The job market is extremely competitive, and students must do everything within their power to stand out among not only their peers at WT, but also nationwide. Large corporations typically recruit from many university campuses, and have the luxury of being able to pick from the very best nationwide, not from just a few local standouts. Thus, it behooves students to acquire extra skills beyond their diploma, such as how to use Qualtrics as a survey-making tool in Marketing, or SPSS to analyze data.
But it is also important for the College of Business to provide opportunities for students to acquire the skills that industry desires. That’s why when a call for proposals last spring was issued by the Texas A&M University System to possibly be included in a Coursera Integration Pilot Program among sister schools in the System, the COB seized the opportunity. Specifically, the CFP included the potential to integrate certification courses into curriculum so that students could gain industry-relevant skills.
“The faculty collaborated and submitted a compelling proposal application. Out of the five colleges selected by the system, the Engler College of Business was one,” said Dr. Amjad Abdullat, Dean of the College. “The reviewers praised our specific plan to embed certifications into our programs, its alignment with the Engler Edge program, and its focus on skills students need for the job market.”
As a result, the COB has full access to nearly 500 certification courses offered by Coursera, which students can cherry pick to their liking, or professors can include in their courses. Students can thus leave with one or more acclaimed certifications along with their diploma. The trial period lasts for one academic year.
“Within the pilot program, Coursera is offering 493 courses within 33 specific specializations. Some of those specializations include Digital Marketing, Project Management, Data Analyst, Social Media Marketing, Marketing Analyst, UX Designer, Cybersecurity Professional and many more,” said Dr. Mary Liz Brooks, Associate Professor of Digital Business and Communication and the faculty lead on this initiative.
Coursera, a third-party aggregator and provider of certificate and training courses, has a deep catalog that reflects content created by well-known industry giants. “Some courses offer professional certificates (53 certificates are offered) upon passing completion of the course. A sample of professional certificates offered include Google Data Analytics, Google Digital Marketing and e-Commerce, IBM Data Engineering, and Meta Data Analyst. Additionally, Coursera also offers more than 100 Guided Projects that can be embedded into courses similar to a hands-on project,” she added.
“A crucial aspect of our successful application was our commitment to making these certifications accessible to our students. During the pilot phase, the Engler College of Business will have 1,000 licenses at no cost to students,” Abdullat went on. “This commitment to providing valuable, industry-recognized certifications at no additional cost to our students was a significant factor in our selection.”
Exactly how professors will utilize Coursera is up to them. “Faculty who are participating in this pilot program have the flexibility to offer and integrate the Coursera courses in any way they see fit within their existing courses,” Brooks explained. “Some professors may choose to use Coursera as part of a flipped classroom environment where students view the Coursera videos on their own time and then attend class to discuss with the larger group what they learned. Some professors may even use Coursera as homework.”
Abdullat argues that the program will be of great benefit to students, and also set the COB apart from other institutions. “By incorporating Coursera certification courses, the Engler COB will set itself apart from other schools in several ways:
- We’ll offer our students access to cutting-edge, industry-designed courses that teach in-demand skills, ensuring our curriculum remains current and aligned with rapidly evolving industry needs.
- The modular nature of these certifications will allow for greater flexibility in our program design, enabling students to customize their learning paths.
- The Coursera partnership will enhance our reputation as a forward-thinking institution that bridges the gap between academic theory and practical application.”
Both Abdullat and Brooks are convinced that these courses will boost students’ confidence, make them more competitive in the job market, and provide them with tangible proof of their skills. “This partnership with Coursera represents a significant step forward for the Engler COB. We’re excited about the opportunities this will create for our students and look forward to seeing the positive impact on their educational and professional journeys,” Abdullat concluded.
Dr. Brooks recently appeared on an episode of BuffSpeak, the official podcast of the Engler College of Business, in which she spoke at length about the Coursera program. The episode can be found here.