Digital Infrastructure, Concentrations, and Certificates: Scaling Online M.S., M.Eng., and MCS Degrees

The Grainger College of Engineering

Building on the current successes of the online Master of Computer Science (MCS), Master of Science, and Master of Engineering (M.Eng.) programs by sustainably scaling enrollments while maintaining individual student quality and attention, the project aims to increase the number of graduate learners from 1,900 to 4,000 over a period of 10 years.

To achieve this, the project will:

• Expand the MCS program with new concentrations and certificates in areas like artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and data science, making it more appealing and flexible for professionals.
• Develop a robust digital infrastructure to support non-Coursera online programs, enhance the Canvas learning management system, and provide better student support and instructor training.
• Support the growth of Grainger Engineering academic programs in Chicago by offering hybrid classes and leveraging expanded computer science course offerings.

Overall, the project aims to enhance the appeal and accessibility of these programs while maintaining high-quality education and support for students.

Bridging Disciplines: An M.S. in X+CS for a Connected Future

College of Liberal Arts and Sciences; College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences ; The Grainger College of Engineering; Siebel School of Computing and Data Science

The proposed flexible and innovative Master of Science program combines deep knowledge in a subject “X” with Computer Science (M.S. X+CS). This program will primarily focus on disciplines within LAS, integrating rigorous study of liberal arts with the power of computer science to foster a new generation of interdisciplinary thinkers and problem-solvers.

• The M.S. X+CS framework will be a collaboration between the LAS departments of Mathematics and Economics and the Siebel School of Computing and Data Science, with additional interest from the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering (ABE) in ACES.
• The project will create and launch three M.S. in X+CS degree programs: Economics+CS, Mathematics+CS, and ABE+CS. The M.S. in X+CS program is designed to offer students a distinctive interdisciplinary postbaccalaureate education that blends deep domain-specific knowledge with computer science.
• This approach addresses the growing demand for professionals who can integrate computer science with other disciplines, utilizing computational thinking and advanced technologies to tackle complex problems across various sectors.
• The degrees initially proposed under the proposal will be resident programs.

Gies Business iMSF and iMSBA Programs

Gies College of Business

Two new, fully online Master of Science degrees in Finance and Business Analytics, the iMSF and iMSBA, will be online versions of top-ranked on-campus degrees offered by Gies Business: the Master of Science in Finance and the Master of Science in Business Analytics.

The MSF and MSBA are mature, high-quality programs with coursework taught by faculty from Gies Business’ top-ranked departments in Accountancy (ranked No. 3 by U.S. News & World Report), Finance (No. 7), and Business Administration (No. 18 in production/operations management). Offering online versions of these two successful programs will open new pipelines of learners for Gies Business, enhance the college’s reputation as a leader in online graduate business education, and create positive spillovers to the residential versions of the degrees.

The iMSF and iMSBA are in the planning phase with a target launch term in academic year 2026. The degrees will mirror the same high-quality content delivered by top faculty as the on-campus versions, while providing a more accessible and flexible learning experience for students. Both programs will be stackable into the iMBA and will leverage Gies Business’ proven Coursera-partnered degree model. Substantial portions of the proposed iMSF and iMSBA curricula are already offered in our existing fully online degrees (iMSA, iMBA, and iMSM).

Master of Science in Healthcare Innovation

Carle Illinois College of Medicine; The Grainger College of Engineering; College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

The Master of Science in Healthcare Innovation at the Carle Illinois College of Medicine, collaboratively designed with The Grainger College of Engineering and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, aims to:

• Enhance the reputation of the CI MED, Grainger Engineering, LAS, and Illinois as global leaders in healthcare innovation, biomedical science, and engineering.
• Develop a diverse pool of healthcare-engineering applicants for healthcare professions, especially from underrepresented groups.
• Diversify university revenue through new income sources.

This one-year, revenue-generating program is tailored for individuals seeking experience in medical science, engineering, design, and innovation. It offers exposure to clinically relevant problems in medicine and healthcare, appealing to those pursuing careers in medical technology and healthcare industries. The MSHI program complements the college’s M.D. program by teaching translational innovation skills, aligning with CI MED’s vision to produce global leaders through transformative medical education, research, and clinical care innovation.

Doctor of Social Work in Organizational Management and Leadership

School of Social Work

The proposed DSW differs from the School of Social Work’s Ph.D. program in its focus and structure. While the Ph.D. program is research-intensive, preparing scholars for academic and research careers, the DSW is practice-oriented, equipping professionals with the skills necessary for leadership roles in social services and nonprofit organizations. Tailored for working professionals, the DSW emphasizes advanced applied knowledge and leadership development, rather than theoretical and methodological research competencies characteristic of the Ph.D. program. The program is a self-supporting, online offering tailored to working professionals. It leverages the interdisciplinary strengths of the School of Social Work and the Gies College of Business, creating a distinctive educational pathway that sets Illinois apart as a leader in advanced social work education focusing on management and leadership in social purpose organizations. Students completing the first half of the degree would also be eligible to receive a Gies Business-issued, graduate-level microcredential in business essentials for social workers. By blending competencies from both disciplines, the DSW program ensures graduates are prepared to lead organizations that drive social change. Graduates of the program will be equipped to fill critical gaps in the need for senior leadership roles in nonprofits and human services agencies.

The DSW program will:

• Open pathways to consulting and advocacy leadership, contributing to the broader work of social change policy innovation.
• Extend the university’s academic influence beyond the boundaries of Illinois by being offered entirely online. With online delivery, it will attract a diverse cohort of students, increasing the university’s national visibility.
• Contribute to Illinois’ goal of expanding graduate education, particularly in areas of high societal need, while enhancing the university’s reputation for leadership in social innovation.

Stackable Online Certificates as a Vehicle for Learning, Leading, and Communicating in Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Systems Disciplines

College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences/Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communications program

To bolster online credentials, stackable certificates, and pathways to online learning in ACES through learning, leading, and communicating the science of sustainable food, agricultural, and environmental systems, the ALEC program will:

• Develop a certificate in the science of learning, program design, and evaluation for University of Illinois Extension educators in food, agricultural, and environmental systems.
• Develop a certificate in leading teams and organizations in food, agricultural, and environmental systems.
• Develop a certificate in risk communications in food, agricultural, and environmental sciences.
• Expand the online M.S. in ALEC degree to strengthen human capacity in learning, leading, and communicating in food, agricultural, and environmental sciences.

These combined efforts — expanding nondegree offerings, increasing degree-seeking enrollments, and boosting undergraduate interest — will create a robust foundation for the program’s long-term success and impact in addressing the grand challenges of food, agricultural, and environmental systems.

Bridge Funding for the Expansion of the Interdisciplinary Bachelor of Science in Sustainable Design

College of Fine and Applied Arts

The interdisciplinary sustainable design degree, offered by the College of Fine and Applied Arts, is rooted in the scholarly research of faculty in partner design programs. The curriculum focuses on building sustainable communities through environmentally sensitive design. The Bachelor of Science in Sustainable Design program is prepared to expand the curriculum of existing sustainability education and to increase enrollments to prepare ever more students for sustainability work in the future.

The proposal seeks to double undergraduate enrollment from 100 to 200 by academic year 2030-2031 through the support of faculty appointments, investment in facilities, and support for student opportunities such as study abroad and service work. Future efforts will focus on recruiting first-year students and connecting K-12 students with an understanding of sustainability career opportunities.

Online Master of Science in Law and Certificate Program

College of Law

A new online Master of Science in Law Program would offer an affordable, quality degree focused on high-demand subjects that other schools largely neglect. The new MSL would feature two new focus areas: 1.) Law, corporate governance, and compliance; and 2.) Law, artificial intelligence, and privacy.

Many professionals work in heavily regulated industries. Having legal knowledge will help them navigate regulatory law, business law questions, and risk compliance. In addition, legal framing about the impact of AI and attendant concerns about privacy will be globally useful for professionals. Thus, the proposed program expansion will facilitate the college’s educational mission and enhance its reputation for excellence and cutting-edge expertise among prospective students, alumni, and employers who recruit our students. It will also increase our financial viability by providing an additional revenue stream.

The degree will be useful to those who regularly communicate with lawyers but do not represent clients.

The two focus areas will be comprised of stackable certificates. The individual certificates are keyed to narrower, specialized areas of legal study. They will give our students valuable professional credentials and useful working knowledge of a defined area of law applicable to existing or new employment settings.

Master of Science in FinTech Chicago

The Grainger College of Engineering

The proposed M.S. FinTech Chicago program combines excellence in quantitative modeling, computer science, and finance offered by three units at Illinois: the Department of Industrial and Enterprise Systems Engineering, the Siebel School of Computing and Data Science, and the Department of Finance. It offers both in-person and online master’s degrees as well as stackable certificates, short courses, bootcamps, workshops, and promotes university and industry collaboration in terms of projects, research, product development and training. The main goals are to train top FinTech talent that is much needed in Chicago, the U.S., and globally, and to establish Illinois as a leader in FinTech research.

The proposal will establish Illinois as a global leader in financial technology education and research by creating:

• In-person professional master’s degree program: This will be a three-semester long program with an optional fourth semester. Students and staff will be based in Chicago, while courses are taught in a hybrid mode with both in-person and remote components by faculty from Urbana-Champaign as well as by Chicago-based adjunct faculty from the FinTech industry.
• Online degree: There is an online option for those who want to pursue the degree remotely. All in-person and remote courses will be recorded and made accessible for online students. This option could be attractive for those who are already in the industry and want to pursue the degree program remotely, part time or full time.
• Stackable graduate certificates: These certificates are created for early- and mid-career professionals who want to upskill. Courses taken within a certificate could be used toward the FinTech master’s degree.
• University-industry collaboration: The M.S. FinTech Chicago program will work with the FinTech industry closely to create opportunities for Illinois students and faculty in terms of projects, research, workshop, bootcamps, etc. It leverages the university’s research capacity and the industry’s cutting-edge FinTech applications to advance FinTech research, aiming to establish Illinois as a global leader in this field.

Generative Artificial Intelligence in Education

College of Education

The project aims to develop a demonstration document creation space that sanctions, structures, and monitors Generative AI use in written assignments across various disciplines and learning levels. Currently, no student writing spaces or learning management systems support and track Generative AI

use in assignments. Building on the significant experience of the college’s research team in the development of online student writing tools, formative assessment, and advanced learning analytics, this project will develop, test and evaluate the effectiveness of an innovative Generative AI supported document creation tool. The tool will be accessible within the university’s Canvas, Coursera, and legacy Moodle platforms via the LTI API.

Additionally, the project will develop research infrastructure to evaluate Generative AI tools and next-generation learning analytics, assessing the contributions of learners and AI. This will build on the Center for Artificial Intelligence Innovation at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications work. Using ILLINOIS.chat and ncsa.ai tools, a custom application will support writing assessment and research into writing instruction efficacy. The project will also create a sequence of microcredentials and MOOC courses leading to a certificate in AI-supported education, with outreach to K-12 educators and forming a Generative AI working group with school superintendents nationwide.