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Missouri state employees will receive five percent tuition discount through new partnership with WGU Missouri

September 24, 2014

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – The Office of Administration is excited to announce that WGU Missouri, an online, nonprofit university designed to help working adults complete their undergraduate and graduate degrees, will offer Missouri state employees a five percent discount off its already low tuition of $6,000 per year for most programs.

“This new partnership with WGU Missouri will allow our state employees to earn a degree or continue their education while remaining an active part of our state workforce,” Office of Administration Commissioner Doug Nelson said. “WGU Missouri’s flexibility and affordability will provide our state employees the opportunity to advance at their own pace, enhancing their expertise and strengthening our workforce.”

“This is a huge opportunity for thousands of Missourians who are working hard for their communities and the state,” said WGU Missouri Chancellor Angie Besendorfer. “We’re very proud to provide working adults with a flexible program that will honor their existing expertise, at half the cost of other online schools.”

More than 50,000 full-time state employees will be eligible to receive a five percent discount from WGU Missouri for up to four 6-month terms. Tuition is charged on an all-you-can learn basis for each term, and includes learning resources and e-textbooks. The university uses an innovative approach to learning called competency-based education, which allows adults to customize the pace and schedule of their college education while taking advantage of skills and knowledge they’ve already acquired. Employees can choose from more than 50 accredited undergraduate and graduate degree programs in the areas of business, information technology, education, and health professions.

In his 2013 State of the State address, Gov. Nixon announced that Missouri would partner with Western Governors University to establish WGU Missouri. In February 2013, the Governor and WGU President Dr. Robert Mendenhall signed a memorandum of understanding that, together with an executive order from Gov. Nixon, created WGU Missouri. In August 2014, WGU Missouri surpassed 1,000 actively enrolled students and celebrated its first commencement with 199 graduating students.

The state’s only fully online, competency-based university, WGU Missouri provides full-time faculty members who work one-on-one with students, offering guidance, support and individualized instruction. All WGU Missouri programs are accredited, and the university is non-profit and self-sustaining on flat-rate tuition of about $6,000 per year for most programs. For more information, visit missouri.wgu.edu/moemployee