YouTube for Academics | Frequently Asked Questions

What is the course curriculum?

The YouTube for Academics course guides students and higher education professionals through the process of building a YouTube channel. Its 70+ individual lessons are grouped into 9 weekly modules, covering a comprehensive array of issues, from assessing big-picture goals and priorities to the nuts and bolts of video production, gear, software, editing, and how to navigate the YouTube platform.

The curriculum is tailored to the needs of researchers, educators, professors, graduate students, staff members and administrators working in higher education. Lessons consist of short videos (average 3-5 minutes in length) that share research, insights, and practical advice.

Several lessons contain optional homework activities, designed to help you set priorities, build skills, and explore possibilities. A comprehensive list of lessons appears here.

What is the schedule of the lessons?

The course is entirely self-paced. You can watch the tutorials and complete the activities on your own schedule. After registering for the course, you will receive an email granting you immediate access to Chapter 1 (Introduction and Big Picture), so you can get started right away! You will then receive a weekly notification in your email inbox regarding access to Chapters 2, 3, and 4. After that, you’ll receive access to subsequent lessons on an accelerated basis. You can then complete lessons at your own pace, in whatever sequence fits your priorities, and re-watch and review them as often as you like.

Do students get one-on-one feedback as part of the course?

The YouTube for Academics course includes the 70+ in-depth lessons, including video tutorials and related curricular materials. While individual feedback is not included in the course fee, we are eager to help our students build the best possible channels, and are always happy to offer brief, informal feedback on channels-in-progress. If you are interested in more extensive and personalized advice, please scroll down to learn more about the consulting services we offer. You can also reach us at admin@whereresearchbegins.com.

Who are the instructors?

Tom and Chris are award-winning researchers who bring together over thirty years of experience in higher education. Now full professors at leading private (Stanford) and public (University of British Columbia) universities, they are always looking forward to new challenges, opportunities, and collaborations. During the early years of the Covid-19 pandemic, each independently developed an academic YouTube channel, which they continue to host. The public response was so positive (and academic professionals on YouTube still so rare!) that they decided to develop the online course YouTube for Academics, to encourage more peers to take the plunge! One of their upcoming online courses in 2022 is based on their co-authored book Where Research Begins: Choosing a Research Project That Matters to You (and the World).

Where can I get an invoice?

An invoice will be emailed to you automatically upon registration for the course. You will also be able to download a PDF version of your invoice from the website.

What is the refund policy?

If, within 30 days of registering for the course, you notify us by email at admin@whereresearchbegins.com that you wish to stop the course, we will refund your full course fee. No refunds (full or prorated) will be offered after that date. We are committed to helping you reach your goals, so please email us if we can help in any way!

What do you mean by “lifetime access”?

Lifetime access refers to the lifetime of the entity. This means that you will have access to the course you registered for as long as Where Research Begins is operational.

Does the Course Provide a Certificate of Completion?

Yes. Each student who completes the course will receive a certificate from Where Research Begins confirming that they have completed this professional development curriculum. Note that you must watch all of the videos in their entirety in order to be eligible to receive a Certificate of Completion. The Certificate is not automatic with registration.

Write to Tom and Chris with your comments, questions, and suggestions at admin@whereresearchbegins.com.

My department/institute/center already has a YouTube channel, but it’s not getting as much traffic as we’d like. Do you offer services for revamping existing channels?

Yes! We offer consultation services for academic units seeking to enhance their existing channels. Please write to us at admin@whereresearchbegins.com, being sure to include the URL for the YouTube channel, a description of problems and goals, as well as the name, title, and email of the relevant contact person.

Do you help individuals build academic YouTube channels from scratch?

Yes! We offer consulting services for individual scholars, researchers, and institutions seeking to build a dedicated site. These services include one-on-one consultations tailored to the client’s individual needs, personalized feedback on channel design and components, and individualized skills-based training. Private clients also receive access to the full online course. To inquire, please write to us at admin@whereresearchbegins.com with a description of your goals, timeline, budget, and the types of service you have in mind.

Are you affiliated with YouTube or Google?

No.

What other courses will be available from Where Research Begins?

Tom and Chris are in the process of developing new online courses for launch in 2022, as well as a variety of webinars, including ones related to our new book Where Research Begins: Choosing a Research Project That Matters to You (and the World). For the latest news, sign up for our mailing list, found a t the bottom of our homepage.