Online Program Feasibility

Because of the major investments required in the design, development, and delivery of an online program, completion of a market study in advance of deciding to launch a new program is a critical step to:

  • gauge the opportunity for the University within the market 
  • determine student demand for the new program
  • understand the labor market and opportunities that the new program will prepare graduates for
  • provide the academic unit with a transparent estimate of the human and capital resources that will be needed to deliver the program

Lightcast Analyst: Assessing Opportunity, Student Demand, and the Labor Market

Lightcast is a labor market analytics company that connects three sources of data: Federal Department of Education information about postsecondary programs, data on millions of job postings and career profiles, and Bureau of Labor Statistics occupational data.

The University of Minnesota Twin Cities Campus subscribes to the Lightcast Analyst tool, allowing us to perform customizable searches on the job market based on a variety of variables (location, period of time, education required, occupation, and many more) and access information on an educational program’s competition and job market outlook based on its Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) code or the Standard Occupational Codes (SOC) for aligned occupations.

What can it do for us?

Lightcast Analyst data allows us to see where and what the current professional opportunities are, expected employment growth, skills and credentials that are in demand, and more. The data is useful for the University in many ways including:

  • analysis of the market for new programs;
  • review and optimization of current program portfolios;
  • researching keywords and content for marketing;
  • understanding the needs of employers so that we can adapt curriculum to meet their needs;
  • identifying, building and strengthening employer partnerships; and 
  • helping to prepare job-seeking students to present themselves in the best possible light to employers.

How can my unit access Lightcast Analyst data and reports?

Any unit across the University of Minnesota System considering a new program or reviewing an existing program (in-person or online) can request the Lightcast Analyst reports listed below using the Lightcast Report Request form. If you are unsure of which report to request, contact Fritz Vandover at [email protected] for a consultation.

What kinds of reports are available?

  • Program Overview Report: An overview of the demand for a program with data related to competitive landscape, job postings, skills, target occupations, and more.
  • Industry Overview: An overview of an industry with data related to jobs, growth, earnings, demographics, and more.
  • Occupation Overview: An overview of an occupation with data related to jobs, earnings, demographics, and more.
  • Regional Reports: An overview of a regional economy and demographics.
  • If your data needs do not fit into one of the categories above, please select “other” on the form and describe what you are looking for.

Financial Modeling

In addition to market assessment, ODL will provide academic units with consultation and tools to fully understand the capital and human resources required to developing and carry out an online program, including:

  • Curriculum and course development costs
  • Faculty and program leadership 
  • Student academic and technical support
  • Marketing and enrollment management and costs
  • Admissions and onboarding support
  • Student advising and success personnel
  • Career counseling services