Update: The University of Texas System says nearly 15,000 people from around the world have signed up for free, online classes offered by the University of Texas at Austin in just the first three days of enrollment.
The most popular edX class offered by UT so far is Energy 101 – with more than 5,000 registrants.
“We are so proud of these courses and the fact that they will showcase our outstanding faculty on a global stage,” said Gene Powell, chairman of the UT System Board of Regents, who registered for Energy 101. “The success of these inaugural courses is an important step in achieving our goals of better meeting the learning needs of a wide range of students, raising graduation rates and cutting the cost of higher education, all while maintaining our commitment to education of the highest quality. The fact that we are seeing this much progress just five months after the Regents approved our partnership with edX is amazing.”
Original Story (April 1, 2013, 12:46 p.m.): Registering for online classes has never been easier.
This past weekend, edX opened registration for four free, massive, open online courses through UT-Austin. The UT System partnered with edX, a non-profit that offers courses online for free, this past fall. The system pledged $10 million to edX. Courses were announced in February, and registration for opened this past weekend.
Courses starting in September include:
- Ideas of the 20th Century
- Age of Globalization
- Take Your Medicine - The Impact of Drug Development
- Energy 101
Registering for classes only requires a edX account, which can be obtained by providing an email address and filling out a short questionnaire. Registration is open to anyone, and seating is unlimited.
Completing the class does not give any course credit. Below, a trailer for "Ideas of the 20th Century," featuring instructor Daniel Bonevac.
