At a special ceremony at the Grand Hyatt Atlanta in Buckhead, leaders from The Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) and Western Governors University (WGU) signed an expanded partnership agreement between the two institutions that will make it easier for graduates of the 22 TCSG colleges to continue their education at WGU.

This latest agreement follows a prior agreement signed in 2022, and includes generous transfer pathways to bachelor’s degrees offered by accredited, online WGU, particularly in the high-demand fields of IT, nursing, business, and K-12 education. These pathways will help TCSG graduates earn their bachelor’s degrees and enter or advance in the workforce quicker and more cost effectively.

A sample of the credit transfers from TCSG colleges to WGU includes the following:

• AAS in nursing to BS in nursing: 87 credit hours
• AAS in cybersecurity to BS in cybersecurity: 74 credit hours
• AAS in accounting to BS in accounting: 66 credit hours
• AAS in marketing to BS in marketing: 66 credit hours
• AAS in business management to BS in business management: 63 credit hours
• AS in education to BA in elementary education: 56 credit hours

As part of the agreement, graduates and employees of TCSG colleges will also be able to apply for WGU Community College Partner Scholarships valued up to $3,500. Tuition is around $4,000 per six-month term for most WGU bachelor’s degree programs, and students can take as many courses as they wish with the consent of their assigned program mentor.

WGU offers more than 120 bachelor’s, master’s and professional certificate programs, and its asynchronous, competency-based model allows students to log on and study at convenient times for them, and to accelerate once they have demonstrated mastery of course materials.

More than 3,200 students from TCSG colleges have transferred to WGU, and more than 1,600 have earned their bachelor’s degrees. Statewide, more than 15,100 WGU alumni reside in the Peach State.

“This expanded partnership with WGU strengthens our commitment to providing students with clear and affordable pathways to continue their education,” said TCSG Commissioner Greg Dozier. “Our colleges are equipping students with the skills needed for high-demand careers, and this agreement allows them to take the next step—transferring more credits, reducing costs, and reaching a bachelor’s degree more quickly.”

“Governor Kemp has made it a priority to keep Georgia as a top state for workforce talent, and the TCSG colleges have been a driving force for developing homegrown talent,” said Kimberly K. Estep, WGU’s Southeast regional vice president. “WGU’s partnership with TCSG has already provided quantifiable results in terms of preparing workforce-ready graduates across urban and rural areas, and this new agreement will expand those opportunities to even more degree programs.”

Visit www.TCSG.edu for more information about the Technical College System of Georgia. For more about WGU, visit www.wgu.edu.