Chattanooga State Community College President Dr. James Catanzaro and WGU Tennessee Chancellor Dr. Kimberly Estep announced an agreement Thursday that will make it easier for graduates of Chattanooga State to transfer to WGU to complete their bachelor’s degrees in primary and secondary education, information technology, business, and nursing.
The articulation agreement, the first to be signed with a Tennessee community college, allows seamless transfer of credits and offers Chattanooga State graduates a five percent discount at WGU Tennessee. In addition, for the first year of the agreement, WGU Tennessee will waive the $65 application fee. Dr. Catanzaro and Dr. Estep announced the agreement today at a press conference held at Chattanooga State.
Launched by Governor Bill Haslam last month, WGU Tennessee, http://tennessee.wgu.edu/, is an online, competency-based university aimed at expanding access to higher education for Tennesseans. Established to meet the needs of working adults who need to complete a bachelor’s or master’s degree to advance their careers, WGU Tennessee offers accredited bachelor’s and master’s degree programs in business, K-12 teacher education, information technology, and health professions, including nursing. WGU Tennessee was created through a partnership between the state of Tennessee and nationally recognized Western Governors University.
WGU Tennessee uses an innovative learning model called competency-based education. Rather than earning degrees based on credit hours or time spent in class, students are required to demonstrate competency in degree subject matter. They advance by writing papers, completing assignments, and passing exams that demonstrate their knowledge of required subject matter. This allows students to move quickly through areas where they have prior work or academic experience and focus on the areas they still need to learn. Learning is individualized and guided by the one-on-one support of a faculty mentor. Degree programs are rigorous and challenging, but designed to allow students to schedule their studies to accommodate work and family obligations. Tuition is affordable, approximately $6,000 per year for most degree programs, regardless of how many courses a student completes.
“This is a natural partnership,” said Dr. Catanzaro. “Both WGU Tennessee and Chattanooga State are strong in online learning and competency-based education. Our graduates will thrive in the WGU Tennessee environment.”
“We’re very excited to announce this agreement today,” said Dr. Estep. “WGU Tennessee is a perfect fit for community college graduates who want to continue on to complete a bachelor’s degree. This agreement will make it easy and affordable for Chattanooga State graduates, particularly those with work and family obligations, to meet their educational goals. We are also pleased to extend the application fee waiver and five percent discount to Chattanooga State Community College staff members, too.”