University graduates require autonomous learning skills and cross-cultural communication experience in order to navigate the changing landscape of the twenty-first century workplace. Additionally, students desire content that is personally relevant to their interests and their future. In this poster session, the presenters introduce an English elective course they currently teach, in which students study independently on a massive open online course (MOOC) and keep a reflective journal focused on their learning development and the strategies they use. Studying on a MOOC allows students to access content from other universities around the world, learn about a topic that interests them, and interact with other learners and teachers. The journal allows students to track their own progress and analyze their learning habits, and is the catalyst for small-group peer discussion in class. The students are not graded on their performance in their chosen MOOC, but on the completion of their journal and their participation in peer discussions. However, many students do choose to complete their courses and do further online study. The presenters argue that embedding MOOC study in the curriculum is a way to make university classes more relevant and to meet students’ needs and motivations, and that this approach is widely applicable beyond the field of language education in which they work.