Western Governors University Leads Nation in Awarding Bachelor's Degrees in Teaching
May 16 2024 - 3:35PM
New federal data show that Western Governors University’s
School of Education leads all institutions in the U.S. in
conferring bachelor’s degrees in education.
WGU’s School of Education conferred 4,669 bachelor’s degrees
during the 2021-2022 academic year, according to the most recent
data released by the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System
(IPEDS). This accounts for 5.2 percent of all bachelor’s in
education conferrals in the country, marking a notable increase for
such conferrals from WGU, from 4.7 percent in 2020-2021, and 3.8
percent in 2019-2020.
This achievement highlights WGU’s commitment to providing
pathways to opportunity for people who want to become teachers,
while addressing the teacher workforce shortage and improving the
overall quality of education delivered to students.
"At Western Governors University, we have an established history
of making an extraordinary impact on the education profession,”
said Courtney Hills McBeth, Ed.D., WGU’s chief academic officer and
provost. “By integrating principles from learning science,
experiential learning and effective pedagogical methods, our
academic programs prepare classroom-ready educators with the skills
needed to make a valuable difference in their schools and
communities.”
IPEDS is an annual survey conducted by the National Center for
Education Statistics that collects institution-level data from
postsecondary institutions in the United States.
According to data compiled by teachershortage.org, there
are an estimated 55,289 teaching vacancies in the United States.
During the 2021-2022 academic year, WGU’s School of Education
conferred 2,043 master’s in teaching degrees in addition to its
conferred bachelor’s degrees, making a national impact with 6,712
new classroom-prepared teachers. Along with a renewed focus at
the federal level to better support and strengthen the
teaching profession, WGU’s School of Education is helping to
address the teacher shortage nationwide with programs that prepare
graduates to provide personalized and responsive learning
environments for students in their classrooms.
“Our Initial Licensure Programs offer bachelor’s and master’s
degrees that are mapped to teaching licensure pathways across all
50 states, with personalized support for each and every one of our
students, wherever they live in the country,” said Stacey Ludwig
Johnson, Ph.D., WGU’s senior vice president and executive dean of
the School of Education. “On-the-ground classroom experiences and
apprenticeships at this scale and scope, with partnerships with
more than 4,000 school districts across the country, ensure that we
are preparing our students to be the best qualified candidates for
licensure.”
WGU’s School of Education has awarded 100,160 degrees to 91,888
graduates. Today, more than 43,000 students are actively pursuing
degrees within the School of Education’s 30 graduate and
undergraduate programs – programs designed to equip individuals
with a passion for teaching or leadership with comprehensive
training that is guided by an evidence-based curriculum. Accredited
by both the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation
and the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation,
WGU’s School of Education offers programs that ensure students are
thoroughly prepared to thrive as educators.
About Western Governors University
(WGU):
A nonprofit, online university established in 1997 by 19 U.S.
governors with a mission to expand access to high-quality,
affordable higher education, WGU now serves more
than 175,000 students nationwide and has awarded more than 350,000
degrees to over 330,000 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
less than 30 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 has been featured on NPR, NBC Nightly News and CNN
and in The New York Times. Learn more
at wgu.edu and wgu.edu/impact.
About The WGU School of Education:
The WGU School of Education is the largest non-profit,
competency-based degree conferrer of educators in the country. The
School of Education offers 30 graduate and undergraduate programs
and recommends students for licensure in all 50 states. The School
currently enrolls about 43,000 degree-seeking students and has
conferred 100,747 degrees to more than 92,000 graduates.
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Mark Toth
Western Governors University
3854287503
mark.toth@wgu.edu