An MSIDT Graduate Student in a Virtual Reality Headset

Instructional Design and Technology (MS)

Our nationally ranked M.S. Instructional Design and Technology features a hands-on, project-based approach to prepare you for leadership roles in challenging - and rewarding - careers in this ever-growing field.

Degrees & Offerings
  • M.S.
Format Option(s)
  • Hybrid (Online + In-Person)
  • Online
Department
College
Program Contact
MSIDT Program Coordinator; Associate Professor
illustration of Carver Hall

Program Overview

  • Program Delivery - Offered 100% online through a combination of synchronous and asynchronous courses.
  • Program Length - 33 credits - can be completed in as little as 18 months.
  • Flexible Start Dates - Applications are accepted for the Spring, Summer, and Fall semesters.
  • 2 Concentrations and 2 Certificates Available - Including Learning Experience Designer concentration, Instructional Technology Specialist concentration, eLearning Specialist certificate, and Instructional Game Design certificate.
  • Applied Learning - Emphasizes applied learning, student participation, project-based courses, and an internship, so you'll have a robust portfolio by the time you graduate.
  • Who Should Apply - Is the perfect complement to any undergraduate major. Whether you majored in Business, Communications, or English - you'd be a great fit! 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.
  • Nationally Ranked - Ranked the 2nd best program in the country (College Affordability Guide).
  • What is Instructional Design and Technology - Instructional technology involves the study of the topics like 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, and Storytelling.

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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:

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     

Course Catalog

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
 

Course Catalog

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
  • $35 application fee 
  • Official transcripts from all undergraduate institutions attended
  • Two 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.

  • Spring 2024 GA Positions: All admission application materials must be submitted by Friday, October 27, to be eligible for consideration.
  • Summer 2024 GA Positions: All admission application materials must be submitted by Friday, March 1, to be eligible for consideration.

Apply for Graduate Assistantship

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.

  • Q: What degree is needed to be admitted? 
    A: Is the perfect complement to any undergraduate major. Whether you majored in Business, Communications, or English - you’d be a great fit! 
  • Q: How is the program delivered? 
    A: Coursework is delivered 100% online. Synchronous classes meet once or twice weekly for 15 weeks in the spring and fall semesters. Summer session courses are online or hybrid for 6 or 12-week sessions. 
  • Q: How long does it take to complete the program? 
    A: Full-time students can complete the program in a year and a half. Part-time students generally complete in two years. 
  • Q: What career options can I pursue with this degree? 
    A: Your career options will be varied - but you’ll be in high demand! Recent alumni have accepted positions as a Learning Experience Designer (Amazon), Instructional Designer (Mackin Talent), Global Learning Expert (SAP), and Learning and Development Specialist (WhatsApp), and Learning and Development Consultant (Verizon).
  • Q: When can I start? 
    A: Applications are accepted for the Spring, Summer, and Fall semesters.
  • Q: Do I need to take the GRE in order to apply? 
    A. No - the GRE is not required for admission.

The Husky Difference

#2
In the U.S.
College Affordability Guide has ranked our MSIDT program second in the nation.
$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

Continue to Explore

carver hall aerial view

M.S. Instructional Design & 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.

Vishakha Hegde

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.”

MS Instructional Design and Technology Graduate Student

Instructional Design Students Bring Home Wins at DevLearn Conference

Dr. Karl Kapp and Dr. Jessica Briskin of the Department of Technology, Analytics, and Workforce Learning took four students enrolled in Commonwealth University’s Master’s Degree in Instructional Technology Program to the DevLearn conference, held Oct. 25 to 27 in Las Vegas, Nev. Four students competed, and two in the program, Brittany Breland and Jessica Cebulka, won awards.

MS Instructional Design and Technology Faculty Initiative

Faculty Member Jessica Briskin Conducts Workshops in Nigeria

Commonwealth University-Bloomsburg professor Jessica Briskin has taken her expertise in delivering remote education to an international audience.

Program Faculty

Applying to Graduate Programs

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  • Financial Aid

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