People from all over the world will have the option to take ISU courses via the Internet once work is complete between Iowa State and Fathom.com, an e-learning company.

Through the partnership, Iowa State and Fathom will offer credit and non-credit courses to a global audience.

“Fathom was in the top few of those having the potential to partner with Iowa State,” said Ann Hill Duin, Continuing Education and Communication Services director.

Fathom was founded on and specializes in marketing quality programs and courses to learners, working professionals and students enrolled in degree and certificate programs, Duin said.

“They are not adding classrooms as fast as students are coming in and there have to be alternatives to meet the demand, and one of those options is online learning,” said Ted Habte-Gabr, director of business development and e-learning for Fathom during a presentation June 7.

Fathom will serve as a marketing tool that will allow students all over the world to enroll in ISU courses, Habte-Gabr said.

“This is a very valuable investment that we believe will ultimately allow us the opportunity to increase enrollment in our Web courses,” said Catherine Adams, Extension Communication Services program coordinator.

Iowa State chose Fathom because of their aggressive marketing plan to drive learners to the site, Adams said.

The marketing plan includes targeted print and electronic advertising and marketing to Fathom’s member institutions.

Fathom’s group of member institutions that they chose to build their brand also attracted Iowa State to the company, Duin said.

During the presentation, Adams said professors are not required to list courses on the site.

“It is up to the department and to the programs if they want to expand,” Duin said.

The tools used for online courses such as WebCT and Class Net will still be used.

“It’s not replacing anything, it’s allowing the delivery and viewing of content and taking courses that previously were unavailable,” Habte-Gabr said during the presentation.

Iowa State will pay Fathom a monthly marketing and advertising fee for credit courses based on the number of ISU courses listed.

The fee will be paid by the Iowa State University Continuing Education and Communication Services, Adams said.

Iowa State does not have any non-credit courses currently listed on the Fathom site and no decisions have been made about enrollment fees, Adams said.

Non-credit courses that are currently offered through Fathom range in price from $50 to $700, Habte-Garb said. Students can choose to take mediated courses or self-directed courses.

Marketing courses through Fathom will put Iowa State in the company of some of the nation’s top learning institutions and allow the university to provide education to a broader audience, Duin said.

“If you want to play with a winning team, this is it,” she said.