Ball State University, Coursera partner for affordable, accessible master’s programs

MUNCIE — Ball State University is expanding access to education with a new online master’s program that is open to everyone and requires no application and no transcript request forms.

The new programs are made possible through a Ball State partnership with Coursera online learning platform.

Currently, two online master's degree programs are being offered — computer science and data science. The programs are developed and taught by faculty from Ball State’s College of Sciences and Humanities, and feature a performance-based admissions process with no prerequisites or application required for admittance, the Ball State University webpage said.

Ball State’s Associate Dean of Sciences and Humanities Jill Coleman serves as the executive director of the Coursera programs, which were rolled out this past fall. Currently, there are three “pathway” courses that any learner can enroll in, start immediately and begin making progress on, she said. The programs are built for the non-traditional student in mind. Courses are offered online in an asynchronous format.

“Both programs are perfect for those thinking about transitioning careers or building upon informal training using pathway courses into the degree, which require no prior knowledge or degree in the interested field," Coleman said.

Of the currently enrolled students who shared their demographic information, 50% identified as first-generation college students between the ages of 25 and 34, a Ball State University spokeswoman said.

Currently, there are students from eight countries including the United States, Canada, Japan and Argentina.

Those who sign up for the programs can begin working on pathway courses instantly. As long as students have a B-average at the end of the three pathway courses, they are automatically enrolled into that subject’s master’s program, Coleman said.

“No transcripts, no GRE and no application letters are required,” she said. “Within minutes you can be enrolled in graduate coursework and be on your way to a master’s degree in a high-demand field from a university known for high-quality online programs.”

Tuition is set at a flat, in-state rate for all students — totaling less than $17,000 to obtain the master's degree, plus a $100 per semester “tech fee.” On average, a master’s degree program in the United States costs $65,134, according to 2023 research by educationdata.org.

Students can finish their Ball State Coursera program at their own pace within approximately 24 months; the same pace it takes to complete a traditional master’s degree.

Enrollment is open Feb. 1 through May 5, so students can start classes on May 13, or anyone can start in open content on Coursera today to get a headstart on a degree, Coleman said.

Coursera was launched in 2012 by two Stanford computer science professors, Andrew Ng and Daphne Koller, with a mission to provide universal access to world-class learning. It is now one of the largest online learning platforms in the world with 136 million registered learners as of Sept. 20, 2023, according to their webpage.

Coursera Academic Strategist Dr. Quentin McAndrew works directly with innovative universities and directors like Coleman to ensure that a high-quality, accessible and transferable education is available to those who want to pursue a new career path.

“The main reason people don’t go back to school is because of the price and the applications themselves,” McAndrew said. “What Ball State has done is remove these barriers for learners, and, in hot, in-demand fields. It’s brilliant.”

According to the Indiana Department of Workforce, one of the fastest-growing and high-wage jobs in Indiana is that of a software developer. Additionally, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that computer and IT jobs will grow much faster than other populations in the next 10 years.

“We are empowering learners to take that admissions decision and put it in their own hands,” McAndrew said. “And not only that, you don’t even have to be an Indiana resident to take advantage of it.”

Coursera partners with over 300 leading university and industry partners to offer a broad catalog of content and credentials, including courses, specializations, professional certificates, guided projects, as well as bachelor’s and master’s degrees, its webpage states. Institutions around the world use Coursera to upskill and reskill their employees, citizens and students in fields such as data science, technology, and business.

Currently, Ball State University Coursera master’s programs have interest from students in over 15 countries including Egypt, Pakistan, Nigeria, Singapore and Mexico, McAndrew said.

Each course is fully accredited and offers rigorous coursework taught by Ball State University professors and course facilitators, who are there to assist students with a variety of issues from technical and website support, to physical assignment and project questions, Coleman said.

Per usual, each program comes with a syllabus that guides students through homework assignments, quizzes and projects. There are suggested due dates to help keep people on track, but as long as the student completes everything by the end of the semester (with a 3.0 grade point average), they will receive complete credit.

“These courses let Ball State meet learners where they are,” Ball State Executive Director of Market Development and Division of Online and Strategic Learning Nancy Prater said. “There is no ‘in-state,’ ‘out-of-state’ barrier. We are really trying to make this as accessible as possible."

Prater supports Coleman with the Coursera partnership and has also worked with her to develop built-in certificates from top tech companies such as Google, Meta and IBM that learners can complete during their master’s degree curriculum.

Students who decide to pursue one of these certificates can earn degree credits upon completion, Prater said.

Course listing can be found online at Coursera.org and course descriptions can be found in the Ball State University graduate online catalog.

This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Ball State and Coursera provide affordable master’s degree program