edX MicroMasters programs cover up to 50% of a full master's degree curriculum, and they're a fraction of the price
- edX is an online education nonprofit founded by Harvard and MIT to help reduce education costs. The platform offers full online master's degrees, as well as MicroMasters, which are programs that cover 25% to 50% of a university's master's degree curriculum.
- The master's degrees students receive online through edX are identical to on-campus degrees, and credits from MicroMasters can be used to cut down on the time and cost of a full master's program by being converted into an accelerated pathway later.
- edX offers 55 MicroMasters that typically range from $1,000 to $1,500. You can find a full FAQ with insight from edX's founder and CEO, Anant Agarwal, below.
edX, an online learning nonprofit with 25 million students, was founded by Harvard and MIT to bring two things to higher education that are distinctly lacking in traditional academia: wide accessibility, and (relative) affordability.
edX partners with many of the world's top 90 universities, nonprofits, NGOs, and corporations — including its founders, Harvard and MIT. Unlike many in-person learning options, most edX courses are free to audit with the option of paying a low fee to gain access to graded homework, unlimited access to course materials, and a certificate of completion.
Beyond individual courses on topics that range from learning how to efficiently learn to analytics modeling, edX also has entirely online postgraduate programs like its master's and MicroMasters programs. The master's programs confer degrees that are identical to on-campus programs, and the MicroMasters can be applied later to full master's degree programs on-campus or online to get students into a cost- and time-effective accelerated track.
Each is a fraction of the price of on-campus instruction; edX's 15 master's programs range from just $9,900 to $25,850, and its MicroMasters range from $1,000 to $1,500 and account for 25% to 50% of a full master's program.
Below, you'll find answers to MicroMasters FAQs, with insight from edX founder and CEO Anant Agarwal.
Can students complete a full master's degree entirely online, or are only portions of a master's degree available online?
edX students can complete a full master's entirely online. The company offers 15 straightforward master's degree programs. You enroll, complete the program, and earn the same master's degree you would on campus.
Its MicroMasters programs, on the other hand, can lead to a master's degree but do not necessarily. They're focused on acting as a stepping stone toward credit in a full master's degree, or to strengthen stand-alone skills that help learners advance in their careers.
According to Agarwal though, all of the site's master's degrees also include a MicroMasters. So, learners could choose to do a MicroMasters program first to make sure it's the right fit. Then, if they choose to apply to and pursue the full degree after, their MicroMasters program will count towards the degree requirements, as long as they are accepted into the program.
How many MicroMasters programs are there?
There are 55 MicroMasters programs on edX currently. Topics range from MBA Core Curriculum to Corporate Innovation to Water and Global Human Health. MIT's Supply Chain Management program was the MicroMasters pilot, and it remains one of the most popular options.
Who is a MicroMasters program a good fit for?
A MicroMasters is for anyone, but it's particularly well suited for people who have a bachelor's or associate's degree and either want to begin a pathway towards a master's degree or simply want a career-focused certificate to help them launch a new career or move up in the one they have.
What's the average time commitment of a MicroMasters certificate program?
Most programs involve 4 to 8 hours per week, and take 6 to 12 months to complete, depending on how many courses are in the program.
On average, what percentage of a full master's program is represented in edX's online MicroMasters programs?
MicroMasters programs typically represent 25% to 50% of a full master's degree.
How close is a university's online curriculum to its in-person curriculum?
It depends on the university that's offering the program, but edX's online master's degree programs should have the same quality and rigor as their campus degree programs. The degree you get upon graduation does not say "online" on the diploma — it's identical to the degree conferred upon graduates of an on-campus program, according to Agarwal.
You've finished an edX MicroMasters program and now want to pursue a full master's degree from the same university that offered it online. Do you have a better chance of getting in?
Maybe. You've certainly got an edge.
Universities are able to evaluate your performance in the MicroMasters program when they're evaluating master's degree applications.
"Successful completion of the MicroMasters program signals an applicant's commitment to learning," Agarwal says. "It also demonstrates an applicant's ability to tackle rigorous, master's-level content and thus succeed in the master's program." In other words, it shows you're a serious candidate who is capable of succeeding at this level.
Is an accelerated master's track guaranteed for students who complete a MicroMasters and are in good standing?
If you've successfully earned a MicroMasters program certificate, you can apply to an on-campus or online master's that's a "credit pathway" for that MicroMasters program. Once you're accepted, you can apply your program certificate toward a segment of the full master's degree, thus reducing your cost and time commitments significantly.
How much is an edX MicroMasters degree on average?
Most MicroMasters programs are priced between $1,000 and $1,500.
How is a MicroMasters billed? Can you buy one course at a time?
It's a one-time fee. You can buy courses on an individual basis, but if you bundle all the courses in the program at once, you'll typically save 10% overall.
All courses in edX MicroMasters programs are free to try, so learners can test it out before deciding to pay to upgrade to the verified track.
Does edX offer financial assistance?
Yes. edX offers financial assistance for learners in need whose goal is to earn a verified certificate.
According to the website, edX offers up to a 90% discount on verified certificates to learners who cannot afford to pay full price. Enroll in the course as an audit learner, and then complete the financial assistance application.
Will students who pay for a MicroMasters program always have access to the MicroMasters program materials?
Yes.
Do edX's MicroMasters programs cap enrollment at a certain number of learners? And how do they maintain individual attention for students?
No, just like all edX programs and courses, there's no enrollment cap.
According to Agarwal, they're designed "from the ground up to be delivered at scale to thousands of students," and the site supports more than 50 different assessment and learning tools that instructors use to engage with students and test individual knowledge.