Master of Education in Instructional Design and Learning Technologies

 On this page:

• Why Choose Instructional Design and Learning Technologies?
• Careers
• Academics and Curriculum
• Admission
• Scholarships and Aid
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Combined Programs

Why Choose Instructional Design and Learning Technologies?

This program will help prepare you to become a highly trained instructional designer, armed with the tools you need to bring innovative teaching and training practices into education, corporate, and governmental settings. This program also provides instructors and course designers the skills they need to design more effective classes and implement learning technologies to improve their students’ learning. This program also benefits administrators, support staff, faculty developers, and adult educators who want to learn more about instructional design and the implementation of learning technologies.

This unique, fully online master’s degree allows you to participate in dynamic courses and learn to create engaging learning experiences. Your coursework will cover the effective design and implementation of all learning environments (face-to-face, online and blended-learning classes). The program also includes research, theory, and research methodologies associated with the design of classes. All classes are designed using the most current research around effective pedagogies, so you will learn about effective teaching practices and experience them as students.

You should consider this master’s degree if you:  

• Enjoy working on a team to develop educational and/or training materials 
• Enjoy learning about how people learn 
• Have some experience using digital technologies to create multimedia materials 
• Are not afraid of learning new educational technologies 
• Like to work in fast-paced, innovative environments 
• Consider yourself creative and not afraid of change 
• Have strong project management and people skills 
• Are interested in learning how to develop effective webcasting, simulation, eLearning, or training programs 

Some of the technologies woven throughout the program are: 

• Web conferencing 
• Learning Management Systems 
• Digital video creation 
• Posting videos to YouTube 
• Accessibility for online learning 
• Virtual worlds 
• Web page development 
• Effective multimedia design 

Topics discussed throughout the degree program include: 

• Connecting learning theory and teaching practices 
• Brain-based learning 
• Backward design 
• Learning strategies 
• Collaboration and teaming 
• Evaluation 
• Professional development 
• Cognitive load theory 
• Cognitive theory of multimedia learning 
• Use of quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods research designs 
• Scholarship of teaching and learning 
• Literature reviews 
• Ethics and digital citizenship 

Contact Information 

Sheri Stover, Ph.D., Program Director
sheri.stover@wright.edu 
Leadership Studies in Education and Organizations
490 Allyn Hall
937-775-2516

Careers

The training and development field is expected to employ 42,100 jobs and is growing at 11 percent each year, faster than the average for most occupations. The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics has rated the job prospects for training and development managers as favorable due to the continual need to train the workplace

Instructional designers either lead a team or are part of a team that develops educational training programs and eLearning classes for corporate, educational (K-12 and higher education), government, or not-for-profit environments. Instructional design is a new, innovative field, and our graduates have been highly successful in gaining employment after completing the program. 

The College of Health, Education, and Human Services has provided a dedicated career consultant to assist you in connecting your major to a career. The career consultant focuses on staying current on career trends in education, kinesiology and health, leadership, and human services. Our assigned career consultant is an extension of services offered through Wright State’s Career Services.  

Academics and Curriculum

View the Master of Education in Instructional Design and Learning Technologies program information, degree requirements, and graduation planning strategies in the Academic Catalog. 

Admission

We welcome applicants with academic backgrounds in any degree field. 

Admission Requirements

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university 
• Cumulative undergraduate GPA of 2.7 or higher 
• GPA of 3.0 or higher on any previous graduate work, if applicable 
• Entrance Essay: Please include a short essay with your application that answers the following questions (see below). Your essay should not exceed 1,000 words or two pages (whichever comes first). You will upload the essay to your application.  
  1. Why do you want to become an instructional designer or take these courses about instructional design? 
  2. Please provide specific examples describing your experience using educational technologies, multimedia technologies, or other technologies and how these experiences would help you to become an instructional designer. Examples of relevant experience could include but are not limited to, training classes, certificates, minors, or degrees in these areas. Provide links to examples of work samples or a digital portfolio, if applicable. 

NOTE: You are responsible for all application fees for the M.Ed. program.

Admission Process

Scholarships and Aid

• Graduate Assistantships (CHEH): Graduate assistants work at Wright State for a faculty or staff member and receive a fee waiver for the academic year in which they are awarded and a monthly stipend. 
• Graduate Tuition Scholarship Program (CHEH): Graduate scholarships offered by CHEH.
• Wright State Graduate Council Scholarship: This scholarship is for newly admitted graduate students and may include a stipend and tuition. Some of the eligibility criteria include a GPA of 3.3 or higher, recently admitted to the master’s program, and have not started graduate classes. Nominations or due by mid-February (Round 1) and mid-March (Round 2). 
• Wright State Fellowship Program: This scholarship is aimed at attracting high-quality, underrepresented minority graduate students. Some of the eligibility include recently admitted to the master’s program, has not started graduate classes, U.S. citizen or permanent resident, member of an underrepresented minority in the field. Nominations are due by mid-March. 
• WPAFB and Ohio National Guard Scholarship: These scholarships are for Wright-Patterson Air Force Base employees or family members and also for students in good standing of the Ohio National Guard. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Combined Programs

The combined programs will allow Wright State undergraduates to enroll in up to 9 hours of “overlap” courses that count toward your bachelor’s and master’s degrees during your final year of undergraduate studies. IDL graduate classes can replace elective undergraduate classes. Only exceptionally well-prepared students will be admitted to the combined program. The IDL master’s degree will prepare you to become a highly trained instructional designer, armed with the tools you need to bring innovative teaching and training practices into education, corporate, and governmental settings.

• Combined Programs:
  The combined programs available include:
  • Organizational Leadership (OL), B.S. + M.Ed. Instructional Design and Learning Technologies (IDL) | Combined OL/IDL Program Application
  • Human Resource Management, B.S.B.,  + M.Ed. Instructional Design and Learning Technologies (IDL) | Combined Human Resource Management/IDL Program Application
  • Graphic Arts, B.T.A.S. + M.Ed. Instructional Design and Learning Technologies (IDL) | Combined Graphic Arts BTAS Program Application
• Program Requirements
  When admitted to combined programs, you must complete all requirements for both programs. You can use three graduate-level M.Ed. Instructional Design and Learning Technologies courses toward both degree requirements.
• Grades and Transcripts
  You will have both a graduate and an undergraduate transcript. Any courses taken for both degrees will appear on both transcripts. This allows for the calculation of separate GPAs. All relevant rules about GPAs and continued eligibility, at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, use these calculations.
• Requirements
  At the end of your junior year, you should apply to the Wright State Graduate School. The admission requirements for the combined program are more rigorous than the master’s degree. Admission requirements for the combined degree include:
  • Must be a major in the undergraduate degree
  • Senior-level status
  • 3.2 cumulative grade point average in all undergraduate work, including undergraduate credits earned at other institutions and transferred to Wright State.
  • Undergraduate advisor's approval for admission to the combined-degree program, and mandatory advising during each semester the student is taking graduate credit toward the bachelor's degree.
  • Complete the admission application.
  • Formal admission to combined-degree status.
• Tuition and Financial Aid
  Contact the Wright State Tuition and Aid office for questions. Here is Tuition and Financial Aid information about the combined degree program.
  • While in the combined degree program, you will pay tuition at the undergraduate rate until you complete your bachelor’s degree. After you earn your bachelor’s degree, you will pay graduate-level tuition.
  • Financial aid is based on enrollment status. You will be eligible for undergraduate financial aid while completing your bachelor's degree. When you become an admitted graduate student, you can then apply for graduate forms of financial aid. These include Graduate Tuition Scholarships and GRAs/GTAs/GAs.
• Program Withdrawal
  You may withdraw from the combined program and continue as a traditional undergraduate student at any time. If you withdraw, you are not able to transfer completed graduate credits to a future graduate degree.
• Program Dismissal
  You will be dismissed from the combined program and continue as a traditional undergraduate student if:
  • You do not complete all the bachelor’s program requirements within three years of admission
  • Your cumulative GPA in the courses falls below 3.0