Cambridge, MA – edX.org, the leading nonprofit online learning destination founded by Harvard and MIT, today launched nine new Master’s degree programs. Designed for learners who want to make a pivotal career move that requires a Master’s degree, the online, top-ranked, high quality programs are offered in the most in-demand fields and are available at a fraction of the cost of a traditional on-campus Master’s degree. These new offerings mark an important milestone for edX, a leader in reimagining education through innovative, stackable credentials that address the needs of today’s changing global workforce.
EdX offers Master’s degree programs from top global institutions Arizona State University; Curtin University; Georgia Institute of Technology; Indiana University; University of California, San Diego; University of Queensland; and University of Texas at Austin in highly in-demand subjects, such as data science, cybersecurity, computer science, analytics and supply chain management. In addition, three programs are both top-ten ranked and offered at $10,000 or less. EdX is uniquely positioned to offer these online programs, which build upon the innovative MicroMasters® program, conceived by MIT and launched by edX.
Similar to how a MicroMasters program can stack into an on-campus Master’s degree, a MicroMasters program can also stack into a fully online Master’s program. This allows learners to start engaging with Master’s level curriculum right away in order to determine if both the online learning experience and the subject matter are a fit, before the Master’s application deadline. Taking the MicroMasters program first can also help to strengthen a Master’s degree application. Further, completion of the MicroMasters program can provide learners with valuable standalone skills that translate into career-focused advancement.
The Master’s degree offerings on edX come at a time when the workplace is changing more rapidly than ever before. Employers are in need of highly-skilled talent, especially in fields most impacted by advances in technology. To address this worldwide global skills gap, edX has partnered with universities that specialize in these in-demand fields to offer its online Master’s programs.
“Digital technology is revolutionizing every aspect of our society and changing the nature of work. Existing industries are evolving while new fields are emerging, and there is a clear demand for the advanced knowledge needed to succeed in this new workplace. However, the investment of time and money required to gain this knowledge through a traditional on-campus Master’s degree is a challenge for many,” said edX CEO and MIT Professor Anant Agarwal. “EdX is launching Master’s degrees that address both of these challenges. These stackable programs deliver the critical knowledge needed and demonstrate how we are pioneering graduate-level education at scale.”
The launch of the Master’s programs follows the success of an initial pilot program with the Georgia Institute of Technology in Analytics, which demonstrates the impact of offering disruptively priced Master’s degrees from top-ranked institutions at scale. The program started with 250 students in Fall 2017 and has grown to more than 1,200 in Fall 2018. Tuition for Georgia Tech’s Online Master of Science in Analytics (OMS Analytics) degree is available for less than $10,000. The residential program ranges from $36,000 for in-state students to $49,000 for out of state.
“We are at the forefront of transforming graduate education by offering two fully online top-ranked Master’s degrees in high-demand subjects for under $10,000,” said Nelson Baker, dean of Georgia Tech Professional Education. “Our Online Master of Science in Analytics degree grew quickly at scale, demonstrating a clear demand for affordable, high quality education. With the addition of our new Online Master’s in Cybersecurity, we’re offering thousands of learners the opportunity to become leaders in two of today’s most competitive fields.”
For more information and a complete list of Master’s programs offerings, visit www.edx.org/masters.
Full List of Institutions and Master’s Degree Programs: