Dartmouth Announces First Fully Online Degree on Coursera to Expand Access for Learners Worldwide

Only online Ivy League master’s in computer engineering aims to prepare the next generation of engineering leaders and combat talent shortage driven by the CHIPS Act

Dartmouth has partnered with Coursera, a leading online learning platform, to launch a fully online Master of Engineering in Computer Engineering (online MEng). The degree will cost $44,100, making it more affordable than the on-campus program. This marks the university’s first fully online degree and the first online Ivy League master’s degree in this topic.

The online MEng aims to produce engineering leaders who can advance emerging technologies, from nanotechnology and clean energy to self-driving cars and AI. By 2030, the U.S. will require 418,000 engineers. With the CHIPS Act, the semiconductor industry, in particular, could face an acute talent shortage, projecting 67,000 unfilled jobs by 2030. 26% of those are expected to be master’s-level engineers.

Dartmouth’s world-renowned faculty will teach students how to design, analyze, and build computing components, including sensors, for intelligent systems. They’ll implement information-extracting algorithms in specialized computer hardware and analyze data using machine learning, signal processing, and computer vision. Key human skills needed for management and leadership programs are integrated throughout the curriculum.

“From virtual assistants to virtual reality, intelligent systems are embedded in our everyday lives, and it is critical that engineers in our world understand both the technology and the human impact,” said Alexis Abramson, Dean of Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth. “With this new online degree, our goal is to make Dartmouth’s human-centered approach to engineering and high-impact programs within reach of more students — no matter where they work or live.”

To broaden access, the admissions committee will review online MEng applications holistically, considering background, statement of purpose, and even performance in online content, such as Dartmouth’s C Programming with Linux Specialization on Coursera. Applicants don’t need a bachelor’s degree in engineering but should have knowledge in core areas, including mathematics, programming, digital logic, and circuit fundamentals.

“We’re proud to expand our partnership with Dartmouth, which has reached learners in over 180 countries,” said Marni Baker Stein, Chief Content Officer of Coursera. “Amid a growing need for highly skilled, visionary engineering leaders, students worldwide can earn this Ivy League degree without upending their lives or careers. This life-changing credential, coupled with new skills and a robust professional network, can unlock doors for countless learners, enabling them to reshape our technological future.”

To prepare students for today’s hybrid workforce, the program balances global collaboration with self-guided learning — all within an agile methodology. Asynchronous online courses are paired with group projects that can be completed in two-week sprints to model real-world environments. Dartmouth’s faculty and staff will hold live sessions, staggered across time zones, to help students workshop challenges and find collaborative solutions.

Nearly 100% of graduates from Dartmouth Engineering’s master’s and Ph.D. programs secure employment within six months of graduation, with a starting salary of $123,600. More than 25% advance to C-suite positions within five to ten years. Alums become leaders at top global companies, including Boeing, Intel, and Google, while many found their own companies.

Coursera has expanded its degree portfolio to include more than 50 degrees from the world’s best universities, which currently serve more than 18,000 students. Dartmouth’s new degree closely follows recent announcements of other top institutions launching degrees on Coursera, including the University of California, Berkeley and several high-profile universities in India.

Applications for the online MEng are now open for the first cohort, which will start in March 2024. To learn more, visit https://www.coursera.org/degrees/meng-computer-engineering-dartmouth.

About Coursera

Coursera was launched in 2012 by two Stanford Computer Science professors, Andrew Ng and Daphne Koller, with a mission to provide universal access to world-class learning. It is now one of the largest online learning platforms in the world, with 129 million registered learners as of June 30, 2023. Coursera partners with over 300 leading university and industry partners to offer a broad catalog of content and credentials, including courses, Specializations, Professional Certificates, Guided Projects, and bachelor’s and master’s degrees. Institutions around the world use Coursera to upskill and reskill their employees, citizens, and students in fields such as data science, technology, and business. Coursera became a Delaware public benefit corporation and a B Corp in February 2021.

About Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth

Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth, founded in 1867, prepares the next generation of leaders to better the world through engineering education and research with human-centered impact. Dartmouth Engineering offers undergraduate and graduate degrees under a unified engineering department that fosters learning and discovery both within and across disciplines. Home to the nation's first PhD Innovation Program, Dartmouth Engineering is a leader in creating engineers with both technical and entrepreneurial expertise to tackle the most pressing issues of our time.

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