Find out more about Western Carolina University

Begin a career in business and law with the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration & Law.  This online business administration degree emphasizes the interrelationship of these two subjects and offers instruction on legal theory, legal research, and the application of law in business transactions and management.  Learn about:

• Business administration and law
• Business policy
• Strategy through synergistic teaching, research, and service

This online law degree provides a strong foundation in liberal arts and core business courses as well.  

Students in this online degree enjoy a flexible program, but still benefit from the same courses and faculty as on-campus students.

The online Master of Construction Management brings the benefits of modern technology and high quality, graduate-level instruction to construction management professionals in a form that parallels their fast-paced working world.  Courses teach the theory and practice of leadership in construction management, conflict resolution, financial management and decision making, project financing, sustainability and green building concepts, and how to use statistical techniques for quality control and risk analysis.  Students also study standard construction contracts and computer applications used in the construction industry.

The online Master of Entrepreneurship features an integrated curriculum focused on practical applications of entrepreneurial and innovative concepts and skills using only courses from the entrepreneurship discipline.  Students learn the skills necessary to successfully plan, launch, operate, and grow a new venture and to identify and evaluate existing opportunities in both the for-profit and non-profit sectors.  Graduates are able to communicate effectively, lead entrepreneurial ventures, and develop and maintain an ethical culture within an entrepreneurial venture.

The online Master of Project Management offers graduate level training for mid-career project managers and other professionals who aspire to management or project management careers, as well as courses that provide students with the hours that count toward the requirements to sit for the Project Management Institute (PMI) Credentials or maintain a PMI credential.  Courses are taught by highly qualified and professionally experienced international faculty who provide a global focus and a broad project management perspective rather than an industry-specific perspective.  Students learn about project management discipline, project phases, project initiation, principles of negotiations, how to work with a team, how to estimate costs and allocate resources, about planning risk and quality control, leadership and management roles, and project team development.

The online Master of Science in Human Resources is designed to meet the needs of busy professionals looking for advancement in the human resources field or who want to transition into a human resources career.  Courses use innovative teaching which emphasizes using evidence-based practices and approaching human resources from a global perspective, striving to enhance student knowledge and passion for the potential of people in organizations.  Required courses include Human Resources Research and Evaluation Methods, Orientation to Human Resources, Human Resource Development, and HR Consulting.

The online Master of Science in Sport Management provides the knowledge and skills necessary to understand the business of sports, whether you are already working in the sport industry or are seeking a new career in it, and the program also includes a certificate in project management.  This program is designed to be flexible, allowing students to complete it fully online and at their own pace, with courses taught by faculty with degrees in the field and professional experience working in the sport industry.  Courses include Sport Administration and Governance, Project Planning and Estimating, Sport Marketing, Economics and Financial Aspects of Sport, and Project Change Management.

The online Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Project Management is of particular interest to workplace professionals or military personnel looking for certification rather than a degree, especially those who choose certification due to the convenient delivery of courses in a short period of time.  Students will complete four courses:  Project Planning and Estimating; Project Schedule, Risk and Contracts; Project Change Management, and Managing Enterprise Projects.  Key concepts learned include project management disciplines and processes, budgeting, interpreting client objectives, risk assessment and management, communication, prioritization, project management and organizational maturity, and evaluation of potential contractors.

You can get a Best Buy on your education with the affordable Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from Western Carolina University. The online criminal justice degree uses the Canvas course management systems through which you will engage with such tasks as:

• Lectures
• Class projects
• Group interactions
• Reading assignments

Through the online criminal justice bachelor’s degree program, you prepare for a professional career or graduate studies. Your online studies include choice of such electives as:

• Terrorism 
• Cybercrime
• Computer applications
• Geographic information systems

You can train to enhance your community’s safety and security with the Bachelor of Science in Emergency & Disaster Management from Western Carolina University. The online emergency management degree can lead to rewarding careers with such employers as:

• Department of Homeland Security
• Federal Emergency Management Agency
• Department of Health and Human Services
• State, county, or local government agencies

Through the online emergency management bachelor’s degree program, you gain a relevant and functional education in the noble quest to prevent, mitigate, respond, and recover from disasters.

This online early childhood education degree is for students who wish to design their careers in teaching early childhood education. Skills taught include the social, emotional, and intellectual needs of children from birth through kindergarten age.  

The degree offers three concentrations:

• Professional Education
• Early Childhood
• Alternative Licensure

The Professional Education concentration is for those interested in teaching kindergarten or public school Pre-K. The Early Childhood concentration is for those who are not certified to teach in public schools but are interested in working with young children in other settings. The Alternative Licensure concentration is for those who already have degrees and are ready for the challenge of teaching.

This online special education degree leads to an AIG license that can be added to a teaching or counseling licensure. The curriculum can be completed at either the undergraduate or graduate level, both of which meet the state requirements for add-on AIG licensure.  

This online special education degree prepares students to help and evaluate gifted learners. Courses cover such topics as:

• Techniques for identifying and evaluating gifted learners
• Promoting creativity and problem-solving
• Models and methods in gifted education
• Advocating for gifted learners

Credits may be applied to a Master in Special Education degree.

Our communities are becoming increasingly diverse, bringing more people into them that do not speak English as their native language. This leads to a need for teachers who are able to work with students who are learning English as a Second Language. If you want to help meet this need but do not have a teaching license, this online ESL certification prepares you to teach English to these students in various settings ranging from overseas instruction to community college instruction to language support in community settings.  

Some of the topics covered are:

• Linguistic components of English
• Relationship of language to culture
• Issues related to dialects and varieties of English
• Language acquisition

The online master's in elementary education curriculum is designed for those already holding a teaching license and who want to explore more areas of elementary education. Become a reflective decision maker who has the ability to better develop curricula and explore current methodologies. You will become a more effective educator.  

Students in this online elementary education degree can choose from major tracks in:

• Literacy
• STEM
• Academically and Intellectually Gifted Education (AIG)

The literacy coursework and STEM coursework prepare lead teachers in these areas. The AIG coursework prepares students to work with the AIG population in creative thinking and problem-solving.

Enroll in this master's in secondary education online degree and advance professional opportunities. This program is designed for teachers who already hold a teaching license but who want to gain an Advanced Competencies licensure for teaching at the middle grades (6-9) level. The curriculum is for teachers who understand educational psychology, research, and curriculum development and want to deepen their knowledge of these areas relating to middle-grade students. 

Choose from two track options:

• Language Arts/Literacy
• STEM

The language arts track prepares students to be lead teachers and literacy specialists. The STEM track prepares students to be leaders in STEM education as STEM specialists, STEM coaches, and professional development facilitators.

Boost your potential with an online special education degree. This program is well-suited for those who desire to be a teacher or serve in a supportive role for students with special needs. This program is intended for teachers with an “A” level license in education. 

The curriculum consists of a professional core, a special education core, and a concentration. Choose from these areas of concentration:

• Gifted, Creative & Innovative Education
• Mild to Moderate Disabilities
• Severe/Profound Disabilities

The online special education degree is designed for those who do not have an “A” level license in special education but do have a BA or BS and want to earn a teaching license and graduate degree simultaneously. 

The curriculum consists of a professional core, pedagogy courses, and a concentration. Choose between either a concentration in General Curriculum for individuals interested in working with K-12 students who have mild-to-moderate disabilities or an Adapted Curriculum for individuals interested in working with K-12 students with severe/profound disabilities. Courses cover such topics as:

• Child & Adolescent Development
• Teacher Leadership in a Diverse Society
• Advanced Methods to Teach Students with High Incidence Disabilities
• Culturally Responsive Classroom Management

Want to teach but don’t have a teaching license yet? Build on your bachelor’s degree, earning an advanced online STEM teaching degree and a teaching license simultaneously.  

This STEM teaching degree leads to an initial teaching license for grades 6-9 or 9-12 in Science or Math at the end of phase 1. Continue through phase II and earn an advanced license and master’s degree.

Enroll in this master's in ESL online degree and advance professional opportunities. Our communities are becoming increasingly diverse, bringing more people into them that do not speak English as their native language. This leads to a need for teachers who are able to work with students who are learning English as a Second Language. If you want to help meet this need but need a master’s degree, check out this program.

Building on your bachelor’s degree, this online ESL degree allows you to earn a teaching license and a master’s degree simultaneously. Earn an initial license for grades K-12 in English as a Second Language (ESL) at the end of phase 1 and an advanced license and master’s degree at the end of phase II.

Earn an online bachelor’s degree in health science from the first Baccalaureate Emergency Medical Care (EMC) program in the nation.  In fact, this is one of the only institutions in the United States that offers a unique Bachelor of Science degree dedicated to pre-hospital providers.  Courses cover such topics as:

• Pharmacology
• Trauma
• Medical Emergencies
• Special Needs Patients

In addition, students in the online emergency management degree choose between two areas of concentration: Health Management or Science.  

As an online student, you will fit right in.  Almost two thirds of the students are working professionals.  Although an associates degree is not required for admission to the program, if you do have that degree credits can be transferred into this online health science degree.

Build on your background in healthcare with this master’s in health science online degree.  The program is designed for adults with backgrounds in healthcare administration and business, health-related education, or clinical practice.  Complete courses in healthcare policy, statistics, and research methodology as you study to assume leadership roles in healthcare. 

Customize your degree by choosing from one of these concentrations:

• Emergency Medical Care
• Health Education
• Health Management
• Nutrition

Study operations management, marketing and communications, healthcare law, training and development, and more.

The online RN to BSN degree completion program from Western Carolina University allows registered nurses to add value to their basic education, broaden their perspective of current clinical practice, enhance their leadership potential, and prepare for graduate study in nursing by earning a Bachelor's of Science in Nursing. Graduates of this program are able to:

• ​Apply principles of therapeutic communication with individuals and communicate professionally both orally and in written form
• ​Use elements and standards of reasoning within the nursing process
• ​Collaborate in a goal-directed manner when performing nursing care and working with other healthcare providers
• Recognize the need to incorporate professional nursing values
• ​Access data and information from print, electronic, and other sources

Western Carolina University offers an online MSN to aspiring Nurse Educators.  This flexible program, designed for the working nurse practitioner, provides major competency focus areas in academic education, staff education, and patient education.  Online nurse educator program studies will incorporate core nursing courses, such as research, theory, economics, as well as topics including but not limited to:

• Curriculum development
• Nursing leadership
• Nursing informatics

Your academic journey will not only include 100% online coursework, but field-based experiences as well where you build your real-world skills in problem-solving, leadership, and interprofessional communication.  The online MSN education degree will culminate in a comprehensive exam, followed by either a graduate project or thesis.  These final workloads will be submitted to publications or presented for peer-review, entering you and your work into the network of professional nurse educators.  Graduates from this program may pursue careers in hospitals, nursing schools, community health organizations, and more.

The online MSN / Nurse Leadership degree program from Western Carolina University adheres to a very specific and intentional curricula to provide students with the training needed to enter the workforce or continue to further graduate studies and certifications. The Nurse Leadership concentration curriculum prepares nurses in an advanced practice role with competencies in health systems management, nursing leadership, and financial management, while exploring areas such as:

• ​Nursing Administration
• Nursing Informatics
• Ethics in Nursing Leadership
• ​Management of Human Resources in Nursing

The online Post-Graduate Certificate in Nursing Education program from Western Carolina University prepares students for the role of nurse educator with competencies in three educational areas:

• ​Academic Educator
• Staff Educator
• Patient Educator

Coursework explores topics in teaching/learning, curriculum development, testing and measurement, and more.