Jan 13, 2020   SOURCE: PR NewsWire

WGU's New IT MicroBachelors(TM) Program Lets Students Earn Work-Ready Credentials Along the Path to a Degree

SALT LAKE CITY, Jan. 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Western Governors University (WGU) today announced the university's first globally available microcredential in Information Technology (IT). WGU's IT Career Framework MicroBachelors is designed to create pathways for individuals looking to advance their IT careers. Credit-backed and stackable, WGU's new microcredential provides value as a standalone credential, but also allows busy working learners to apply credit towards a bachelor's degree program at WGU, pending admission.

"WGU is committed to ensuring that we address the needs of working learners," said WGU Provost and Chief Academic Officer Marni Baker Stein. "We've developed this program to serve as an industry-verified standalone credential as well as a stepping stone to several WGU bachelor's degree programs in the College of IT. This pathway ensures that busy students acquire valuable credentials as they work toward their degrees."

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment in computer and IT occupations is expected to grow 12 percent from 2018 to 2028, much faster than the average for all occupations. And according to CompTIA's 2019 Cyberstates Report, there were 3.7 million postings for tech occupation job openings in 2018 alone. By partnering with IT industry leaders, WGU has designed this new stackable credential to give learners the foundational skills they need to compete for high-growth, lucrative computer science and IT careers, helping close the IT skills gap.

WGU's IT Career Framework MicroBachelors provides learners with the in-demand computer networking, security, scripting, and programming skills they need to compete in a dynamic, tech-driven economy. Developed to provide learners with incremental value at the course level, WGU's new microcredential is perfect for adults who want to add skills to their profiles but may not necessarily pursue a bachelor's degree. For learners who are interested in pursuing a bachelor's degree, the new microcredential stacks into seven different IT bachelor's degree programs at WGU: B.S. Computer Science, B.S. Software Development, B.S. Cloud and Systems Administration, B.S. Data Management/Data Analytics, B.S. Information Technology, B.S. Cybersecurity and Information Assurance, and B.S. Network Operations and Security.

Like all WGU degree programs, the IT Career Framework MicroBachelors is competency-based, allowing students to advance as soon as they demonstrate mastery of course materials. WGU's new program can be completed for less than $1,500, making it possible for busy learners to advance their careers without breaking the bank. Like all edX courses, learners can choose to access course materials for free but will only be granted credit through successful completion of the verified MicroBachelors certificate.

Details of the program are available at https://www.edx.org/microbachelors/wgux-information-technology-career-framework.

About WGU
Established in 1997 by 19 U.S. governors with a mission to expand access to high-quality, affordable higher education, online, nonprofit WGU now serves more than 121,000 students nationwide and has more than 166,000 graduates in all 50 states. Driving innovation as the nation's leading competency-based university, WGU has been recognized by the White House, state leaders, employers, and students as a model that works in postsecondary education. In just 22 years, the university has become a leading influence in changing the lives of individuals and families, and preparing the workforce needed in today's rapidly evolving economy. WGU is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, has been named one of Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies, and was featured on NPR, NBC Nightly News, CNN, and in The New York Times. Learn more at www.wgu.edu.

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SOURCE Western Governors University