The American Dream Academy is a new tuition-free, six-month online learning program designed to help you gain the skills needed to pursue a great job or continue your education.
Register by 1st to start working towards your dream!
In just six months, you can gain both in-demand technical and workplace skills by engaging in free online courses at your own pace, on your own time, on Coursera’s online learning platform.
The flexible program includes courses, all offered for free on Coursera’s global online learning platform, that you can move through at your own pace as well as support to help you complete them.
The American Dream Academy is ending on April 30, 2024
You will continue to have free access to courses, certificates and other supports, such as monthly Study Halls, offered through the American Dream Academy until April 30, 2024. MCAAD, Coursera and our partners are extending free and discounted access options so that TADA learners can continue their coursework beyond that date. We will share more details on these options during a September information session and in followup emails.
You will continue to have access to your account regardless of the status of The American Dream Academy. Your account is linked to your email, and all your course progress will remain connected to your account.
You can see all the Course Certificates you've earned on your Accomplishments page. From there, you can download, print, or share your Certificates. You will have until April 30, 2024 to earn The American Dream Academy badge.
MCAAD, Coursera, and our partners are extending free and discounted access options so that TADA learners can continue with their courses and pursue their goals. We will share more details on these options during a September information session and in followup emails.
If you submitted all required assignments in a course but don't see a Course Certificate on your Accomplishments page, you may not have fully completed the course. Check to make sure:
Your Name Verification or ID Verification has been approved. Some courses require Name Verification before your Certificate is released. Others require ID Verification. To check, open your Account Settings page. If you see a link asking you to complete Name or ID Verification, click the link and follow the instructions to set up Name or ID Verification.
All your assignments have received grades, including peer-reviewed assignments. It may take some time to receive a final grade from your peers; if you just submitted your assignment, check back in a few days. You also need to submit the required number of peer reviews for other learners in the course to get a grade.
You passed all required assignments, or you met the course passing threshold. In most courses, you need a passing grade on all required assignments to get a Course Certificate. In cumulative graded courses, you need to meet the course passing threshold. Check the Grades tab to see your current course grade or check for are assignments you still need to pass.
You can reach out directly to Coursera here
MCAAD, Coursera, and our partners are extending free and discounted access options so that TADA learners can continue with their courses and pursue their goals after The American Dream Academy ends on April 30, 2024. We will share more details on these options during a September information session and in followup emails.
Learners who have completed a Career Certificate have access to the The American Dream Alumni Academy through April 30, 2024.
The American Dream Alumni Academy will also end on April 30, 2024. MCAAD, Coursera, and our partners are extending free and discounted access options so that TADA learners can continue with their coursework. We will share more details on these options during a September information session and in followup emails.
The American Dream Academy is tuition-free. The costs of tuition are fully covered by the Milken Center for Advancing the American Dream, Coursera, and other partners.
Yes. All courses are online on Coursera. You can learn on your own time, at your own pace. There will be additional live, virtual community programming events as part of the program to interact with experts and peers.
It is recommended that you complete the requirements in six to eight months. It is estimated that you will need to commit approximately five to ten hours a week to complete the program in that time period. Only learners who have been inactive for over 90 days will be removed.
All Google Career Certificates are available in English with Spanish language support. Some courses have subtitles in additional languages, including Arabic, French, Portuguese, Italian, German, Russian, and Spanish. The "Beginning with Me" course and all community programming are available in English only.
The American Dream Academy complies fully with the Americans with Disabilities Act and other relevant laws and regulations. Please visit the Coursera Learner Help Center to discuss your specific needs.
Coursera is a global online learning platform where learners can engage in courses offered by over 200 world-class universities and companies. All of The American Dream Academy coursework is available on Coursera.
The requirements are to complete the introductory "Beginning with Me" course, ONE of the Career Certificates, and ONE of the workplace skills courses that you choose.
The Career Certificates offered by The American Dream Academy are designed to prepare you to pursue an in-demand career and require no previous experience. You are required to complete one of them. They include:
You can refer to the Certificate Pathways chart for information about each Career Certificate, including the skills you will learn, the entry-level jobs each one prepares you for, and the average salary and number of open positions for jobs in each area.
Workplace skills are often referred to as "soft" or "durable" skills. They relate to how you work, solve problems, and interact with colleagues. They include skills like communications, leadership, and critical thinking and growth mindset.
The workplace skills courses in The American Dream Academy reflect the skills most requested by employers. You are required to complete one workplace skills course. They include:
None. No degree or prior experience is required.
Yes. Some Career Certificates are eligible for pre-approved transfer credit at Western Governors University (WGU) and the University of North Texas (UNT). More information on transferring credits will be available to you after you enroll. They are:
As soon as you register, you can start working on the "Beginning with Me" course, the Career Certificates, and workplace skills course you choose.
Community programming includes live, virtual events with your peers that occur throughout the program. These events help you define your purpose, set goals, and prepare for your next opportunity. Participation in community programming is optional.
You receive two digital badges — one digital badge for completing The American Dream Academy and one for completing the Career Certificate you chose.
Depending on the Career Certificate you complete, you also will receive resources that help you find a new or better job. After completing any of the Google Career Certificates, you receive access to Google's employer consortium of over 150 companies, an exclusive job board, interview preparation tools, and 1:1 coaching. Completing Meta's Social Media Marketing Certificate grants you access to the new Meta Career Programs Job Board of 200+ top employers.
If you want to continue your education, graduates of The Academy are qualified to receive admission to Western Governors University (WGU) and up to 12 pre-approved transfer credits, depending on the Career Certificate you completed. You will receive more information upon completion.
All learners who complete the Beginning with Me course and one of the Career Certificates is eligible for admission into WGU. To learn more about the partnership and pre-approved transfer credits for certain Career Certificates, click here.
For troubleshooting login and account issues, please visit the Coursera Learner Help Center.
The Milken Center for Advancing the American Dream is a national nonprofit organization located in Washington, D.C. It exists to help make access to the American Dream—however you define it and wherever you are—more available to everyone. The Center works on both sides of the access equation: making resources available to visitors on-line and in person to help them acquire the skills needed to achieve their personal dreams; and at the same time, work with the private sector, government, non-profit and community leaders to help advance fairness in education, funding, finance and health resources and policies.
The American Dream Academy works with a variety of partners across the corporate, non profit, and public sectors to support learner participation and engagement, and broaden opportunity.
There are several different ways to support the program. To discuss further, email us at [email protected].
