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Online Classes and Degrees

Western Illinois University offers a variety of options for students who want to continue their education through an online learning environment. Whether expanding your current skill set, or looking to complete a degree, we are committed to helping students achieve their educational objectives. Our purpose is to offer flexibility by providing online opportunities at WIU.

Degrees You Can Earn Online

Undergraduate Degree Programs

Accountancy  (Bachelor of Business)

WIU's Bachelor of Business in Accountancy program is student-centered and promotes academic excellence, professional and personal growth, collegiality, professionalism, and ethical conduct. The program is available online, in Macomb, and the Quad Cities.

Anthropology (Bachelor of Arts)

The online Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology program provides students with a holistic education, which is the basis of anthropology itself. We address social and cultural consequences from a worldwide perspective. You have the opportunity to concentrate your coursework in one of four major subfields: cultural anthropology, archaeology, biological anthropology and linguistics. You can also pursue a focus in an interdisciplinary track with another major or minor. Through in depth skill development in research, data management, critical thinking and collaboration, WIU Anthropology graduates will have a global education in a discipline that combines science and the humanities.

Communication (Bachelor of Arts)

The online Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication (Communication Studies Option) provides students with the opportunity to earn an enormously flexible and highly marketable degree. Students will attain valuable skills and knowledge regarding the understanding and effective management of human communication processes leading to possible career paths that may include (but are not limited to) sales, politics, law, management, customer service/experience, public relations, healthcare, recruiting, and human resources.

Economics  (Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Business)

The Department of Economics and Decision Sciences offers two online economics degrees. The Bachelor of Business in Economics is well suited for students interested in pursuing a degree in banking, financial institutions, or as a business analyst. The Bachelor of Arts in Economics is appropriate for any career path, it is generally recommended for students interested in government or law. Your specific career interests will determine which degree program is best for you. The potential financial rewards and diverse career opportunities provided by either degree in Economics are among the greatest offered by any program.

Fire Protection Services  (Bachelor of Science)

Western Illinois University offers a comprehensive major in fire studies. The program's curriculum, designed specifically for current and future fire officers, can be completed entirely online and is Fire and Emergency Services Higher Education (FESHE) recognized.

General Studies  (Bachelor of Arts)

Western Illinois University offers a unique Bachelor of Arts in General Studies degree program designed to provide adult students with an opportunity to earn a regionally accredited undergraduate degree in a manner compatible with their educational needs and lifestyles. We invite you to visit our Bachelor of Arts in General Studies website for more information on how you can learn online.

Geography and Geographic Information Science (Bachelor of Science)

The Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Geographic Information Sciences offers a full-time online degree in Geography/GIS degree.  This program is intended for both traditional and non-traditional students.

With the Bachelor of Science online degree in Geography/GIS, you have an opportunity to pursue option A or option B: a. Human Geography or Physical Geography option; and b. Geospatial option. A graduate of the program will be qualified for a broad selection of careers, including cartography, GIS specialist, GIS analyst, remote sensing analyst, elementary or secondary education teacher, urban planning, human interpretation, population analysis, water resource specialist, environmental impact analyst.

Law Enforcement and Justice Administration (Bachelor of Science)

The School of Law Enforcement and Justice Administration (SLEJA) at Western Illinois University is the largest criminal justice program in the state and one of the largest in the United States. The Program affords students with the educational skills and contacts to be hired and advance up the ranks at the federal and state levels in law enforcement, corrections, homeland security, crime scene investigations, juvenile justice, private security, parole and probation, and court services. Our students are routinely employed by the U.S. Secret Service, F.B.I., U.S. Marshals, State Police, Homeland Security, ICE, sheriff’s departments, IDOC, DNR, social service agencies, and countless state and local police agencies.

Management (Bachelor of Business)

The online Bachelor of Business in Management degree helps students develop skills in strategic planning, organizational change and development, project management, operations management, and international management. Graduates with degrees in Management can pursue a variety of careers in all economic sectors including manufacturing, retail, consulting, health care, financial services, legal services, education, transportation, public utilities, education, and much more.

National Fire Academy Curriculum for Fire Fighters

Western Illinois University participates in the National Fire Academy’s (NFA) Fire and Emergency Services for Higher Education curriculum. The curriculum is a program of 13 fire-related, upper division courses that were designed by the NFA. Members of the fire service may choose to take one or any number of these distance courses or earn a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university without losing time on the job while enhancing their professional growth.

Nursing Completion Program (Bachelor of Science)

The RN-BSN Completion Program is completely online and is for nurses who have an Associates Degree in Nursing or a Diploma in Nursing and want to get a Bachelors in Nursing. RNs who have graduated from a state-approved nursing program will receive 30 semester hours of advanced placement credit if they graduated from their initial program within the past 5 years, or have maintained continuous employment in nursing, or have continuing education in nursing, and successfully complete the first 9 credits in the RN-BSN Completion Program with a C+ or better.

Supply Chain Management (Bachelor of Business)

The online degree in Supply Chain Management (SCM) offers a unique area of concentration for undergraduate students that has garnered widespread recognition due to the quality of its graduates. The WIU Supply Chain Management program is one of approximately 50 SCM programs worldwide that are offered through a university accredited by the Association of Advanced Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) International. Coursework incorporates corporate best practices and hands-on experience in working with faculty and top executives and in utilizing course knowledge within the corporate environment.

Graduate Degree Programs

Master of Business Administration (MBA)

The Master of Business Administration (MBA) program is available to complete entirely online. Take courses in the traditional face-to-face format when your schedule allows. Take online courses when you need the flexibility. Either way, you'll have the same quality curriculum and the same great faculty.

Curriculum and Instruction  (Master of Science)

Whether you want to build upon your skills and knowledge as a practicing educator or plan to pursue a career as an education policy maker or researcher, the elementary education graduate program is for you. Three emphases of specialization are available completely online:

• Early Childhood Education
• Elementary/Middle School Curriculum
• Literacy Education

Special Education (Master of Science in Education)

The special education program prepares you to work with broad of challenges that special needs students face. Two tracks are offered:

Track 1 – Learning Behavior Specialist I (LSBI) – is for individuals who already hold Professional Educator License (PEL) in elementary or secondary education and are seeking a special education endorsement.

Track 2 – is for teachers who already hold one or more certifications/endorsements in special education and are seeking professional advancement.

Instructional Design & Technology  (Master of Science)

The Master of Science degree in Instructional Design and Technology is designed to prepare educational technology specialists, graphic designers, educational technologists, trainers in industry and business, and classroom teachers to develop, produce, and evaluate instructional and training materials to meet their educational needs and lifestyles.

Law Enforcement and Justice Administration (Master of Arts)

Established in 1976, the School of Law Enforcement and Justice Administration offers a Master of Arts in Law Enforcement and Justice Administration. The law enforcement and justice administration (LEJA) graduate program is internationally known for academic excellence. It provides students with a rich blend of theoretical, administrative, and practical knowledge as well as with research skills. Those who have earned the degree occupy positions of responsibility across the United States and in several foreign countries. Available fully online.

Post-Baccalaureate Certificate Programs

Health Services Administration:  The certificate program will provide and/or substitute course work needed for professionals in health services administration. The focus of the program is to provide students with a basic knowledge of health services organizational behavior and leadership, administration and management, legal aspects of health administration, and U.S. health policy.

Instructional Design & Technology: Tailor coursework to your specific career goal through online customized certificate programs: Online & Distance Learning Development; Workplace Learning and Performance; Technology Integration in Education; Instructional Media Development, and Educational Technology Specialist. Each certificate program provides an opportunity to master specialized technology and skills in order for you to adapt and excel in an increasingly complex and technological work environment.

Police Executive Administration: The post-baccalaureate certificate program in Police Executive Administration is designed for graduate-level law enforcement students who wish to improve their knowledge in the policing field.  This program provides professional development for aspiring law enforcement executives seeking to progress through police supervisory ranks.  The work required for the certificate must be completed within three calendar years.

Supply Chain Management: The post-baccalaureate certificate program in Supply Chain Management (SCM) is intended to prepare students for employment and advancement within the supply chain management field. The certificate provides a solid preparation in logistics, transportation, and warehousing, with an opportunity to choose electives that meet the specific career interests of the student. The SCM Certificate is also well-suited for someone interested in graduate business education but is unsure of making a commitment to complete the full 33 semester hour Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree program. The Supply Chain Management Certificate can be completed online or through face-to-face courses at the Macomb or Quad Cities campuses.

Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL):  The Department of Educational Studies offers a certificate program in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), which is designed to meet the needs of students desiring to teach English in a variety of settings throughout the world. Specialized coursework in the certificate program focuses on theories and methodologies of TESOL while providing practical classroom experience. The coursework may also be used to satisfy some of the requirements for the Master of Science in Education (M.S. Ed.) in Educational and Interdisciplinary Studies for those students admitted into the M.S. Ed. program.

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