YouTube announced today that it’s partnering with Arizona State University and educational video company Crash Course to launch a new program that enables students to earn college credit. The Google-owned company says the new program, which is called College Foundations, is designed to create an affordable and accessible way to earn college credit.
Starting today, students can sign up for four courses that start on March 7, 2023 and offer eligibility for transfer credit. The program does not require applications or a minimum GPA for enrollment. It includes common first-year college courses, including Intro to Human Communication, Rhetoric and Composition, Real World College Math and US History to 1865.
The program is expected to expand to 12 available courses by January 2025 to give students a chance to receive credit for an entire first year of college. There is a $25 fee if a student elects to sign up and begin coursework, and a $400 fee to receive college credit for each course. Those who sign up before March 7 will receive a $50 discount. Courses can be taken as often as needed until the student is content with their grade. The credit can then be used at institutions that accept credits from Arizona State University.
College Foundations is an expansion of an existing Study Hall partnership between Arizona State University, YouTube and Crash Course, which is an educational channel with over 14 million subscribers and was founded by John and Hank Green.
Image Credits: YouTube
“Developed and taught by the same faculty who conduct research and teach students on ASU’s campuses, the lessons combine ASU’s academic excellence with Crash Courses’s compelling storytelling — all on YouTube’s wide-reaching platform,” the company said in a blog post.
To get started, students can take a free sneak-peak of courses and then register for a course of their choice, after which they can start earning credit. Once you’re in a course, you can contact a success coach via email to get help with assignments. You can complete your coursework when it’s convenient for you, but you will have weekly due dates for most of the courses. If you want to access additional support, some instructors hold optional office hours.
YouTube has been home to educational content for quite some time now, and the ability to earn college credits takes this content focus even further by providing users with a direct path to formal education.
The announcement comes as YouTube recently unveiled Courses, a feature that will seek to bring structured learning experience on YouTube in India. Teachers will be able to publish and organize their videos and provide text reading materials and questions right on the video app.