EdX and RIT Create MicroMasters Credit Pathway
Learners who complete a MicroMasters program on edX can now apply up to nine credits toward a Master of Science in Professional Studies at the Rochester Institute of Technology. The new universal online credit pathway aims to break down barriers to graduate education and create more choice and flexibility for learners, according to a news announcement.
The pathway was created after the RIT admissions team observed that many MicroMasters learners were interested in applying their certificate toward the institution's Professional Studies degree program, which offers an interdisciplinary curriculum tailored to students' personal and professional goals. To receive their transfer credit, learners must successfully complete the MicroMasters program, meet all RIT admissions and transfer credit criteria, and complete one course in the M.S. in Professional Studies program.
"When we launched MicroMasters programs in 2016, we transformed the way that people think about earning an advanced degree by breaking the Master's degree into modular pieces for the first time," said Anant Agarwal, CEO and founder of edX, in a statement. "Now, with RIT's collaboration, we are once again making it simpler and more accessible for learners to get a master's degree that combines a variety of skill sets and disciplines, and positions them for success in the job market."
"At RIT, we believe accessible, affordable, and high-quality education can change lives, shape the future, and improve the world," commented James C. Hall, dean of RIT's University Studies Division and executive director and professor in the School of Individualized Study. "We are thrilled to provide this pathway to a high-value graduate degree more readily available for all who seek and need it."
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