Experts at Google, Instagram, Snapdeal, Shazam, 500 Startups, SwiftKey, iHeartMedia and More Join Coursera to Add Industry Perspective in Applied Learning Experiences for Multi-Course Specializations
MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA--(Marketwired - Feb 11, 2015) - Leading companies are joining Coursera and its university partners to help create projects with real world applications for online learners. Experts at Google, Instagram and other companies are among the first industry partners to support the Capstone Projects for Coursera Specializations, which have enrolled hundreds of thousands of people worldwide.
Combining a curated series of courses with a final Capstone Project, Specializations help learners develop an expertise or master new skills with the best of university teaching and the real-time market perspective of top industry partners. Coursera currently offers Specializations from 19 university partners in fields including data science, digital marketing, music production, and global affairs.
Companies can now play an active role in educating aspiring professionals throughout their careers. In a job market that is increasingly filled with job descriptions that didn't exist a decade ago or less, workers and employers alike are recognizing the value of online certificates. A recent survey by the Career Advisory Board of 500 U.S. hiring managers reports that 87 percent are likely to consider nontraditional micro-credentials like Specializations Certificates valuable among job candidates.
"Approximately half of Coursera's learners come to us seeking knowledge to boost their careers, and that ratio is even higher in places like India where online learning certificates have gained early acceptance," said Rick Levin, CEO of Coursera and former President of Yale University. "Many of these learners didn't have the chance to attend a leading university, and others are several years out of college and need a way to gain essential new skills without dropping everything to go back to school full time. A Specialization is their chance to supplement the latest knowledge from universities with projects developed by companies at the top of their fields."
Coursera Capstones offer an applied learning experience to those who have completed all of the previous coursework in a Specialization. Companies help design projects with real world problems and in many cases provide direct feedback to top performers in the Capstone. At the end, learners are left with a project they can add to their portfolio that demonstrates industry proficiency to potential employers and the world.
"My courses on interaction design in college had a lasting impact on the design of Instagram, and my career," said Instagram co-founder Mike Krieger. "As our devices become increasingly powerful, it's essential that we create a generation of designers and builders who can help people around the world harness that power. I'm excited to see what a global classroom of students will design as part of this project."
The following companies and business leaders are supporting upcoming Specialization Capstones:
The first Capstones for Coursera Specializations were recently piloted with support from these companies:
For more information on each Specialization and Capstone Project, visit the individual Specialization pages at www.coursera.org/specializations.
About Coursera
Take free online classes from 115+ top universities and educational organizations. Coursera partners with schools like Stanford, Yale, Princeton, and others to offer courses in dozens of topics, from computer science to teaching and beyond. Whether you are pursuing a passion or looking to advance your career, Coursera provides open, free education for everyone.
For more information, visit www.coursera.org.
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