No charge

Beginning Sept. 4, the University’s 583,000 alumni worldwide can join faculty, staff, and students from all three campuses to earn individual course and course series certificates offered by Michigan Online at no cost.

Michigan Online is U-M’s new global learning community that houses the University’s digital learning opportunities.

“A lifelong dedication to learning and skill development is critical to leading and advancing in today’s rapidly evolving world,” says James DeVaney, associate vice provost for academic innovation. “Our alumni understand this, and constantly find ways to push the boundaries of every profession worldwide.

“Michigan Online offers an amazing opportunity for alumni to continue to build their skills and knowledge base, while expanding their network within the global University of Michigan community,” he continues. “And this is only the beginning. We are committed to unlocking Michigan’s inimitable combination of academic quality, capacity, and breadth for all alumni as we seek new ways to equip them for lifelong learning and leadership.”

Academic innovation

The announcement by the Office of Academic Innovation expands the program rolled out in May to now include 91 courses developed by U-M faculty and instructional teams offered by Michigan Online through both the edX and Coursera online platforms.

While access to online courses on both Coursera and edX generally is free to all learners, the certificates have carried price tags. These could total approximately $500 for a six-month series of courses. The fees are waived for all enrolled students, staff, faculty, and alumni from the three campuses.

A certificate confirms successful completion of a course, or collection of courses, and can be included in a resume, mentioned in a job application, or shared via social media, such as LinkedIn. Certificates are not official professional or academic credits.

Faculty, students, and staff already have begun to take advantage of this new benefit over the summer as Michigan Online continues to expand the depth and breadth of learning opportunities available to all learners.