Independent Skills & Technical Education Programming (InSTEP)

Introducing InSTEP! A curated Coursera collection that allows you to develop critical employment and professional development skills on your own time!

Course topics include but are not limited to:

• Google Data Analytics
• Google Ads Search
• Graphic Design
• R-Training
• VBA
• Tableau
• Power BI
• Python
• Project Management
• Business Writing
  

How It Works:

For the 2023-2024 Academic Year, starting in Fall Term 2023:

Alberta School of Business students can request to be added to InSTEP on a rotating term-by-term basis, with new groups of users being added at the start of each term. Students will have the entire term to access and complete whichever InSTEP courses they wish before being removed to make space for incoming users at the start of the following term.

To sign up for a term of access, please complete the sign-up Google Form here: https://forms.gle/2ApeKhaRT3rTxMNs7. 

You will receive an invitation to InSTEP through Coursera when it is your turn to be added.

NOTE: Seats for Fall term will be extremely limited, any registrants who have not engaged in the InSTEP training, through Coursera, within 2 weeks of being registered will have their access removed, and the seat will be given to a waitlisted student.

Frequently Asked Questions:

How do I sign up for InSTEP?
Click here to sign up for term-by-term access during the 2023-2024 academic year using the Google Form. You can indicate which term you would like access for:

• Fall - September to December
• Winter - January to April
• Spring/Summer - May to August 
  

When will my access begin/end?  
We will add/remove users on the first day of classes each term.  

The first day of class for Fall 2023 is September 5 and the first day of class for Winter 2024 is January 8.  So if you request access for the Fall term, you will have access starting September 5 and be removed on January 8.  Please check the University Calendar to stay informed on the first day of class for other terms to plan accordingly for your access time period. 

Can I reapply for another term of access at a later date?
Yes, you can reapply for another term of access.  However, we aim to ensure that all students interested in accessing InSTEP are able to do so at some point throughout their program.  If we reach the number of seats available in InSTEP for a particular term, priority access will be given to those who have not yet had a chance to access it.  If there are additional seats available after that, they will be allocated to students who are reapplying for another term of access.  

If you’d like to apply for an additional term of access after completing your first term, please email bcomexp@ualberta.ca, and we will advise on a case-by-case basis.  

What if there’s a Coursera course I want to take, but it’s not part of the InSTEP curated collection of courses?
We are open to suggestions for adding additional courses to the collection!  Please email bcomexp@ualberta.ca with the course information, and we can look into adding it.

Can I still see my accomplishments and access my credentials once my access is removed?
Once a learner is removed from InSTEP, they are still able to access their account, see their previous accomplishments and access their credentials. 

Will my progress in a course be saved once my access is removed?
Yes, your progress will be saved in your account, and you can resume where you left off if you are re-added.

Can I resume and/or complete courses I started after I graduate?
You will still be able to access your account and see courses you have started, but you will need to pay to resume and/or complete any courses after graduation yourself.

Can I complete a certificate in Coursera?
At this point in time, InSTEP is not geared toward offering certificates. Rather, the goal is to support the completion of individual courses that foster skills and professional development. However, we have included sections within InSTEP that contain individual courses that comprise a larger certificate. For example, the “Courses for Intuit Academy Bookkeeping Professional Certificate” section includes all of the courses required for the Intuit Academy Bookkeeping Professional Certificate.  If students successfully complete all the individual courses that comprise a certificate, they are then able to enroll in the certificate program to have Coursera recognize that they’ve completed the professional certificate and be awarded the professional certificate credential.  

* Please note, our office reviews course offerings on an annual basis and the courses comprising a certificate are subject to change by Coursera or the Institution providing it; students need to do their own due diligence on what the certificate requirements are to ensure they’re successfully completing the right courses required if that is their goal.

Can independent courses or professional certificates in Coursera be counted toward my academic credit requirements for my degree?
No, Coursera courses and professional certificates do not count toward your degree’s academic credit requirements.

 

Have questions about InSTEP? Email bcomexp@ualberta.ca.