Do MOOCs (online courses) help in MS applications?

Are MOOCs (online courses) beneficial for MS applications?

A large number of students often question whether completing online courses or earning certificates will benefit their master's degree applications.

You can focus on enhancing specific competencies that will prove useful during your graduate studies through independent study or web-based platforms like MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses). Building strong projects through these programs is an effective way to demonstrate that you are a motivated, self-driven learner. They can also help make up for lower grades in related undergraduate coursework or bridge the gap if your formal education lacked subjects in your target field. For instance, if you are drawn to Computer Security but your university lacked sufficient elective options, you can complete such subjects via a MOOC. Although admissions panels may not heavily weigh MOOC grades, completing them highlights your dedication and strengthens your profile. Furthermore, abilities such as web development, perl scripting, and excel modeling can give you an edge when searching for on-campus employment and assistantships.

Below are the leading platforms offering premium free educational content:

• Udemy Free Courses – http://www.udemy.com/
• Stanford Free Courses – http://www.stanford.edu/
• UC Berkeley Free Courses – http://webcast.berkeley.edu/
• MIT Free Courses – http://ocw.mit.edu/index.htm
• Duke Free Courses – http://itunes.duke.edu/
• Harvard Free Courses – http://www.extension.harvard.edu/open-learning-initiative
• UCLA Free Courses – http://www.uclaextension.edu/index.jsp
• Yale Free Courses – http://oyc.yale.edu/
• Carnegie Mellon Free Courses – http://oli.web.cmu.edu/openlearning/
• ITunesU Free Courses – http://www.apple.com/education/itunes-u/

Although MOOCs are great for building abilities, possessing a completion certificate by itself may not have a major impact. This stems from concerns regarding verification and credibility, as there is no guarantee you personally completed the certification test rather than someone else. For this reason, do not view the certificate as your main goal; instead, focus on acquiring real knowledge and weaving that growth into your personal statement.

This excerpt comes from the MS Book: Smart Engineer’s Complete Guide to MS in USA, an acclaimed publication authored by Nistha Tripathi, Director of Scholar Strategy.