The Technical University of Munich (TUM) is taking another step on the path to internationalizing the university and is introducing Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) to help prospective international students prepare for a Master’s degree at TUM. MOOCs for Masters will be designed so that participants can test their knowledge before applying for their preferred Master’s course and close knowledge gaps they may have. Two years ago, TUM became one of the first German universities to introduce its own MOOCs, which have already been completed by over 100,000 participants in around 160 countries.

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) offer participants from all over the world free access to tuition from outstanding academics. TUM’s popular MOOCs consist of several individual units, incorporating a number of video elements, each lasting a few minutes. Participants can also complete interactive tasks, access additional learning materials and discuss topics in online forums. They can then take an exam at the end of each course.

TUM is now expanding its offering by producing an initial new series of up to ten MOOCs, each designed as preparation for a specific Master’s program (although they are not mandatory for applicants). The MOOCs will give participants the opportunity to test their knowledge and if necessary close any significant gaps before they apply for their preferred course. They will also get a good idea of what the study program will entail.

The MOOCs for Masters are set to go online during this year. They are primarily aimed at prospective international students, who will be coming to TUM from countries with different qualification and education systems. However, the online courses will also be open to any other participants.