American higher education includes over 4000 institutions of varying size, structure, and focus, with each serving an increasingly diverse and dwindling number of traditionally college-aged students. But there are still some commonalities in how institutions are governed, financed, organized, and assessed—not to mention the fact that institutions face similar enrollment and retention challenges across the board.

This course is designed to give you a broad overview of the American higher education landscape. Our expert instructor, Dr. Kelly Wesener Michael, will walk you through the different types of institutions that exist, how these institutions are typically funded, who is involved in governing both public and private universities, and how institutions set and assess the effectiveness of their mission and goals. Accompanying the course is a workbook designed to help you gain familiarity with the processes and mission of your own institution—how governance works for you, what the demographics of your student body are, where your funding comes from, and how your institution does strategic planning.

Who Will Benefit

This course will be highly beneficial to anyone who is new to higher education, either in a first professional role or who is transitioning to higher education from another industry. Additionally, faculty or staff whose experience in higher ed has been narrowly focused will gain knowledge of the overall landscape of American higher ed and how their institution fits into that.

How It Works

For 4 days, you will get daily emails with bite-sized videos that you can complete in 30 minutes or less each day. The emails come with optional activities to learn more about your own institution, if you choose. If you complete all modules within one week, you will have the chance to request a certificate. New cohorts start every Monday.

Gain a comprehensive understanding of the structure and landscape of American higher education.