Arizona State University is expanding its partnership with Cash Course and YouTube to offer online ... [+]
Arizona State University (ASU) has announced that it will partner with Crash Course to offer a series of online courses for college credit that will begin on YouTube. The courses are a significant expansion of the current Study Hall collaboration between the three organizations and represent a new chapter in attempts to open more affordable pathways to higher education.
Crash Course is a YouTube learning channel, founded by the novelist John Green and his brother Hank in 2011. It offers educational videos on dozens of topics, ranging from artificial intelligence to zoology. Crash Course claims to have 14.4 million subscribers on YouTube with 1.75 billion views to date.
“Crash Course and ASU are dedicated to providing high-quality educational content for an online global community, and we are excited that this partnership will provide the opportunity to earn college credit,” said Hank Green.
Study Hall provides a series of YouTube learning videos designed to help students who are thinking about attending college. They cover topics such as applying to college and choosing a major as well as providing material relevant to a number of college subjects. Here is an example on “how to choose a school.”
With the new partnership announced today, students will now be able to sign up for four Study Hall courses called "College Foundations." They will first air on March 7, 2023.
Here's how it will work.
The first four College Foundation courses will be English Composition, College Math, U.S. History, and Human Communication. Learners will begin by viewing course content on the Study Hall YouTube channel. If, after watching the videos, they’re interested in formal coursework, they can sign-up to participate in the online courses taught by ASU faculty.
The courses will run for seven weeks. Study Hall plans to offer 12 courses by January 2025, which is equal to a full course load in the first year of college.
The Study Hall videos can be watched at no cost. If students elect to sign up and begin coursework, they will be charged a $25 registration fee. For $400, students can earn credit for a completed course, but those who sign up before March 7, 2023 will be given a $50 discount per course.
Each course can be taken more than once, and students pay for credit only when they are satisfied with their grade. Credit can then be transferred to other colleges and universities that accept ASU credits. Students who are already enrolled at ASU are not eligible for the courses.
“Study Hall is an easily accessible place for learners and families to get a jump-start on college — from planning on how and where to go, to actually earning college credits,” said Arizona State University President Michael M. Crow. “Through the power of partnerships and technology, we continue to find new ways to break down barriers and create new pathways to higher education.”
“YouTube is where the world comes to learn,” said Susan Wojcicki, CEO of YouTube. “With ASU's commitment to innovation, access, and excellence, Crash Course's experience in producing high quality educational content, and YouTube’s enormous global community, we believe this Study Hall partnership will break down barriers to learning and achievement,” Wojcicki added.
