from previous work and education experience, and where you need to focus your studies. Prove your competency in 3 areas in this exercise.

Start Pre-Assessment

Competency 1: Retrieving results...
Competency 2: Retrieving results...
Competency 3: Retrieving results...

Start Course

Second, study course materials.

Click on the free learning resources created by education experts that will help you master the competencies.

E-textbook

Web-based Tutorials

Online Classes

Simulations

Learning Communities

Course Mentors

Ready? Take Assessment

Result:

Try Again

Measuring:

Skills

Knowledge

X
Your experience pays at WGU.

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Career Outlook
Set goals. Get results. IT leadership careers start with a master’s degree in IT management.

Companies in every industry need skilled, management-savvy IT experts to keep things running smoothly. IT managers understand the critical role technology plays in an organization’s success, and are adept at managing IT needs to support essential functions. WGU’s Master of Science in Information Technology Management is designed to help you become a valuable leader on the IT management team.

12%

Employment of IT managers is projected to grow 12% from 2016 to 2026, faster than the average for all occupations.

—U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
WGU's M.S. IT Management grads are thriving in diverse careers.

Our M.S. IT Management alumni are working in jobs such as:
Job Titles

CIO

IT director

Senior system engineer

Manager of information systems

IT infrastructure manager
Diverse Industries

Business

Education

Finance

Government

Healthcare
Major Employers

Cisco Systems

Dell

U.S. Air Force

Florida Community Health Centers

Legal Aid of West Virginia
Want more career outlook data?

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WGU is a university committed to producing successful grads.

The ultimate test of your degree's value is whether it helps you become an outstanding employee and advance your career. Our happy grads—and their happy employers—confirm that WGU is the path to that kind of degree.
Happy employers

Happy grads

They're Prepared.

Employers said that WGU graduates were prepared for their jobs.

They Perform.

Employers rated WGU graduates' job performance as very good or excellent.

They Wow.

Employers said their WGU graduates have exceeded their expectations.

They're Confident.

Graduates said the majority of their coursework was related to their jobs.

They're Working.

Graduates are working full-time.

They're Satisfied.

Graduates said their degrees were worth the cost of their education.

Source: 2016 Harris Poll survey of 301 employers; 2016 Harris Poll Online survey of 1,403 new college graduates nationwide compared with survey of 1,207 WGU graduates; WGU--Gallup 2016 Report
“WGU's technology-forward, self-paced model allows students to learn as life permits. In addition, the credentials-focused curriculum enables employers to know what skills prospective employees would bring to the workplace in our rapidly growing tech market.“ Mike Langellier,
President and CEO, TechPoint

Close the gap between you and your dreams.

Online degree programs start every month.

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Admissions
Your master's degree is attainable—start by completing your application for admission today!

Next Possible Start

Jan 1

Start dates are the 1st of every month. Discuss steps and deadlines with your Enrollment Counselor.
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Get your questions answered and take the next step: Talk to an Enrollment Counselor.

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Your Enrollment Counselor is there to help you make an informed decision.
The first step toward change can be the hardest—we get it. Your "welcoming committee" at WGU is made up of Enrollment Counselors, Admissions Specialists, and faculty members. Your initial interactions at WGU will be guided by an Enrollment Counselor who specializes in the programs you're interested in.

Your Enrollment Counselor is ready with as much help as you may need:

Get your cost and admissions criteria questions answered.

Assess WGU's fit with your career goals.

Get started toward enrollment!

Contact an Enrollment Counselor.
Admission requirements unique to this degree.

For the M.S. IT Management degree program, there are currently no additional admission requirements beyond the general admission requirements for graduate degree programs.

View general admission requirements

Making an informed admission decision.

WGU seeks to admit individuals who have the capacity and determination to complete a rigorous WGU degree program…and graduate. The admission process is designed to help you and the university reach an informed decision about your likelihood of success.

At WGU we want you to graduate, not just enroll. Consequently, not every applicant is admitted because not every individual is a good fit for WGU’s programs and competency-based, online academic model.

Your existing IT certifications may transfer to WGU.

See which certs transfer.

Common questions about enrolling in a College of IT degree program.

What if I can't meet the eligibility requirements to enroll in the IT program I am interested in?

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You should speak with an Enrollment Counselor. WGU can often provide advice or resources to help a prospective student fulfill enrollment prerequisites.

Why are certifications and other prerequisites required?

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When you enroll in a WGU degree program, our goal is to see you through to graduation. Admission requirements are designed to increase your likelihood of success. Years of data and experience with the nontraditional students WGU serves have shown us how various types of academic and professional experience can be highly important in helping a student persist to graduation. Industry certifications are one of many ways a student can meet eligibility.

Why doesn't WGU accept certifications that are older than five years?

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WGU has an obligation to our graduates—and their current and future employers—to ensure WGU alumni have mastered the the most up-to-date, current competencies and skills needed in the workplace. Recency of certifications helps us ensure that students have demonstrated competency in skills as they are needed in today's working world.

Is this program truly "at your own pace"?

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As a full-time student, you will be required to maintain a minimum pace of 12 competency units (CUs) per term for undergraduate programs or 8 CUs per term for graduate programs. However, there is no maximum speed—once you complete a course, you move immediately to the next, and you complete a course not by waiting for the syllabus, the professor, or the rest of the class. You progress by learning the material and proving it—so you can move through your coursework at the speed of your own learning and experience.

If there aren't classes or lectures, what role do Course Instructors play?

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Course Instructors are highly educated, experienced experts in the subject matter of a course. Unlike in a traditional university where going to class means listening to an instructor lecture while you take notes and try to learn in a group setting, WGU's Course Instructors provide one-on-one instruction and support when you need it—tailoring the instruction to your precise needs when you need it. Course Instructors also provide additional resources, lead topical discussions in online communities, and find countless other ways to bring a specific course to life for students.

Have more questions? We're here to answer them!
Speak with an Enrollment Counselor.

“WGU’s advantage is its flexibility. The education itself is top-notch, and the flexibility allows busy people to get through school. I recommend WGU to everybody, particularly in IT fields. The certifications you get at WGU are fantastic—some of the best in the industry.” Ken Krauss
M.S. Information Security and Assurance, 2015

WGU is school on your terms.

School can fit into your life—start working toward your better future now.

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