Media Contact
Jennifer Ellen French
Public Relations Manager
Andrew Young School of Policy Studies
[email protected]
ATLANTA —Georgia State University will offer a free, massive open online course (MOOC) on data visualization and $50 microcredential workshops on leadership and data visualization. They will be taught by faculty in the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies’ highly ranked Department of Public Management and Policy (PMAP) starting spring semester 2024.
The department designed the microcredentialing and MOOC pathways to offer relevant skills on leadership and data visualization in a condensed format. The courses, tailored to professionals in the public and nonprofit sectors, will allow them to immediately integrate important new practices into their workplaces.
“Technological innovations coupled with the growing complexity of public service delivery make it imperative that professionals stay ahead of the learning curve,” said Associate Professor Jureé Capers, director of master’s programs for the department. “Our new workshops will help them do this; we train professionals to solve the problems of today and 10 years from now.”
Georgia State University is the only higher education institution in the state that offers up to three hours of credit towards a graduate degree through these microcredential options. The microcredentialing and MOOC pathways can be used as credits toward the Andrew Young School’s newest PMAP graduate certificates in public management and leadership and in policy analytics, if participants pass required assessments and are accepted into the certificate program.
The free MOOC pathway is a 15-week asynchronous, self-paced course on data visualization that starts in January 2024. One-on-one feedback on course assessments and virtual assistance, as needed, are at participants’ disposal as they learn the best tips and tricks of storytelling with data. Upon successful completion of the MOOC, participants will receive a badge that can count toward credit for prior learning for the Graduate Certificate in Policy Analytics.
The microcredential program consists of two, three-session workshops held on the Georgia State campus. One series examines leadership best practices and the second series, data visualization. Each workshop offers participants a full day of instruction and networking with AYSPS faculty and other professionals. Participants will receive a badge for each session they successfully complete, which can be “stacked” and later applied toward prior learning credit. The leadership badges are designed to count toward the Graduate Certificate in Public Management and Leadership, while the data visualization badges are designed to count toward the Graduate Certificate in Policy Analytics.
“Badges are the latest way to signal expertise,” Capers said. "They indicate that a person has taken the extra time and effort to keep their skillset fresh. Many people attach them to their resumes, email and social media to show their bosses, colleagues and friends that they’ve become proficient in skills that will help move their organizations forward. They’ve become ‘future-proof,’ as our Gen Z colleague calls it.”
To request more information on these microcredentials and the MOOC, go to https://forms.office.com/r/CJpAjWvNpF.