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MITx MicroMasters celebrates 10 years of reimagining graduate-level education

MITx MicroMasters celebrates 10 years of reimagining graduate-level education

From personal stories of achievement to research that has transformed teaching and learning, learn more about the impact of the credential program developed in collaboration with MIT Open Learning and MIT departments.
MITx MicroMasters learners from the past 10 years. Image: MIT Open Learning
MIT Open Learning

By Duyen Nguyen

This October marks an extraordinary milestone — ten years since MIT announced the groundbreaking MITx MicroMasters program.

Offering learners everywhere a flexible and affordable pathway to a master’s degree, the MITx MicroMasters program began as a bold experiment in reimagining the graduate admissions process: learners who pass one or more proctored exams after completing a semester’s worth of graduate-level online courses, taught by MIT instructors, can accelerate their pursuit of an advanced degree — becoming more academically prepared while saving time and money.

Participants in the pilot program in supply chain management (SCM) who earned the MicroMasters academic credential could apply for admission to MIT’s master’s degree program in SCM. Those who were admitted received course credit for the work they had completed online.

Today, the MITx MicroMasters program has expanded to include the high-demand areas of data, economics, and design of policy; principles of manufacturing; statistics and data science; finance; and supply chain management. More than 9,500 learners from around the world have earned a MicroMasters credential and many have gone on to pursue their graduate degrees at MIT and other top institutions, with over 50 pathway schools now granting academic credits to MITx Micromasters credential holders.

Here are seven inspiring MITx MicroMasters community stories from the past 10 years that showcase how access to education can empower people to improve their own lives and the lives of those around them.

Three construction works wearing safety vests and helmets are holding clipboards and pointing to the shipping containers surrounding them.
Image: MIT News

MIT’s first MicroMasters learners earn credentials (2017)

MIT’s inaugural MicroMasters program in supply chain management drew more than 180,000 learners of all ages, from around the world. More than 1,100 learners finished all five of the courses required to earn the MicroMasters credential.

Headshot photo of a man with a beard wearing a button-up shirt standing in front of a bookshelf.
Photo courtesy of Alan Al Yussef.

Turning an economics education into solutions with impact (2018)

The MITx MicroMasters program in Data, Economics, and Development Policy is an online series of courses designed for learners like Alan Al Yussef, who seek to have a direct impact on major social issues through an empirical, data-driven approach.

Photo: Yvonne Ng/MIT Open Learning

Learning from MIT, learning from the field (2019)

Robert Rains MS ’19 earned his master’s degree in supply chain management from MIT, despite his limited time and challenging location, by first earning an MITx MicroMasters credential online.

Screenshot of a man wearing glasses and a sweater speaking on a Zoom call, sharing a photo of an elementary school classroom.
Photo courtesy of the MITx MicroMasters completion ceremony.

Learners today, leaders tomorrow (2020)

On June 18, 2020, 609 learners celebrated the completion of MITx MicroMasters programs in Data, Economics, and Development Policy (DEDP), Principles of Manufacturing, and Statistics and Data Science in an online event hosted by MIT Open Learning. This was the first time cohorts from these three programs were recognized through a completion ceremony, bringing together learners from 82 countries who earned their credentials between 2018 and 2020.

Collage of hundreds of headshots.
Image: Arthur Grau

MITx MicroMasters Program in Supply Chain Management reaches 1 million enrollments (2022)

The landmark number, reached in September 2022, reflects both the success of the program and the changes transforming professional education as more learners turn to online programs to gain knowledge and improve their lives.

Headshot photo of a man wearing glasses and a button-up shirt, standing outside in front of trees.
Photo courtesy of Diogo da Silva Branco Magalhães.

“MIT can give you ‘superpowers’” (2023)

“You don’t need to be a superhero to participate in an MIT program, but MIT can give you ‘superpowers,’” says MITx MicroMasters credential earner who went on to pursue an accelerated graduate degree in data science.

Photo of a woman wearing a graduation cap and robe, holding a diploma.
Photo courtesy of Satik Movsesyan.

Advancing career and academic ambitions with MITx MicroMasters Program in Finance (2025)

“My story with the MITx MicroMasters Program is proof that no matter where you are — even if you’re in a small, developing country with limited resources — if you truly want to do something, you can achieve what you want,” says Satik Movsesyan, who completed the MITx MicroMasters Program in Finance following her graduation from the American University of Armenia in 2024.

In the coming year, we will celebrate the MITx MicroMasters 10th anniversary and all those who have learned with us. Dive deeper into the program’s impact and subscribe to our newsletter for the latest updates on anniversary events and activities.

MITx MicroMasters celebrates 10 years of reimagining graduate-level education was originally published in MIT Open Learning on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

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