Nonprofit, online university will offer discounted tuition for bachelor’s and master’s degrees
WGU Missouri and BJC HealthCare have entered into a partnership agreement that will offer BJC’s 26,500 employees more access to high-quality, affordable bachelor’s and master’s degrees. BJC, one of the largest nonprofit health care organizations in the United States, currently operates 13 hospitals and multiple community health locations in Missouri and southern Illinois. Under the agreement, BJC employees will receive a five percent discount (for up to two years) to pursue a bachelor’s or master’s degree at WGU Missouri. Employees are also eligible to apply for exclusive scholarships, valued at up to $2,500.
“BJC is excited to be partnering with WGU Missouri in order to provide another option for employees to further their education,” said Russell G. Hoffmann, Executive Director of Learning and Organizational Effectiveness with BJC HealthCare. “It is important for us to create partnerships that offer our employees affordable education options that enable them to earn their degree at their own pace.”
More than 260 students from around the Show Me State are currently enrolled in WGU Missouri’s College of Health Professions, including its popular RN to BSN program. Designed to meet the needs of working adults, WGU Missouri’s competency-based learning model allows students to study and learn on their own schedules and at their own pace. Rather than spending time in classes with set times, students can move quickly through material they already know so they can focus on what they still need to learn. As a result, many students are able to accelerate their time to degree completion—the average time to bachelor’s degree at WGU Missouri is less than three years.
Under the agreement, BJC employees can receive a five percent discount on tuition for six-month terms (up to four terms). The discount will apply to any of WGU Missouri’s degree programs in information technology, health care, education and business. Tuition is charged at a flat rate of $3,000 per six-month term for most programs, and terms can begin on the first day of any month. Scholarship and federal financial aid are also available to qualified students. For more information on WGU Missouri, and details on the BJC partnership benefits, visit missouri.wgu.edu/BJC.
About WGU Missouri
WGU Missouri is a competency-based, online university created to expand access to higher education for Missouri residents. The university offers more than 50 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in the fields of business, K-12 teacher education, information technology, and health professions, including nursing. WGU Missouri faculty members serve as mentors, working one-on-one with students, offering guidance, support, and individualized instruction.
Established through a partnership with nationally recognized Western Governors University, WGU Missouri is open to all qualified Missouri residents. The university is nonprofit and self-sustaining on flat-rate tuition of about $6,000 per year for most programs.
Degrees are granted under the accreditation of Western Governors University, which is accredited through the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU). Teachers College programs are accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), and nursing programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE*).
More information is available at missouri.wgu.edu or by calling 855.948.8493.
*Western Governors University offers nursing programs that are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (One Dupont Circle, NW, Suite 5380, Washington DC 20036, 202-877-6791).
About BJC HealthCare
BJC HealthCare is one of the largest nonprofit health care organizations in the United States, delivering services to residents primarily in the greater St. Louis, southern Illinois and mid-Missouri regions. Serving the health care needs of urban, suburban and rural communities, BJC includes 13 hospitals and multiple health service organizations. Services include inpatient and outpatient care, primary care, community health and wellness, workplace health, home health, community mental health, rehabilitation, long-term care and hospice.
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For more information, contact:
Pam Powell
(314) 436-9090