The Teaching & Learning Ph.D. Program offers three areas of emphasis. Instructional Design & Technology was added in 2008.

The Instructional Design & Technology area of emphasis in the Teaching & Learning Doctoral Program is designed to prepare students to be active researchers and scholars in the field of Instructional Design and Technology, as well as in their academic careers in higher education. The T & L doctoral program with an emphasis in IDT focuses on understanding of various areas in instructional design, human learning, and the integration of technology in facilitating learning. Graduates of this degree program will be qualified to work as tenured faculty in IDT at any institution of higher education.

IDT doctoral students can be admitted into the program with or without a master’s degree in Instructional Design & Technology or related fields. IDT doctoral students who come in with a master’s degree in IDT will have to complete 60 credits in their program of study, and the students who come in without a master’s degree in IDT are required to complete 90 credits in their program of study. The IDT doctoral area of emphasis is NOT available as an online option. However, students without a master's degree in instructional design MAY complete the first 30 credits of the Ph.D. at a distance, and then complete the final 60 credits on-campus. Detailed credit requirements can be found here (with an IDT master’s degree) or here (without an IDT master’s degree).

All application materials are due by March 31 for Fall admission and by October 31 for Spring admission. The application materials should include:

Master Degrees

Both the M.Ed. and M.S. degrees are designed to provide the skills you need to be a practicing instructional designer in education or corporate settings. Graduates of these programs are qualified to work as instructional designers in K-12, higher education, goverment, corporate, and other institutions.

The Master of Education (M.Ed.) degree is primarily intended for students who plan to work in an education environment, either the K-12 schools or higher education. Individuals pursuing this degree will work primarily with instructors in assisting them to appropriately, effectively, and successfully integrate technology into their instruction. They are also likely to do some direct work with students in teaching skills associated with the use of technology. Students pursuing this degree will learn the theoretical issues associated with technologically supported instruction but their emphasis will be in the application of this knowledge in terms of best practice. An independent study project (research) is required and is considered a capstone experience. The independent study may address a practical problem or address a theoretical construct in the same way that a thesis does.

The Master of Science (M.S.) degree is primarily intended for students who plan to work in business, government, and industry developing and delivering technologically supported curriculum. Students from backgrounds other than education (e.g. Nursing, Engineering, Aerospace) may prefer this option. This degree is available in two tracks. The M.S. (thesis option) is intended for those students who want to develop and utilize research skills in their work context. The M.S. (independent study option) is intended for those students who prefer to emphasize the development and evaluation of application and practice. Required course work within the two options is consistent with this distinction between an emphasis on research or practice.

Certificates

Three four-course certificates in IDT (one for K-12 Technology Integration, one for Corporate Training & Perfromance, and one for eLearning) are now available. These certificates are ideal for those who have or do not need a master's degree, but would like to update or document their skill set in instructional design and technology. These four-course certificates can be attained in one year's time, and are fully transferrable into either master's program at any point up to and past graduation. Whether you are working as an instructional designer without a degree and just want certification, or would like to learn more about IDT and would like some recognition for your efforts, these certificates may be what you are looking for. Like the master's degrees, certificate courses are taught as hybrid courses for distance and on-campus students at the same time, and you will be in the same classes as master's students, receiving a mix of live and online instruction.