Competency-Based Education (CBE) is an innovative learning model designed to provide students with a mastery-based approach to earning a degree.
Your Learning, Your Pace, Your Future
UNO+CBE empowers learners through flexible and student-driven education. UNO+CBE redefines education by offering accessible, competency-based learning pathways that empower students to earn valuable credentials at their own pace.
Why CBE?
Meeting Workforce Needs |
Mastery-Based Pacing for Learners |
Industry Recognition |
| In Nebraska, 34.1% of adults have some college credit but no degree, mirroring a national trend of 36.8 million adults in this category. CBE provides an additional pathway for degree attainment, ensuring learners can build on prior experiences and develop the competencies needed for workforce readiness and career mobility. | Designed for working professionals, career changers, and nontraditional students, CBE allows learners to progress based on their ability to demonstrate skills—not the time spent in a classroom. Those with prior experience in a subject can move forward more quickly, while others receive additional support and feedback to reach full competency before advancing. | Employers increasingly prioritize demonstrable skills over traditional degree pathways when making hiring decisions. CBE aligns educational outcomes with workforce demands, ensuring graduates are fully prepared for success with competencies that are validated and understood by employers. |
CBE at UNO: Faculty-Driven Innovation, Mission-Centric Vision
UNO+CBE Champion Project
In 2024 UNO launched the UNO+CBE Champion Project. This groundbreaking initiative is designed to build the vital infrastructure needed to support academic programs in offering CBE degree pathways. In collaboration with the Competency-based Education Network (C-BEN), we are leveraging national expertise to establish and sustain CBE at UNO.
This ambitious project unites 65 dedicated champions from across our campus, organized into five specialized workgroups and a strategic steering committee. Together, they are crafting innovative recommendations to drive our mission forward.
- CBE enhances our current student experience and programming at UNO by introducing an innovative learning pathway.
- It empowers us to connect with students we might not be reaching or serving to our fullest potential.
- Driven by our dedicated faculty, CBE programs are thoughtfully designed and crafted by the esteemed educators at UNO.
Interested in getting involved?
- Submit a CBE program proposal
- Become a Champion email: innovate@unomaha.edu
- Subscribe to our newsletter
Want to dive deeper?
Download the CBE at UNO Fact Sheet.