Earn Your Master's in Instructional Design Online 

College courses and corporate training sessions don’t begin with an instructor in front of a classroom. Learning programs require detailed preparation that focuses on the knowledge and skills to be gained, the best methods to impart them, and ways to measure success.

You have the opportunity to develop these types of programs and launch a rewarding career through AU’s Master of Science in Instructional Design and Technology.

• One Year Program
• Fully Online
• iPad and Apple Pencil Included

Optimize technology for learning

As an instructional designer or learning technologist, you’ll collaborate with educators and other subject matter experts to create courses and materials that achieve specific learning objectives. Instructional design provides the architecture for teaching. It’s all around us, in elementary school math classes, violin lessons, CPR education at your community center or military equipment training.

Technology has created opportunities to supplement existing courses and design new online academic programs, but it’s not as simple as putting students in front of screens. AU can show you how to optimize the latest innovations; we have been recognized twice as an Apple Distinguished School. And according to US News & World Report, we have the top online bachelor’s program in Upstate South Carolina. In this new master’s program, you’ll benefit from that same leadership in higher education technology.

Integrate emerging technologies into course design 

AU’s Center for Innovation and Digital Learning has collaborated with the College of Education to create the M.S. in Instructional Design and Learning Technology. As a student, you’ll learn the following:

• To apply the most effective instructional design solutions in the classroom or workplace
• To develop learning materials by applying instructional design theory and principles with the support of technology
• To evaluate and integrate new technologies and ways of instruction to support learning goals

This program comprises 30 credit hours and is offered entirely online. With courses taking seven weeks apiece, you can complete your degree in as little as 12 months.

South Carolina K-12 educators are eligible for the Online Teacher Endorsement after completion of this certificate. Courses have been approved by VirtualSC and teachers must apply for the endorsement through the SC Department of Education.

Courses you will take

Core (27 hours)

• Instructional Design and Innovation
• Designing Future Learning Environments
• Research Design & Methods
• Learning Analytics
• Mobile Learning
• Online Learning
• Issues and Trends
• Program Development & Evaluation
• Video and Media Production​

Practicum/Portfolio (3 hours)

• Learning Design Studio

Your future in instructional design and learning technology

You may be attracted to instructional design if you’re an educator seeking to help other educators apply best practices, or if you’re interested in creating training programs for business, health care, government or the military.

Students in this master’s degree program can come from diverse disciplines and experiences. The important thing is that you want a career at the cutting edge of learning, instructional design, and technology.

Your degree could lead to jobs in elementary, secondary or higher education, in government, or in firms that have a need for thoughtfully designed learning and training programs. Potential job titles include corporate trainer, curriculum coordinator, instructional systems designer, learning solutions developer or training specialist. In South Carolina and around the region, technology-savvy professionals are needed to satisfy the increase in online and blended learning programs.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics places these types of jobs in the “instructional coordinator” and “training and development manager” occupation categories. Nationally, median pay is $62,460 per year for instructional coordinators and $105,830 per year for training and development managers. Your career opportunities in these fields are growing faster than average. Between these two categories, more than 20,000 new jobs are expected to be created nationwide from 2016 through 2026.