Programs offer college credit for on-the-job experience

University of Phoenix is pleased to report that more than one thousand individuals have graduated from its competency-based Master of Business Administration (MBA-CB), Master of Health Administration (MHA-CB), Master of Information Systems (MIS-CB) and RN to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN-CB) degree programs, all of which are intended to leverage students’ real-world skills and knowledge to accelerate learning and degree completion in the classroom with the support of practitioner faculty.

"Increased learner flexibility and agency are the hallmarks of competency-based learning," states John Woods, Ph.D., provost and chief academic officer of University of Phoenix. "Learners can leverage knowledge they already have to move through certain parts of a curriculum more quickly, allowing them time to devote more attention to areas where they are learning new, career relevant skills they may not already possess. The success of these programs lies in the fact that students can accelerate course completion to create a flexible approach in consuming content with the support of their faculty members.”

The University of Phoenix opened enrollment for its competency-based programs in 2020, and since that time reports the following numbers of graduates, by program:

• MBA-CB 702
• MHA-CB 258
• MIS-CB 78
• BSN-CB 49

“Our competency-based programs were built to address the needs of both students and employers through a skills-aligned learning philosophy that could be delivered at a lower price point,” shares Marc Booker, Ph.D., vice provost of Strategy for University of Phoenix. “We intentionally started with small cohorts and employed agile principles to prove these programs could provide working adults that had knowledge in their field coupled with pertinent time management skills with a degree pathway that applied learning gained in the workplace for a lower cost. The early success of these cohorts allowed us to leverage feedback from students and faculty to sustainably improve and grow these programs in real-time; while also giving us actual proof points to share with employers about the value of this program for working adult students.“

Tashia Harrison earned her MBA through the University’s competency-based program, and says the program helped provide the knowledge and skills she needed to succeed at her job. “I am the first in my family to earn a degree, and doing so was the greatest decision of my life. As I grew academically, I saw more pathways for my growth professionally,” Harrison shares. “The knowledge I gained at the University of Phoenix set me apart from my colleagues, and it gave me a sense of pride and purpose. Pursuing my MBA was challenging, but my instructors were wonderful and were consistently there to support me.”

Laura Miller also earned her MBA through the same program and says the support of her instructors and flexibility of the program were key components in her degree completion. “Last year at this time, I was working a full-time job, finishing up my last block of the competency-based MBA program, and trying to take care of myself and my family as we battled COVID,” Miller shares. “My first attempt at a competency assessment had me in tears. I thought I was going to fail. I reached out to my instructor, and he walked me through every step. Because of that, my confidence grew, and I was able to bounce back and complete the program.”

In addition to the competency-based MBA, the University of Phoenix also offers a traditional MBA program, which takes approximately 16 months to complete. Both the traditional and competency-based MBA programs are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs, fully online, taught by faculty with an average of 28 years of industry experience. The traditional MBA programs costs $698 per credit, and the competency-based MBA costs $300 per credit and can be completed online in as few as 12 months. Additionally, the competency-based Master of Business Administration is currently fully mapped to skills and features digital badging, which allows learners to share their new skill on digital platforms and with their employers. The University’s competency-based Master of Health Administration is also fully skills mapped, costs $300 per credit, and can be completed in as few as 12 months.

About University of Phoenix

University of Phoenix is continually innovating to help working adults enhance their careers in a rapidly changing world. Flexible schedules, relevant courses, interactive learning, and Career Services for Life® help students more effectively pursue career and personal aspirations while balancing their busy lives. For more information, visit phoenix.edu.

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