Online Non-Credit Program Launch Process

Notice of Intent & Market Research (Faculty Driven)

Notice of Intent

Steps:

Faculty Driven Initiative (or Corporation via Faculty):

1. Please submit a Notice of Intent through Qualtrics.
2. You will be notified if there are potential opportunities to collaborate with others in the system.
3. If interested in learning what others are intending to offer online, please visit this Online Portfolio Management site.

Who is Involved:

Faculty Driven Initiative (or Corporation via Faculty):
Faculty (Initiator)
Purdue Online (Collaborator)

Forms & Resources:

Link to Notice of Intent
To start a discussion, please contact us at onlineNOI@purdue.edu.

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Market Research

* If program is faculty driven, allow an additional 6-8 weeks for market research.

Steps:

1. Once a Notice of Intent has been submitted, you will be contacted to start a market research.
2. Purdue Online will start a market research through BurningGlass, Eduventures or Education Advisory Board.

Questions to Consider:

Opportunity Scouting/Gap Analysis

• Regularly assess and analyze demand and supply dynamics of the online education market, new programs, and modalities including students, employers, andragogy, and technology.
• Identify, gather, and test new ideas for improving program and portfolio (target segments, features, price, delivery, testing/evaluation, employer partnerships, and other similar dimensions).
• Who will evaluate the market for opportunities for new online programs?
• Reconcile marketplace gaps with new and existing programs.

Demand

• Who will assess the market demand for the proposed program?
• What is the demand for the program?
• Identify target student segments
  • What are the demographic characteristics of the target student population (age, geographic scope, prior preparation, current employment or pre-employment)?
  • What is the size of the target population and anticipated growth in the pool?
  • Are there opportunities to engage alumni?
• Identify the value proposition for the degree
  • What are the employment prospects for graduates of the program?
  • What is the anticipated salary for graduates?
  • What are the anticipated trends in these factors?
  • What opportunities await students who complete the degree?
  • Will students be prepared for new careers or certifications?
  • What are job titles of people who complete this program?
  • What are the professional organizations associated with the program (EX: American Institute of Certified Public Accountants)?

Competition Analysis

• Gather competitive intelligence
  • Is there existing competition delivering the degree? Who are they?
  • What, if anything, makes their programs distinctive?
  • If they are traditional institutions, are they peer or aspirant schools?
  • What are the program sizes? What are the current enrollments and trends in enrollment?
  • What is the format of the delivery model?
  • What markets have these programs targeted?
  • What are the prices and trends for pricing of these programs?
  • Is financial aid provided?
  • If this is truly a unique, ground breaking degree, who would be the likely competitors if a market is established?
  • Will the degree be easily copied?
• How is your program different from other program providers?

Who is Involved:

Purdue Online (Initiator)
Online Education Market Research Firms (e.g. Education Advisory Board/Eduventures/Burning Glass) (Collaborator)

Process Map:

Download the process map

Forms & Resources:

Market Research Request
To start a discussion, please contact us at onlineNOI@purdue.edu.

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Project Discussion

Steps:

The department head, faculty, and launch director will meet to discuss the timeline and process for launching the online program.

Note: If the online program is faculty initiated, this meeting will occur twice; once at the outset and once after the marketing, pre-proposal, and online portfolio management steps.

Faculty and staff who are wanting to develop non-credit courses that also offer Continuing Education Units (CEUs) should be aware of the Policy and the process to submit the form 200 and form 201. This process enables Purdue Online to establish the CEUs for the course and then process and record them once they have been successfully earned by learners.

Who is Involved:

Faculty (Initiator)
Purdue Online (Collaborator)

Forms & Resources:

Market Research Request
CEU Policy
CEU form 200
CEU form 201
To start a discussion, please contact us at onlineNOI@purdue.edu.
Link to Notice of Intent

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