Dive Brief:
- Udacity, the for-profit massive open online course provider, has introduced “nanodegrees,” which it describes as compact, flexible, job-focused credentials that are “stackable” throughout the student’s career.
- The first nanodegrees will be offered to give students entry-level skills for jobs as front- and back-end web developers, iPhone/iPad operating system developers, Android mobile developers, and data analysts.
- Nanodegree programs will begin in the fall, and Udacity is developing more with technology companies.
Dive Insight:
Initial funding to help launch the nanodegree program is from AT&T Aspire, the education philanthropy group, with more than $1.5 million. Each nanodegree should take six to 12 months to complete, without the student needing to take time off from work, and cost about $200 per month. As the Wall Street Journal reports, AT&T is the only company so far that has committed to hire nanodegree graduates, and no higher ed accrediting body has recognized the program. But other companies have endorsed nanodegrees, including Cloudera, Autodesk, and Salesforce.com.