edX Review - Why Should You Buy It?

The following article reviews edX; its advantages and disadvantages, reasons to invest in it, that validity of its certifications, scholarships offered and such.

By the end of the article you will have complete knowledge of edX and your decision to choose the platform or not would be clear.

If you want to pursue higher education from Universities around the globe without leaving your current job or your personal commitments, then you must look into edX.

edX provides University level courses from some of the best universities through-out the world.

Table of Contents

What Is edx?

edX is a Massive Online Open Course (MOOC). It provides university level courses to students around the globe in a wide range of disciplines. There are more than 1900 courses to choose from 100+ reputed institutes.

What does edx mean?

ed stands for education whereas, X stands for extension. edX was founded in 2012 by “Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University”. It is a non-profit organization created to provide affordable and high-quality education for all.

Students come to take courses and get certified from edX. The courses on edX are in the form of a short videos along with some practice tests for you to take. This helps you review you knowledge regarding the subject.. edX also provides certificates on competition of the courses and some of the courses are credit-eligible.

edX online courses

The lectures on edX are in the form of small video lectures. So, you can enjoy the courses with the comfort of your home and convenience. edX provides courses in a wide range of topics. Many of the courses from edX are available in English, Mandarin, French, Hindi, Japanese, Russian, Dutch, Spanish and more.

Some of the course subjects that are available on edX are as follows: –

Business and Management
Computer Science
Humanities
Languages
Data Science and Statistics
Chemistry
Physics
And many more

Note – Majority of courses offered on edX are in English.

edX provides multiple search filters that you can apply to find a suitable course. You can apply the filter to search for courses from a particular university, or from the subjects available, on the basis of languages, or on the basis of your knowledge (Like – Introductory, Intermediate and advanced).

edX provides one more option to choose on the basis of. You can look at the instructor’s profile, their total experience and their education. With this knowledge, you can get an idea about the instructor. By looking at the instructor’s profile, you will also get to know about the company or university they are associated with.

edX has partnered with lots of universities and organizations from all around the world. These are the best in their field and country. Choosing a good organization provides edX the power to provide high-quality videos and lectures.

edX Certificate

edX has different forms of certificates to cater to the different needs of people. You can choose from the range of courses depending upon your needs and their utility. Here is the list of different programs and degrees offered: –

MicroMasters Program
Professional Certificate
Online Master’s Degree
Global Freshman Academy
X-Series

1. MicroMasters Program

This is a university level program offered by edX. You can join the course and the credits earned will be equivalent to 1-semester of a Full-Time Master Degree. If you want to showcase your skills to your current or future employers without harming your personal commitment and employment, then it would be an advisable option for you.

This MicroMasters Program has been started to bridge the gap between Bachelor Degree and Master Degree.

Benefits of MicroMasters Program: –

There are various benefits for MicroMasters Program: –

Professionals Career – The most reputed leaders of the industry accept and recognizes these certificates. Some examples of companies that accept these certificates are as follows – Walmart, IBM, Volvo, Ford, etc.
Higher Studies – The MicroMaster Program could also help you with your higher studies. The certificates from these programs could provide you with credits which will be equivalent to the 1-semester program.
The credits are accepted by some of the most sought after universities throughout the world.

Limitations

This program comes with certain limitations as well. The limitation is that apart from its recognized universities no-other university accepts these credentials for their master programs.

If you are not looking for a master degree then there are some other options for you as well.

2. Professional Certificate

It is one of the degrees designed by professionals and industry leaders to enhance your skills. If you want to learn new technology then this could be a good option. The certificate has been designed by keeping in mind that the world is changing very fast and employees need to keep in step with them.

If you want to update your knowledge and skills required in the industry you’re already working in, then this certificate will suit you best.

You will find the most advanced courses which are continuously updated. These courses are updated according to the industry standards.

You will also be awarded certification on successful completion of course and scoring required grades in the course. You could earn a certificate which could be highly valuable for your professional life.

3. Online Master Course

Do you want to complete your master degree? You don’t have any time to do it full-time? Or you have some personal commitments that need to be fulfilled? To solve all these problems edX has created Online Master Course.

You could get certified by some of the best universities through-out the world. The programs are maintained by the university that provides the certificate itself. So you could expect quality content from these.

This course could help you get a certified master degree.

4. Global Freshman Academy

This is a joint program by Arizona State University (ASU) and edX. This academy course can be chosen by anyone in the world.

The course will provide you with transferable credit from anywhere in the world. These credits can be applied for further studies in ASU or any other university. This credit makes you eligible for a degree.

You don’t need to pay until you score the grades that you need.

Note – You need to check with the institute if they accept these credits or not.

5. X-Series

If you want to get the in-depth knowledge of a subject which is in demand in today’s market, then this certification is for you.

You can select from the list of courses available, develop your skills and knowledge and flaunt them to the world. The courses have been designed by world-renowned industry experts and top universities.

If you want to get an advanced level knowledge, then you should opt for X-series. It could be a good option for you.

edX Scholarship

edX does provides scholarships as well. If you are unable to pay the fees but want to learn a specific course then you can apply for a scholarship to edX. edX could provide you with a scholarship for its verified certificates.

Note – Most of the courses that provide verified certificates could be applicable for scholarship but remember not all courses are eligible for this scholarship.

edX provides a scholarship of up to 90%. edX doesn’t cover a full scholarship of the course. You need to pay for the rest of the course.

How can you apply for financial assistance?

edX has made the application process very simple and straight forward. You can enroll in the course as an audit learner and then could submit an application for financial assistance. The application would then be sent for review. The review generally takes 2-3 business days.

If you are selected for Financial Assistance then you will get the confirmation on your E-mail.

Note – You can be approved up to 5 times in a 12 month period.

Final Thoughts

edX is a great platform for anyone to learn. You can even get credits which could help you in higher education. There isn’t a question about the quality of the courses available on the platform. I’d suggest you to seriously consider opting for this platform as the benefits are innumerable.