Students who have always dreamed of earning an MBA from Wharton can now get a taste of what it’s like through Coursera. In a recent repot published on Yahoo, Wharton has announced that the school will offer several courses in the MOOC format that are typically offered during the first year of their highly reputable MBA program.
The MOOC courses will focus on financial accounting, marketing, and corporate finance, and give students the opportunity to earn a certificate for each course they complete for $49. 700,000 students are already enrolled for the online courses beginning September 16th which will be offered in a moderated format. Students will watch pre-recorded lectures and interact with the instructor and other classmates through a guided discussion board.
Wharton has made it abundantly clear that those completing the courses will not be granted credit towards an MBA at the school, most likely, because of students’ different experiences through the online MOOC course. However, students will get the opportunity to test out of required MBA courses if they are accepted into their regular MBA program in the future.
MOOCs have steadily grown in popularity as students realize it gives them an opportunity to get a taste of what the college experience is like. What MOOCs don’t offer is the on-campus experience, such as career services, internships, and face-to-face instructional time, that Wharton says students will miss. Only time will tell if MOOC students will truly miss these services, and, if employers will give clout to their online certifications.
