Will completing online MOOCs / EDX courses help with my masters application?

Hi there I am planning to apply for a masters, will courses from edx, coursera etc (from a legitimate university such as MIT) increase my chances of getting onto the masters course? Thanks

Hi there I am planning to apply for a masters, will courses from edx, coursera etc (from a legitimate university such as MIT) increase my chances of getting onto the masters course? Thanks

I would imagine doing a certified online course related to what you're applying would not hurt you.

Not particularly. If you want evidenc efor interest in a new area, or of specialisation etc then they can help, but they won't help academically ie they won't make up for weak grades. Not much different to reading a few books.

I am planning to apply for aerospace engineering msc. My alevels are poor but i have checked the entry requirements and there is no mention of an alevel grade being required. I am on track for a first in my bachelors. Could undertaking an aerospace engineering 8 week course not be the difference between me and another similar applicant?

Masters courses don't usually take notice of A levels, and if they haven't mentioned them, that's a further indication they don't. What's your first degree in - if it contains aerospace related courses, then the MOOC won't add much. If it doesn't, then it demonstrates interest. What MOOCs don't do is add academic value. It's like buying a set of books, there's no real test that you've read and absorbed them. So doing a MOOC is in the same category as going to a conference, not in having an extra undergrad module. It's not going to hurt though.

Hi thanks for the replies. My bachelors is in mechanical engineering, so I thought doing an extra course in aerospace may show that I'm interested learning about the subject (and have gathered a very basic grasp of it).

Hi thanks for the replies. My bachelors is in mechanical engineering, so I thought doing an extra course in aerospace may show that I'm interested learning about the subject (and have gathered a very basic grasp of it).