Cookies and Similar Data Collection Technologies Policy
This Cookie Policy is effective as of September 15, 2023.
Introduction
This cookie policy (“Cookie Policy”) describes how Western Governors University (“WGU,” “we,” or “us”) uses cookies and similar data collection technologies on WGU’s websites (“Website”). In addition, this Cookie Policy explains what information we collect and how you can opt-in or opt-out of certain cookies. WGU is constantly trying to improve its Website and educational offerings as we work towards furthering our mission of expanding access to opportunity. With these changes, we may need to change this Cookie Policy from time to time. You are responsible to periodically review WGU's Privacy Notice and this Cookie Policy.
To update your cookie preferences for our Website, please visit the Cookie Consent Manager.
If you have any questions about this Cookie Policy, please email us at privacy@wgu.edu.
What Information WGU's Automatically Collects
When you navigate through and interact with our Website, we may collect information from you automatically, including but not limited to:
- Details of your Website visits, including location and traffic data.
- Date, time, and duration of your Website visit.
- Information about your internet connection, operating system, or browser type.
This information may include Personal Data and is collected to help us improve our Website and deliver a better and more personalized service allowing us to:
- Estimate our audience size.
- Estimate how our users interact with the Website.
- Store information about your preferences, allowing us to customize the Website according to your interests.
- Deliver more personalized and relevant resources.
- Recognize you when you return to the Website.
- Improve our services.
- Provide information about usage patterns.
WGU Automated Data Collection Technologies
The technologies we may use for data collection include:
- Cookies: These are small files placed on your hard drive and may include analytics cookies from Adobe, Google, and Microsoft. You may reject or accept cookies from your browser settings or through the Cookie Consent Manager above.
- Web Beacons: Pages of our Website may contain small electronic files (also referred to as clear gifs, pixel tags, and single-pixel gifs) that permit us to track various non-personal website statistics, for example, which Website pages are the most visited.
- Flash Cookies: Certain features of the Website may use locally stored objects to collect and store information about your preferences and navigation to and on our Website. To learn how to control Flash cookie settings, you can visit the settings page on Adobe’s website.
You may also learn more about how to protect your privacy by visiting the FTC's website.
Some content or applications on our Website are provided by third parties, including advertisers, content providers, and application providers. When you navigate the Website, these third parties may use cookies or other tracking technologies to collect information about you. This information may include your Personal Data or information about your online activities over time and across different websites. They may use this information to provide you with interest-based (behavioral) advertising or other targeted content. We do not control these third-party tracking technologies or how they may be used. You should contact the responsible provider directly if you have any questions about an advertisement or other targeted content.
Some third-party advertisers or other vendors we work with may participate in the Network Advertising Initiative or Digital Advertising Alliance Self-Regulatory Program for Online Behavioral Advertising. If you wish to opt-out of interest-based advertising from participating advertisers on your computer, you can visit AboutAds. To opt-out of interest-based advertising on your mobile device, you can visit NAI Mobile Choices or AppChoices.
How Do We Categorize Cookies?
WGU's cookies are organized according to the table below:
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for our Website to operate correctly and cannot be switched off in the preference center. These cookies do not store any Personal Data.
Impact of Disabling Cookie:
Required to use our services.
Functional Cookies
These cookies allow us to display our Website with personalization and functionality features.
Impact of Disabling Cookie:
Our Website may not function properly or efficiently.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow WGU to track Website metrics such as the most popular web pages and how visitors navigate our Website. All data collected by performance cookies is aggregated and anonymous.
Impact of Disabling Cookie:
WGU will not know when you visited our Website, nor will WGU be able to monitor Website performance.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies are placed by our advertising partners and may be used by those partners to display interest-based ads.
Impact of Disabling Cookie:
You will experience less personalized advertising.
Social Media Cookies
Social media services place these cookies on our Website and allow you to share Website content with your networks. In addition, social media companies may use these cookies to develop a user profile for you based on your interests.
Impact of Disabling Cookie:
You may not be able to share Website content with your network.
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for our Website to operate correctly and cannot be switched off in the preference center. These cookies do not store any Personal Data.
Impact of Disabling Cookie:
Required to use our services.
Functional Cookies
These cookies allow us to display our Website with personalization and functionality features.
Impact of Disabling Cookie:
Our Website may not function properly or efficiently.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow WGU to track Website metrics such as the most popular web pages and how visitors navigate our Website. All data collected by performance cookies is aggregated and anonymous.
Impact of Disabling Cookie:
WGU will not know when you visited our Website, nor will WGU be able to monitor Website performance.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies are placed by our advertising partners and may be used by those partners to display interest-based ads.
Impact of Disabling Cookie:
You will experience less personalized advertising.
Social Media Cookies
Social media services place these cookies on our Website and allow you to share Website content with your networks. In addition, social media companies may use these cookies to develop a user profile for you based on your interests.
Impact of Disabling Cookie:
You may not be able to share Website content with your network.
