COLLEGE PARK, Md. — The University of Maryland is joining a major online venture to provide free classes online.

Beginning next year, university faculty members will offer four courses through the online education platform Coursera.org. School officials say students who complete the courses will not earn any University of Maryland credit.

The school is one of 33 that have joined the consortium. Schools in the Washington region that are participating in the consortium include the University of Virginia and Johns Hopkins University.

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