Online Degrees, Certificates, and Courses

News

Coursera for Illinois Provides Free Access to Online Courses and Specializations | 7.31.2019

Coursera for Illinois, a program specifically for the Urbana-Champaign campus community, provides free access to Illinois’ 60+ noncredit online courses and specializations offered on the Coursera platform.
Created by our colleges, Coursera for Illinois courses are taught by our faculty and feature material from their on-campus courses and scholarly work. The courses are developed using best practices in online course design to create engaging, effective learning experiences. Course certificates can be shared on LinkedIn profiles or social media, and can be mentioned on a job application or resume.
“Our partnership with Coursera extends access to high-quality instruction and education to anyone in the world. The Illinois courses are designed to create virtual transformative learning experiences that advance individuals in their knowledge, passions, talents and careers,” said Provost Andreas Cangellaris. “Now, with Coursera for Illinois, we are excited to extend those same opportunities to our own faculty, staff and students. We hope this program empowers them to further fulfill their goals and dreams.”
With Coursera for Illinois, we are putting an Illinois education in the hands of anyone in the world. The courses available enable you to advance your career, explore an interest, or expand your skill set. By completing a series of courses, you can earn a course certificate which can be used to share your accomplishments, highlight a new skill, and gain knowledge to further share with employers and peers.
About Coursera
Coursera was founded in 2012 by two Stanford Computer Science professors who wanted to share their knowledge and skills with the world. Professors Daphne Koller and Andrew Ng put their courses online for anyone to take – and taught more learners in a few months than they could have in an entire lifetime in the classroom.
Since then, they’ve built a platform where anyone, anywhere can learn and earn credentials from the world’s top universities and education providers.
About Illinois Online
At the University of Illinois, we continue to lead and explore innovations in higher education that build on our academic reputation and proven strengths in online teaching and learning. Longevity and experience have made us a pioneer and leader in innovative distance and online education, and we are always integrating new best practices, regardless of the modality. Our world-renowned faculty and award-winning content developers have worked collaboratively to develop more than 90 online degree and certificate options and more than 1700 Online Course Sections for learners across the globe.
For more information about this Coursera for Illinois program, visit online.illinois.edu/online-courses/moocs.

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University of Illinois College of Applied Health Sciences Launches Open Online Course in Accessibility and Inclusive Design on Coursera | 7.8.2019

Urbana, Ill. - The University of Illinois College of Applied Health Sciences has launched an online course that allows students to explore the fundamentals of accessibility and inclusive design on Coursera, the world’s largest open online education provider. An Introduction to Accessibility and Inclusive Design is taught by the university’s top faculty and is accessible to anyone.
This course introduces some of the fundamental principles of accessibility and prepares learners for further study in accessibility and inclusive design. Learners will have an opportunity to explore the major types of disabilities and related assistive technology and adaptive strategies, the most salient contours of the legal landscape, and major principles that guide universal design and accessible content creation. Spotlight guest videos will highlight firsthand perspectives on disability, as well as topics like disability etiquette, universal design and universal design for learning, accommodation in higher education, campus accessibility policy, and accessibility in a corporate setting.
Illinois’ courses on the Coursera platform, created by our colleges, and taught by Illinois faculty, feature material from their on-campus courses and scholarly work. The courses are developed using best practices in online course design to create engaging, effective learning experiences.
About Illinois Online
At the University of Illinois, we continue to lead and explore innovations in higher education that build on our academic reputation and proven strengths in online teaching and learning. Longevity and experience have made us a pioneer and leader in innovative distance and online education, and we are always integrating new best practices, regardless of the modality. Our world-renowned faculty and award-winning content developers have worked collaboratively to develop more than 90 online degree and certificate options and more than 1700 Online Course Sections for learners across the globe.
About Coursera
Coursera partners with over 120 top universities and educational institutions to offer hundreds of online courses and Specializations in topics from computer science to social psychology and beyond. Earn certificates from prestigious learning institutions for courses and projects developed in collaboration with top employers that teach the skills you need to succeed. Whether you want to advance your career or pursue a passion, Coursera provides open online education for everyone. For more information on Coursera, visit www.coursera.org.

To enroll visit https://www.coursera.org/learn/accessibility.

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Siebel offering to pay for Illinois Master of Computer Science Degree in Data Science | 6.7.2019

Thomas Siebel, University of Illinois Alum, has offered to pay for his employees at C3.ai to earn a master's degree in computer science online. Read more at http://cs.illinois.edu/news/c3ai-provides-employees-access-university-illinois-master-computer-science-degree-data-science.

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Online companion animal nutrition certificate program launches at Illinois | 5.14.2019

The Department of Animal Sciences in the College of Agricultural, Consumer, and Environmental Sciences has launched a Companion Animal Nutrition Certificate. Read the article about the launch of this exciting new program or learn more about how to enroll.

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Events

Date	Event
10.21.2019	Priority Time Tickets for Spring 2020 Registration Available (?)
11.4.2019	Priority Registration for Winter & Spring Semesters Begins (?)
12.1.2019	Fall Break (November 23 - December 1) (?)
12.11.2019	Last Day of Fall Classes (?)

Online Illinois Calendar

Blogs

Spice Up Your Summer With One of Our Online Courses | 5.2.2019

Summer is quickly approaching, which means tasty barbeques, crackling bonfires, and best of all, online courses! If you’re still looking for something to fill your time this summer, or simply want to get ahead or learn something new, consider registering for one of our many online courses.

Online summer courses are a great way to get ahead in your studies or to catch up if you’re a little behind. Not only can you take a class from anywhere in the world, a majority of them offer a flexible class schedule that allows you to work at your own pace. With such a large offering of courses, online courses are also a great way to learn about subjects that are relevant and interesting specifically to you. We’ve highlighted a few of the courses being offered this summer below!

ATMS 140: Climate and Global Change

You may have heard a lot about climate change over the past couple of years, but do you know the major factors behind it? In ATMS 140, students will examine the physical, chemical, biological, and social factors contributing to global change. Students will also learn the steps being taken to combat climate change, as well as the little things they can do to aid the fight.

GEOL 100: Planet Earth

Are you interested in natural disasters and how they’re formed? How about learning more about the formation of life on Earth, including Dinosaurs? We have the perfect course for you! GEOL 100 will introduce non-science majors to physical and historical aspects of our planet Earth. While you may call Earth home, you’d be surprised at how much you don’t know about it, and how much there is to learn.

ASTR 100: Introduction to Astronomy

Not traveling anywhere this summer? Register for ASTR 100 online and take a trip to outer-space! This course will cover topics including the night sky, the nature and evolution of stars, and the origin of the solar system. Everybody’s wanted to be an Astronaut at some point in their life, so why not explore outer space while you can?

PHIL 102: Logic and Reasoning

Have you ever had a friend who was unnaturally good at winning arguments? Well, now’s your chance to finally learn the skills to take them down. PHIL 102 will allow students to study logical reasoning, and learn techniques for analyzing and criticizing arguments. Now’s your chance to finally learn how to win that argument, take advantage!

Theatre 101: Introduction to Theatre Arts

Immerse yourself in the art of theatre this summer in THEA 101! This course will give you an introduction to the arts of theater including acting, design, directing, dramaturgy, and playwriting. You’ll be a theatre buff before you know it!

While we’ve highlighted several excellent online courses above, there are many more interesting courses to choose from. Check out the rest of the courses offered at https://online.illinois.edu/online-courses/summer-session.

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Student Testimonial: How Online Courses Helped Me Stay on Track and Graduate on Time | 2.22.2019

As an incoming freshman at the University of Illinois, I had no clue what I wanted to major in. I spent my freshman year in the division of general studies trying to figure out the right fit for me. At the end of the year, I made the decision to declare as an economics major. This wasn’t an indication that I had figured it all out, but more of an attempt to try and solidify some part of my future. I was in economics for about a year before I realized that it wasn’t the right major for me. As a musician, I felt that I needed a major that would give me more of an outlet to express my creativity. I again went searching for what I thought was the right major for me. During my search, I stumbled upon advertising, and realized that it was the perfect fit. If I wanted to make the switch to advertising, it would mean prolonging the time it took for me to graduate by another year. I was torn between majoring in something I knew I would love, or possibly sacrificing my happiness to graduate on time. After talking with my academic advisor, she informed me that graduating on time could be possible with the help of some online summer and winter courses.

Over my remaining two years of school I took multiple online courses both during the semester and during the winter and summer sessions. When I first took an online course during the summer session, I thought that I would be overwhelmed trying to balance a fast pace course and a full time job. I was pleasantly surprised to find that I had time to complete my coursework, work full time, and enjoy plenty of time with my friends and family. During the winter session, my business management class was condensed into four weeks, but I never felt overwhelmed at any time and still had plenty of time to enjoy my break. Online courses during the semester helped me to fit more credit hours into my schedule while ensuring I wouldn’t spend hours in a classroom every day. I was able to add more classrooms to my semester while learning interesting material at the same time. Without online courses at Illinois, I wouldn’t be walking this spring or starting a job this fall. Without online courses, I would still be an economics major, most likely never discovering my love for the advertising industry. I encourage every student to take an online course while in college, whether it’s to help you get ahead or simply to learn more while you have the chance.

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A look into Information, Accessibility, Design, and Policy at Illinois | 12.5.2018

In collaboration with the Division of Disability Resources and Educational Services, the College of Applied Health Sciences continues our pioneering efforts on behalf of the full inclusion of people with disabilities by developing the very first university-based professional certificate in Information Accessibility Design and Policy.

The person that transformed the University of Illinois’ policies for people with disabilities: Tim Nugent. “Tim Nugent was a pioneer for disability rights and accessibility, founding a first-of-its-kind program at the University of Illinois, leading research efforts, and advocating for changes that would have influence well beyond the campus ”(Illinois News Bureau).

To honor Nugent and his many innovations, we are Introducing the Timeline of Disability & Accessibility by IADP at Illinois. Dr. Nugent achieved a number of significant “firsts” in serving people with disabilities at the University of Illinois.

1949: First National Wheelchair Basketball Tournament & Founded NWBA
Nugent created the first National Wheelchair Basketball Tournament which lead to the creation of the NWBA to provide a year-round structure to wheelchair basketball” (NWBA).

1950: The first curb cuts at a post-secondary institution
“Curb cuts on campus promote accessibility for people in wheelchairs and can also serve as a directional guide for the blind” (Illinois Archives).

1952: The first fixed-routine buses with wheelchair lifts.
“When students first came to the Champaign-Urbana campus, there were two transportation options available: push to class or schedule a ride with someone who had a car. In 1952, that changed when the "Blue Bulls," two buses with hydraulic lifts, made their debut. Seats on one side were removed to allow wheelchair access to the remaining row of seats and to accommodate storage. These buses laid the groundwork for accessible metropolitan transportation systems now available nationwide” (Illinois Archives).

1959: The first and still only residential program to serve students with severe disabilities who require assistance in performing daily living tasks and the first state-of-the-art residential hall integrating students with and without disabilities in a unique living-learning community. Otherwise known as the “Illinois Program Model.”

“Division of Disability Resources and Educational Services (DRES) and the Greenbrier Nursing Home of Champaign built the hall Tanbier. Disability support services personnel at the University of Illinois sought to create a means by which students who needed assistance with activities of daily living could move away from home, reside in the Champaign-Urbana community, attend the University of Illinois, and become better prepared to manage their disability-related needs and move to the locale of the best available employment opportunity after graduation” (An Exploration into the Barriers and Facilitators Experienced by University Graduates with Disabilities Requiring Personal Assistance Services). Photo: Tim Nugent Hall is a LEED certified hall and houses mostly upper-division undergraduates, and the first floor is home to the Beckwith Residential Community program for students with severe physical disabilities.

1961: The first study abroad program for students with disabilities
Sweden’s Central Committee on Rehabilitation awarded Nugent as an “outstanding expert in rehabilitation.” This funded Illinois’ DRES program to fund the first post-secondary institution to organize national and international trips for individuals with disabilities, host workshops, and provide demos dispelling negative, stereotypical attitudes & beliefs about persons with disabilities” (The History of Discrimination in U.S. Education).

1962: 18 wheelchair-using students and alumni traveled to South Africa in 1962 to show what these students with disabilities and alumni had accomplished.

1965: The University of Illinois piloted its first study abroad program to Auix-en-Providence, France, for disabled university students.

1973: Tim Nugent is inducted into the Wheelchair Basketball Hall of Fame.
“Always a visionary, Dr. Nugent expanded wheelchair basketball beyond the VA hospitals to bring structure to the sport and create worldwide adoption and acceptance for wheelchair basketball. That acceptance has seen the sport grow into one that is now competed on the program of the Paralympic Games and Parapan Am Games, and which has been enjoyed by millions of people.”

1984: The first college-level adapted sports and recreation program. This produced the first wheelchair athlete in the world to win the Olympics. Sharon Hedrick, won a gold track medal at the Olympic Games by breaking the world record. She finished with a time of 2:15.73 in the 800m wheelchair. She successfully defended this title at the following games in South Korea.

About Illinois Online
At Illinois, we understand that today’s learners want and need options for their education and we are leading the way in innovative higher education delivery modalities. From high school students pursuing online math programs to residential students taking an online course to improve their time to degree to working professionals who want or need certifications, to career changers pursuing a fully online degree, to personal curiosity from someone who wants to explore a subject area. Illinois offers an extensive range of online academic options to students around the globe including 90+ Online Degree, Certificate and Endorsement Programs, 1700+ Online Course Sections, Online Learners from Across the Globe and 3.2 million MOOC Learners (Massive Open Online Courses). For more information visit: https://online.illinois.edu/.

About IADP
Through the professional certificate program in Information Accessibility Design and Policy (IADP), website developers, programmers, designers, information technology specialists, compliance officers, educators, and disability service providers will learn about the following: Principles of accessible information architecture and universal design information technologies used in educational, healthcare, corporate, and employment settings. Federal and state legal mandates governing information technology accessibility and their relationship to the civil rights of people with disabilities. Information technology accessibility standards, design practices that enable adherence to those standards, and tools that support validation and evidence of compliance to those standards. Each certificate requires the completion of three graduate courses (2 hours each, a total of 6 hours). For more information visit: http://iadp.ahs.illinois.edu/.

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Take Online Courses This Winter Break | 10.26.2018

It seems like the school year just began, but the end of the semester is starting to creep up on us. During this time, students are beginning to decide what they want to do during their winter break. If you have no plans, or even if you do, consider taking an online course during your time off! Winter courses allow students to stay on track or get ahead by providing them with a flexible and beneficial learning experience while learning valuable skills such as time management and goal setting. These courses run from December 21 through January 12 can fulfill requirements for your major or allow you to maximize your time with an interesting course! Below are a few, but not all, of the courses you can take this winter!

Econ 102 & 103: Economics 102 and 103 are courses that many majors on campus require for graduation. ECON 102 (Microeconomics) offers an introduction to the functions of individualistic decision makers, both consumers and producers, within the larger economic systems. ECON 103 (Macroeconomics) provides students with a much broader overview of economics including an introduction to the theory of determination of total or aggregate income, employment, output, price levels, and the role of money in the economy. If you’re looking to get one of these courses out of the way, or simply want to take an interesting and useful general education class, consider taking one of these this winter break.

ASTR 100: If you were one of the many kids who dreamt of being an astronaut one day, then this course is for you! ASTR 100 introduces students to the basic topics of modern astronomy including the night sky, the solar system and its origin, the nature and evolution of stars, and even black holes. This course not only satisfies a gen ed requirement but also provides you with interesting and useful material that you can use to impress your friends for years to come.

BADM Courses: Illinois offers a number of Business Administration courses during the winter semester including BADM 310, 320, 380, and more! A number of majors require or recommend their students take a BADM course, and the winter session is a great way for students to use their free time over winter break to accomplish this. BADM courses are also highly beneficial for any major on campus and will provide interesting material for any student. Check out all of the BADM courses offered this winter break here.

GEOG 204: If you’re stuck at home this winter break, let GEOG 204 take you around the world! This course examines ten major regions of the world, allowing students to explore the significant urban patterns and processes, built and natural environments, and social, economic, and cultural landscapes of each. Don’t let your winter break go to waste! Register for GEOG 204 and explore the world.

The courses listed above are just a few of the many courses that we offer during winter break! Visit our website to view our course catalog, and to learn more about why you should choose Illinois Online this winter break. Whether you want to get ahead, stay on track, or simply take an interesting course, our winter session is perfect for you.

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Access free online courses with Coursera for Illinois

An Introduction to Accessibility and Inclusive Design

Online M.S. Health Communication

Online M.A. in Translation & Interpreting

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