Edx to launch a bunch of graduate programs soon.

[Motivated2move]

I really like EdX's platform.  Granted, a lot of the classes provide the material in chunks so you can't accelerate but the material is high quality and I prefer it to some of the alternatives.  I still don't fully understand the benefit of a micromasters aside from showing limited experience in a subject, but I am open to learning about others' experiences IRL.  I am interested in learning more about their newly formed masters programs.

[cookderosa]

I really like EdX's platform.  Granted, a lot of the classes provide the material in chunks so you can't accelerate but the material is high quality and I prefer it to some of the alternatives.  I still don't fully understand the benefit of a micromasters aside from showing limited experience in a subject, but I am open to learning about others' experiences IRL.  I am interested in learning more about their newly formed masters programs.

I'm about 90% sure most employers won't know what a micromasters is either, but if you put it on your resume, it might give you an edge over someone with no "post-bac" education.

[Life Long Learning]

SUPER exciting.  I love the Micromaster concept- in fact, I am toying with the idea of doing one or having one of my sons do it (you don't need to have a bachelor's finished).  It's not grad credit as a stand-alone though, so as-is, the utility is probably limited. The programs that have the articulation agreement (not all do) will give you grad credit for your micromasters, but you still have to apply/get accepted and presumably start the program to get it "on a transcript" as grad credit.  These edx graduate programs they want to launch WOULD be grad credit straight out of the gate as I understand, and that's awesome.  As some mentioned, Coursera is doing this already, but I expect edX's participation might make for some interesting competition for programs and price.  I *think* and maybe someone else can say, but the degrees don't say coursera/edX, they say the university that you actually get the degree from- anyone know for sure?

How much is a MicroMaster?

Seems like a Mini-MBA or Mini-MPA from Rutgers University (one of the 9 oldest colleges in the USA) would be better?  $4995 but only one week on campus from a real University School of Business.  The Mini-MBA has 18 different versions.  

http://www.business.rutgers.edu/executiv...on/classes

[alexf.1990]

How much is a MicroMaster?

Seems like a Mini-MBA or Mini-MPA from Rutgers University (one of the 9 oldest colleges in the USA) would be better?  $4995 but only one week on campus from a real University School of Business.  The Mini-MBA has 18 different versions.  

http://www.business.rutgers.edu/executiv...on/classes

The MicroMaster is between 600-1500, depending on the program. Wharton may have a Micromaster that cost a bit more than that.

I've never understood the appeal of the executive education courses. They seem like a blatant cash grab by universities. Unless an employer was significantly subsidizing the cost, it seems like it'd be hard to justify 5k for a week on campus.

[cookderosa]

SUPER exciting.  I love the Micromaster concept- in fact, I am toying with the idea of doing one or having one of my sons do it (you don't need to have a bachelor's finished).  It's not grad credit as a stand-alone though, so as-is, the utility is probably limited. The programs that have the articulation agreement (not all do) will give you grad credit for your micromasters, but you still have to apply/get accepted and presumably start the program to get it "on a transcript" as grad credit.  These edx graduate programs they want to launch WOULD be grad credit straight out of the gate as I understand, and that's awesome.  As some mentioned, Coursera is doing this already, but I expect edX's participation might make for some interesting competition for programs and price.  I *think* and maybe someone else can say, but the degrees don't say coursera/edX, they say the university that you actually get the degree from- anyone know for sure?

How much is a MicroMaster?

Seems like a Mini-MBA or Mini-MPA from Rutgers University (one of the 9 oldest colleges in the USA) would be better?  $4995 but only one week on campus from a real University School of Business.  The Mini-MBA has 18 different versions.  

http://www.business.rutgers.edu/executiv...on/classes

I am in the opposite camp- I probably wouldn't get a grad certificate (I've thought about it many times, and just can't get my brain around the advantages) but I really like the idea of these non-credit, non-GRE, non-application, non-commitment, but FULLY TRANSFERRABLE INTO A MASTERS courses. You can take one for free if you want, check it out, look at the format and teachers - and drop with no paper trail. Or, you can pay a small bit of cash for a verified certificate (still no paper trail if you drop / no university red tape) and do the entire program on your own. If you fail the course, no one knows and there is no ethical requirement to disclose.

These are the perfect safety net of trying grad level learning imo. If you get through it all, spend the thousand bucks and THEN decide you want to master's, most take the certificate toward their own program, some are giving articulation agreements with other schools (MIT is doing this in Supply Chain). I think it's awesome, not to mention a huge savings over the cost of graduate school for these courses for those who do matriculate.

As an example, if you were doing this for MIT, the micromasters would cost $1200 which is *worth* about $50k of credit at MIT toward their $100k master's. After you finish the micromasters, you go to MIT for 1 semester and you're done, or you walk away with the MIT micromasters credential. http://scm.mit.edu/

EDIT to add- my numbers were WAY off. The master's is $100,000 (!) so the micromasters cuts that in half.

[alexf.1990]

I am in the opposite camp- I probably wouldn't get a grad certificate (I've thought about it many times, and just can't get my brain around the advantages) but I really like the idea of these non-credit, non-GRE, non-application, non-commitment, but FULLY TRANSFERRABLE INTO A MASTERS courses.  You can take one for free if you want, check it out, look at the format and teachers - and drop with no paper trail.  Or, you can pay a small bit of cash for a verified certificate (still no paper trail if you drop / no university red tape) and do the entire program on your own.  If you fail the course, no one knows and there is no ethical requirement to disclose.

These are the perfect safety net of trying grad level learning imo.  If you get through it all, spend the thousand bucks and THEN decide you want to master's, most take the certificate toward their own program, some are giving articulation agreements with other schools (MIT is doing this in Supply Chain).  I think it's awesome, not to mention a huge savings over the cost of graduate school for these courses for those who do matriculate.

As an example, if you were doing this for MIT, the micromasters would cost $1200 which is *worth* about $50k of credit at MIT toward their $100k master's.  After you finish the micromasters, you go to MIT for 1 semester and you're done, or you walk away with the MIT micromasters credential.  http://scm.mit.edu/

EDIT to add- my numbers were WAY off.  The master's is $100,000 (!) so the micromasters cuts that in half.

Don't forget that financial aid is available as well. You just have to give them a sob story and they'll reduce your tuition by 90%.

[MNomadic]

I am in the opposite camp- I probably wouldn't get a grad certificate (I've thought about it many times, and just can't get my brain around the advantages) but I really like the idea of these non-credit, non-GRE, non-application, non-commitment, but FULLY TRANSFERRABLE INTO A MASTERS courses.  You can take one for free if you want, check it out, look at the format and teachers - and drop with no paper trail.  Or, you can pay a small bit of cash for a verified certificate (still no paper trail if you drop / no university red tape) and do the entire program on your own.  If you fail the course, no one knows and there is no ethical requirement to disclose.

These are the perfect safety net of trying grad level learning imo.  If you get through it all, spend the thousand bucks and THEN decide you want to master's, most take the certificate toward their own program, some are giving articulation agreements with other schools (MIT is doing this in Supply Chain).  I think it's awesome, not to mention a huge savings over the cost of graduate school for these courses for those who do matriculate.

As an example, if you were doing this for MIT, the micromasters would cost $1200 which is *worth* about $50k of credit at MIT toward their $100k master's.  After you finish the micromasters, you go to MIT for 1 semester and you're done, or you walk away with the MIT micromasters credential.  http://scm.mit.edu/

EDIT to add- my numbers were WAY off.  The master's is $100,000 (!) so the micromasters cuts that in half.

Don't forget that financial aid is available as well. You just have to give them a sob story and they'll reduce your tuition by 90%.

Hopefully people use integrity and don't take advantage unless they need to.

[Life Long Learning]

How much is a MicroMaster?

Seems like a Mini-MBA or Mini-MPA from Rutgers University (one of the 9 oldest colleges in the USA) would be better?  $4995 but only one week on campus from a real University School of Business.  The Mini-MBA has 18 different versions.  

http://www.business.rutgers.edu/executiv...on/classes

The MicroMaster is between 600-1500, depending on the program. Wharton may have a Micromaster that cost a bit more than that.

I've never understood the appeal of the executive education courses. They seem like a blatant cash grab by universities. Unless an employer was significantly subsidizing the cost, it seems like it'd be hard to justify 5k for a week on campus.

The price is $1200 which is excellent.  It is not MIT it is MITx but close enough for many. The programs is 782 hours long (5 courses & proctored exam).  Good option for many.

Executive Education (EE) is very different.  The University of Kansas School of Business is only $1500 for EE.   MIT is $14,000.   Rutgers Mini-MBA or Mini-MPA is $4995.  I am at the stage of life where time is money.  I hang out here as I am an extreme non-traditional student and for life long learning reasons.  I am not here to save money.   40 hours and $4995 is better than $1200 and 782 hours in my case.  I also want to attend the real school and see, feel, smell it for myself.  The journey is half the fun now.  It was not so when I was young.    I now love having face-to-face discussions with very successful peers.  Never online have my peers been that talented nor successful.  Its networking opportunities can be outstanding.  I have even been offered a job in one.  No so online.  BTW, I have retirements and did not need the job.  I like the fact that Mini-MBA is a real Rutgers certificate, not a RutgersX etc.    EE can have benefits like lifetime MIT/Oxford etc. alumni email and Alumni status.  For some, EE is excellent and for some, it's not a good fit.  Five years ago I would agree with you 100%, but now only 50%.

[alexf.1990]

The price is $1200 which is excellent.  It is not MIT it is MITx but close enough for many. The programs is 782 hours long (5 courses & proctored exam).  Good option for many.

Executive Education (EE) is very different.  The University of Kansas School of Business is only $1500 for EE.   MIT is $14,000.   Rutgers Mini-MBA or Mini-MPA is $4995.  I am at the stage of life where time is money.  I hang out here as I am an extreme non-traditional student and for life long learning reasons.  I am not here to save money.   40 hours and $4995 is better than $1200 and 782 hours in my case.  I also want to attend the real school and see, feel, smell it for myself.  The journey is half the fun now.  It was not so when I was young.    I now love having face-to-face discussions with very successful peers.  Never online have my peers been that talented nor successful.  Its networking opportunities can be outstanding.  I have even been offered a job in one.  No so online.  BTW, I have retirements and did not need the job.  I like the fact that Mini-MBA is a real Rutgers certificate, not a RutgersX etc.    EE can have benefits like lifetime MIT/Oxford etc. alumni email and Alumni status.  For some, EE is excellent and for some, it's not a good fit.  Five years ago I would agree with you 100%, but now only 50%.

Thanks for posting this. It appears my perspective was a bit short-sighted.

[cookderosa]

How much is a MicroMaster?

Seems like a Mini-MBA or Mini-MPA from Rutgers University (one of the 9 oldest colleges in the USA) would be better?  $4995 but only one week on campus from a real University School of Business.  The Mini-MBA has 18 different versions.  

http://www.business.rutgers.edu/executiv...on/classes

The MicroMaster is between 600-1500, depending on the program. Wharton may have a Micromaster that cost a bit more than that.

I've never understood the appeal of the executive education courses. They seem like a blatant cash grab by universities. Unless an employer was significantly subsidizing the cost, it seems like it'd be hard to justify 5k for a week on campus.

The price is $1200 which is excellent.  It is not MIT it is MITx but close enough for many. The programs is 782 hours long (5 courses & proctored exam).  Good option for many.

Executive Education (EE) is very different.  The University of Kansas School of Business is only $1500 for EE.   MIT is $14,000.   Rutgers Mini-MBA or Mini-MPA is $4995.  I am at the stage of life where time is money.  I hang out here as I am an extreme non-traditional student and for life long learning reasons.  I am not here to save money.   40 hours and $4995 is better than $1200 and 782 hours in my case.  I also want to attend the real school and see, feel, smell it for myself.  The journey is half the fun now.  It was not so when I was young.    I now love having face-to-face discussions with very successful peers.  Never online have my peers been that talented nor successful.  Its networking opportunities can be outstanding.  I have even been offered a job in one.  No so online.  BTW, I have retirements and did not need the job.  I like the fact that Mini-MBA is a real Rutgers certificate, not a RutgersX etc.    EE can have benefits like lifetime MIT/Oxford etc. alumni email and Alumni status.  For some, EE is excellent and for some, it's not a good fit.  Five years ago I would agree with you 100%, but now only 50%.

Yep! Sometimes we have more time than money, and sometimes we have more money than time. With kids at home, I currently have more time than money - so if $4995 dropped in my lap, my son's ortho would be happy to accept it on my behalf.