The Impact of MITx 2024-25

Dear Friend of MITx

We are inspired by the incredible community of learners like you who choose to grow with MITx. This past academic year alone, more than 230,000 people from around the world enrolled in our courses—each bringing their curiosity, ambition, and commitment to learn.

Whether you're exploring new ideas, advancing your career, or preparing to tackle global challenges, we are honored to be part of your learning journey. Your stories remind us that learning is not just about acquiring knowledge—it's about unlocking potential, opening doors, and creating impact.

In this report, we celebrate you and the many learners who are transforming their lives and communities through education. From high school students discovering new passions, to professionals reshaping their careers, to changemakers addressing poverty and inequity—your journeys reflect the power of learning to shape a better future for individuals, communities, and nations.

Thank you for choosing to learn with MITx. We are proud to support your goals and excited to see where your learning takes you next.

With appreciation,
Dana and the MITx Team

Dana Doyle | Director, MITx

Learn what Shreya discovered

By Lauren Rebecca Thacker | MIT Open Learning

Shreya Mogulothu is naturally curious. As a high school student in New Jersey, she was interested in mathematics and theoretical computer science (TCS). So, when her curiosity compelled her to learn more, she turned to MIT Open Learning’s online resources and completed the Paradox and Infinity course on MITx Online.

“Coming from a math and TCS background, the idea of pushing against the limits of assumptions was really interesting,” says Mogulothu, now a junior at MIT. “I mean, who wouldn’t want to learn more about infinity?”

The class, taught by Agustín Rayo, professor of philosophy and the current dean of the School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences, and David Balcarras, a former instructor in philosophy and fellow in the Digital Learning Lab at Open Learning, explores the intersection of math and philosophy and guides learners through thinking about paradoxes and open-ended problems, as well as the boundaries of theorizing and the limits of standard mathematical tools.

“We talked about taking regular assumptions about numbers and objects and pushing them to extremes,” Mogulothu says. “For example, what contradictions arise when you talk about an infinite set of things, like the infinite hats paradox?”

The infinite hats paradox, also known as Bacon’s Puzzle, involves an infinite line of people, each wearing one of two colors of hats. The puzzle posits that each individual can see only the hat of the person in front of them and must guess the color of their own hat. The puzzle challenges students to identify if there is a strategy that can ensure the least number of incorrect answers and to consider how strategy may change if there is a finite number of people. Mogulothu was thrilled that a class like this was available to her even though she wasn’t yet affiliated with MIT.

“My MITx experience was one of the reasons I came to MIT,” she says. “I really liked the course, and I was happy it was shared with people like me, who didn’t even go to the school. I thought that a place that encouraged even people outside of campus to learn like that would be a pretty good place to study.”

Looking back at the course, Balcarras says, “Shreya may have been the most impressive student in our online community of approximately 3,900 learners and 100 verified learners. I cannot single out another student whose performance rivaled hers.”

Because of her excellent performance, Mogulothu was invited to submit her work to the 2021 MITx Philosophy Awards. She won. In fact, Balcarras remembers, both papers she wrote for the course would have won. They demonstrated, he says, “an unusually high degree of precision, formal acumen, and philosophical subtlety for a high school student.”

Completing the course and winning the award was rewarding, Mogulothu says. It motivated her to keep exploring new things as a high school student, and then as a new student enrolled at MIT.

She came to college thinking she would declare a major in math or computer science. But when she looked at the courses she was most interested in, she realized she should pursue a physics major.

She has enjoyed the courses in her major, especially class STS.042J/8.225J (Einstein, Oppenheimer, Feynman: Physics in the 20th Century), taught by David Kaiser, the Germeshausen Professor of the History of Science and professor of physics. She took the course on campus, but it is also available on Open Learning’s MIT OpenCourseWare. As a student, she continues to use MIT Open Learning resources to check out courses and review syllabi as she plans her coursework.

In summer 2024, Mogulothu did research on gravitational wave detection at PIER, the partnership between research center DESY and the University of Hamburg, in Hamburg, Germany. She wants to pursue a PhD in physics to keep researching, expanding her mind, and indulging the curiosity that led her to MITx in the first place. She encourages all learners to feel comfortable and confident trying something entirely new.

“I went into the Paradox and Infinity course thinking, ‘yeah, math is cool, computer science is cool,’” she says. “But, actually taking the course and learning about things you don’t even expect to exist is really powerful. It increases your curiosity and is super rewarding to stick with something and realize how much you can learn and grow.”

Interested in MITx courses? Here are three short videos from the Paradox and Infinity course: Does Zeno’s Paradox stand between you and your morning coffee?”; Can math stump computers? Gödel’s theorem explained”; and The paradox of killing your own grandfather”.

Learn from the director of blended and online initiatives

By Samantha Edelen | MIT News

When she was a child, Mary Ellen Wiltrout PhD ’09 didn’t want to follow in her mother’s footsteps as a K-12 teacher. Growing up in southwestern Pennsylvania, Wiltrout was studious with an early interest in science — and ended up pursuing biology as a career.

But following her doctorate at MIT, she pivoted toward education after all. Now, as the director of blended and online initiatives and a lecturer with the Department of Biology, she’s shaping biology pedagogy at MIT and beyond.

Establishing massive open online courses at MIT

To this day, E.C. Whitehead Professor of Biology and Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) investigator emeritus Tania Baker considers creating a permanent role for Wiltrout one of the most consequential decisions she made as department head.

Since launching the very first MITxBio massive online open course 7.00x (Introduction to Biology — the Secret of Life) with professor of biology Eric Lander in 2013, Wiltrout’s team has worked with MIT Open Learning and biology faculty to build an award-winning repertoire of MITxBio courses.

MITxBio courses are currently hosted on the learning platform edX, established by MIT and Harvard University in 2012, which today connects 86 million people worldwide to online learning opportunities. Within MITxBio, Wiltrout leads a team of instructional staff and students to develop online learning experiences for MIT students and the public while researching effective methods for learner engagement and course design.

“Mary Ellen’s approach has an element of experimentation that embodies a very MIT ethos: applying rigorous science to creatively address challenges with far-reaching impact,” says Darcy Gordon, instructor of blended and online initiatives.

Mentee to motivator

Wiltrout was inspired to pursue both teaching and research by the late geneticist Elizabeth “Beth” Jones at Carnegie Mellon University, where Wiltrout earned a degree in biological sciences and served as a teaching assistant in lab courses.

“I thought it was a lot of fun to work with students, especially at the higher level of education, and especially with a focus on biology,” Wiltrout recalls, noting she developed her love of teaching in those early experiences.

Though her research advisor at the time discouraged her from teaching, Jones assured Wiltrout that it was possible to pursue both.

Jones, who received her postdoctoral training with late Professor Emeritus Boris Magasanik at MIT, encouraged Wiltrout to apply to the Institute and join American Cancer Society and HHMI Professor Graham Walker’s lab. In 2009, Wiltrout earned a PhD in biology for thesis work in the Walker lab, where she continued to learn from enthusiastic mentors.

“When I joined Graham’s lab, everyone was eager to teach and support a new student,” she reflects. After watching Walker aid a struggling student, Wiltrout was further affirmed in her choice. “I knew I could go to Graham if I ever needed to.”

Photo of Mary Ellen Wiltrout wearing a graduation cap and gown next to Tania Baker in a banquet hall. — Wiltrout (left) with former Department of Biology head Tania Baker at Wiltrout’s doctoral graduation celebration. To this day, Baker considers creating a permanent role for Wiltrout at MIT one of the most consequential decisions she made as department head. Image courtesy of Mary Ellen Wiltrout.

After graduation, Wiltrout taught molecular biology at Harvard for a few years until Baker facilitated her move back to MIT. Now, she’s a resource for faculty, postdocs, and students.

“She is an incredibly rich source of knowledge for everything from how to implement the increasingly complex tools for running a class to the best practices for ensuring a rigorous and inclusive curriculum,” says Iain Cheeseman, the Herman and Margaret Sokol Professor of Biology and associate head of the biology department.

Stephen Bell, the Uncas and Helen Whitaker Professor of Biology and instructor of the Molecular Biology series of MITxBio courses, notes Wiltrout is known for staying on the “cutting edge of pedagogy.”

“She has a comprehensive knowledge of new online educational tools and is always ready to help any professor to implement them in any way they wish,” he says.

Gordon finds Wiltrout’s experiences as a biologist and learning engineer instrumental to her own professional development and a model for their colleagues in science education.

“Mary Ellen has been an incredibly supportive supervisor. She facilitates a team environment that centers on frequent feedback and iteration,” says Tyler Smith, instructor for pedagogy training and biology.

Group photo of 13 people, including high school students and adults, posed in front of MIT’s Great Dome. — Wiltrout helped create a high school internship program in collaboration with Empowr, a nonprofit organization that strengthens the school-to-career pipeline. Wiltrout is proud to report that one of these interns is now a student at MIT in the class of 2028. Photo courtesy of Empowr.

Prepared for the pandemic, and beyond

Wiltrout believes blended learning, combining in-person and online components, is the best path forward for education at MIT. Building personal relationships in the classroom is critical, but online material and supplemental instruction are also key to providing immediate feedback, formative assessments, and other evidence-based learning practices.

“A lot of people have realized that they can’t ignore online learning anymore,” Wiltrout noted during an interview on The Champions Coffee Podcast in 2023. That couldn’t have been truer than in 2020, when academic institutions were forced to suddenly shift to virtual learning.

“When Covid hit, we already had all the infrastructure in place,” Baker says. “Mary Ellen helped not just our department, but also contributed to MIT education’s survival through the pandemic.”

Read the full story: Lessons in building the future of teaching and learning

For Wiltrout’s efforts, she received a COVID-19 Hero Award, a recognition from the School of Science for staff members who went above and beyond during that extraordinarily difficult time.

“Mary Ellen thinks deeply about how to create the best learning opportunities possible,” says Cheeseman, one of almost a dozen faculty members who nominated her for the award.

Recently, Wiltrout expanded beyond higher education and into high schools, taking on several interns in collaboration with Empowr, a nonprofit organization that teaches software development skills to Black students to create a school-to-career pipeline. Wiltrout is proud to report that one of these interns is now a student at MIT in the class of 2028.

Read the full story: From open education learners to MIT coders

Looking forward, Wiltrout aims to stay ahead of the curve with the latest educational technology and is excited to see how modern tools can be incorporated into education.

“Everyone is pretty certain that generative AI is going to change education,” she says. “We need to be experimenting with how to take advantage of technology to improve learning.”

Ultimately, she is grateful to continue developing her career at MIT biology.

“It’s exciting to come back to the department after being a student and to work with people as colleagues to produce something that has an impact on what they’re teaching current MIT students and sharing with the world for further reach,” she says.

As for Wiltrout’s own daughter, she’s declared she would like to follow in her mother’s footsteps — a fitting symbol of Wiltrout’s impact on the future of education.

Read more about these award winning papers

By Katherine Ouellette | MIT Open Learning

Did you know that peer review not only helps online learners feel less isolated, but it enables them to understand the material better, too? Recent research from MIT Open Learning revealed three benefits from peer assessments and discussions.

In “Exploring the integration of social practice into massive open online courses (MOOC) peer assessment,” learners self-reported that 1) giving and receiving feedback; 2) seeing each other’s work; and 3) applying knowledge helped improve their online educational experience. The article was recognized as Best Paper Award at 2024 IEEE Digital Education and Massive Open Online Courses Conference.

Meghan Perdue, research affiliate in political science at MIT, Jessica Sandland, principal lecturer in materials science and engineering and digital learning scientist at Open Learning, John Liu, lecturer in mechanical engineering and digital learning scientist, and Aditi Joshi, production lead and course moderator for the MITx MicroMasters Program in Principles of Manufacturing, analyzed 250 learner reflections across five different MOOCs to uncover information that would help them design valuable and effective peer review experiences.

Here, Sandland dives into why fostering connections between learners reinforces learning.

What problem(s) were you trying to solve with this research?

Since MOOCs began, they have been criticized for being unable to provide the expert feedback that a student can get in a good university classroom. And I’m not going to try to counter this argument. There are undoubtedly some learning experiences that are better in a high-quality university classroom than in a MOOC environment. However, we believe that evaluating MOOCs based on the fact that they’re not a university classroom is simply the wrong framework to use. Rather, we want to understand the benefits that MOOCs provide to their learners taken as their own unique type of learning experience.

Hearing directly from learners who have been asked a broad, open-ended question gives us the best opportunity to hear feedback that we wouldn’t necessarily have anticipated. If we ask learners more constrained questions, the learners’ answers will already be based on some of our preconceptions.

What were the most important takeaways from the results and why?

Learners report that this experience has helped them develop their communication skills, broaden their perspectives, and learn how to learn. This is where it gets really interesting, because the learners tell stories about their educational experience that are distinctly different from those you’d expect from a traditional university student.

For example, learners comment on the value of seeing how their classmates from all over the world apply the course material to their local contexts, allowing the learner to understand that a solution that works in one context or geographical area may not effectively work in another. This kind of learning experience is much harder to reproduce in a university classroom with a fairly homogeneous selection of students, but the diverse population of MOOC learners makes these experiences much more readily available in a MOOC environment.

How does this fit into the larger context of education and learning?

One thing we found was that the kinds of skill building that learners were reporting — developing communication skills, broadening perspectives, and learning how to learn — corresponded very closely to the sorts of skills people talk about when they talk about essential 21st century skills. In our paper, we did a comparison to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development’s key competency areas, but there are many different frameworks that define the knowledge and skills that a person needs to be an effective citizen in the 21st century. We observe many overlaps between these skills and those that learners reported developing through the peer review assignments.

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Read about Haris' journey

By Lauren Rebecca Thacker | MIT Open Learning

Charalampos (Haris) Sampalis was well established in his career as a product manager at a telecommunications company in Greece. Yet, as someone who enjoys learning, he was on a mission to acquire more knowledge and develop new skills. That’s how he discovered MIT Open Learning resources.

With a bachelor’s degree in computer science from the University of Crete and a master’s in innovation management and entrepreneurship from Hellenic Open University — the only online/distance learning university in Greece — Sampalis had developed expertise in product management and digital strategy. In 2016, he turned to MITx within MIT Open Learning and found a wealth of knowledge and a community of learners who broadened his horizons.

“I’m a person who likes to be constantly absorbing educational information,” Sampalis says. “I strongly believe that education shouldn’t be under boundaries, or strictly belong to specific periods in our lives. I started with computer science, and it grew from there, following programs on a regular basis that may help me expand my horizons and strengthen my skills.”

Sampalis built his life and career in Athens, which makes MIT Open Learning’s digital resources more valuable. He completed courses in computer science, including 6.00.1x (Introduction to Computer Science and Programming Using Python), 11.155x (Design Thinking for Leading and Learning) and Becoming an Entrepreneur back in 2016 and 2017 through MITx, which offers hundreds of high-quality massive open online courses adapted from the MIT classroom for learners worldwide. Sampalis has also enrolled in Management in Engineering: Strategy and Leadership and Management in Engineering: Accounting and Planning, which are part of the MITx MicroMasters Program in Principles of Manufacturing.

“I really appreciate the fact that an established institution like MIT was offering programs online,” he says. “I work full time and it’s not easy at this period of my life to leave everything behind and move to another continent for education — something I might have done at another time in my life. So, this is a model that allows me to access MIT resources and grow myself as part of a community that shares similar interests and seeks further collaborations, even locally where I live, something that makes the overall experience really unique.”

In 2022, Sampalis applied for and completed the MIT Innovation Leadership Bootcamp. Part of MIT Open Learning, MIT Bootcamps are intensive and immersive educational programs for the global community of innovators, entrepreneurs, and changemakers. The Innovation Leadership Bootcamp was offered online, and Sampalis jumped at the opportunity.

“I was in collaborative mode, having daily interactions with a diverse group of individuals scattered around the world, and that took place during an intensive 10-week period of my life that really taught me a lot,” says Sampalis. “Working with a global team was extremely engaging. It was a highly motivating, even transformative experience.”

MITx and MIT Bootcamps are both hands-on and interactive experiences offered by MIT Open Learning, which is exactly what appealed to Sampalis. One of the best parts, he says, is that community and collaborations with those he met through MIT continued even after the boot camp concluded. Participants remain in touch not only with their cohort, but with a broader community of over 1,800 other participants from around the world, and have access to continued coaching and mentorship.

Overall, the community of learners has been a highlight of Sampalis’ MIT Open Learning experience.

“What is so beneficial is not just that I get a certificate from MIT and access to a highly valuable repository of knowledge resources, but the fact that I have been exposed to the full umbrella of what Open Learning has to offer — and I share that with other learners,” he says. “I’m part of MIT now. I continue to learn for myself, and I also try to give back, by supporting Open Learning and sharing my story and resources.”

Read how MITx helped opened doors

By Lauren Rebecca Thacker | MIT Open Learning

In 2019, Atou Koffi Kougbanhoun was a high school math teacher in Togo. Wanting to pursue his interest in data science, he discovered MIT OpenCourseWare’s YouTube channel and took the first steps on an educational journey that would change his career.

“I found playlists of lectures on data analysis and AI, and thought, ‘this is where I start,’” says Kougbanhoun, who received a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Université de Lomé. “I’m a French speaker, so part of my challenge was to re-learn things I had learned in school, like probability, in English. I learned these concepts and how to apply them in the real world to solve problems.”

From there, Kougbanhoun discovered the MITx MicroMasters in Statistics and Data Science. The multidisciplinary program includes graduate-level online courses covering topics from probability and statistics to machine learning with Python. While learners can use MIT Open Learning’s OpenCourseWare resources at their own pace, the MITx MicroMasters, also part of Open Learning, is structured with assignments, deadlines, and at least one online proctored exam. It would be a challenge to complete while also teaching, but Kougbanhoun was motivated.

“When I found the program, I thought, ‘ahh, this is my place, finally,’” he says. “I knew that if I could do it and earn the certificate, I could really do something with it, and it could be very wonderful.”

And he did. After earning his MicroMasters credential in 2023, Kougbanhoun applied and was accepted into the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS), a pan-African, fully funded, one-year graduate program. Co-sponsored by Facebook and Google, AIMS offers a degree in machine learning.

“Combined with my bachelor’s in mathematics, the MITx certificate opened the door for the AIMS scholarship,” he says. “Once I completed my masters, I had the opportunity for my current job as a data scientist in Togo’s Ministry of Numerical Economy and Digital Transformation.”

Throughout the process, Kougbanhoun says that faculty and fellow learners were sources of motivation and support. In particular, he calls out John Tsitsiklis, Clarence J. Lebel Professor, who teaches probability, saying, “I loved his pedagogy, and he gave me the motivation to keep going.”

He also cites professors Philippe Rigollet, Gilbert Strang, and Regina Barzilay as influential, impactful teachers.

The other learners pursuing the MicroMasters certificate were influential, too. Kougbanhoun connected with people from India, Ghana, and Germany, some of whom he is still in touch with. He says the learners supported each other and shared resources and knowledge.

Kougbanhoun’s friends and colleagues saw the difference that MIT Open Learning resources made in his life and career — and one decided to give it a try.

“[My friend] saw that I was very motivated and that the certificate helped me get the scholarship. It opened his eyes, and he said, ‘This certificate can change things,’” Kougbanhoun recalls. “He completed the courses and today, he’s studying for a master’s in South Africa, also on an AIMS scholarship.”

Now, as a data scientist for Togo’s government, Kougbanhoun continues to use MIT resources to refresh his memory or revisit complex topics. When he meets interns or colleagues fresh out of college, he encourages them to look into MIT Open Learning.

“I tell them, ‘Go there,’” he says. “It’s a game changer.’”

Learn how MITx supports the workforce

By Scott Murray | MIT News

The rise of artificial intelligence resurfaces a question older than the abacus: If we have a tool to do it for us, why learn to do it ourselves?

The answer, argues MIT electrical engineering and computer science (EECS) Professor Devavrat Shah, hasn’t changed: Foundational skills in mathematics remain essential to using tools well, from knowing which tool to use to interpreting results correctly.

“As large language models and generative AI meet new applications, these cutting-edge tools will continue to reshape entire sectors of industry, and bring new insights to challenges in research and policy,” argues Shah. “The world needs people who can grasp the underlying concepts behind AI to truly leverage its potential.”

Shah is a professor in MIT’s Institute for Data, Systems, and Society (IDSS), a cross-disciplinary unit meeting the global need for data skills with online course offerings like the MITx MicroMasters Program in Statistics and Data Science, which Shah directs.

“With over a thousand credential holders worldwide, and tens of thousands more learners engaged since its inception, the MicroMasters Program in Statistics and Data Science has proven to be a rigorous but flexible way for skilled learners to develop an MIT-level grasp of statistics fundamentals,” says Shah.

The MicroMasters also forms the backbone of IDSS education partnerships, where an embedded MIT team collaborates with organizations to support groups of learners through the MicroMasters curriculum.

“Together with our first strategic partner in education, IDSS is providing graduate-level data science education through the Brescia Institute of Technology (BREIT) in Peru,” explains Fotini Christia, the Ford International Professor of the Social Sciences at MIT and director of IDSS. “Through this partnership, IDSS is training data scientists who are informing decision-making in Peruvian industry, society, and policy.”

Training the next generation

BREIT’s Advanced Program in Data Science and Global Skills, developed in collaboration with IDSS, provides training in both the technical and nontechnical skills needed to take advantage of the insights that data can offer. Members complete the MicroMasters in Statistics and Data Science (SDS), learning the foundations of statistics, probability, data analysis, and machine learning. Meanwhile, these learners are equipped with career skills from communication and critical thinking to team-building and ethics.

“I knew that artificial intelligence, machine learning, and data science was the future, and I wanted to be in that wave,” explains BREIT learner Renato Castro about his decision to join the program. Now a credential holder, Castro has developed data projects for groups in Peru, Panama, and Guatemala. “The program teaches more than the mathematics. It’s a systematic way of thinking that helps you have an impact on real-world problems and create wealth not only for a company, but wealth for the people.”

“The aim is to develop problem-solvers and leaders in a field that is growing and becoming more relevant for organizations around the world,” says Lucia Haro, manager of BREIT. “We are training the next generation to contribute to the economic development of our country, and to have a positive social impact in Peru.”

To help accomplish this, IDSS provides BREIT learners with tailored support. MIT grad student teaching assistants lead regular sessions to provide hands-on practice with class concepts, answer learner questions, and identify topics for developing additional resources.

“These sessions were very useful because you see the application of the theoretical part from the lectures,” says Jesús Figueroa, who completed the program and now serves as a local teaching assistant. Learners like Figueroa must go beyond a deep understanding of the course material in order to support future learners.

“Maybe you already understand the fundamentals, the theoretical part,” explains Figueroa, “but you have to learn how to communicate it.”

Eight cohorts have completed the program, with three more in progress, for a total of almost 100 holders of the MicroMasters credential — and 90 more in the pipeline. As BREIT has scaled up their operation, the IDSS team worked to meet new needs as they emerged, such as collaborating in the development of a technical assessment to support learner recruitment.

“The assessment tool gauges applicants’ familiarity with prerequisite knowledge like calculus, elementary linear algebra, and basic programming in Python,” says Karene Chu, assistant director of education for the SDS MicroMasters. “With some randomization to the questions and automatic grading, this quiz made determining potential for the Advanced Program in Data Science and Global Skills easier for BREIT, while also helping applicants see where they might need to brush up on their skills.”

Since implementing the assessment, the program has continued to evolve in multiple ways, such as incorporating systematic feedback from MIT teaching assistants on data projects. This guidance, structured into multiple project stages, ensures the best outcomes for learners and project sponsors alike. The IDSS MicroMasters team has developed new coding demos to help familiarize learners with different applications and deepen understanding of the principles behind them. Meanwhile, the MicroMasters program itself has expanded to respond to industry demand, adding a course in time series analysis and creating specialized program tracks for learners to customize their experience.

“Partner input helps us understand the landscape, so we better know the demands and how to meet them,” says Susana Kevorkova, program manager of the IDSS MicroMasters. “With BREIT, we are now offering a prerequisite ‘bootcamp’ to help learners from different backgrounds refresh their knowledge or cover gaps. We are always looking for ways to add value for our partners.”

Better decisions, bigger impact

To accelerate the development of data skills, BREIT’s program offers hands-on opportunities to apply these skills to data projects. These projects are developed in collaboration with local nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) working on a variety of social impact projects intended to improve quality of life for Peruvian citizens.

“I worked with an NGO trying to understand why students do not complete graduate study,” says Diego Trujillo Chappa, a BREIT learner and MicroMasters credential holder. “We developed an improved model for them considering student features such as their reading levels and their incomes, and tried to remove bias about where they come from.”

“Our methodology helped the NGO to identify more possible applicants,” adds Trujillo. “And it’s a good step for the NGO, moving forward with better data analysis.”

Trujillo has now brought these data skills to bear in his work modeling user experiences in the telecommunications sector. “We have some features that we want to improve in the 5G network in my country,” he explains. “This methodology helped me to correctly understand the variable of the person in the equation of the experience.”

Yajaira Huerta’s social impact project dealt with a particularly serious issue, and at a tough time. “I worked with an organization that builds homes for people who are homeless,” she explains. “This was when Covid-19 was spreading, which was a difficult situation for many people in Peru.”

One challenge her project organization faced was identifying where need was the highest in order to strategize the distribution of resources — a kind of problem where data tools can make a big impact. “We built a clustering model for capturing indicators available in the data, and also to show us with geolocation where the focal points of need were,” says Huerta. “This helped the team to make better decisions.”

Global networks and pipelines

As a part of the growing, global IDSS community, credential holders of the MicroMasters Program in Statistics and Data Science have access to IDSS workshops and conferences. Through BREIT’s collaboration with IDSS, learners have more opportunities to interact with MIT faculty beyond recorded lectures. Some BREIT learners have even traveled to MIT, where they have met MIT students and faculty and learned about ongoing research.

“I feel so in love with this history that you have, and also what you are building with AI and nanotechnology. I’m so inspired.” says Huerta of her time on campus.

At their most recent visit in February, BREIT learners received completion certificates in person, toured the MIT campus, joined interactive talks with students and faculty, and got a preview of a new MicroMasters development: a sports analytics course designed by mechanical engineering professor Anette “Peko” Hosoi.

“Hosting BREIT and their extraordinarily talented learners brings all our partner efforts full circle, especially as MicroMasters credential holders are a pool of potential recruits for our on-campus graduate programs,” says Christia. “This partnership is a model we are ready to build on and iterate, so that we are developing similar networks and pipelines of data science talent on every part of the globe.”

Part of MIT Open Learning, the MITx MicroMasters Programs provide an affordable, accelerated, and convenient path to a master’s degree. The credential itself is also valuable for professionals as they move through their careers.

Read about their Open Conversation on Alleviating poverty and sharing knowledge globally.

By Duyen Nguyen

“Never, never, never assume that the person in front of you is not ultra sharp and ultra smart and cannot understand what you’re telling them,” says Esther Duflo, the Abdul Latif Jameel Professor of Poverty Alleviation and Development Economics at MIT. Whether teaching MIT students, or an auditorium of 2,000 people who have never studied economics, or online learners from different parts of the world, Duflo says “anything can be approached.”

Duflo shared how this philosophy has informed both her teaching and research in a recent conversation with Christopher Capozzola, senior associate dean for Open Learning. The talk, “Alleviating poverty and sharing knowledge globally,” is the second in MIT Open Learning’s Open Conversation series, which highlights how access to knowledge can change lives, communities, and the world. Duflo is also the co-founder and co-director of the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL), a research center with affiliates from universities around the world. In 2019, she received the Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel, commonly known as the Nobel Prize in Economics, for her contributions to an experimental approach to alleviating global poverty.

The metric of success: Changing the world

Duflo’s engagement with Open Learning programs began with MIT OpenCourseWare, which publishes materials from over 2,500 MIT courses. “This is great — this is more people than I will ever teach in person,” she remembers thinking when recordings of her class lectures were first shared on OpenCourseWare.

With the launch of MITx, an initiative at Open Learning that offers free massive open online courses (MOOCs) drawn from the MIT classroom, Duflo saw the opportunity to create a more engaging online learning experience. “I felt I can basically now almost teach the same way,” she says, adding that, while the MITx courses share the same core as the on-campus classes, “the spokes are different in different parts of the world.” Learners can enroll in courses for free or, for a low fee, earn a certificate for each completed course.

Through MITx, learners beyond campus can apply the knowledge they gain to make an impact within their particular contexts. And more than 360,000 people have — in part motivating Duflo to create the MITx MicroMasters program in Data, Economics, and Design of Policy (DEDP). Designed to equip learners with both practical skills and theoretical knowledge to tackle U.S. and global challenges like poverty, the program’s core curriculum includes graduate-level courses in essential topics such as microeconomics, probability and statistics, data analysis, and designing and running randomized evaluations to assess the effectiveness of social programs, key to Duflo’s Nobel Prize-winning approach.

Individuals who receive the DEDP MicroMasters credential by earning five course certificates become eligible to apply to MIT’s DEDP master’s program, as well as to several other pathway universities worldwide. This innovative admissions model prioritizes applicants’ performance in the online courses over traditional credentials, such as prior degrees or standardized test scores.

“If we can select people to come to MIT based on what we want them to do once they are at MIT, we could break the mold of admissions,” Duflo says, describing the DEDP MicroMasters’ launch as both a learning experience and a gamble. “We had to shepherd it through the process, get it approved in the faculty committee, and every step, people were like, ‘Are you sure this can work?’”

Today, DEDP MicroMasters and master’s alumni are pursuing careers in government, non-profits, and multilateral organizations around the world, or doctoral degrees at leading institutions including MIT, Harvard University, and the Paris School of Economics. With countless alumni equipped to positively impact the world, the gamble has paid off.

“When they come, we tell them they have to change the world — that’s the metric of success,” Duflo says. “And now they really are busy doing that.”

More powerful together

Sharing knowledge is also a critical part of Duflo’s work as a researcher. “Almost the minute I started teaching at MIT, I was convinced that what we needed to do is to not just run trials, but set up an infrastructure to make it easier for others to do it,” she says. The Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL), which Duflo co-founded in 2003 with Abhijit Banerjee, the Ford Foundation International Professor of Economics at MIT and a co-recipient of the 2019 Nobel Prize in Economics, has grown into a network of more than 1,000 researchers around the world working to reduce poverty by rigorously evaluating social programs. Over 850 million people have been reached by programs and policies that have been informed by J-PAL affiliated researchers’ evaluations.

“Together, the research is so much more powerful,” says Duflo.

The Open Conversation talk “Alleviating poverty and sharing knowledge globally” was live-streamed with more than 6,000 people tuning in. In response to a question from several audience members about how open education can effect change, Duflo emphasized the importance of sharing learning and teaching resources in multiplying the impact of any program. “Many more people need to be able to do this work, and many more policymakers need to understand it and understand why they need to do it,” she says. “And for that, we need many more people trained.”

Duflo urges learners to be similarly persistent in their pursuit of knowledge, explaining that when “you manage to go above that step [of overcoming a hurdle] suddenly the perspective really opens.”

To learn from Esther Duflo, see these courses on:

MIT OpenCourseWare

MITx

MicroMasters Program in Data, Economics, and Design of Policy
Courses include: Microeconomics; Designing and Running Randomized Evaluations, Data Analysis for Social Scientists; and electives from: The Challenges of Global Poverty (Intro), Foundations of Development Policy: Advanced Development Economics (Advanced), Political Economy and Economic Development (Advanced), Good Economics for Hard Times (Intro), Microeconomic Theory and Public Policy (Advanced)

MIT Open Learning’s Open Conversation series launched in 2024 with a conversation focused on how open educational resources support professionals by closing knowledge gaps.

MITx MicroMasters Program

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Read about Saeed's efforts in evidence-based policymaking

By Benjamin Daniel | MIT

How do you measure the value of an economic policy? Of an aid organization’s programming? For Saeed Miganeh, who completed an MITx MicroMasters in Data, Economics, and Development Policy and is now enrolled in MIT’s master’s program in Data, Economics, and Design of Policy (DEDP), these are key questions he is determined to answer.

“Enrolling at MIT fed my interest in investigating the political economy questions surrounding the development of African countries,” he says. “It boils down to promoting pro-poor, evidence-based policymaking in the developing world.”

Miganeh earned a bachelor of business administration from the University of Hargeisa and completed coursework in Open University Malaysia’s master of business administration program. Before enrolling at MIT full time, he spent 14 years as an accountant with the United Nations’ International Organization for Migration. His work with the IOM fed his curiosity about intent and impact, particularly how political agendas can affect policy adoption, how safeguarding human rights strengthens peace and prevents conflict, how climate change adaptation policies affect the poor, and how promoting intra-African trade spurs economic growth in the continent.

“My journey to DEDP began when I earned a certificate in Monitoring and Evaluation offered by the International Training Center of the International Labour Organization,” he recalls. “Our course coach recommended taking MITx courses, which led me to the MicroMasters program.”

Saeed grew up and completed his early education in the self-declared Republic of Somaliland during the reconstruction period after a decade-long civil war with Somalia. He was inspired by his country’s development of a functioning democracy and economy after conflict. Miganeh’s work is all the more impressive for someone who has lived almost exclusively there — with the exception of four years as a child spent in Ethiopia due to the civil war in Somalia — and whose studies have taken place entirely in the republic.

“Africa is the new battleground for fighting global poverty in the 21st century,” he says.

Practices and progress toward measurable improvement

Before pursuing graduate study at MIT, Miganeh worked in youth development programs with the Somaliland National Youth Organization. “I was the coordinator for one of their youth networks that worked on health,” he says. “After completing my undergraduate study, I assumed the position of finance officer for the organization.”

Later during his tenure with IOM, Miganeh learned that, while the organization has a central evaluation function that evaluates projects and programs, Somaliland’s governmental institutions lacked the capacity to effectively evaluate public policies and programs effectively. His work with the IOM helped him discover the practice areas where he might benefit from partnering with others possessing expertise he’d need to make a difference. “During my work with IOM, I was involved in development projects’ administrative and accounting functions,” he remembers. “I was interested in knowing how projects were impacting beneficiaries’ lives.

Miganeh wants to dig deeper into understanding and answering developing African countries’ political economy questions, noting that “development projects can consume lots of resources from design through implementation.” Ensuring these programs’ effectiveness is crucial to maximizing their impact and societal benefit. “Every country needs to have the necessary human capital to undertake evidence-based policy design to avoid wasting resources,” he says.

He returned to Somaliland to complete a capstone project that will allow him to put his newly acquired skills and knowledge to work. The project is an important part of his master’s program. “I’m [working] with the Somaliland Ministry of Education & Science, assisting in institutionalizing evidence-based policymaking in the education sector,” he says.

A unique vision to drive effective change

Miganeh is already planning to use the skills he’s acquiring at MIT to facilitate change at home. “I must discover and produce policy insights using my research and, with the guidance of the top academics and professionals at MIT and other institutions, translate them into effective policies that can make a demonstrable impact,” he says.

Miganeh reports that MITx’s MicroMasters and DEDP master’s programs help students develop the unique blend of skills — including the ability to leverage data-driven insights to design, implement, and evaluate public policies that improve societal outcomes — that can help them become effective agents of social change.

“My early enthusiasm for mathematics in high school and my later work in development organizations gave me the right combination to excel in the rigorous developmental economics coursework at MIT,” he says. “Once I’ve completed the program, I will establish a consultancy to advise government agencies, nonprofits, and the private sector’s corporate social responsibility departments on designing, implementing, and evaluating policies and programs.”

Miganeh lauded the faculty and students he encountered while continuing his studies. “I have developed professionally and personally,” he reports. He saved his highest praise for the Institute, however.

“Pursuing this master’s degree at MIT, where modern economics education has been reinvented and is home to faculty including Nobel laureates and other distinguished professors and scholars, was an enriching lifetime experience, personally and professionally,” he says.

“Looking back on discussions of how to tackle the world’s development challenges is a memory that will stay with me for the rest of my life.”

Originally published at https://news.mit.edu/.

Learn how Mlen-Too applied his knowledge to empower Liberians' economic growth

By Marisa Demers | MIT News

Mlen-Too Wesley has faded memories of his early childhood in Liberia, but the sharpest one has shaped his life.

Wesley was 4 years old when he and his family boarded a military airplane to flee the West African nation. At the time, the country was embroiled in a 14-year civil war that killed approximately 200,000 people, displaced about 750,000, and starved countless more. When Wesley’s grandmother told him he would enjoy a meal during his flight, Wesley knew his fortune had changed. Yet, his first instinct was to offer his food to the people he left behind.

“I made a decision right then to come back,” Wesley says. “Even as I grew older and spent more time in the United States, I knew I wanted to contribute to Liberia’s future.”

Today, the 38-year-old is committed to empowering Liberians through economic growth. Wesley looked to the MITx MicroMasters program in Data, Economics, and Design of Policy (DEDP) to achieve that goal. He examined issues such as micro-lending, state capture, and investment in health care in courses such as Foundations of Development Policy, Good Economics for Hard Times, and The Challenges of Global Poverty. Through case studies and research, Wesley discovered that economic incentives can encourage desired behaviors, curb corruption, and empower people.

“I couldn’t connect the dots”

Liberia is marred by corruption. According to Transparency International’s Corruptions Perception Index for 2023, Liberia scored 25 out of 100, with zero signifying the highest level of corruption. Yet, Wesley grew tired of textbooks and undergraduate professors saying that the status of Liberia and other African nations could be blamed entirely on corruption. Even worse, these sources gave Wesley the impression that nothing could be done to improve his native country. The sentiment frustrated him, he says.

“It struck me as flippant to attribute the challenges faced by billions of people to backward behaviors,” says Wesley. “There are several forces, internal and external, that have contributed to Liberia’s condition. If we really examine them, explore why things happened, and define the change we want, we can plot a way forward to a more prosperous future.”

Driven to examine the economic, political, and social dynamics shaping his homeland and to fulfill his childhood promise, Wesley moved back to Africa in 2013. Over the next 10 years, he merged his interests in entrepreneurship, software development, and economics to better Liberia. He designed a forestry management platform that preserves Liberia’s natural resources, built an online queue for government hospitals to triage patients more effectively, and engineered data visualization tools to support renewable energy initiatives. Yet, to create the impact Wesley wanted, he needed to do more than collect data. He had to analyze and act on it in meaningful ways.

“I couldn’t connect the dots on why things are the way they are,” Wesley says.

“It wasn’t just an academic experience for me”

Wesley knew he needed to dive deeper into data science, and looked to the MicroMasters in DEDP program to help him connect the dots. Established in 2017 by the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) and MIT Open Learning, the MicroMasters in DEDP program is based on the Nobel Prize-winning work of MIT faculty members Esther Duflo, the Abdul Latif Jameel Professor of Poverty Alleviation and Development Economics, and Abhijit Banerjee, the Ford Foundation International Professor of Economics. Duflo and Banerjee’s research provided an entirely new approach to designing, implementing, and evaluating antipoverty initiatives throughout the world.

The MicroMasters in DEDP program provided the framework Wesley had sought nearly 20 years ago as an undergraduate student. He learned about novel economic incentives that stymied corruption and promoted education.

“It wasn’t just an academic experience for me,” Wesley says. “The classes gave me the tools and the frameworks to analyze my own personal experiences.”

Wesley initially stumbled with the quantitative coursework. Having a demanding career, taking extension courses at another university, and being several years removed from college calculus courses took a toll on him. He had to retake some classes, especially Data Analysis for Social Scientists, several times before he could pass the proctored exam. His persistence paid off. Wesley earned his MicroMasters in DEDP credential in June 2023 and was also admitted into the MIT DEDP master’s program.

“The class twisted my brain in so many different ways,” Wesley says. “The fourth time taking Data Analysis, I began to understand it. I appreciate that MIT did not care that I did poorly on my first try. They cared that over time I understood the material.”

The program’s rigorous mathematics and statistics classes sparked in Wesley a passion for artificial intelligence, especially machine learning and natural language processing. Both provide more powerful ways to extract and interpret data, and Wesley has a special interest in mining qualitative sources for information. He plans to use these tools to compare national development plans over time and among different countries to determine if policymakers are recycling the same words and goals.

Once Wesley earns his master’s degree, he plans to return to Liberia and focus on international development. In the future, he hopes to lead a data-focused organization committed to improving the lives of people in Liberia and the United States.

“Thanks to MIT, I have the knowledge and tools to tackle real-world challenges that traditional economic models often overlook,” Wesley says.

“I Wanna Be Educated” is a tribute to everything great about MIT Open Learning, MITx, and OpenCourseWare:

Free MIT educational resources — from lecture videos to instructor insights to complete courses — right at your fingertips.
Our collective love for education and learning. Awesome MIT professors and instructors sharing their knowledge with the world.
Open access to education can have a profound personal and professional impact.

We appreciate every person who was able to support Open Learning, OpenCourseWare, or MITx with a gift during the 2025 MIT day of giving and helped fuel life-changing education for anyone who wants to learn.

A new song: “I wanna be educated!”

By Yvonne Ng and Duyen Nguyen | MIT Open Learning

Created with you, your love of education, and the power of open learning in mind, here’s a catchy tune to help everyone remember MIT’s annual giving day — the MIT 24 Hour Challenge — on Thursday, March 13, 2025. You can also add the event to your calendar with our handy widget.

“I Wanna Be Educated” is a tribute to everything great about MIT Open Learning, MITx, and OpenCourseWare:

Free MIT educational resources — from lecture videos to instructor insights to complete courses — right at your fingertips.
Our collective love for education and learning.
Awesome MIT professors and instructors sharing their knowledge with the world.

Open access to education can have a profound personal and professional impact. We hope you’ll take a moment out of your day on March 13 to support Open Learning, OpenCourseWare, or MITx with a gift. In just 24 hours, you can help fuel life-changing education for anyone who wants to learn.

MIT Open Learning works to transform teaching and learning at MIT and around the globe through the innovative use of digital technologies. With your support, you can help us reimagine education and continue to open learning.

Learn more about Daniel's process

By Katherine Ouellette | MIT Open Learning

Online courses attract thousands of learners, but grading that many assignments often limits the format of assessments that instructors can assign, such as multiple choice questions. New research from MIT Open Learning explores a solution for evaluating open-ended assessments that also improves learners’ performance.

Daniel Braconnier, postdoc at the MIT Department of Mechanical Engineering and Open Learning’s Digital Learning Lab, and John Liu, digital learning scientist at Open Learning, presented at the 2024 IEEE Digital Education and Massive Open Online Courses Conference earlier this fall. Their work, “Comments & Replies: Discussion Forum Interaction Networks Stimulated by Peer-Review Assignments,” was a finalist for best paper. Braconnier and Liu studied whether online learners who provided more feedback to their peers enrolled in the same Open Learning course would perform better overall. By analyzing how learners interacted with each other on CrowdLearn, a peer assessment tool developed by FeedBackFruits, Braconnier and Liu determined that learners who made more connections received better grades.

Here, Braconnier explains how peer review enables complex questions and deeper learner engagement in online courses.

Q: Why did you start using the CrowdLearn peer assessment tool? What problem were you trying to solve?

A: We wanted to enable a more enriched open-ended assessment experience in MIT Open Learning’s online courses on MITx. Prior to the integration of CrowdLearn, prompts were commonly answered via multiple choice, short text responses, or a rigid open response peer-review system. Attempting prompts with longer text responses, such as project presentations or write-ups, would require serious overhead and attention by course staff to grade all submissions. The previous peer-review tool we used offered fewer ways for learners to interact with their peers’ work.

CrowdLearn provides a means for the learners to grade their peers’ work and chat with each other in a discussion forum-style interface, which was a new feature for our courses. Learners access the CrowdLearn tool through a portal in their online course. Involving the learners in the assessment process expands the number of people grading the open response projects, therefore taking the load off instructors and making it possible to assign more open-ended projects.

Q: How does the tool work?

A: Learners first submit their assignments as PDFs, which unlocks access to the answer key and the peer review phase. Each learner is required to grade and comment on the submissions of one to four randomly assigned peers.

After this prescribed interaction, any learner can leave comments, replies, and upvotes on any submission. The CrowdLearn platform visually organizes all of the assignments like posts on a discussion forum. The complete comment history, including the original peer review, is nested under dropdown buttons.

After open discussion, learners are asked to reflect on how this experience affected their learning of course content.

Q: How did you measure the efficacy of CrowdLearn?

A: Our aim was to use the user interaction data — such as comments, replies, upvotes, etc. — to define connections between learners. We hypothesized that if the tool increases interactions between learners, then the learners who make the most connections would do better in the course overall. Our analysis showed these interactions between learners improved grades.

Depending on how many learners are enrolled in a course, the data reveals a maximum metric of “connectedness” that individual learners can reach. This maximum can be used to compare the success of CrowdLearn with similar tools aimed at creating connected online class experiences at scale.

Q: Have you used other peer assessment tools in the past? How did they compare?

A: Learning management systems like Canvas provide similar functionalities as CrowdLearn, such as graded discussion forums and peer review-style assignments. I believe the key difference is CrowdLearn’s streamlined interface that guides learners from the peer review phase to an open discussion forum that allows learners to continue their conversations and contribute to others. This primes the learners to connect more with the assigned content and each other.

Q: How do you plan to use this knowledge to improve learner outcomes?

A: We still have more learner interaction data to analyze. Some areas we’d like to explore include:

Upvote interactions: This analysis could help us define a separate learner class that primarily uses more passive interactions than comments and replies.
Text from comments and replies: Sentiment analysis could tell us which types of messages lead to more responses and more network connections.
Length of comments and replies: Filtering the quality of interactions may help us understand the strength of the various connections learners make within a network.

Excitingly, this analysis could help us program an algorithm for the discussion forum, similar to a chat bot. The goal is to nudge learners to interact with others who are discussing similar topics, submitting similar thoughts, or who even have diverging opinions. This concept is still new territory, so we don’t know what bounds there are to this trend.

Explore MIT Open Learning’s free and low-cost online courses and resources

By Katherine Ouellette | MIT Open Learning

Financial acumen is key in today’s fast-paced world and competitive job market. Understanding financial principles enhances your ability to make informed business decisions, contribute strategically to your organization’s success, and manage your money. Whether you’re in a field that intersects with finance or just looking to elevate your knowledge of financial concepts, explore MIT Open Learning’s free and low-cost online courses and resources available through MIT OpenCourseWare, MITx, and MITx MicroMasters.

Personal financial literacy

AP® Microeconomics: Learn how individuals and businesses make the decisions that drive our economy.
Finance Theory I: Discover the core theory of modern financial economics and financial management, with a focus on capital markets and investments.
Financial Regulation: From the Global Financial Crisis to Fintech and the COVID Pandemic: Explore how regulations and their effectiveness are shaped by the interplay between the financial industry and its regulators.
Just Money: Banking as if Society Mattered: Learn how banks can use capital as a tool to promote social and environmental well-being.
Investments: Dive into financial theory and empirical evidence for making investment decisions.

Financial technologies

FinTech: Shaping the World: Learn how new financial technologies are driving change in business models, products, applications, and user interfaces.
The Analytics Edge: Discover the power of data and use analytics to provide an edge to your career and your life.
Analytics of Finance: Examine the key quantitative methods of finance.
Blockchain and Money: Explore blockchain technology’s potential to change the world of money and finance.
Mathematical Methods for Quantitative Finance: Dive into the essential mathematical foundations for financial engineering and quantitative finance. (This course is part of the MITx MicroMasters Program in Finance.)

The psychology of finance

Adaptive Markets: Financial Market Dynamics and Human Behavior: Discover a new way of thinking about financial markets, institutions, and innovation using concepts from evolutionary biology, cognitive neuroscience, and artificial intelligence.
Finance and Society: Explore a multidimensional view of finance as an economic, political, cultural, intellectual, material, and technological phenomenon.
Psychology and Economics: Learn how to incorporate insights from psychology and other social sciences into economics.

Financial industry

Foundations of Modern Finance I: Explore a mathematically rigorous framework to understand financial markets delivered with data-driven insights from MIT professors. (This course is part of the MITx MicroMasters Program in Finance.)
Foundations of Modern Finance II: Learn fundamental principles of modern finance, including valuation models, methods for risk analysis, derivative instruments, and investment management. (This course is part of the MITx MicroMasters Program in Finance.)
Derivatives Markets: Advanced Modeling and Strategies: Obtain a sophisticated understanding of valuation methods for quantifying, hedging, and speculating on risk for major markets and instruments. (This course is part of the MITx MicroMasters Program in Finance.)
Financial Accounting: Learn how to analyze financial statements and valuation models to assess corporate performance. (This course is part of the MITx MicroMasters Program in Finance.)
Mathematical Methods for Quantitative Finance: Dive into the essential mathematical foundations for financial engineering and quantitative finance. (This course is part of the MITx MicroMasters Program in Finance.)
Topics in Mathematics with Applications in Finance: Explore mathematical concepts and techniques used in the financial industry.

Finance for other industries

Financial Accounting: Learn how to analyze financial statements and valuation models to assess corporate performance. (This course is part of the MITx MicroMasters Program in Finance.)
Fundamentals of Entrepreneurship Finance: Dive into the basics of financial literacy, financial modeling, funding sources, raising capital, and valuation analysis.
Healthcare Finance: Explore the role of finance in the healthcare industry, focusing on novel financing methods to facilitate drug discovery, clinical development, and greater patient access to high-cost therapies.
Nuts and Bolts of Business Plans: Learn how to launch a new venture plan.
Real Estate Finance and Investment: Discover the most fundamental concepts, principles, analytical methods, and tools useful for making investment and finance decisions regarding commercial real estate assets.
The Science and Business of Biotechnology: Explore novel business and financing models for commercializing the latest scientific innovations in biotechnology.

Ready to take a deeper dive into the world of finance?

Meet the complex demands of today’s global finance markets with the MITx MicroMasters Program in Finance — five courses developed and delivered by MIT Sloan faculty. MITx MicroMasters can help you accelerate your career or fast-track your masters degree.

These course materials and resources are available through MIT OpenCourseWare, MITx, and MITx MicroMasters, which are part of MIT Open Learning. OpenCourseWare offers free, online, open educational resources from more than 2,500 courses that span the MIT undergraduate and graduate curriculum. MITx offers hundreds of high-quality massive open online courses adapted from the MIT classroom for learners worldwide. The MITx MicroMasters Programs provide an affordable, accelerated, and convenient path to a master’s degree. The credential itself is also valuable for professionals as they move through their careers.

Learn how materials science and engineering can lead to healthcare and tech careers

By Katherine Ouellette | MIT Open Learning

Did you know materials science and engineering (aka the study of matter) can lead to careers in industries like aerospace, health care, technology, and more? That’s because whether you’re welding a bridge underwater, testing energy-efficient solar panels, or designing the perfect sneaker, you need to understand how the materials they’re made of behave.

We asked Jessica Sandland, principal lecturer at the MIT Department of Materials Science & Engineering and digital learning scientist at MIT Open Learning, for her insights about careers that use materials science in the field. Here, we spotlight five of those jobs along with online courses from MIT Open Learning to help you start your professional journey.

Computational materials scientist

About the job

Computational materials scientists research, design, and optimize materials using computer simulations and modeling techniques. To anticipate how new and existing materials will behave, this job uses simulation and machine learning techniques to better understand the structures and properties of materials.

Fields for computational materials scientists

Aerospace: Simulate whether materials are capable of enduring the extreme environments beyond Earth’s atmosphere.
Chemical processing: Optimize the filtering materials used in water treatment plants.
Electronics and semiconductors: Research flexible materials for wearable or foldable devices, such as smartwatches and phones.
Energy and renewable resources: Develop lightweight, durable, and efficient materials for wind turbine blades.

Free courses

Thermodynamics of Materials: “Thermodynamics is one of the essential sciences that underpin the study of materials science and engineering,” Sandland says. “This course will give you the opportunity to learn how to use materials data, computational techniques, and thermodynamic software for materials selection, process design, and more.”
Introduction to Modeling and Simulation: Start hands-on training to learn how fundamental concepts like continuum methods, atomistic and molecular simulation, and quantum mechanics are applied to key engineering problems.
Mathematics for Materials Scientists and Engineers: Discover which mathematical techniques you’ll need for energetics, materials structure and symmetry, materials response to applied fields, and the mechanics and physics of solids and soft materials.
Visualizing Materials Science: Watch student tutorial videos that explore various materials science and engineering topics using visualizations in the Wolfram Mathematica programming system.

Materials engineer

About the job

Materials engineers develop, test, and optimize unique materials used to manufacture specialized products. This job evaluates new and existing materials, machinery, and processes to improve the product’s quality, performance, and cost.

Fields for materials engineers

Aerospace: Improve aircraft safety by researching materials that can absorb and diffuse the force of impacts.
Automotive: Test natural biological materials — like soy, hemp, and agave fibers — to develop novel materials for car interiors, structural supports, and more.
Construction: Develop and select materials and coatings that will make buildings more fire-resistant.
Electronics: Manipulate the properties of metals and alloys for everything electronic — from microchips, to light-emitting diodes (LEDs), to electronic inks, and more.
Health care: Select or develop biologically-compatible materials for medical devices that are safe and effective.
Infrastructure: Extend the lifespan of bridges, tunnels, reservoirs, and more with materials like self-healing concrete.
Renewable resources: Optimize the materials used in geothermal energy systems to withstand extreme heat, high pressures, and corrosive conditions.

Free courses

Structure of Materials: “An understanding of materials structure is absolutely essential to the work of a materials engineer,” Sandland says. “This course will help you develop an understanding of the structure of many different types of materials and how this structure influences the properties and performance of these materials.”
Introduction to Solid-State Chemistry with Prof. Jeffrey Grossman or Prof. Donald Sadoway: Try hands-on experiments and watch “Why does this matter?” videos in Grossman’s course. Solve problems through worked solutions in Sadoway’s course.

Paid course for working professionals

Additive Manufacturing for Innovative Design and Production: Learn how to leverage the performance and flexibility of additive manufacturing, aka 3D printing.

Metallurgist

About the job

Metallurgists consider the physical and chemical properties of metals and alloys to determine the best material for a specific engineering application. They also design and develop new alloys, improving performance characteristics and expanding the range of potential applications for these metals.

Fields for metallurgists

Aerospace and defense: Develop lightweight and durable alloys that improve aircraft performance.
Energy and power generation: Create materials for energy storage systems, such as lithium-ion batteries.
Health care: Extend the longevity of biomedical devices, such as joint implants used for total knee replacements.
Manufacturing and production: Reduce waste from producing complex metal parts through 3D printing.

Free courses

Mechanical Behavior of Materials (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3): “This course will help learners develop a deep understanding of the mechanical behavior of metals (and other classes of materials, too!) — including elasticity, plasticity, fracture, and fatigue,” Sandland says. “In particular, learners will discover how the behavior of a material at the atomic and microscopic levels influences the performance of a material in an engineering application.”
Case Studies in Forensic Metallurgy: Live out your forensic scientist dreams and learn how to discern evidence from real-world solved and unsolved cases.
Modern Blacksmithing and Physical Metallurgy: Immerse yourself in both traditional and modern methods of blacksmithing, metal casting, machining, and welding.
Materials Processing: Explore the physical principles and scaling laws influencing the process speed, volume, and quality of materials, with a focus on heat and matter transport.

Product development engineer

About the job

Product development engineers design and optimize materials for consumer products. This job oversees the entire product lifecycle — generating ideas, selecting materials, creating prototypes, testing functionality, and improving the quality and costs.

Fields for product development engineers

Aerospace: Ensure that the lightweight composite materials used in aircrafts are market-ready with the ability to withstand high temperatures, corrosion, and other damages.
Automotive: Select cost-effective materials that have the necessary properties to achieve the performance goals for that car model.
Consumer goods: Improve the performance, comfort, and endurance of sneakers through the careful selection of materials.
Health care: Develop new methods for drug delivery that target specific areas at controlled rates, such as using biodegradable nanoparticles to treat cancer.
Sports and recreation: Optimize the materials in equipment like tennis racquets for power and agility.

Free courses

Structural Materials: Selection and Economics: Learn where, why, and when engineers select steel, aluminum, titanium, or other materials to build skyscrapers and vehicles.
Principles of Engineering Practice: Explore the social, political, economic, and technological challenges of engineering practice through the real-world use-case of producing solar cells.
Economic & Environmental Issues in Materials Selection: Discover how to evaluate the potential implications of a given material throughout the life-cycle of a product.

Research scientist

About the job

Research scientists investigate, experiment, and analyze new and existing materials, devices, and phenomena.

Fields for research scientists

Academia: Leverage data science and machine learning to identify properties and behaviors of new materials before the material is created.
Construction: Test the efficiency of sustainable building materials.
Energy: Research efficient materials for photovoltaic cells, the component of solar panels that converts light energy into electricity.
Health care: Investigate materials used in wound dressings with features such as antibacterial resistance or “smart” diagnostic properties that could help speed up the healing process.

Free courses

Electronic, Optical, and Magnetic Behavior of Materials, available on MITx or MIT OpenCourseWare: Get a fundamental understanding of how solar cells operate.
Organic and Biomaterials Chemistry: Meet the organic materials that make up organic solar cell technology.

These courses are available through MIT OpenCourseWare, MITx, and MIT xPRO, which are part of MIT Open Learning. OpenCourseWare offers free, online, open educational resources from more than 2,500 courses that span the MIT undergraduate and graduate curriculum. MITx offers high-quality massive open online courses adapted from the MIT classroom for learners worldwide. xPRO provides professional development opportunities to a global audience via online courses and blended programs.

Learn how math is a universal language for storytelling

By Sara Feijo | MIT Open Learning

Math isn’t just about numbers and equations. It’s a universal language that tells stories of logic, patterns, theorems, and more. In honor of Math Storytelling Day on Sept. 25 — established to encourage people to tell stories through math — discover the magic behind the numbers with 19 popular and free online courses from MIT Open Learning.

Linear Algebra

Explore how matrix theory and linear algebra can be useful in disciplines beyond mathematics — from physics, economics, and social sciences, to natural sciences and engineering.

Introduction to Probability and Statistics

Get an elementary introduction to probability and statistics with applications.

Fundamentals of Statistics

Gain a deep understanding of the principles that underpin statistical inference: estimation, hypothesis testing, and prediction.

Probability: The Science of Uncertainty and Data

Develop foundational knowledge of data science, including random processes and the basic elements of statistical inference.

Statistics for Applications

Understand the role of mathematics in the research and development of efficient statistical methods.

Matrix Methods in Data Analysis, Signal Processing, and Machine Learning

Review linear algebra with applications to probability and statistics and optimization, and get a full explanation of deep learning.

Calculus 1A: Differentiation

Discover the ins and outs of the derivative: what it is, how to compute it, and when to apply it to solve real-world problems.

Calculus 1B: Integration

Uncover the integral and find out how to use calculus to model real-world phenomena.

Calculus 1C: Coordinate Systems & Infinite Series

Master the calculus of curves and coordinate systems, and approximate functions with polynomials and infinite series.

Single Variable Calculus

Understand differentiation and integration of functions of one variable.

Highlights of Calculus

Tune into this series of videos introducing how calculus works and why it’s important.

Take a deeper dive with the Calculus Online Textbook, the most-viewed and most-downloaded individual file in MIT OpenCourseWare’s collection.

Multivariable Calculus 1: Vectors and Derivatives

Explore the derivative in higher dimensions, and learn how to apply it to solve real-world problems.

Multivariable Calculus

Further your understanding of rates of change with differential, integral, and vector calculus for functions of more than one variable.

Real Analysis

Grasp the fundamentals of mathematical analysis, from convergence of sequences and series, continuity, and differentiability, to Riemann integral, sequences and series of functions, uniformity, and the interchange of limit operations.

Introduction to Differential Equations

Understand the world through differential equations.

Differential Equations

Learn the equations and techniques most useful in science and engineering.

Theory of Computation

Take a deep dive into computability and computational complexity theory.

Mathematics for Computer Science

Discover elementary discrete mathematics for computer science and engineering.

Math Boot Camp for Engineers

Embark on an intensive review of undergraduate-level mathematics for prospective and beginning graduate students in science and engineering.

These courses are available through MIT OpenCourseWare and MITx, which are part of MIT Open Learning. OpenCourseWare offers free, online, open educational resources from more than 2,500 courses that span the MIT undergraduate and graduate curriculum. MITx offers high-quality massive open online courses adapted from the MIT classroom for learners worldwide.

Find out which AI courses and resources are available

By MIT Open Learning

As artificial intelligence (AI) reshapes industries, powers innovation, and redefines how we live and work, understanding its core principles is increasingly important. We curated a list of 13 foundational AI courses and resources from MIT Open Learning — most of them free — to help you grasp the basics of AI, machine learning, machine vision, and algorithms.

AI 101: Get an introduction to artificial intelligence that’s designed for those with little to no background in the subject.
Introduction to Algorithms: Explore mathematical modeling of computational problems, common algorithms, algorithmic paradigms, and data structures used to solve these problems.
Artificial Intelligence: Examine the power of AI with MIT’s foundational course about the basic knowledge representation, problem solving, and learning methods of artificial intelligence.
AI and Algorithms: Get an introduction to principles, algorithms, and applications of machine learning.
Introduction to Computational Thinking and Data Science: Learn how to use computation to understand real-world phenomena.
Introduction to Machine Learning: Get to know the principles, algorithms, and applications of machine learning.
Machine Learning with Python: From Linear Models to Deep Learning: Get an in-depth introduction to the field of machine learning, from linear models to deep learning and reinforcement learning, through hands-on Python projects.
Machine Vision: Get acquainted with the process of generating a symbolic description of the environment from an image.
Ethics of AI Bias: Dive into the biased side of artificial intelligence.
Ethics for Engineers: Artificial Intelligence: Explore the ethical issues involved in the latest developments of computer science.
Generative Artificial Intelligence in K-12 Education: Grasp the foundations of generative AI technology and the new opportunities it enables for K-12 education.
Foundation Models and Generative AI: Discover the secret sauce behind the recent breakthroughs within AI — foundation models and generative AI.
Driving Innovation with Generative AI: Get the knowledge and skills necessary to navigate the intricate world of generative AI in this six-week course, which leverages industry case studies, hands-on work with generative AI tools, and the latest thinking from 12 faculty members from MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab.

Want to take a deeper dive into artificial intelligence? Here’s a comprehensive list of online courses and resources from MIT Open Learning.

These courses and materials are available through MIT OpenCourseWare, MITx, and MIT xPRO, which are part of MIT Open Learning. MIT OpenCourseWare offers free, online, open educational resources from more than 2,500 courses that span the MIT undergraduate and graduate curriculum. MITx offers hundreds of high-quality massive open online courses adapted from the MIT classroom for learners worldwide. MIT xPRO offers paid courses designed using cutting-edge research in the neuroscience of learning; its online learning programs leverage vetted content from world-renowned experts to make learning accessible anytime, anywhere.

How many courses have you taken?

By MITx

Are you looking to better yourself, improve your knowledge of a particular subject, or grow your skill set? For more than a decade, millions of learners around the world have turned to MITx at MIT Open Learning for interactive, MIT-quality online learning experiences. This fall, MITx is releasing six new, returning, and remixed online courses in top-ranked subjects like physics, urban planning, and supply chain management.

MITx courses represent the breadth, depth, and rigor of MIT’s curriculum, opening the Institute to anyone in the world with an internet connection. Learners can choose to enroll for free and access course materials and lecture videos, auto-graded problems with rapid feedback, and peer-to-peer discussion forums. Learners can also earn a certificate for a fee and gain full access to all graded assignments.

As MIT expands its academic curriculum and adapts to changes in research-based teaching practices, MITx similarly strives to offer fresh, up-to-date content. Each semester, MITx’s teams of faculty and instructors, learning design experts, and media production specialists develop new online courses and update existing ones. Here’s what’s new this fall:

Explore new courses

Environmental Justice, Science, and Technology

Geometric patterns with trees in the background.

How has science and technology historically caused harm to communities disproportionately affected by air pollution, contaminated water, and climate change disasters? Learn about the environmental justice movement, its history, and how science and technology can be used to tackle environmental challenges and injustice with this new, instructor-paced online course from the Department of Urban Studies and Planning.

Join Justin Steil, associate professor of law and urban planning at MIT, Christopher Rabe, education program director at the MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative, and Ufuoma Ovienmhada, postdoctoral scholar at the University of Arizona, for an interactive introduction to environmental justice. Utilizing a mix of readings, workshops, and guest presentations from organizations working on real-world environmental challenges, this bootcamp-style course is designed to benefit a wide range of learners interested in environmental justice, civil rights, and climate activism. The course is open now through November 4 on MITx Online. Once enrolled, upgrade by December 2 to earn a certificate.

Advanced Supply Chain Systems Planning and Network Design

From the MIT Center for Transportation & Logistics (CTL), this new course aims to teach you how to plan and make strategic decisions that impact a business’ long-term success. Instructors Milena Janjevic, director of the MIT Supply Chain Design Lab, and Matthias Winkenbach, director of research at CTL, are passionate about ensuring a hands-on “learn-by-doing” experience using practical tools, real-world examples, and Python exercises (don’t worry if you have no prior coding experience, the course will provide you with what you need to know).

Whether you’re new to supply chain design or looking to refine your skills, this course will equip you with the knowledge and practical tools to design efficient, competitive, and sustainable supply chains. This instructor-paced online course is now available on edX. Upgrade by November 13 to earn a certificate.

Climate in Classrooms: Tools for All Teachers and Disciplines

Educators have a critical role to play in shaping how young learners think about, engage with, and prepare for climate change. Designed for K-12 teachers across all locations and disciplines, this new online course introduces key concepts and skills that support educators in preparing their students to be informed leaders and citizens in a climate-changed world.

This course is a collaboration between MITx, Christopher Knittel, MIT professor and associate dean for climate and sustainability, and Antje Danielson, director of education at the MIT Energy Initiative. This instructor-paced course starts November 5 on edX. Upgrade by December 8 to earn a certificate.

Discover returning and remixed courses

Sustainable Supply Chain Management

Transform your organization’s climate pledges into actionable strategies through better supply chain management. Modeled on the graduate-level, on-campus course SCM.290 Sustainable Supply Chain Management from the MIT Center for Transportation & Logistics, this online version will provide you with the foundational knowledge to meet stakeholders’ demands for supply chain sustainability.

This year’s course includes new videos covering techniques to estimate Scope 3 emissions and their relative trade-offs. As instructor Josué Velázquez explains, “Scope 3 emissions are by far the largest in the whole supply chain,” and measuring them accurately is becoming ever more critical given recent regulatory changes and mounting pressures from investors. This instructor-paced course is open now on edX.

Atomic and Optical Physics

Illustration of an atom with an equation.

Get an overview of modern atomic physics from MIT Professor Wolfgang Ketterle, co-recipient of the 2001 Nobel Prize in Physics for his work creating a new, ultracold atomic matter. Returning from an eight-year hiatus, this self-paced online course from the MIT Department of Physics combines five modules into a single offering, and features a number of updated problem sets tested by on-campus MIT students this past spring.

In this course, you’ll explore the foundations of contemporary research in select areas of atomic and optical physics. This includes studying the quantum-mechanical behavior of atoms and photons, and understanding how these properties can be applied to emerging fields like quantum information processing. Open now through September 1, 2025 on MITx Online, this course allows you to study on your own schedule, at your own pace.

Applications of Quantum Mechanics

Illustration of yellow waves on a black background.

Learn the essential techniques used in quantum mechanics research and practical applications, and discover a variety of approximation methods to understand systems that have no analytic solutions.

Based on the MIT class Quantum Mechanics III, and the third in a three-part series, this undergraduate-level online course is considered a capstone in the education of MIT physics majors. It is designed to prepare MIT students and global learners for advanced and specialized study in any field related to quantum physics. Returning from a three-year hiatus, this self-paced online course is now available on MITx Online through January 30, 2025.

Learners who upgrade into the certificate track will have the opportunity to delve deeper into a topic based on knowledge gained from the course and write a paper that is peer-graded and published in a journal that will be circulated to all participating learners. Learn about the MITx certificate track.

Stay tuned for more new and returning MITx courses coming in spring 2025! View the full MITx catalog. Learn more about MITx and its global impact.

The Impact of MITx

Dear Friend of MITx

I believe MITx is a game-changer in the field of education. It democratizes access to high-quality learning experiences, allowing anyone to tap into the vast knowledge and expertise of MIT.

Global Journeys of Transformation

MIT student encourages all learners to indulge their curiosity with MIT Open Learning’s MITx

Improving biology education here, there, and everywhere

MITx has provided a lot of inspiration for what I want to study in college. As a high school student, there are very few opportunities to pursue something as unique as aerospace studies, so the course I took from MITx provided that segue for me.

Why peer review benefits online learners socially and academically

MITx MOOCs worldwide

How MIT’s online resources provide a “highly motivating, even transformative experience”

How MIT’s online resources provide a “highly motivating, even transformative experience”

MITx provided me with an exceptional learning experience, offering world-class expertise and flexible, accessible online courses. It empowered me to develop practical skills and deepen my knowledge in a meaningful way.

Building networks of data science talent

The quality of education offered by MITx is top-class and very enriching. We live in a world where the highest quality education is available to anyone, anywhere in the world. MITx is a knowledge gift to the world.

Positive Economic and Social Impact

Sharing knowledge to address global poverty

MITx MicroMasters Program

Making a measurable economic impact

Opening up to new possibilities and thinking outside the box are essential aspects of my personal and professional development. It has been wonderful to find a space where I can share ideas and work effectively as a team.

From refugee to MIT graduate student

“I Wanna Be Educated” is a tribute to everything great about MIT Open Learning, MITx, and OpenCourseWare:

MITx offers a three-course series on single-variable calculus…and MIT Open Learning has a course on linear algebra. I took these courses and I loved them! I decided to donate as a way to thank MIT for these amazing courses.

Tell us your MITx story

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