Kansas City Resident Earns Master’s Degree from WGU Missouri

Julie Tarasi, a resident of Kansas City and special education teacher in the North Kansas City School District, recently graduated from WGU Missouri with a Master of Education in Learning and Technology. Tarasi, 29, is the third member of her family to graduate from the nonprofit, fully online university. Both her mom and sister-in-law also completed their bachelor's degrees through WGU.

Tarasi enrolled in WGU Missouri because the university’s competency-based method offered her flexibility and allowed her to accelerate in her program so she could graduate sooner. While attending WGU Missouri, she continued to work full-time in the school district. Having flexibility with her course work and schedule while she worked toward her degree was invaluable.

“I worked hard to ensure all my teaching responsibilities were completed before leaving each day, allowing me to focus solely on school work in the evenings and on weekends,” said Tarasi. “I surrounded myself with people who encouraged me to focus on my degree, and I was open with my friends when it was getting to be crunch time for tasks, letting them know I’d be busy or unavailable.”

Tarasi’s master’s degree will give her access to greater professional development opportunities. She also is able to use her continuing education as an example to her students that learning continues throughout life.

As the only online, nonprofit university endorsed by the state of Missouri, WGU Missouri provides an affordable and accessible path to college completion for working adults throughout the state. The university’s competency-based model allows students to move quickly through material they already know so they can focus on what they still need to learn. As a result, many students can accelerate their studies, finishing faster and saving money. Tuition is charged at a flat rate of $3,500 per six-month term for most programs, regardless of the number of courses completed. On average, students are able to complete a bachelor’s degree in less than three years, many while holding a full-time job and raising a family. The online model also enables students to enroll and study from anywhere across the state, and complete coursework at a schedule that works best for them. The university, created in 2013 by former Governor Jay Nixon in partnership with Western Governors University, now has more than 2,500 alumni and 3,020 students currently enrolled. For more information, visit missouri.wgu.edu.

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 60 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 in 2013 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 $7,000 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). Nursing College programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE*), and the Health Informatics program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM).

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).