03-27-2018, 06:05 AM
£9,600-£17,000 = $13,658-$24,187 USD at today's rate. Not cheap but not bad for a bachelor's degree. Link to description on Coursera website. Program is apparently being offered through Goldsmiths, one of the 18 constituent colleges comprising the University of London. Alumni (of the college, not this program) include Malcolm McLaren and John Cale.
Note that although this is billed as a Coursera program, it is not an all-MOOC deal, and you don't even get credit for the MOOCs. According to the website FAQs:
Quote:Coursera Announces First Online Bachelor’s Degree
By Cait Etherington March 15, 2018
When Coursera first emerged as a MOOC provider back in 2012, its focus was on offering individual courses, but this modest agenda proved shortlived. As the company quickly grew in reputation and numbers, it started to offer degree programs, beginning with two master’s level programs (one in partnership with HEC Paris and another with the University of Illinois). Following a recent announcement about its first bachelor’s degree, there are now signs that Coursera is also looking to stake a claim in the undergraduate market.
Coursera Launches Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science
As described on the Cousera website, their new online Bachelor of Science in Computer Science degree will be offered by the University of London. Students will “learn in-demand computing skills,” develop their “abilities to solve complex problems,” and nurture both their innovation and creativity. They will also develop “real-world computer science skills” by developing their own software projects. Subject areas owill include Machine Learning, Data Science, Artificial Intelligence, Web Development, Virtual Reality, and Game Development. The degree is expected to launch in April 2019, pending approval by the University of London.
Target Audience for Coursera’s Degree
The University of London’s Bachelor of Science in Computer Science degree is designed for highly motivated students with a passion for computing and will welcome students with high school qualifications, as well as those already working in the computer science field. Since the program is designed to be carried out in a flexible matter, there is hope that the prestigious program will be able to accommodate students with existing work and family commitments wherever they happen to be stationed in the world. The program is expected to take anywhere from 3 to 4 years to complete, and tuition will run anywhere from £9,600-£17,000, depending on one’s geographic location.
As reported on EdSurge on March 5, Coursera’s latest announcement appears to be part of a broader plan: “Coursera last year stated it has plans to expand to 20 online degrees by 2019, and it’s already chipping away at that goal, announcing today the addition of five more master’s degrees to its platform.” Still, as reported in the same article, “When the company shared its 2019 target, it gave few hints of offering bachelor’s degrees, which have been slow to catch on in the online space compared to masters-level programs.”
Can Coursera Penetrate the Bachelor’s Degree Market?
While online master’s degrees have existed for many years, in most fields, online bachelor’s degrees remain less common. This may simply reflect the strong desire among undergraduates to live and study on campus. However, change is in the air. As demonstrated by the surging demand for coding bootcamps, many students, even those of traditional undergraduate age, are now looking for flexible educational alternatives, but if you want skills and a degree from a prestigious institution, bachelor-level options are limited.
As recently reported on eLearning Inside News, at least some established universities do offer online bachelor’s degrees. The Harvard Extension School, for example, currently offers a bachelor of liberal arts, but unlike the new Cousera-University of London initiative, Harvard’s online bachelor’s degree does involve at least some on-campus time. In this respect, Coursera’s new partnership with the University of London will offer a rare opportunity for students to complete a bachelor’s degree entirely online from one of the world’s top-ranked universities.
As Nikhil Sinha, Chief Content Officer of Coursera recently told Business Today, “We need to design degrees that provide modular credentials to students at all stages of the learning process.” It appears as if “all stages” now includes the bachelor’s degree. If Coursera can successfully scale its bachelor’s degree offerings, of course, the potential market is substantial.
Note that although this is billed as a Coursera program, it is not an all-MOOC deal, and you don't even get credit for the MOOCs. According to the website FAQs:
Quote:Can I receive credit for the MOOCs associated with this programme?
The University of London does not provide credit for the completion of the MOOCs associated with this programme. However, these MOOCs will provide a taste of the content taught on the degree programme, giving you a head start with some of the topics on the course.