Southern Methodist University is launching a suite of fully online accelerated professional education programs designed for people seeking to advance in their industries—or to quickly pivot to a new field.
The programs are offered through SMU’s Continuing and Professional Education (CAPE) unit and powered by Flatiron School. The noncredit programs offer training in high-demand disciplines such as game design, game development, software engineering, data science, artificial intelligence, product design, and cybersecurity.
“We believe in empowering students to transform their careers,” Michael Robertson, SMU assistant provost for Global, Online and Continuing Education, said in a statement. “We provide a robust learning experience that equips students with the practical skills needed to excel in today’s fast-paced job market.”
The first classes will begin Nov. 4, with future sections scheduled to begin throughout the year. SMU said the programs offer the flexibility to learn from anywhere in the world.
Dedicated instructors and integrated career services
SMU said that throughout their educational experience, students work with dedicated instructors and integrated career services, regularly receiving personalized guidance and support along their educational journey.
The university said that with programs developed with an integrated educational approach that combines theoretical knowledge with practical application, students gain the technical skills needed to succeed in their future positions and the confidence to successfully navigate the competitive job market upon program completion.
Programs offered by SMU CAPE operate in a modular format, the university said, with programming levels ranging from basic to advance in various disciplines. That format allows students to easily enroll in the course best aligned to their current experience level and expertise, SMU said.
The university said that SMU CAPE will develop and deliver these programs in partnership with the Flatiron School, an online education company that has launched more than 20,000 tech careers since 2012.
SMU noted that former Flatiron participants hold positions at many Fortune 1000 companies, including those with headquarters or hubs in the Dallas-Fort Worth area such as Google, Apple, NASA, The Dallas Cowboys, Exxon Mobil, Sony, Ubisoft, and others.
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