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Cybersecurity Information Assurance – M.S.

Master of Science Cybersecurity and Information Assurance

From criminal hacks to cyber terrorism, cyberattacks and security threats are an everyday occurrence. Lead the charge to protect with an advanced degree. Lead the charge to protect and serve, cyber-style.

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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 cybersecurity master’s degree online—and pick up industry certs along the way.
Cyber crimes are a very real risk to global economic security, with a February 2018 report from McAfee estimating they cost the world's economy as much as $600 billion a year. Every day, hackers and cyber criminals launch new, sophisticated computer viruses, malware, and scams that threaten the data our society relies on. Earning your master’s in cybersecurity and information assurance will expand your arsenal to help you better protect our invaluable data, and it can increase your earning potential and opportunities for leadership and advancement as an IT professional.

WGU’s online Master of Science Cybersecurity and Information Assurance degree program is closely aligned with the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE) and was designed with input from cybersecurity experts and leading IT employers to meet the most recent U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and National Security Agency (NSA) guidelines.

In addition to earning your master's in cybersecurity, as you complete the coursework for this program you will earn the following certifications—exam costs covered by your low, flat tuition and fees:

EC-Council Certified Ethical Hacker

EC-Council Computer Hacking Forensic Investigator (CHFI)

Earning these certs on the way to your cybersecurity master's gives your résumé an immediate boost as soon as you've earned them, even before you complete your cybersecurity master's degree.
72% of graduates finish in

6–20 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.
See how it works

Tuition per 6-month term is

$3,540

Tuition charged per term—rather than per credit—helps you control the ultimate cost of your degree. 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.
Help protect public and private information from cyber threats.

Every industry and private citizen is counting on cybersecurity and information assurance experts to detect system vulnerabilities and protect our sensitive data. Students who earn a master's in cybersecurity online will be prepared for a variety of essential careers including:
Computer security specialists

Computer user support specialists

Computer and information systems managers

Database administrators

Computer systems analysts

Computer network architects

Computer support specialists

Network security administrators

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

The WGU M.S. Cybersecurity and Information Assurance online degree program was designed, and is regularly updated, with input from the experts on our Information Technology Program Council, ensuring you learn best practices in systems and services, networking and security, scripting and programming, data management, and the business of IT.

Download Program Guide

The experts who make up the WGU IT Program Council know exactly what it takes for a graduate to be successful in the fast-paced, ever-changing world of information technology.

See the current members of the WGU Information Technology Program Council.
Key Subject Area

Your program consists of courses focused on cybersecurity and information assurance, including:

Information Security and Assurance

Cybersecurity Architecture and Engineering

Secure Network Design

Cybersecurity Management II - Tactical

Cybersecurity Management I - Strategic

Secure Software Design

Ethical Hacking

Forensics and Network Intrusion

Cybersecurity Graduate Capstone

See all courses
Areas of Study

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

Security

Risk management

Cyberlaw

Network design and management

Security policies and standards

Hacking

Forensics and network intrusion

Disaster recovery

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, WGU empowers students to get the most for their education dollars. You can accelerate through material you already know or are able to learn quickly, allowing you to control how much your degree will ultimately cost.
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

A master’s degree in cybersecurity for about half what you’d pay elsewhere.

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—traditional or online—often includes much more than tuition and fees. WGU is designed to be a different kind of university, 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

Women in Leadership Scholarship

$2,000

Military Appreciation Scholarship

$2,000

WGU Alumni Master's 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 graduate with the skills and knowledge employers want.

Program consists of:
9 Courses 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. Cybersecurity and Information Assurance 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 application, 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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Secure Systems Analysis & Design

Information Security and Assurance

Information Security and Assurance explores the many facets of the information security landscape. Recognizing that there are no universal solutions to issues related to information security and assurance, this course covers the durable security principles that help to drive sound decisions. Additionally, this course introduces well-accepted risk-management principles that help to appropriately secure information assets. Finally, the course illustrates how a comprehensive library of policies, standards, and procedures are used to secure assets and provide the required levels of regulatory compliance. There are no prerequisites for this course.

Cybersecurity Architecture and Engineering

Cybersecurity Architecture and Engineering prepares students to implement and manage security engineering tasks and processes using secure design principles grounded in positive security engineering. It covers the fundamental concepts of confidentiality and integrity security models along with applied cryptography for implementation of these models. Additionally, this course helps students assess and mitigate vulnerabilities found in security designs, architectures, and solutions. Finally, this course introduces techniques to design and implement physical security controls for data centers and other large implementations of IT. There are no prerequisites for this course.

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Network Design and Management

Secure Network Design

Secure Network Design covers topics for designing and protecting computer networks. Course topics emphasize secure physical and logical network architecture design for both wired and wireless networks. Secure Network Design provides students the opportunity to recognize secure network characteristics, apply techniques to securely configure network devices, propose network segmentation strategies, perform root cause analysis, and recommend mitigation approaches based on industry best practices. There are no prerequisites for this course

Cybersecurity Management II - Tactical

Cybersecurity Management II - Tactical provides students the opportunity to examine tactical cybersecurity management, which is the practice of addressing near-term cybersecurity goals within an enterprise. The tactical management process enables organizations to address unique cyber requirements throughout the organization. It deals with the people, processes, and technologies that are in use, and it primarily centers on the current operations of the enterprise. A range of cybersecurity tactical management topics are introduced in this course, including the tools, techniques, and concepts used to develop an effective cybersecurity program within organizations. The Cybersecurity Management I - Strategic course is a prerequisite for this course.

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Cybersecurity Management

Cybersecurity Management I - Strategic

Cybersecurity Management I - Strategic focuses on the strategic and long-term alignment of an organization��s information security program to regulators and ensures that it is appropriate to the company culture and management organization. This course introduces the Basel Committee��s ��four lines of defense�� model to appropriately implement separation of duties and information security roles and structures. Additionally, this course covers big-picture items (e.g., how risk management will be performed institutionally and how compliance to information security requirements will be managed). Finally, this course helps students apply strategic decision-making as companies adapt to new technologies, processes, and people practices related to processing, managing, and protecting information resources. The Cybersecurity Architecture and Engineering course is a prerequisite for this course.

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Security

Secure Software Design

Secure Software Design focuses on the variety of elements needed to address and implement secure software acquisition and development throughout the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC). It covers the end-to-end principles and addresses people, technology (tools), and processes to design and develop consistently secure applications. Additionally, this course underscores the importance and value of the defense in depth principle across the entire SDLC. Finally, this course introduces techniques to adapt common security activities to modern software development practices, including Agile/Scrum and DevOps. There are no prerequisites for this course.

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Hacking

Ethical Hacking

Ethical Hacking builds the skills necessary to protect an organization's information system from unauthorized access and system hacking. Topics include security threats, penetration testing, vulnerability analysis, risk mitigation, business-related issues, and countermeasures. Students will learn how to expose system vulnerabilities, find solutions for eliminating and preventing them, and apply hacking skills on different types of networks and platforms. This course prepares students for the following certification exam: EC-Council's Certified Ethical Hacker exam (312-50). This course has no prerequisites.

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Forensics and Network Intrusion

Forensics and Network Intrusion

Forensics and Network Intrusion builds proficiency in detecting hacking attacks and properly extracting evidence to report the crime and conduct audits to prevent future attacks. Topics include computer forensics in today��s world; media and operating system forensics; data and file forensics; audits and investigations; and device forensics. This course prepares students for the following certification exam: EC-Council Computer Hacking Forensic Investigator. This course has no prerequisites.

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Capstone

Cybersecurity Graduate Capstone

The Master of Science in Cybersecurity and Information Assurance (MSCSIA) Capstone project allows students to demonstrate their capability to establish a durable cybersecurity and information assurance program. The capstone project challenges students to integrate skills and knowledge from all program domains into one project that deals with a significant real-world cybersecurity problem.

Plan to work hard: Program requirements and expectations.

The M.S. Cybersecurity and Information Assurance 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, who can explain 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: Using knowledge acquired through your studies at WGU, you will complete a final assignment that challenges you to propose a solution to a real-world business issue relevant to today’s IT industry.

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Quality you can trust: Curriculum developed with guidance from IT employers 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.

Competency-based education (CBE) allows you to set the speed of your progress—no waiting for other class members to catch up or for a new semester to start.

Taking a course covering concepts you’ve been using for years at work? Review the course material, take the assessment, and move on. Taking a course in a subject you’ve never tried? Maximize all available resources to ensure you’re comfortable with the material by the time 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 professionals with tech talent.

You’ve worked in tech for years, and have achieved the biggest promotion you can without a degree. But your experience should count for something. You deserve a degree program that will empower you to use the know-how you’ve gained over the years to progress more quickly toward graduation. That’s where WGU’s competency-based M.S. Cybersecurity and Information Assurance program can help.

You can move through courses as quickly as you master the material: no waiting for other students, or the next semester. And because we charge tuition at a flat rate, you may save both time and money.

Competency-Based Education

How it helps you

Flexible

Learn on your own terms.

Because 100% of this program's courses are online and have no set meeting times, you can study whenever and wherever works best for you. Earning a degree will take hard work, but it fits into your life, not the other way around. While you will be required to maintain a base level of consistent progress through your program, WGU is designed to empower you to maximize your personal schedule by allowing you to build a study plan that fits into your life—not one that requires you to rearrange it.

Efficient

Maximize your life experience and study dedication to move more quickly through coursework.

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.

Results

Know you're learning real-world skills.

You will frequently find that what you learn in your courses can be directly applied 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

Your experience pays at WGU.

Why start from square one when you could already be well on your way to a degree?

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Career Outlook
A master's degree in cybersecurity and information assurance paves the way to career success.

Every day, we share data, socialize, and complete transactions in cyberspace, making the need for experts who can protect our information ever more critical. The knowledge, techniques, and certifications you’ll earn as you complete your cybersecurity and information assurance degree will prepare you to successful fill the ever-growing demand for information security specialists.
Our cybersecurity master's degree alumni are making a real difference in protecting data and information.

Our M.S. Cybersecurity and Information Assurance alumni have great jobs and satisfying careers:
Job Titles

Cyber security analyst

Systems administrator

Cybersecurity consultant
Diverse Industries

Private business

Government

Law enforcement

Higher education
Major Employers

National Security Technologies (NSTec)

Boeing

City, county, and state governments
Become a cybersecurity and information assurance pro.

Get information on salary, work environment, job outlook, and more.

LEARN MORE
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 gives students the ability to really assemble the complete package, from the subject matter to the specific skills to the certification that gives employers confidence when they're making a hiring decision." Brad Smith
President and Chief Legal Officer, Microsoft

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Admissions
Your master's degree is attainable—complete your admissions application today.

Next Possible Start

Jul 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 Mentors. 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.
To be considered for enrollment in this program, you must:

Possess a bachelor’s degree from a regionally or nationally accredited institution.

Demonstrate IT security experience through at least one of the following three methods:

Option 1: Possess a bachelor’s degree from a regionally or nationally accredited institution in either IT security or IT networking that covers at least two CISSP CBK domains. You can find the domains listed here.

Option 2: Possess any bachelor's degree from a regionally or nationally accredited university AND hold a CISSP, CCIE, CCNP, CCNA, CCNA Security, CEH, CHFI, GIAC 2700 or GCWN certification that is valid and earned within the last five years.

Option 3: Possess any bachelor's degree from a regionally or nationally accredited university AND submit a résumé for review showing recent significant IT security experience, of at least three years, which demonstrates at least two CISSP CBK domains.

View general admissions 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 has the capacity and determination to complete a rigorous WGU degree program.
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.

“From the very beginning, the whole process was very smooth. My enrollment counselors were knowledgeable and helpful. If I did run into any kind of little snag, somebody was always there to help me.” Cindy Krupinski
B.S. Information Technology

WGU is school on your terms.

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

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