When an MITx Online Course session ends, it becomes Archived. Any learners who are enrolled in the session when it ends will retain Archived Access to its Course Content—indefinitely. Learners can access the Courseware of any Archived course sessions they're enrolled in via their MITx Online Dashboard, in the same way they would access a running course session.
- For information and instructions about how to access a session's Courseware, see this FAQ article
Enrollment May Remain Available
Enrollment may remain open for some MITx Online courses after a course session becomes Archived. This means that learners will still be able to enroll in the session to access its Course Content and learn the material. Whether enrollment will be available in an Archived course session is decided by the managing Course Team, and may differ between courses.
Not all MITx Online course sessions remain open for enrollment once they become Archived.
Consequently, learners who are interested in a course but aren't sure whether they will be able to participate in the current or next available session are strongly encouraged to enroll when the option is available. As long as a learner is enrolled in a course session, the Course Content will remain available to them even after the session if Archived.
How to Know If Enrollment Remains Available
If an Archived course session remains open for enrollment, instead of an "Enroll now" button, you will see an "Access Course Materials" button on its MITx Online Course About Page. Click this button to enroll in the Archived Course Session.
Most Course Content Remains Available
Almost all of a course session's Course Content generally remains available after it becomes Archived—including lectures, course readings, Coursework Assignments, and some other course materials. However, not all Course Content always remains available, and which content remains available may differ for some courses.
Some Graded Coursework may not be accessible, including in some cases Final Exams. Any live elements of a course typically lose at least some of their functionality, and may not be accessible at all. For example, because the Course Team is no longer available to monitor the In-Course Discussion Forums or provide support, posting to the forums is typically disabled after a course session becomes Archived.
No Progress Towards Course Certificate
Although Coursework Assignments generally remain available after a course session becomes Archived, learners cannot submit Graded Coursework for credit. Consequently, Course Score cannot be earned in an Archived course session.
This means that learners who haven't already upgraded and completed the course with a passing Course Score before the session's End Date cannot pass the course or earn its Course Certificate.
When a Course Session Ends and Becomes Archived and...
You Were Enrolled On the Free Track
If you did not submit payment to upgrade your enrollment to the Verified/Certificate (Paid) track before a course session's Payment Deadline, you will not be able to upgrade once the session ends and becomes Archived.
You Were Enrolled on the Paid Track
If you submitted payment to upgrade your enrollment to the Verified/Certificate (Paid) track before a course session's Payment Deadline, but you did not achieve a passing Course Score and complete the session's Passing Criteria before its End Date, you will not be able to pass the course and earn its Course Certificate once the session ends and becomes Archived.
If you failed to earn the Course Certificate in a course session before it ended and became Archived, you will need to retake the course to earn the certificate. You must:
- Re-take the course in a future session
- Pay the Course Fee again to upgrade that session
- Re-complete the Coursework
- Achieve a passing Course Score