MOOCs

Northwestern Launches Content Strategy Specialization MOOCs

• By Leila Meyer
• 02/18/15

Northwestern University now offers a specialization certificate in Content Strategy for Professionals in Organizations through the Coursera platform.

Offered as a trio of MOOCs, the specialization is geared toward professionals working in large or small nonprofit, for-profit, volunteer and government organizations. Northwestern University professors of journalism, strategy, management, integrated marketing communications and social media marketing will cover topics such as as growing audiences with engaging content and using actionable insights and best practices to create and manage engaging content, according to information from the university.

The specialization certificate consists of two courses and a final project.

The first course, "Engaging Audiences for Your Organization," will run from March 30 to May 9, 2015. According to information on the Coursera site, it is suitable for people who want to "improve their abilities to understand audiences and develop strategic words, pictures, graphics and videos to convey their organization's most important goals."

The second course, "Expanding Your Content's Impact and Reach," will run from June 1 to July 11, 2015. According to information on the Coursera site, it will teach participants how to implement strategic stories and information in a way that will grow their audience.

The final project will be offered in August and will be available only to people who have completed both prerequisite courses. Participants will be expected to develop "an exciting product that will demonstrate their skills to colleagues and current or potential employers," according to the Coursera site. The final projects will be judged.

While both courses are available for free to anybody, people who want to earn the specialization certificate must pay $49 for each course and the final project. Participants who successfully complete all three will earn the Northwestern University Content Strategy Specialization Certificate.

Further information about the Content Strategy specialization certificate can be found on Coursera's site.