IT has been working hard on introducing the new Computer Science and Data Science graduate programs to Coursera. Coursera is one of the world’s largest online learning platforms. 

In an article provided by the Ball State University Press Center, President Mearns spoke highly on the program and its importance to the university and Indiana as a whole.  

“As a nationally recognized leader in delivering quality, innovative online degrees, as well as a top institution for social mobility, this partnership with Coursera is a natural next step for us to expand higher education access,” Mearns said. “We are proud to offer these two new, affordable master’s degrees in high-demand fields as we respond to workforce needs in our own state of Indiana and beyond.” 

Mark Watters, Director of the Enterprise Project Support Office, speaks on the major role IT played in its support for Ball State adding the innovative programs to Coursera.  

“The project was a huge lift for all parties involved. We have different requirements for these online students, so our standard process for graduate enrollment had to be reviewed and tweaked. That was very time consuming and required lots of conversations,” says Watters. 

Tyler Newlin, the Development Graduate Assistant at Digital Corps, is currently enrolled in the Data Science program at Ball State University on Coursera. He shared his experience in the program so far, being one of the first students enrolled in the online program. 

“I like the user interface of Coursera, and the way the classes are set up. I’ve always loved learning at my own pace and creating my own schedule, it’s always been easier for me. I prefer classes where the learning is supposed to be self-motivating, and the professors being our main resource,” said Newlin. 

Our partnership with Coursera is a pivotal moment for Ball State and its future in education. Thank you to everyone who has contributed to this effort.