Independent Skills & Technical Education Programming (InSTEP)

To sign up for term-by-term access during the 2024-2025 academic year, please complete the InSTEP 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 

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

We will add/remove users on the first day of classes each term.  

The first day of class for Fall 2024 is September 3 and the first day of class for Winter 2025 is January 6.  So if you request access for the Fall term, you will have access starting September 3 and be removed on January 6.  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. 

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 would 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.  

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.

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

Yes, your progress will be saved in your account and you are able to resume where you left off if you are re-added.

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.

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 have 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.

No, Coursera courses and professional certificates do not count toward your degree’s academic credit requirements.