Abstract: Systems and methods for providing online courses are provided. A student seeking a higher education degree may enroll in courses, select, and control the timing and order of classes for a given program. Every course in a given program is available simultaneously. The courses are provided through a web-based instructional platform. Students can participate in one or more courses within one week of enrollment. A professor is assigned to the course. A professor can instruct more students and teach multiple courses simultaneously or in parallel, as opposed to the traditional classroom model. A student can personalize their enrollment and participate in the courses or progress through lessons of a course electronically through the web-based instructional platform via a software application on the smartphone, on their laptop and/or through an Internet browser at a particular website.