It’s a tough ask from Michigan’s high school students, but the Michigan Virtual University is lending them more than a helping hand. Students from the state of Michigan are required to complete an online course as part of their graduation requisites. To make their path to a high school diploma easier, the Michigan Virtual University has launched the “Career Development in a Global Economy” online course in association with online education software maker Blackboard Inc. The course is being offered totally free of cost to ninth-graders in Michigan. The course, which starts in October, is being funded by $500,000 from Microsoft Corp, and is expected to help the students not only meet their graduation standards, but also help them plan their careers.