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Marshall Online Annual Report

Marshall Online

Online student growth improved each fall

Expanded Access and Opportunity

Marshall Online experienced another year of growth and innovation, expanding online enrollment, online opportunities, and national partnerships.

Numbers at a Glance

24%
Online student enrollment reached a record high with 24% increase from fall to fall
4
New online degrees
5
New areas of emphasis or minors
8
National partnerships

Expanded Micropathways

Marshall Online continued to advance the development and promotion of micropathways in partnership with Mountwest Community and Technical College, Education Design Lab, and workforce stakeholders.
faculty watching a presentation during AI days
Healthcare Micropathway

Developed in partnership with Mountwest Community and Technical College and Education Design Lab, the healthcare micropathway creates flexible learning opportunities that support workforce entry, career advancement, and degree progression. Early planning specifically referenced pathways such as LPN-to-BSN and other healthcare-focused credentials aligned with regional workforce needs.

Learn more
Institute for Cybersecurty and person at a computer
Cybersecurity Micropathway

Assisted with the creation of the cyber security pathway in partnership with Mountwest Community and Technical College. Focused on one of the state’s fastest-growing workforce sectors, the cybersecurity micropathway expands access to job-relevant skills and credentials through flexible, stackable learning experiences. The initiative supports both workforce preparation and degree attainment while helping meet regional talent needs.

Learn more
Diana presents

Expanded Online Offerings

Marshall Online expanded flexible academic pathways this year with new fully online degrees, graduate options, and related areas of emphasis and minors designed to meet student demand, support workforce-aligned learning, and provide more accessible routes to completion.

New Online Programs

  • Psychology, B.A. — A fully online undergraduate degree focused on human behavior, research methods, communication, and preparation for careers or graduate study in fields such as social work, counseling, school psychology, business, and law.
  • Communication Studies, B.A. — A fully online undergraduate degree that builds practical and theoretical communication skills for careers across business, nonprofit, government, healthcare, and other professional settings.
  • Library Science, M.S. (MSLS) — A fully online, asynchronous graduate degree that prepares students for careers in library and information science through core coursework and specialized study.
  • School Psychology, Ed.S. — An online graduate specialist program preparing students for certification-focused school psychology practice, including field experiences and a paid school-based internship.
coursera and Marshall Online logo

Coursera

Marshall Online strengthened its partnership with Coursera by adding 64 industry-recognized courses to the Marshall Skills Exchange ecosystem. These courses provide students, faculty, staff, and community members with expanded opportunities to develop career-ready skills in high-demand areas, including artificial intelligence, digital technology, business, communication, and professional development. By integrating Coursera learning opportunities into our broader workforce strategy, Marshall continues to connect learners with flexible pathways that support lifelong learning and career advancement.
Coursera Sign Up
LER Cohort session, person speaking to a group

Learning and Employment Record (LER) Cohort

Marshall is one of 22 institutions selected to take part in AACRAO’s inaugural cohort of the LER Accelerator, a national initiative focused on advancing accessible, interoperable Learning and Employment Record (LER) systems. Using a design thinking framework, we conducted 1:1 empathy interviews with Marshall faculty, staff, and students to determine key insights/themes to guide the design of our LER Accelerator project. We will share insights from these interviews, conduct a brainstorming session with attendees, and discuss timeline/next steps for the project.

Skills Bridging

Making student learning visible through Learning and Employment Records.

  • What it is: Bridging course-level skills and competencies to a structured, portable Learning and Employment Record (LER).
  • Why it matters: Gives students a verifiable record of skills they’ve gained — usable with employers, transfer institutions, and credential registries.
  • Where we are: Active bridging in pilot programs; expanding across online majors over the next academic year.
  • Partners: Aligning with state and national LER initiatives to ensure interoperability.
Learn more about LER at Marshall Read the LER Accelerator Empathy Interview Insights
Newsletter issues

Elevated our Presence at Marshall and Nationally

We strengthened communication and promotion this year, expanding how we shared our work and connected with faculty across campus and beyond.

  • Marshall Online Newsletter — Delivered timely tips and updates to Marshall faculty and staff.
    • 9 issues, 723 subscribers
  • Marshall Online LinkedIn — Extended our visibility across the field and amplified Marshall Online’s faculty professional development, online student opportunties, and timely microcredentials to a national audience.
    • 38% follower growth in the last year, 308 total followers
  • Marshall News  — Worked with University Communications and WSAZ to announce initiatives, microcredentials, and national partnerships of interest to the Marshall community
    • 9 press releases
  • National Conferences and Publications — participated in multiple national forums to share ideas and get inspired.
    • 14 national conferences and publications
group of people working on white boards with post-its

Key National Partnerships and Collaborations

  • AACRAO: Participated in national Learning and Employment Record work through AACRAO’s LER Accelerator, with Marshall selected for the inaugural cohort and represented in credentialing-focused presentations and convenings.
  • Education Design Lab: Partnered to advance learner-centered pathways, including West Virginia’s participation in the National Learning Mobility Collaborative and development of a Mountwest-to-Marshall cybersecurity pathway.
  • Coursera: Expanded access to 6,000+ online courses for Marshall students, staff, and faculty, including Gen AI, Adobe certifications, and other workforce-aligned skill-building opportunities.
  • UPCEA: Engaged through national professional education and credential innovation networks, including participating in Convergence: Credential Innovation in Higher Education and and serving on the Online Administrative Network and its national conference planning committee.
  • WCET: Connected Marshall Online to national conversations and best practices in digital learning, online education policy, quality, and student-centered innovation.
  • UERU: Shared Marshall Online’s work nationally through a UERU conference presentation on developing career advising maps using labor market data and generative AI.
  • Advising Success Network: Received a grant to support the building of the microcredential Inclusive Advising for a Neurodiverse Campus, which features subject-matter experts from five different institutions, including Marshall. Received a second grant to support the building of skills bridges for online students.
  • Strada Education Foundation: Received a grant to support Unlocking Outcomes: Marshall’s Pilot for Education and Employment Data Integration, strengthening the connection between education, credentialing, and workforce outcomes.
Kris speaking at LER meeting

Engaged Student Workers

My time with the Marshall Online Design Center has shown me how much student workers can contribute when their experiences and perspectives are genuinely valued. Whether helping with projects, creating content, or public speaking, we were continually challenged to grow beyond what felt comfortable.

As a nontraditional public relations student, I found a real sense of belonging with this team through conversations about accessibility, accreditation, educational philosophy, and how we can better serve students. What started as a work-study position turned into an internship, and these experiences have become the foundation of a lifelong effort to improve education and empower others.

–Kris, Marshall Online Student Intern

Marshall Online Moments that Mattered