Lanier Technical College (LTC), Athens Technical College (ATC), and North Georgia Technical College (NGTC) have become part of a transfer agreement with Western Governors University (WGU).
WGU is a private online university based in Utah.
The agreement is between the Community Colleges of Appalachia (CCA) and WGU and will create opportunities for residents in the region to further their education through WGU’s accredited online degree and certificate programs.
There are 85 member institutions in the CCA from Mississippi to New York. The CCA is a voluntary association of public community colleges serving the common interests of member colleges.
CCA members in Georgia include:
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Chattahoochee Technical College
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Lanier Technical College
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Athens Technical College
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Georgia Northwestern Technical College
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North Georgia Technical College
The stated goal of the arrangement is to provide CCA member graduates with personalized and flexible pathways to higher education and professional development.
Graduates, staff, and faculty of CCA schools will also be able to apply for the “Learn Where You Live” scholarships, up to $3,000 each. Tuition is roughly $4,000 per six-month term for most WGU bachelor’s programs.
“This partnership is especially meaningful for our small and rural colleges, where access to affordable, flexible bachelor’s degree programs is often out of reach,” CCA Executive Director Dr. Kevin Boys said. “WGU’s model helps eliminate those barriers and opens doors for both students and employees to continue their education without leaving their communities. We’re proud to partner with organizations that share our commitment to expanding opportunity across our 85 member institutions.”
WGU’s chief academic officer and provost, Dr. Courtney Hills McBeth, said the agreement will remove some of the barriers to higher education.
“According to the Community College Research Center, about 80% of entering students indicate they wish to obtain a bachelor’s degree or higher, but only 15% of cohorts starting in 2016 actually earned a bachelor’s within six years,” McBeth said. “They face many barriers such as cost, transfer of college credits, and family and work obligations. This agreement will provide a real option for many community college graduates in Appalachia who wish to pursue a bachelor’s or master’s degree while remaining in the region.”
More information about CCA can be found here. More information about WGU can be found here.
http://accesswdun.com/article/2025/8/1296421/three-area-technical-college-become-part-of-transfer-agreement-western-governors-university