New Year’s Resolutions: love them, hate them, love to hate them – around this time of year, it can feel like there’s no escaping that “New Year, New You” mentality. While we don’t think you need to totally reinvent yourself come January, the start of a new year can be a great time to refresh, recommit to the things that are important to you, search for new opportunities, and learn new things. This sounds great in theory, but as a busy college student, it can be hard to commit to a full, semester-long course on a totally unfamiliar topic or one you’re not sure about.
Enter AlaskaX, our partnership with the open education platform edX. AlaskaX courses are MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) that give you a taste of different topics — from Behavioral Neuroscience to Social Work, Alaska Native languages to Sports Business, Microgrids to GIS systems — without the full commitment of a semester-long class.
Ok, but how is AlaskaX different from just taking UAF classes?
Here are a few reasons an AlaskaX course might be right for you:
- It’s free. This means you can explore different subjects without having to pay tuition. Curious about a topic but not sure if it’s really for you? With AlaskaX courses, you don’t have to worry about your credit load or tuition, so you can sample different topics as much as you’d like without worrying about paying for them. You have the option to pay for access to graded assessments and a certificate for passing the course, but all the content in the course is free and available for everyone.
- It can be separate from your academics at UAF. Maybe you want to take a class on something new and challenging for you, but you’re worried about your GPA. Maybe your schedule is packed with classes you need to graduate, so you don’t have room for anything else. Maybe you just want a head start on a class you’re planning to take in the future. Some UAF courses in fisheries, sport business management, and GIS even make use of AlaskaX course content and grant free access to a course certificate. But AlaskaX courses don’t count toward UAF credits (yet!) so they won’t impact your GPA.
- It can be a great resume booster. Aside from academic and educational value, AlaskaX courses are also great professional development opportunities. If you do want something to show off on a resume or application, you can always upgrade to the verified track and earn a certificate! Sometimes even just putting “currently pursuing [Insert Amazing AlaskaX Course Name Here] on edX” is a resume-worthy line.
- You can learn at your own pace. AlaskaX courses are self-paced and asynchronous, which means there aren’t specific class meeting times, and you can work through the course as fast or as slowly as you need to. Power through a course over a weekend or two, or go slow and steady to work around your existing schedule and commitments. Many AlaskaX courses are open for several months at a time and are usually designed to be completed in around 3-5 weeks, which means you can jump in whenever you’re ready – no need to wait for the start of a semester before you can enroll.
Alright, I’m interested. How do I enroll in an AlaskaX course?
It’s super easy!
- Check out our full lineup of classes on edX and find the course or program you want to study.
- Click “Enroll” and create an account.
- That’s it — you’re ready to go!
Have other questions? Feel free to email us at uaf-edx@alaska.edu!
