Students can now earn college degrees entirely through a smartphone app under a new mobile-based academic program launched by Cornerstone University in Michigan.
According to FOX Business, the university’s “SOAR” program allows students to complete undergraduate and graduate business degree programs without attending traditional classrooms or using computers.
Gerson Moreno-Riaño said the university developed what it describes as the nation’s first accredited mobile platform offering both undergraduate and graduate degrees entirely through smartphones.
“We’ve seen a monthly persistence rate of 91%, meaning students are staying engaged and continuing the program,” Moreno-Riaño said. Some transfer students are expected to become the program’s first graduates later this year.
Tuition for the bachelor’s degree program is approximately $24,000 from start to finish, while the master’s program costs about $12,000. The university said more than half of current students are paying little or no tuition due to scholarships and grants.
University officials said the program was designed to meet the needs of nontraditional students who may not fit into the traditional campus-based education model. Moreno-Riaño noted that American adults spend more than four hours a day on mobile devices, prompting the school to rethink how education could be delivered.
The SOAR curriculum breaks down traditional 120-credit coursework into smaller learning modules optimized for mobile devices. Lessons are delivered through five- to 10-minute mini lectures, podcasts, interviews and book reviews.
According to the university, some students listen to course materials while commuting, traveling or doing household chores, allowing them to continue their education alongside busy schedules.
