Congratulations! If you are investigating the possibility of furthering your education, you just may be on the verge of a whole new chapter in your military career. At Western Carolina University, we welcome military students, as we know you are highly motivated and you bring practical experience to your learning adventures. That is why Western has designed programs that accommodate the transitory nature of military life. What’s more, we offer some of the most unique programs in the world. You will find our approach is practical, yet scholarly. You will be taught by some of the most outstanding practitioners and faculty members in the world.
Here are a few factors to ponder about earning a degree online from Western Carolina University:
Convenience
We know that you already have a life – now you just want to earn a degree, or even a second degree, without sacrificing your work or your family. With Western’s online programs, you schedule your online instructional activities to fit your own career goals and personal schedule.
The portability of this way of learning is not disrupted by TDYs, TADs, or PCS moves. Our programs are developed for those who work full-time and wish to study part-time. Instruction is designed to be integrated into your life, not to take over your life. Even while studying part time, most students complete our online degree programs in only two years. That’s why at Western, we like to say “We are where you are!"
And you won’t be giving up the personal attention you deserve -- faculty are always available by online chat, phone, e-mail, and fax. Plus, you’ll be assigned your own advisor and mentor, our director of military education, who’ll work to make sure you get the most benefit possible from your experience with Western.
Your Experience Matters
In many cases you will receive college credit for your real-world, practical experience. Check with the director of military education for more details.
Unique Options at a Fully Accredited State University
Western is backed by over a hundred years of tradition in higher education. The university was started by educational pioneers, and that spirit of innovation continues in our selection of programs. These aren’t online programs you’ll find at just any university; our programs fill a niche uniquely tailored to military personnel. In many cases, WCU programs offerings are some of the most unique fields in the world. Western is a historic, regionally accredited, state university, known for innovative approaches to learning.
For Example ...
Unique Undergraduate Offerings:
Emergency and Disaster Management
The field of emergency and disaster management is a perfect fit for military personnel. With this degree you’ll be doing just what you’ve been doing throughout your military career: you’ll enhance the safety and security of the community, the region, and the nation.
The degree program prepares students to be responsible for preventing, mitigating, responding to, or recovering from, a natural, man-made, or technological disaster. You’ll be ready to assume leadership positions in the field of emergency and disaster management in government, non-profit agencies, and in the private sector.
Criminal Justice
Western Carolina University's online degree in Criminal Justice means law enforcement and much more. It calls for an understanding of a wide range of disciplines: philosophy, psychology, sociology, and political science, to name a few. Specifically, criminal justice involves the law, criminal behavior, and the arena in which the two ultimately meet: the United States justice system.
Emergency Medical Care
If you are currently a paramedic in the military, this program was designed with you in mind. WCU’s Emergency Medical Care program was established in 1977 and represents the nation’s first paramedic training program leading to the baccalaureate degree. Even today, the EMC program is one of only ten such programs in the nation. This program is akin to a pre-med degree or a pre-phyicians assistant degree, as the students are well prepared to provide the best Emergency Care available today.
Practical Graduate Programs:
Project Management
What officer or senior NCO does not spend many hours working on projects? Many projects you toil over are vital to our nation’s defense. Western Carolina University's Online Master of Project Management Degree Program brings the benefits of technology and high quality, graduate-level instruction to project management professionals in a form that is relevant to their fast-paced working world.
The program providies flexible, direct access to work-related graduate education from any location that has a communication link, and at any time, by making the best use of the latest advances in educational technology.
WCU's College of Business is nationally accredited by AACSB-the International Association for Management Education. The Master of Project Management Degree is also accredited by the Project Management Institute (PMI®), the world's premier professional association for project managers.
Construction Management
Are you someone who likes to build things? You may been in a military specialty that allows you to take your engineering abilities to the field. If you enjoy the field aspects of construction, this is the degree for you! Construction managers plan, direct, coordinate, and budget activities concerned with the construction and maintenance of structures, facilities and systems. Our program provides a unique opportunity for members and former members of the U.S. military to earn an advanced degree in a field where they have already made a career.
With our degree program you’ll learn graduate-level techniques in the field while you participate in the conceptual development of a construction project and oversee its organization, scheduling and implementation.
Most applicants with an undergraduate business degree, engineering degree or construction management from an accredited institution qualify for our program. If your degree is in another area, prerequisite courses are available online.
Entrepreneurship
Okay, so you have already decided when you separate or retire, you want to be your own boss. If so, this may be just what you need to get your own business off the ground. Whether you dream of freedom, wealth, or even if you dream of changing the world, the Master of Entrepreneurship is the program for you.
This is not a program in general business; it is a deep dive into the principles of entrepreneurship. From developing an idea, determining viability, establishing a venture, to marshaling the forces, proving the concept and mezzanine financing, each course in the series takes you deeper into the entrepreneurial act.
Human Resources
The most important weapon in the arsenal is people. If you are in the people business, you may want to capitalize on your military experiences and equip yourself with a graduate degree that will make you a more effective Human Resource professional. Western has helped hundreds of people advance their careers in the field of human resources. If you have a passion for the human side of business, Western’s Master of Science degree in HR uniquely demonstrates to employers your expertise.
If you’re already in HR, earning a graduate degree in human resources will help you upgrade your HR knowledge and skills and thus improve your current job performance and your chances for being promoted. If you’re new to the field, this degree will give you the knowledge and credibility you need to begin a new career path.