Georgia Tech, Udacity Shock Higher Education With $7,000 Masters Degree

[cbdo2007]

Georgia Tech, Udacity Shock Higher Ed With $7,000 Degree

Georgia Institute of Technology has announced a partnership with Udacity to offer an online Masters Degree

in Computer Science for $7,000, down 80% from the existing cost of $40,000 for the on-campus, instructor led program. Suddenly, masters programs around the country will have to compete with Georgia Tech‘s $7,000 program, and that won’t be easy or fast in coming. The traditionally taught graduate degree in computer science at Georgia Tech is a very well regarded program that is in high demand and has very positive outcomes in terms of jobs and earnings. Georgia Tech graduates tend to do very well in earnings upon graduation, especially in computer science. Now students from around the world will be able to obtain the same degree online at an 80% discount – which is, no doubt, a sonic boom rattling the windows in the offices of college administrators across the country.

This is the kind of disruption that the higher education industry has been expecting and experimenting with using massively open online courses (MOOCs) for free that do not lead to a degree. Georgia Tech and Udacity made a bold move with this announcement. They changed the game by offering a sought after graduate degree through online instruction for 80% less than what the existing classroom curriculum costs, and employers are waiting for such graduates with good paying jobs.

An article written by Ry Rivard of Inside Higher Ed, characterized this move by Georgia Tech and Udacity as revolutionary:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/troyonink/2013/05/15/georgia-tech-udacity-shock-higher-ed-with-7000-degree/

[Yo_Mama]

1. Well, it's time something was done about the ridiculously high prices of education

Yeah, I know I'm an old fart, but what kids are paying nowadays makes no sense. I don't want it to end up that only rich kids can afford an education.

[Arugula Latte]

3. That already seems to be the way it is now.

The non-rich either forego college or wind up massively in debt.

(Yes, some exceptions, of course.)

[ForgoTheConsequence]

2. "employers are waiting for such graduates with good paying jobs."

Could have fooled me.

[formercia]

4. Now the H1B applicants can have a MS from Georgia Tech.....

They do have Internet service in India.

[Buzz Clik]

5. A lot of Indians have MS degrees from Georgia Tech.

[enlightenment]

6. Rivard's article does not categorize this as "revolutionary"

That phrase is a quote from the Georgia Tech Dean of Computer Science:

“You know there is a revolution going on, right?” Galil said in a telephone interview. “And we have been a part of this revolution, but I thought we could be leaders in this revolution by taking it to the next level, by doing the revolutionary step.”

http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2013/05/14/georgia-tech-and-udacity-roll-out-massive-new-low-cost-degree-program

This is nothing but a money making opportunity for Udacity and Georgia Tech - but hey, if the degree is all someone is interested in, this is the way to do it. A diploma mill.


edited for spelling!

[Logical]

11. Is Georgia tech a diploma mill? n-t

[enlightenment]

14. No.

Georgia Tech is a good school - but buying into this MOOC for credit concept is the equivalent. Read the article I linked. They are planning on having 10,000 students within three years and will be making heavy use of "mentors" (employees hired by Udacity) to run the classes because they admit they do not have - and will not have - adequate faculty.

Add to that there is no way, at this point, to adequately (note the word) assess student achievement in a MOOC - unless you consider peer-review adequate - and this idea becomes the equivalent of a diploma mill.

[MattBaggins]

7. And they will get hired by

absolutely no one.

[jmowreader]

8. So much for the value of Masters degrees

In the old days when high schools weren't strictly college prep, a high school diploma would get you a lot of jobs but you needed a BA for skilled positions.

The BA is the new high school diploma; my paper is advertising a LOT of jobs that require at least a MA or MS, that five years ago would have accepted a BA. But too many good people have a Bachelors degree so now it's not enough.

Give it five years...jobs that now require a MS will require a Ph.D. Seven thousand for an MS? You almost can't get a CDL for $7000. If diesel hits $5 per gallon it will be cheaper to get a Masters degree than a truck driver's license. And at that point it will fade into meaninglessness.

[Logical]

12. I think at times classrooms in college are a waste of time! n-t

[HiPointDem]

9. it's not revolutionary, it's education deform.

[Orrex]

10. Now that's some Udacity audacity!

[RebelOne]

13. My daughter just earned her master's degree from an online college

with $1,500 cash and a $2,000 grant.

[enlightenment]

15. Please understand that there is a difference

between standard "online" education and MOOCs. Your daughter most likely did not take courses with thousands of other students at the same time. She most likely was required to submit work for assessment and had a qualified individual assessing that work. If she did group work she did not choose her group from thousands of other students, some of whom were qualified to take a graduate level course and others who just signed up for chuckles . . . I could go on, but I think you get the idea.

There is a massive difference between what she did and what Udacity and Georgia Tech are proposing.

[NiteOwll]

16. At what school

can you get a master's degree for $3500? That's very cheap, even for online.