#2
In the U.S.
College Affordability Guide has ranked our MSIDT program second in the nation.
Instructional Design and Technology (MS)
Our nationally ranked master's degree in Instructional Design and Technology features a hands-on, project-based approach to prepare high-quality students for leadership roles in challenging - and rewarding - careers in this ever-growing field.
- Degrees & Offerings
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- M.S.
- Format Option(s)
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- Hybrid (Online + In Person)
- Online
- College
- Program Contact
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MSIDT Program Coordinator; Assistant Professor
M.S. Instructional Design and Technology Program Details
- 33 credits - can be completed in as little as 18 months.
- Offered 100% online.
- 2 concentrations available - Learning Experience Designer and Instructional Technology Specialist.
- Emphasizes applied learning, student participation, project-based courses, and an internship so you'll have a robust portfolio by the time you graduate.
- Is the perfect complement to any undergraduate major. Whether you majored in Business, Communications, or English - you'd be a great fit!
- Ranked the 2nd best program in the country (College Affordability Guide).
What is Instructional Design and Technology?
Instructional Design and Technology is a diverse field with opportunities for individuals in a variety of eclectic roles, all centered on the process of creating web-based instruction. The need for instructional technologists is great. The growing amount of information created every year and the need for more and more learning drive the need for instructional technologists, as does the constantly changing field of technology. And you don't need to be a computer programmer or computer expert to be an instructional technologist since many of the tools are as easy to use as Microsoft Word or Google products.
Instructional technology involves the study of the following topics:
- Games and Branching Simulations
- Authoring Tools
- Augmented Reality / Virtual Reality (Metaverse)
- Audio and Video-Based Instruction
- Synchronous and Asynchronous Classes
- Evaluation of Online Instructional Efforts
- Microlearning
- Storytelling
Courses and Curriculum
Concentrations:
- Learning Experience Designer: For those wishing to enter a career in the training and development sector of business, industry, non-profits or government.
- Instructional Technology Specialist: For professionals charged with integrating interactive technologies into educational teaching environments.
Certifications:
- eLearning Specialist Certificate: For professionals charged with integrating interactive online technologies into both educational and professional training environments.
- Instructional Game Design Certificate: Learn the skills to design and develop successful instructional games in this 5-course certificate.
Required Courses (21 credits)
INSTTECH.550 Instructional Design
INSTTECH.551 Advanced ID
INSTTECH.560 Multimedia Productions
INSTTECH.570 Introduction to Website Development
INSTTECH.572 Introduction to Authoring
INSTTECH.575 Managing Multimedia Projects
INSTTECH.577 Advanced Authoring
Required Capstone Courses (One of the following 2 courses - 3-6 credits)
INSTTECH.590 Internship
INSTTECH.599 Thesis
Internship requires a completed Affiliation Agreement prior to the start of the Internship
Electives (three of the following)
INSTTECH.528 Virtual, Augmented, and Mixed Realities
INSTTECH.530 Foundations of Visual Design for Learning
INSTTECH.535 Instructional Applications of Robotics
INSTTECH.540 Tech Planning Across the Curriculum
INSTTECH.542 Tech Applications for the Classroom
INSTTECH.546 Research in Instructional Technology (required for Thesis option)
INSTTECH.548 Learning Analytics
INSTTECH.553 Gamification of Learning and InstructionINSTTECH.555 Scenario-Based Learning
INSTTECH.556 Applying Theories of Learning to Interactive Technologies
INSTTECH.562 Digital Imagery
INSTTECH.565 Leading Co-Located and Virtual Teams
INSTTECH.574 Advanced Authoring for Networks
INSTTECH.576 Advanced Authoring for Mobile Devices
INSTTECH.578 Advanced Authoring for Game Development
INSTTECH.579 Instructional Game Design
INSTTECH.580 Instructional Applications for the Internet
INSTTECH.581 Special Topics
INSTTECH.583 Social Media for eLearning
INSTTECH.584 Online Course Design
INSTTECH.585 eLearning Concepts and Techniques
INSTTECH.586 Blended eLearning
INSTTECH.587 Evaluating eLearning
INSTTECH.588 Learning Management System Administration
INSTTECH.598 General Transfer Course for Instructional Technology
Approved course from another department
Total Credits: 33 with internship option or 36 with thesis option
Required Courses (21 semester hours):
INSTTECH.540 Technology Planning Across the Curriculum
INSTTECH.542 Technology Applications for the Classroom
INSTTECH.546 Research in Instructional Technology
INSTTECH.550 Instructional Design
INSTTECH.551 Advanced Instructional Design
INSTTECH.560 Multimedia Productions
INSTTECH.570 Introduction to Website Development
Required Capstone Courses (One of the following 2 courses - 3-6 credits)
INSTTECH.590 Internship
INSTTECH.599 Thesis
Internship requires a completed Affiliation Agreement prior to the start of the Internship
Required eCourse (one of the 4 courses listed below – 3 credits)
INSTTECH.583 Social Media for eLearning
INSTTECH.584 Online Course Design
INSTTECH.585 eLearning Concepts
INSTTECH.586 Blended eLearning
Electives (select two of the courses listed below - 6 hours)
Note: If a course is taken as a required course it may not be counted as an elective.
INSTTECH.535 Instructional Applications of Robotics
INSTTECH.548 Learning Analytics
INSTTECH.553 Gamification of Learn and Instruction
INSTTECH.555 Scenario-Based Learning
INSTTECH.556 Applying Theories of Learning to Interactive Technologies
INSTTECH.562 Digital Imagery
INSTTECH.565 Leading Co-Located and Virtual Teams
INSTTECH.572 Introduction to Authoring
INSTTECH.574 Advanced Authoring for Networks
INSTTECH.575 Managing Multimedia Projects
INSTTECH.576 Advanced Authoring for Mobile Devices
INSTTECH.577 Advanced Authoring
INSTTECH.578 Advanced Authoring for Game Development
INSTTECH.579 Instructional Game Development
INSTTECH.580 Instructional Applications for the Internet
INSTTECH.581 Special Topics
INSTTECH.583 Social Media for eLearning
INSTTECH.584 Online Course Design
INSTTECH.585 eLearning Concepts and Techniques
INSTTECH.586 Blended eLearning
INSTTECH.587 Evaluating Blended and eLearning Initiatives
INSTTECH.588 Learning Management System Administration
INSTTECH.598 General Transfer Course for Instructional Technology
Approved course from another department
Total Credits: 33 with internship option or 36 with thesis option
An individual with a bachelor's degree from an accredited four-year college, who earned an undergraduate grade point average of at least 2.8 on a 4.0 scale, may apply for admission to the MSIDT program. Admission requirements include:
- A completed application form for graduate studies at Bloomsburg University
- $30 application fee
- Official transcripts from all undergraduate institutions attended
- Three letters of recommendation
- A one to two-page essay describing the applicant's interest in instructional technology
International applicants must complete a separate application form for the Office of Graduate Studies and Research and must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). A minimum score of 570 on the TOEFL is required for admission to the program.
An individual may begin taking courses in the MSIDT program on a part-time basis prior to admission, but completion of such courses does not guarantee admission.
Apply Today!
You can only apply for a graduate assistantship once you've been admitted to the M.S. Instructional Design and Technology program.
- Summer 2023 GA Positions: All admission application materials must be submitted by Friday, February 24 to be eligible for consideration.
- Fall 2023 GA Positions: All admission application materials must be submitted by Friday, June 16 to be eligible for consideration.
Persons who hold a bachelor's degree in any discipline from an accredited college or university may become degree candidates and proceed to the master's degree by completing a minimum of 33 – 36 semester hours of coursework concluding in either an internship or master's thesis. All courses are 3 semester hours unless otherwise indicated.
The Husky Difference
$113K
Median Salary
Training and development Managers with a master's degree, according to Emsi
9%
Job Growth
Projected nationally for training and development specialists through 2028, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Careers
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects the field of instructional design and technology to continue its rapid job growth as a result of the shift to online learning - in both educational and corporate settings.
Potential Job Opportunities
- Instructional Designer
- Learning Experience Designer
- Learning Engineer
- Curriculum Developer
- Corporate Trainer
- Educational Technology Specialist
- Learning Architect
- Distance Learning Specialist
- Instructional Technologist
- eLearning Specialist
- Training and Development Specialist
Top Skills Employers are Looking For
- Write, Think, Innovate, Communicate
- Analysis
- Teamwork
- Creativity
- Problem-solving
M.S. INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM RANKED 2nd IN THE NATION
Commonwealth University - Bloomsburg is ranked second nationally among top online schools for instructional technology in 2020 by the College Affordability Guide.
M.S. Instructional Design & Technology student brings home win at Conference
When Vishakha Hegde attended her first DevLearn conference last October, she wasn’t quite sure how she’d fit in. As a first-year master’s student in the Instructional Design and Technology graduate program at Commonwealth University-Bloomsburg, she was in a completely new field compared to her undergraduate studies in business administration. Despite her worries, Hegde was met with nothing but support at the conference and won the Best Student Project award with her project, “Nana’s Remedies.”
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Instructional Design and Technology Contact
MSIDT Program Coordinator; Assistant Professor