MicroMasters: the pursuit of the Holy Grail in online learning

In the MOOC world new concepts hatch every month, trying to find the Holy Grail of online learning. Last year edX adopted the new MIT concept of a MicroMasters credential: a series of graduate level courses offered by top universities to advance their career. The credential is credit-eligible and can accelerate a Master’s Degree if the learner is admitted. Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) decided to join this new development after an extensive elaboration on TU Delft’s online course design, educational and assessment policies, involvement of stakeholders inside and outside the organization and the underlying business model. The aim of this paper is to describe the lessons learnt in this process (adoption, development and running of the MicroMaster), its implications on TU Delft’s ambitions in open and online learning and the effect on campus programme admission and enrolment. This paper will focus on the Solar Energy Engineering MicroMasters, a programme of four MOOCs and a capstone project. Learners following the whole programme and successfully finish their exam receive a MicroMasters credential. Learners who apply to the Master of Science program Sustainable Energy Technology (SET) or the Master of Science program Electrical Engineering (track: Electrical Power Engineering) holding this credential, can send a formal ECTS waiver request to get accepted for part of the on campus Master Programme at TU Delft.