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Medill's Open Online Courses
Northwestern has partnered with the online learning platform Coursera to provide universal access to short courses in areas our faculty teach and research. Medill offers online courses in three areas of specialization – and all are open to any interested learner. The topics include Social Media Marketing, Content Strategy, Sports Marketing and Organizational Leadership, in cooperation with Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management, the School of Communication and the McCormick School of Engineering. These free massive open online courses, also known as MOOCs, are taught by our faculty and allow professionals to learn valuable skills to gain a leg up in their current careers or to decide to continue their education in Medill’s many degree-oriented programs.
Individual courses
Free courses
The free online courses can all be accessed at no cost. Simply select the individual course and register for the upcoming enrollment period that fits your schedule.
Course + Certificate
Each of the specializations listed above comprised three and five online courses. For an additional fee, participants may receive graded feedback and earn a Course Certificate upon successful completion of course requirements. Certificates provide official recognition of successful completion of the course.
Specialization
Specializations on Coursera are a premium-paid learning option designed to give participants deep mastery of a particular topic. Each specialization consists of a rigorous sequence of online courses, graded feedback and a hands-on capstone project to demonstrate participants' knowledge by tackling a real problem faced by professionals in the field. Participants who complete the courses and capstone will have produced professional-quality examples of their work to add to a resume or portfolio and will be even better prepared to apply their knowledge.
Specializations vary in length, with shorter specializations including as few as three courses and take two to three months to complete. Longer offerings include five or more courses and take up to six months. A Course Certificate will be awarded for each individual course and a Specialization Certificate will provide official recognition of completion of the entire sequence from Northwestern and Coursera.