In May of 2013, the Georgia Institute of Technology stunned the educational world by announcing plans to offer the first ever Master’s degree program via Massive Open Online Course (MOOC). MOOCs are online courses that encourage potentially thousands of students around the globe to learn via open access of course information. For just $6600, students will be enrolled with the university, complete their degree using MOOCs, and obtain a degree from a prestigious university. Until this program, most MOOCs were only available for general knowledge, creating a two tiered system where only students with the funds could gain a degree.

While a degree oriented MOOC may best explored after Georgia Tech’s inaugural semester, MOOCs provide benefits to participating universities that expand well past student admissions. Universities worldwide are exploring the benefits of MOOCs and for good reason. MOOCs offer universities a unique chance to promote their services while engaging non-traditional students.

Free Advertising

When the Massachusetts Institute of Technology released OpenCourseWare, providing free online classes to the public, the Internet went wild with anticipation and attendance. Social media sites like Reddit and Facebook saw users promoting and sharing MIT’s free classes. OpenCourseWare not only provided a valuable service to the public but it was heavily publicized and lauded by the media.

Quality content is a needed addition the online community. While anyone can contribute a Wikipedia article, providing trustworthy, intensive coursework is a great way to educate the general population regardless of finances. Users recognize and appreciate the efforts of university MOOCs and promote them to friends and family. This word of mouth promotion system benefits users and universities.

Lower Cost for Lower Operating Expenses

Many universities are hesitant to provide free content to the public, concerned that the end result would be university’s race to the bottom of the educational price point. The fact is, MOOCs cost considerably less than campus classes.

Online students do not require the resources of traditional students. Universities require overhead for athletic teams, student organizations, and other campus offerings. MOOC students attend pre-recorded lectures and are encouraged to use the extensive resources online for additional help before turning to a professor. Many MOOC programs even award points to content users who help their fellow students, encouraging collaborative learning. This allows professors to share their knowledge with more students for considerably less than traditional students.

Expand Your Reach

Restrictions such as student visas prevent universities from reaching out to students worldwide. Traditional campuses often have trouble even supporting working adults and parents. The costs associated with providing night classes or compiling paperwork for international students prevents universities from aiding millions of students. MOOCs bypass these hurdles entirely.

MOOC students complete their learning on their own terms. Some may hurry through a course, completing it in less than a semester, while others learn slowly, processing the information at their own pace. This allows busy adults to ‘attend’ classes when it fits with their schedule and their life.

MOOCs also offer a unique opportunity for educators to reach current professionals. While the primary focus of universities naturally shifts more towards young adults, there is an untapped audience in working professionals who want to expand their knowledge and skills but not necessarily to obtain a degree. Whether this is a cost-based decision or simply an interest in exploring another field, MOOCs offer these professionals an opportunity to learn a new skill or expand their current knowledge.

While data on the return on investment of MOOCs is still being compiled, the obvious benefits for a university are clear. MOOCs require little startup cost but introduce the work being done on campuses to the public. MOOCs are an educational olive branch that promotes goodwill and offers flexible education to the public.

This post was written by Ken Myers