Harvard Extension School and The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) announced a collaboration designed to give students the opportunity to pursue a Master of Liberal Arts (ALM) degree at Harvard Extension School after completing their MITx MicroMasters program. The new MicroMasters Program credential (MM) pathway will stack to one of the following three fields of study: Management, Sustainability, or Development Practice.
“Through this collaboration, we will gain highly qualified, self-motivated students who have already proven they have the academic ability and drive to achieve our degrees,” said Huntington D. Lambert, Dean of Harvard’s Division of Continuing Education and University Extension. “MIT cannot admit all of the qualified students who apply to their related master’s program and together we wanted to provide them a Harvard Extension School option. Harvard Extension School decided to offer a path for MITx’s MicroMasters program students who are interested in pursuing the Extension School’s management, development practice, or sustainability fields of study.”
A MicroMasters is a credential that refers to a series of online graduate-level courses from top universities that provide deep learning in a specific field. Generally, this series of courses is anywhere from three to five courses (25% to 50% of a master’s degree).
Through this collaboration, we will gain highly qualified, self-motivated students who have already proven they have the academic ability and drive to achieve our degrees.
Huntington D. Lambert, Dean of Harvard’s Division of Continuing Education and University Extension
The pathway is available to students who have earned the MicroMasters Program credential and have an accredited bachelor’s degree. For admission as a degree candidate at the Extension School, students would complete the MITx MicroMasters Program, take one course at Harvard Extension School, and then become eligible for admissions to the related Harvard Extension graduate program.
Students would need to successfully complete seven more Harvard Extension School graduate-level courses to be eligible to graduate. In addition to providing access to great students, this path lowers the cost of the Harvard Extension School master’s degree, continuing its tradition of creating increased access to adult part-time learners.
The MITx MicroMasters credential program opens up a semesters-worth of graduate-level courses from MIT to anyone willing to learn. They can master new skills that will advance their careers without interrupting their careers, and without leaving home.
Krishna Rajagopal, MIT Dean for Digital Learning, Open Learning
Students who earn the Supply Chain Management MicroMasters Program credential can use these credits for admission to the Extension School graduate programs in management and sustainability. MITx’s MicroMasters Program credential in Data, Economics, and Development Policy (DEDP) will count toward admission for the ALM in development practice.
“The MITx MicroMasters credential program opens up a semesters-worth of graduate-level courses from MIT to anyone willing to learn. They can master new skills that will advance their careers without interrupting their careers, and without leaving home,” said Krishna Rajagopal, MIT Dean for Digital Learning, Open Learning. “By adding Harvard Extension School and expanding the overall number of pathway institutions, the MITx MicroMasters credential program gives learners from across the globe even more opportunities to apply their credential toward a blended Master’s program of their choice.”
MicroMasters Program credential earners can enroll in the required admission course beginning November 13, 2018, when Harvard Extension School registration opens, with classes starting on January 28, 2019. The ALM application opens in March 2019, with admission decisions sent out in June.
