Penn Engineering Celebrating 5 Years

Redefining Learning Anytime, Anywhere

Showcase in Motion

Five Questions for Five Years
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We had this idea of expanding access to engineering education … opening up doors to new students, new opportunities…which has truly grown beyond my expectations…I Can't believe it's been five years.

[What are some notable achievements of Penn Engineering Online so far?]

[Vijay Kumar, Nemirovsky Family Dean] The biggest accomplishment is that we managed to create an online degree program of the same quality as the on-campus degree program, attracting the same caliber of students, having full-time faculty teach those students, and then at the end of the day, offer them a degree, a certificate, a diploma that is as valuable as the on-campus equivalent.

[Chris Callison-Burch, Associate Professor CIS] The thing that stands out to me the most is just the ability to have impact on so many people's lives. The number of students that I've been able to interact with through this program is truly stunning.

[How has the online community at Penn evolved over the last 5 years?] 

[Olivia Roth, Director of Online Academic Programs at Penn Engineering Online] In the beginning, there wasn't a lot of students at the time, so it was kind of quiet in the chat rooms. Fast forward to today, and we have over 2000 students in that same Slack workspace, and most of the time when a student asks a question, another student will jump in and answer it. So to witness that evolution has been really fulfilling.

[Susan Davidson, Weiss Professor CIS] But we've also developed a completely new program. So the online data science program now expects people to know computer science so that they can then start expanding into more of the data analytics. So I think it's not just the courses, but in the degree programs that we're offering, that you can see the evolution and the mission of the school being expressed.

[What makes Penn Engineering Online unique?]

[Rebecca Hayward, Executive Director of Penn Engineering Online] One of the most unique things about our program is that we really wanted to focus on access. We wanted to make sure that students who could never leave their jobs, who could never leave where they live and come and study at Penn, had an opportunity to interact with our world renowned professors and to really make sure that they could get the education they deserved.

[Zack Ives, Department Chair, Adani President’s Distinguished Professor CIS] One of the exciting things that we've done in recent years is get various folks at Google, at Amazon, at Meta and various other companies to give us a lot of input and even take an active instructional role in some of the cloud computing type courses, and a variety of others that are emerging down the pipeline, are all based on interactions with industry and industry leaders.

[How does Penn Engineering Online align with the school’s greater commitment to education excellence?]

[Rebecca Hayward] When we started this program, we knew that the quality had to be absolutely the exact same extremely high quality experience that they would have on campus. 

[Melissa Amaya, MCIT ‘22]  My Time at Penn Engineering online overall, um, provided me the confidence to feel like I can go into any interview and rock it.

[Tom Farmer, Senior Lecturer CIS and ESE] We're blessed to have a gifted faculty group that I work with. They are just tremendous. They're always involved in conferences. They're doing ongoing research at all times. They're working with industry to, you know, create some new solutions or uncover new science but we also receive incredible amounts of feedback from students because they know what they're after, but they also see the trends that are coming. And so they feed that back into the program saying, "Hey, do you have any courses on this?" And it inspires us to say, "Yeah, and we always wanted to create that course. We're glad you want it."

[What are your hopes and aspirations for the future of Penn Engineering Online?]

[Richard Forman, Chair for  the Board of Online Engineering Education] We've been incredibly pleased and satisfied with what we've done today, but this really is just the beginning and we've really only scratched the surface of what we can deliver online.

[Boon Thau Loo, Associate Dean for Graduate Programs]  It forces us to rethink the old way of doing things and to do things in a much better way. If I were to hibernate and wake up 50 years from now, I envision a very different landscape, in learning and teaching.  We are going to look back and wonder why did people teach it in the old way 50 years ago?

[Susan Davidson] We will always recognize the new challenges and we will develop content to show how those challenges are being addressed.

[Vijay Kumar] Right now, online is approximately one third of the entire student body. We're imagining a world where on-campus Penn Engineering students are roughly the same as the online Penn Engineering students. So you might imagine growing to a point where we're about 50% equal. The distinction between online and on-campus is blurred.

[Olivia Roth] This is an initiative that started from the seed of an idea that has grown to such an incredible community of students and staff, and I am really honored to be a part of it.

Five years ago, we embarked on a journey to redefine engineering education. Today, we stand proud, celebrating Penn Engineering Online, a beacon of innovation, knowledge, and transformative learning

Over the years, we've witnessed countless success stories, forged lasting partnerships, and empowered individuals from every corner of the globe. Together, we've shattered boundaries, embracing the future of engineering.

In this milestone year, we rededicate ourselves to excellence, pushing the boundaries of what's possible in online education. The coming years hold even greater promise as we continue to evolve, adapt, and lead.

Here's to the students, the alumni, the faculty, and the partners who have been the heartbeat of this extraordinary journey. Your dedication fuels our progress, and for that, we are endlessly grateful.

Join us in celebrating a decade of redefining engineering education. Together, let's embark on the next chapter of innovation, discovery, and impact.

Thank you for being a part of this remarkable journey.

Boon Thau Loo
Associate Dean of Graduate Programs
The key accomplishment with MCIT is that Penn Engineering has created an online degree program with the same rigor, depth and breadth as its on-campus counterpart. Our online students learn from the same faculty and are in a cohort of the same caliber as our on-campus program, and when they complete their studies, they hold a diploma that is identical to their fellow on-campus graduates.
Vijay Kumar
Nemirovsky Family Dean
Five years ago, we embarked on a journey to redefine engineering education. Today, we stand proud, celebrating Penn Engineering Online, a beacon of innovation, knowledge, and transformative learning.
Read the Full Message
Boon Thau Loo
Associate Dean of Graduate Programs
One of the most unique things about our program is that we really wanted to focus on access. We wanted to make sure that students who could never leave their jobs, who could never leave where they live and come and study at Penn, had an opportunity to interact with our world renowned professors and to really make sure that they could get the education they deserved.
Becca Hayward
Executive Director, Penn Engineering Online
This is an initiative that started from the seed of an idea that has grown to such an incredible community of students and staff, and I am really honored to be a part of it.
Olivia Roth
Director of Student Success & Advising

Over the Years

1 of 7
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
Penn Engineering's Massive Open Online Course (MOOC), Computational Thinking, introduces learners around the globe to computer science faculty, designed to provide an entry point to programming and computer science essentials for novices. By March 2024, an impressive 6,409 individuals have completed this foundational course.
With 240 students comprising the inaugural cohort, Penn Engineering takes a groundbreaking leap forward by partnering with Coursera to unveil the online Master of Computer and Information Technology (MCIT Online) degree—a revolutionary offering in the realm of online education.
A historic moment unfolds as 33 students become the inaugural cohort to graduate from Penn Engineering Online, earning their Masters of Computer and Information Technology degree. This milestone not only marks their personal achievements but also symbolizes the culmination of dedication, perseverance, and academic excellence in the realm of online education.
Penn Engineering Online celebrates its first SPARC (Side Projects for Advancement, Refinement, and Collaboration) showcase, a pivotal event highlighting student ingenuity and teamwork. Side projects serve as a reliable method for employers to evaluate technical abilities, time management skills, enthusiasm, and creativity. This showcase provides students with a platform to demonstrate their skills, collaborate effectively in teams, and tackle real-world engineering challenges, fostering an environment of innovation and practical problem-solving.
Penn Engineering Online launches its second program, the Master of Science in Engineering in Data Science (MSE-DS) Online. Students explore advanced data topics like AI, big data systems, deep learning, NLP, and internet systems, acquiring skills for roles from data scientist to data engineer. The Dean’s Master’s Scholarship supports financially, attracting talented students aligned with the university's mission of scholarship, teaching, and research for the public good.
Penn Engineering Online introduces two new for-credit Online Graduate Certificates: Software Systems and Data Science, followed by Computer Science Fundamentals. These credentials are tailored for alumni, offering opportunities to enhance their skill sets and adapt to the ever-changing technological landscape. Designed to complement existing degrees, these certificates empower graduates to excel in various fields within the dynamic world of technology.
Anticipating the future of accessible, at-scale education using technological advancements and inclusive practices. This evolution promises unparalleled opportunities for learners globally, removing traditional boundaries and empowering individuals from various backgrounds to pursue their academic aspirations.
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Noteworthy Numbers as of March 2024

1,897 Current Students
active degree and certificate students today
Number of Students by Year
953 MCIT Graduates
through Fall 2023
3,697 Total Students
enrolled since 2019
0
Faculty
including Schools & Departments
0
Departments
MEAM, ESE, CIS
0
Courses Launched
26 for-credit and 21 non-credit

Impressive
Career Outcomes

Our alumni can be found around the globe at corporations making a real difference. Hear what they are saying about how Penn Engineering has impacted their careers.

Download the Full Report

Alumni Impressions

“My favorite aspect is the whole journey. Every course has given me a new point of view. It’s always exciting. You never know what you’ll learn here, but you can be guaranteed you’re going to learn something new. And a lot of what you learn in MCIT Online is not only applicable to development, you can use it in a lot of different domains in your professional life. There’s a lot of overlap with project management, product and also innovation”
Mayank Nega
  • MCIT ‘23
“This program stood out to me because it has an emphasis on providing opportunities for people to do computer science who didn’t have that chance before. It felt very accessible to me. I didn’t feel uncomfortable being a mother, being older, being in a third career, or changing careers at this age. It’s an accepting and diverse environment with all types of people, and I felt like I fit in.”
Rachel Friend
  • MCIT ‘23
The program totally changed my life. I went from having no computer skills to being able to apply for software engineering jobs at a serious company and pass their interviews, which were really rigorous. I have this career in front of me now that wasn’t even in sight before, and it’s what I want to be doing. That’s really powerful.”
Anisa Ray
  • MCIT ‘22
“I strongly believe that to be a well-rounded person, you need to be exposed to different viewpoints, and Penn’s MCIT Online program has students from all walks of life. They live in different countries, speak different languages and come from different backgrounds, including doctors, teachers and everything in between.”
Marina Wolters Rihani
  • MCIT ‘23
“ … all these people coming from all over the world and supporting each other, that actually became a highlight in the program because we really felt like a sense of community…”
Enrique Vargas
  • MCIT ‘22
“So I was a TLP for CIS 5920 Mathematical Foundations of Computer Science for three semesters and I loved the experience. I wanted an opportunity to connect face to face with more of my peers and really get a chance to give back to the MCIT community.”
Alex Vena
  • MCIT ‘23

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The People That Made
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