Western Governors University upgrades cloud computing degree with AWS

Western Governors University (WGU) announced the launch of critical updates to its Bachelor of Science Cloud Computing (BSCC) degree program, in collaboration with Amazon Web Services (AWS). The degree program is designed to prepare students with the skills they need to succeed in today’s economy and meet the demands of employers seeking cloud professionals.

In 2018, the National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES) found that 81 percent of part-time college students and 43 percent of full-time college students work while getting an education. WGU’s degree programs are online and competency-based, allowing working learners to study and advance according to their schedules. Students in the BSCC degree program complete their credential on average in 18 months and prepare for industry-recognized certifications that include AWS Certifications along their path to degree. WGU collaborated with two AWS education programs, AWS Educate and AWS Academy, to update its BSCC degree.

WGU is one of several academic institutions to use AWS Educate’s Cloud Program Verification to help them prepare students for in-demand careers in cloud computing by aligning academic programs to entry-level job requirements. Team members from AWS Educate worked with WGU program developers to embed cloud-specific learning objectives and hands-on experiences into the program to ensure alignment with the needs of cloud employers.

As an AWS Academy member institution, WGU also incorporated AWS Academy Cloud Operations into its degree—a course developed by AWS experts and delivered by AWS accredited educators. As part of the course, students are also required to pass the AWS Certified SysOps – Associate exam.

“We are excited to deepen our collaboration with WGU via their Bachelor of Science degree in cloud computing,” said Josh Weatherly, director of US education sales and global programs at AWS. “WGU’s competency-based learning model aligns with our belief in the importance of working backward from the skills employers are seeking while also providing the flexibility of remote learning anywhere in the world. We are excited for WGU’s cloud computing degree help expand and diversify the cloud workforce of tomorrow.”

For more information about WGU’s Bachelor of Science Cloud Computing degree, visit www.wgu.edu/BSCC. For more information about AWS Educate, Amazon’s global initiative to provide students and educators with the resources needed to accelerate cloud-related learning and help power the entrepreneurs, workforce, and researchers of tomorrow, visit www.awseducate.com.