Overview of the University Without Walls
Major Features of UWW UMass Amherst UWW has four main features that make it unique and attractive to adult learners who wish to complete their first ever bachelors degree:
- Adult learners may earn credit for learning gained from experience. UMass Amherst UWW recognizes that learning is ongoing throughout one's life. Through the UWW prior learning process, a student's learning from experience can be reviewed by faculty and awarded academic credit. Students typically receive between fifteen and thirty credits for experiential learning, and, while it is not a requirement for the degree, most of our students participate in the process.
- Adult learners can design individualized degrees. UWW students have the option to design areas of concentration (our term for the individualized major) appropriate to their interests. The students will decide what strengths they have to build on and which new areas of learning will be important to add to those strengths. The degree will reflect a solid interdisciplinary foundation as well as depth of knowledge gained through upper level courses in the student's field of study. Previous college courses, learning from experience, corporate training programs, when appropriate, may all be applied to the UWW concentration, with additional new learning at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
- Adult learners will find courses offered at times or in ways that fit their schedules. All UWW courses and those courses that are designated as part of specific concentrations are scheduled during weeknights, on weekends, online, or blended (some live and some online).
- Adult learners will receive extensive support from academic advisors throughout their degree program. You'll work closely with UWW and UMass Amherst faculty to develop an individualized degree program and to choose the right courses for your educational goals. Each UWW student works with the same UWW academic advisor from entrance into the program until graduation, and this advisor will also usually teach one of the first-semester courses. An equally important source of support is other UWW students. All UWW core courses aim to develop a learning community among participants to encourage camaraderie and peer support.
Learn more about:
- UWW program options
- UWW curriculum
- Ways of earning credits
- University of Massachusetts Amherst and UWW requirements
- Tuition and fees
