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What's your opinion on MicroMasters programs?
#1
The Supply Chain Management program through MIT was the first MicroMasters offered by edX. If you get into their master's program, the edX courses will count as credits toward the degree. Now, edX has more MicroMasters programs with other U.S. and international universities. I didn't look at all the programs; but, from the ones I sampled, the cost of the courses range from $99 to $300 each. Each MicroMasters program earns credits toward a ground, hybrid, or online master's degree if admitted. EdX has a list of industry leaders that will recognize the credential.

https://www.edx.org/micromasters?utm_con...e=sailthru
Graduate of Not VUL or ENEB
MS, MSS and Graduate Cert
AAS, AS, BA, and BS
CLEP
Intro Psych 70, US His I 64, Intro Soc 63, Intro Edu Psych 70, A&I Lit 64, Bio 68, Prin Man 69, Prin Mar 68
DSST
Life Dev Psych 62, Fund Coun 68, Intro Comp 469, Intro Astr 56, Env & Hum 70, HTYH 456, MIS 451, Prin Sup 453, HRM 62, Bus Eth 458
ALEKS
Int Alg, Coll Alg
TEEX
4 credits
TECEP
Fed Inc Tax, Sci of Nutr, Micro, Strat Man, Med Term, Pub Relations
CSU
Sys Analysis & Design, Programming, Cyber
SL
Intro to Comm, Microbio, Acc I
Uexcel
A&P
Davar
Macro, Intro to Fin, Man Acc
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#2
My opinion is pointless. What's the hiring market's opinion?

If there's any data available based on program reputation, or hiring success, or related info? it'd tell us a lot. I'd imagine it's too early to tell. But if I'm wrong, that'd be exciting data to see!
Northwestern California University School of Law
JD Law, 2027 (in progress, currently 2L)

Georgia Tech
MS Cybersecurity (Policy), 2021

Thomas Edison State University
BA Computer Science, 2023
BA Psychology, 2016
AS Business Administration, 2023
Certificate in Operations Management, 2023
Certificate in Computer Information Systems, 2023

Western Governors University
BS IT Security, 2018

Chaffey College
AA Sociology, 2015

Accumulated Credit: Undergrad: 258.50 | Graduate: 32

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#3
I spent a little time investigating the Hospitality Masters. It's 4 edX courses @ $150 each followed by an on-campus requirement at the Hong Kong Poly-Tech University.

In short- the micromaster is interesting. Only $600, which is about what I would pay for a high quality CE program, and this has potential graduate credit - whether or not it's realistic for many people to follow through, I don't know. So, I looked at it a bit more.

In this MS, there are essentially 11 courses required. The 4 from edX consist of 2 core and 2 electives. You can only use 1 elective, so the other is "wasted" in that regard, but that leaves 8 to complete. As best I can tell, the entire degree is $25,000 US which is roughly $2200 per course. The edX courses "save" you $6600 which is awesome. The remaining portion is about $18,500. Certainly not a bad price for a masters, and for a young adventuring person, I think it's pretty great. School of Hotel & Tourism Management

EdX is showing 19 micro masters options. A handful are taught in French or Spanish. I think it would be an interesting project to write a summary of each program, I might do that if I get a little free time this week.

One more point, there is a lot of variance between what the receiving university will accept, costs to follow through with the full masters, and entrance requirements. There is even variance in the cost to do the edX portion.
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#4
Just looking at the AI micromasters from Columbia, it could be worth it if hiring managers are aware that the micromaster credential counts towards 25% of a MSCS from Columbia University and it validates the candidate's AI/ML knowledge. If it was convertible to 25% of TESU or COSC instead of Columbia, I'd pass on this. Because of the potential to convert to grad school credit at Columbia, it's very likely that none of the classes are fluff courses. Even if this thing is worth zero at every other grad school, convertibility to 25% of the Columbia MSCS might be enough to gamble $1200. This combined with a BSCS or BS in Math might be enough to get a job that requires AI/ML. I'm going on the assumption that I will never be able to directly convert the $1200 into grad school credits.
TESU BA CS and Math (graduated December 2016)
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#5
It would be nice if these could be converted to credits without being admitted.
Graduate of Not VUL or ENEB
MS, MSS and Graduate Cert
AAS, AS, BA, and BS
CLEP
Intro Psych 70, US His I 64, Intro Soc 63, Intro Edu Psych 70, A&I Lit 64, Bio 68, Prin Man 69, Prin Mar 68
DSST
Life Dev Psych 62, Fund Coun 68, Intro Comp 469, Intro Astr 56, Env & Hum 70, HTYH 456, MIS 451, Prin Sup 453, HRM 62, Bus Eth 458
ALEKS
Int Alg, Coll Alg
TEEX
4 credits
TECEP
Fed Inc Tax, Sci of Nutr, Micro, Strat Man, Med Term, Pub Relations
CSU
Sys Analysis & Design, Programming, Cyber
SL
Intro to Comm, Microbio, Acc I
Uexcel
A&P
Davar
Macro, Intro to Fin, Man Acc
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#6
sanantone Wrote:It would be nice if these could be converted to credits without being admitted.

Agreed, but I'm sure you're thinking what I'm thinking.....what is required to generate the official transcript from the college/university? I'm not flying to Hong Kong or anything, but I think the Thunderbird program is online...might be worth testing.

In some of these micro courses, you can get really close to 18 credits, the magic number for teaching.
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#7
Yeah, there are a couple of ways these courses could be helpful if one can get a transcript from the school. The graduate credits can be helpful for teaching, or they can be transferred to another graduate or undergraduate program. I'm assuming they won't generate a transcript until the student completes a regular course, but it might be worth it to apply and gain acceptance if they'll generate a transcript at that point. I just wish these could be converted to graduate certificates from the accredited colleges offering them rather than a MicroMasters from edX.

Edit: RIT's Advanced Certificate in Project Management is only 12 credit hours, and the edX courses account for 9 of those credits. They offer project management courses online. The bad part is that, even though the courses are only $150 each, the capstone exam is $600.
Graduate of Not VUL or ENEB
MS, MSS and Graduate Cert
AAS, AS, BA, and BS
CLEP
Intro Psych 70, US His I 64, Intro Soc 63, Intro Edu Psych 70, A&I Lit 64, Bio 68, Prin Man 69, Prin Mar 68
DSST
Life Dev Psych 62, Fund Coun 68, Intro Comp 469, Intro Astr 56, Env & Hum 70, HTYH 456, MIS 451, Prin Sup 453, HRM 62, Bus Eth 458
ALEKS
Int Alg, Coll Alg
TEEX
4 credits
TECEP
Fed Inc Tax, Sci of Nutr, Micro, Strat Man, Med Term, Pub Relations
CSU
Sys Analysis & Design, Programming, Cyber
SL
Intro to Comm, Microbio, Acc I
Uexcel
A&P
Davar
Macro, Intro to Fin, Man Acc
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#8
It's also a cheap way to get your feet wet so that you can decide whether you want to follow through. It might also be helpful with admissions if your resume isn't the greatest.
NanoDegree: Intro to Self-Driving Cars (2019)
Coursera: Stanford Machine Learning (2019)
TESU: BA in Comp Sci (2016)
TECEP:Env Ethics (2015); TESU PLA:Software Eng, Computer Arch, C++, Advanced C++, Data Struct (2015); TESU Courses:Capstone, Database Mngmnt Sys, Op Sys, Artificial Intel, Discrete Math, Intro to Portfolio Dev, Intro PLA (2014-16); DSST:Anthro, Pers Fin, Astronomy (2014); CLEP:Intro to Soc (2014); Saylor.org:Intro to Computers (2014); CC: 69 units (1980-88)

PLA Tips Thread - TESU: What is in a Portfolio?
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#9
I'll be the standout..

I'm kind of uneasy about them if I'm honest. I love the idea, making high quality education accessible to the masses.

But my concerns are...

The name...Micromasters? Sounds like a marketing gimmick. Before micro masters we had graduate certificates. They were basically the same thing...the only difference brings me to my next concern. You're not guaranteed credit. You have to do real graduate level work, pay real money (although less than normal), and then apply and HOPE that you can convert those two things into real graduate credits/degrees.

If University of Phoenix would have been the first school to create a micromasters program we would likely be discussing how greedy and how unethical it is. With that being said, the ability to learn from the great professors and schools of our day is absolutely awesome! I'm just not sold on the for-credit piece of this. If they automatically and 100% converted into a graduate certificate for the number of credits you've taken -- this whole thing would make a heck of alot more sense. Why do you have to take a class at the school to get credits you've already earned?

Just my 2 cents.
Currently studying for: Still deciding.

Done!
2020 - Harvard Extension School - ALM IT Management 
2019 - Harvard Extension School - Graduate Certificate Data Science
2018 - Harvard Extension School - Graduate Certificate Cyber Security
2016 - WGU - MBA Mgmt & Strategy
2015 - Thomas Edison State College - BSBA Marketing & CIS
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#10
sanantone Wrote:Yeah, there are a couple of ways these courses could be helpful if one can get a transcript from the school. The graduate credits can be helpful for teaching, or they can be transferred to another graduate or undergraduate program. I'm assuming they won't generate a transcript until the student completes a regular course, but it might be worth it to apply and gain acceptance if they'll generate a transcript at that point. I just wish these could be converted to graduate certificates from the accredited colleges offering them rather than a MicroMasters from edX.

Edit: RIT's Advanced Certificate in Project Management is only 12 credit hours, and the edX courses account for 9 of those credits. They offer project management courses online. The bad part is that, even though the courses are only $150 each, the capstone exam is $600.


I will be keeping my eye out on this program. Something to do while I apply for grad programs. I like the idea of project management this would be pretty sweet.
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