The University of Wisconsin System, through the UW Flexible Option, recently celebrated 1,000th students completing either a competency-based degree or certificate.
“Seeing over 1,000 students complete a UW Flexible Option program is an important milestone,” said Dr. Aaron Brower, Executive Director of UW Extended Campus. “Not only has this changed the lives for 1,000 of our students, but it’s a tremendous accomplishment for all the faculty and staff who have worked in these programs over the years.”
Here are just a few of the students whose lives have changed: Tiffany, who earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing while working as a full-time nurse; Stacy, who advanced her career with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration; and Aaron, who maximized the self-paced design of the UW Flexible Option to earn his Bachelor of Science in Information Science & Technology.
In 2014, the UW System became the first public state system of higher education in the country to launch a competency-based program. UW Flexible Option programs are offered through UW Extended Campus in partnership between UW-Milwaukee, UW-Parkside, and UW-Madison. Approximately 75% of UW Flexible Option students live in Wisconsin.
Competency-based education focuses on students’ ability to demonstrate mastery over knowledge, skills, and abilities in a particular discipline. UW Flexible Option programs are not structured according to semesters, nor do they have live log-on requirements. Students receive individual coaching support to progress fully at their own pace, while leveraging existing experiences that can accelerate their progress. Students can begin programs every month.
UW Flexible Option currently offers an Associate of Arts & Sciences degree, and five bachelor’s degrees in Business Administration, Diagnostic Imaging, Nursing (RN to BSN), Health Sciences, and Information Science & Technology. Four certificates are offered as well, in Substance Use Disorders Counseling, Business & Technical Communications, Health Care Informatics, and Project Management. Additional UW campuses and programs are added each year.
Learn more by visiting flex.wisconsin.edu.