Instructional Design, MEd

The Program

The MEd in instructional design, offered through the College of Advancing and Professional Studies, is an ideal master’s degree for career professionals engaged in the education, training, and development of adult learners in the workplace or in higher education institutions. Students experience a dynamic learning process and curriculum that meets the current educational demands of a global job marketplace. This unique program offers a comprehensive course of study that gives equal importance to the design, development, and delivery of adult instruction. Applications of the instructional design process appear in an ever-growing array of organizational learning including business and industry, educational institutions, health care, government agencies, the military, banking and finance, professional societies, and more.

This multidisciplinary academic program re­quires 36 credits for completion. Using the principles and practices of adult education, theoretical and applied courses concen­trate on three objectives:

• Building a foundation and conceptual framework for the instructional design process;
• Developing instructional strategies and skills to facilitate adult learning; and
• Using 21st century educational media and technology to enhance the learning process.

Students are given the opportunity to in­crease their knowledge and to develop the skills and techniques necessary for the effective design and presentation of in­structional materials. Course study focuses on the instructional design process, adult learning theory, applied research, communication, media, technology, and organizational knowledge. Emphasis is placed on the students’ ap­plication and evaluation of their practical learning. Faculty members in this program are career professionals, strongly committed to shar­ing their knowledge and skills with those entering the field.

NOTE:

The masters program may be completed entirely online. Online courses and blended evening classes are offered to accommodate the schedules of full-time and part-time students. Most ID courses are available fully online; some are offered in a blended format. Select blended courses provide a mix of in-person and online study, balancing the benefits of both modes of learning in a single course. Online courses are enjoyed by all students; local to the Boston area, out-of-state, and international. 

Non-degree students may select up to two (2) individual courses to meet their career/professional development or other spe­cialized needs; their admittance to courses is on a space-available basis. After successfully completing two (2) courses, non-degree students may seek special permission from the graduate program director to take additional courses or to formally apply to the program. If applying to the program, up to six (6) credits may transfer in upon matriculation.

Degree Requirements

The 36-credit Instructional Design program, flexibly designed to meet individual needs, combines a total of 12 required and elective courses (which may include a field internship experience), and com­pletion of a final project or thesis.

Students are required to maintain a 3.0 GPA throughout the program.

Advising

Upon matriculating, all students are assigned an academic advisor. Students are encouraged to meet with their academic advisor, either online or in person, each semester to discuss course selection.

Admission Requirements

The MEd Program in Instructional Design invites applications from individuals with a variety of academic and experiential backgrounds who hold baccalaureate degrees from accredited institutions. Admissions criteria include:

1. A personal interview with the program director or faculty.
2. Application, plus application fee.
3. Official transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate work.
4. A written statement of interest and intent.
5. Two (2) letters of recommendation from employers familiar with his/her professional ability and/or from former teachers familiar with the ap­plicant’s recent academic work.
6. A competitive score on the Miller Analogies Test. Please note: The MAT test score is not required if the applicant holds an advanced degree from a US university.
7. Current résumé.

Application Deadlines:

• Fall semester: June 1
• Spring semester: November 1

Applicants for the program are expected to have maintained at least a 3.0 cumulative average in undergraduate coursework.

Please see more details in the general statement of admission requirements for all graduate programs in the “Admissions ” section of this publication.