Clemson University will offer an online M.S. in Computer Science for a total of $20,280 intuition.
Clemson University will partner with Coursera
Coursera
to offer a fully online Master of Science in Computer Science degree. The announcement was made in a blog release by Marni Baker Stein, chief content cfficer at Coursera, the online learning platform and a pioneer of Massive Open Online Courses (also known as MOOCs),
The program, which will have an artificial intelligence focus, is designed to be both affordable and uniquely accessible.
Instead of having to complete a formal application, students who hold a bachelor’s degree in any field from an accredited college and earn a B average in two introductory Clemson courses through Coursera will be automatically accepted. They will have 20% of the degree already completed.
Tuition for the complete program is set at $20,280 — 35% less than the comparable hybrid program.
“This Master of Science in Computer Science program is timely, industry-relevant and thoughtfully designed to be approachable to learners from many backgrounds, for example those looking for opportunities for mid-career advancement,” said Brian Dean, professor and C. Tycho Howle Director of the Clemson School of Computing, in the release.
“The modern and cutting-edge curriculum ensures that learners can succeed, whether they hold a formal computer science background or whether their computing background comes from prior real-world experience,” Dean added. “We are excited to be able to partner with Coursera to offer this program at Clemson University.”
Enrollment for the new program is scheduled to begin on May 1, 2024, with the first courses beginning in August 2024.
Clemson anticipates that most students will be able to complete the program in 20 to 36 months, preparing them for careers such as software development, information security analysis, and computer research. Students will be able to watch lecture videos at any time while engaging with peers and tenure-track Clemson faculty in live course sessions and office hours.
“We’re honored to partner with Clemson on this affordable, accessible, and incredibly relevant degree,” said Coursera’s Stein. “Together, we’ll educate future technical leaders, who will thoughtfully use AI to solve society’s most pressing challenges and create a positive impact.”
Clemson’s use of a performance-based admission process is an innovation that bears watching. While the use of standardized admissions tests continues to be hotly debated in higher education circles, actual course performance could prove a fairer and easier alternative for making admission decisions, particularly for certain graduate programs.