University of North Texas expands access to online learning with new Coursera partnership

Monday, June 24, 2019 - 13:21

DENTON (UNT), Texas —  The University of North Texas soon will offer non-credit, online courses in a variety of subjects through Coursera, giving more learners access to world-class educational content created and taught by UNT faculty.

The university recently inked a deal with the popular online education company, joining an elite group of higher education institutions such as University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, University of Michigan, Johns Hopkins University and more.

The massive open online course (MOOC) format allows students to engage with course content on their own schedule and at their own pace. For upcoming UNT courses, learners will have the option to either audit a course to listen to the videos and explore the online video content for free, or pay a fee to complete the assessments and receive a Course Certificate. 

“We plan to launch three to five MOOCs within the next year,” said Adam Fein, UNT vice president of digital strategy and innovation. “In support of our mission to provide access to education, our plan is to continue to explore options to give North Texas students and learners from around the globe flexible learning options and more ways to help them reach academic and career goals.”

Open courses offer students an opportunity to prepare for actual for-credit courses.

“Engaging with courses on the Coursera platfrom gives learners access to the subject matter but also a sense of ethos of being a UNT student and exposure to UNT faculty who care deeply about teaching students and quality learning outcomes,” said Karen Bollinger, UNT assistant vice president of digital growth.

A Tier-One research university, UNT regularly ranks among the nation’s top 100 schools, including top marks for some of its online programs.

“Coursera is dedicated to increasing access to high quality education from the world's top universities and institutions for learners around the globe," said Dil Sidhu, chief content officer at Coursera. "We're thrilled to partner with a top-tier research university like the University of North Texas and look forward to expanding our course catalog with their world-class content."

 

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