Widener University is a private, leading metropolitan university that has been educating students since 1821. The first tenet of the University’s mission is to “lead by providing a unique combination of liberal arts and professional education in a challenging, scholarly, and culturally diverse academic community.” Highlighting its commitment to higher education and career advancement, Widener University offers a number of online degree programs in areas such as business, nursing, and social work. Offered through the University’s Department of Graduate Studies and Extended Learning, each online program is designed to enable students to advance their education without sacrificing work and family commitments. A flexible and innovative option, many of Widener University’s online programs can be completed entirely online while others offer the ability to complete a degree or professional certificate program with minimal classroom participation.