The George Washington University will begin offering two signature massive open online courses (MOOCs) in April, continuing to expand its online education presence for a general audience. Each course will center on a core curriculum of video lectures, symposia and interviews, written matter, interactive assignments and other supplemental materials. Both will be free, and registration is now open to the public.
These courses “are designed to educate the world,” said Paul Schiff Berman, vice provost for online education and academic innovation.
One course, “The Past, Present and Future of the Federal Reserve,” will trace the influence of the “Fed,” the United States’ central banking system.
Narrated and moderated by School of Media and Public Affairs director Frank Sesno, it was developed as a collaboration among professors from GW’s Law School, School of Business and Columbian College of Arts & Sciences. It also will incorporate material from the series of lectures delivered by Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke in 2012. It will be offered in cohorts several times over the next two academic years.
The other course, “Business in a Political Age,” will be taught by Mark Kennedy, director of the Graduate School of Political Management.
Focusing on the interweaving paths of business and political interests, students will focus on case studies, taking the roles of major players in current and historical events. Unlike the Federal Reserve class, it will be offered continuously, with students signing up at any time for access to the website.
“These are courses that no other university is offering, and perhaps no other university could offer,” Prof. Berman said.