Georgia Tech in general, and the College of Computing in particular, is committed to fully incorporating beneficial educational technologies into the higher education experience. The development of massive online educational models brings an unprecedented opportunity to extend access to high-quality education to an exponentially larger number of people from around the world than we can accommodate on a physical campus. Our educational mission as a public university is to explore and maximize such opportunities.

It is the first professional Online Master of Science degree in computer science that can be earned completely through the “massive-online” format. It shows how leaders from MOOCs, industry, and academia can join to offer an advanced degree program on a massive and affordable scale. We believe this program can establish corporate acceptance of high-quality, fully online degrees as being on par with degrees received in traditional on-campus settings, and serve as a blueprint for helping the United States address the shortage of people with advanced computer science and other STEM skills.

There are an estimated 3 million open technology positions in the job market today. Training skilled computing professionals is a societal need, and that is a challenge Georgia Tech and AT&T want to address.

Although there are many ways in which computer science education is uniquely compatible with a massive-online approach, the largest factor is that the faculty and teaching assistants who teach the classes are themselves experts in building and deploying the exact kinds of tools necessary to deliver the material. Throughout the courses, students will encounter many homegrown technologies that simultaneously use the techniques the program teaches.

Georgia Tech now offers an Online Master of Science in Analytics (OMSA) and an Online Master of Science in Cybersecurity.

AT&T believes the disruptive power of the MOOC (Massive Online Open Course) platform can help address the shortage of engineers and other technical-degreed talent in the United States. By making graduate degrees and certifications available online at affordable rates, Georgia Tech and AT&T are eliminating barriers for many students unable to afford or access an advanced degree, and increasing the pipeline for the next generation of technology leaders.

As a premier global communications company and a champion for innovation in education, AT&T will provide technology access, connectivity and products at inception, as well as evolving service and platform support. The company will serve on an advisory board and, where appropriate, offer corporate projects for credit, be a source from which Georgia Tech draws curriculum content and guest instructors and offer internship opportunities to select students. AT&T will tap into the program to train its own employees and will recruit graduates.

Georgia Tech is an international leader in scientific and technological research and education. AT&T is already well-stocked with Georgia Tech-educated talent and this will give AT&T even greater access to Georgia Tech's world-class resources.

AT&T will be the founding corporate collaborator of the program, contributing $2 million to the initiative, in addition to providing technology access, connectivity, and products at inception, as well as evolving service and platform support. The company will serve on an advisory board, offer corporate projects for credit where appropriate, be a source from which Georgia Tech draws curriculum content and guest instructors, and offer internship opportunities to select students. AT&T will tap into the program to train its own employees and recruit graduates.

AT&T will provide technology access, connectivity, and products at inception, as well as evolving service and platform support.

Where appropriate and subject to the approval of a Georgia Tech faculty committee, AT&T will offer corporate projects for credit and be a source from which Georgia Tech draws curriculum content and guest instructors.

The United States is facing a severe shortage of skilled workers in STEM fields. The Georgia Tech master’s degree in computer science represents an achievement and skill set that companies like AT&T value and want more of their employees to have. The OMSCS program will produce graduates on par with those receiving degrees from an on-campus program, and will also bestow skills certifications for employees who complete designated coursework and take proctored exams.

AT&T hires about 30,000 employees a year, and STEM skills are required across its business. It’s clear that the United States must develop a robust pipeline of skilled STEM workers to remain globally competitive; many jobs are going unfilled as candidates lack the necessary skills, training, or degrees. STEM jobs are projected to grow by 17% over the next 6 years, compared to 10% for other professions. Through this program, Georgia Tech will be able to offer employers like AT&T a larger and more diverse pool of highly qualified STEM-trained workers.