A University of Wisconsin program directed at non-traditional adult students will begin accepting applications in a few weeks.
The UW Flexible Option program allows people to earn a degree or certificate at their own pace by demonstrating what they know. That knowledge may have come from previous courses, work experiences, military training or elsewhere.
During an informational hearing this week, UW Colleges and UW-Extension Chancellor Ray Cross told lawmakers they're essentially building a virtual university from the ground up. UW Flexible Option begins accepting applications for its first group of students Nov. 18. The program begins in January.
"This is really unique in the country, and in particular, for a public university to try this, and that's part of the challenge," Cross says.
Two types of tuition have been established for the program. One is an "All You Can Learn" option that costs $2,250 for three months. It allows people to do as much as they can in the time period. The second model is $900 and allows students to study at a slower pace and focus on a specific competency set. Cross says another model is in the works that will just be for students seeking assessments of knowledge.
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State Sen. Dale Schultz says people who are struggling financially could benefit from the program, but he worries about affordability.
"I'm wondering: has anybody thought about some kind of assistance, or how we might get assistance to get people involved?", Schultz asked.
Cross says they're working with the Department of Education to figure out how students might get financial aid for the program.
