Dive Brief:
- Georgia Institute of Technology administrators are evaluating the school’s affordable online master’s degree program in computer science after its first semester, and they’re mostly pleased, Inside Higher Ed reports.
- The program is closely watched because it is attempting to offer high academic quality at a lower price and higher enrollment than on-campus programs, but with more support and smaller enrollment than a typical massive open online course.
- The initiative is also seen as an important investment for Udacity, which is turning away from traditional MOOCs toward paid certificate programs and corporate training.
Dive Insight:
The Georgia Tech online program charged $402 for a three-credit course, compared to $472 for just a single credit hour of face-to-face courses. AT&T subsidized the program with $2 million, and many students were company employees. The school is considering partnerships with other corporations, as well. For the first semester, Georgia Tech admitted 410 students to the program, capping each course at 150 students, and it will add 400 to 600 students this fall as it gradually scales up. By the third year, the university optimistically hopes to have 10,000 students in the program.