Master of Education
Instructional Design and Technology

All-in price:
$8,675
View Tuition Details
Application due date for June 14, 2021 term:
June 11
Estimated time to completion:
16 Months
All-in price:
$8,675
View Tuition Details
Application due date for June 14, 2021 term:
June 11
Estimated time to completion:
16 Months

For those who put the “tech” in teaching.

Incorporate technology effectively in your instructional design. Whether you’re in a K-12 or higher education setting, or even a corporate or governmental organization, you’ll be ready to evaluate, develop, and implement instruction and training. And by earning your instructional technology degree in an instructional technology environment, you will experience a digital classroom from a learner’s perspective as well as an educator’s — including a seat in Articulate 360.

#4

in the nation for most master's degrees awarded in education*.

How you'll get there.

  1. You’ll take a total of eleven courses (most students take one at a time) that center around digital learning and teaching. You’ll explore concepts such as online course design, trends in instructional design, and evaluation and assessment of instructional design. Your coursework also includes one course in research methods. Each course is five weeks long.
  2. At the end of the program, you’ll complete a capstone course to demonstrate and document the impact of the knowledge you’ve gained throughout the program.

What you can expect along the way.

  • Quality instruction ACE is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, and we’re the #4 nationwide conferrer of master’s degrees in education.*
  • Flexible class format Our asynchronous online classes enable you to plan your coursework around your life. Each course is 5 weeks long with outlined expectations each week.
  • Relevant coursework Our classes teach practical and immediately applicable skills. What you learn at ACE today can be applied in your classroom tomorrow.
  • Diverse applications You’ll be well-versed in all aspects of the field: evaluation, digital tools, design fundamentals, theories, and assessment. The skills you learn in this program will apply to a variety of educational settings, from K-12 to corporations.

What it costs

Our tuition and fees have nothing to hide. The total cost you see is your all-in price, without hidden fees, add-ons, and even textbooks. See if you can say the same about other institutions. Go ahead — we’ll wait.

Total Tuition

31 semester credits
x $235 per credit

$7,285

Fees

$50 Application Fee

$1,240 Technology & Library Fee
($40 per credit)

$100 Program Conferral Fee

$1,390

Total Program Cost1

$8,675

On average, see how ACE compares to other online universities.

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Learn how we cut costs.

Partnerships save you more.

ACE has more than 1,750 education partners that provide a discounted rate and other partner benefits.

Learn about ACE partnerships.

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Meet your department chair.

Cathy McKay, Ed.D.

Cathy McKay, Ed.D.

Administrative Faculty and Chair,
Department of Professional Educational Studies

Read Bio

Keep exploring.

A degree you can count on.

We are, and have always been, accredited by The Higher Learning Commission— a federally-recognized accrediting agency. Accreditation ensures that an institution’s academic program meets or exceeds acceptable levels of quality and is the most recognized accreditation status for higher education entities. To receive and maintain HLC accreditation and affiliation approval, we must continuously undergo routine peer review cycles and provide proof that our programs meet or exceed HLC accreditation criteria and expectations of quality.

Courses

M.Ed. in Instructional Design and Technology

Explore the classes you'll take to fulfill this program's 31 semester credit requirement. For more information, a complete list of requirements, and course options, see the College Catalog.

Digital Learning Courses (28 semester credits)

3 semester credits

This course will cover the establishment and history of the field of instructional design, and trace the evolution to present day learning and development of recent models. The role of the instructional designer and various career options will be covered. A variety of Instruction design models will be explored and compared. Learners will develop an understanding of foundational frameworks of instructional design, including applicable field standards, principles and practices.

3 semester credits

This course will examine various methods of learning in new media environments. In the 21st century, virtual communication and collaboration are crucial to understand how to participate and incorporate effectively. Also, understanding the similarities, differences, advantages, and disadvantages of online classrooms, blended classrooms, and flipped classrooms is needed. Lastly, learning about technology use, learning management systems, social media, and Web 2.0 tools will be examined. A key component of this course includes the opportunity for students to create with technology-based assignments.

3 semester credits

Students will examine how learning theories relate to instructional design, and integrate learning theories with ID theories. Professional organizational standards, as well as quality standards will be examined through the lens of how people learn. Integration of ethical and responsible practices will be discussed as well as educational theories and principles in application of learning technologies. Students will explore and evaluate multiple examples of designed learning to evaluate effectiveness and recommend changes.

3 semester credits

This course will address multiple design modes in creating instruction. Designing to support Universal Design principles as well as multiple means of learning will be applied as students develop instructional learning activities. Students will analyze instructional design concepts in a hands-on environment and design instruction that considers effective online interaction methods, laws, and ethics related to technology-based delivery. This course will serve as the pre-requisite to direct application in DL5743.

3 semester credits

Students enrolled in this course will select an individual focus of study to demonstrate competency in an area of their choice. Students will develop a professional product which demonstrates an instructional experience utilizing the required technological elements.

3 semester credits

In this course, students learn about research, theories and principles underlying the effective design of online instruction. Various online learning experiences will be explored and evaluated. This course will serve as a pre-requisite to continued application in DL5783.

3 semester credits

Students apply instructional design principles, learning, engagement and other theories to create online instructional projects. Students design instruction that will build communities through the use of tools, models, interaction, activities, peer collaboration and more to keep learners engaged and learning in a digital medium.

3 semester credits

Assessment and evaluation of instructional activities will be explored within various experiences, including evaluation of course design as well as assessment of participant learning. Approaches to determining evaluation options for both levels are explored using evidence based assessment methods. Students will explore data gathering and analysis, as well as application of findings for continuous improvement of learning activities.

3 semester credits

This course considers how people interact with technology through the content of a digital environment including the use of games, augmented reality, simulations, and social and mobile platforms. By exploring effective instructional designs, factors influencing engagement and use, and ways to utilize these within an educational situation, students will generate optional learning approaches by relating theory to practice. Ethical and responsible use of technology is applied to designing and adapting varied experiences.

1 semester credit

The Capstone Experience is a culminating project spanning the length of your program and designed to measure your growth and competency in learning the skills associated with your selected field of study. It contains a measure of self-reflection but also, insights from faculty experts who know and understand the challenges of a given discipline you use to improve and expand your thinking. Learning is dynamic. Your skills in thinking, writing, applying scholarly thought, and a range of other abilities should improve with each course, documented in the assignments you select to become artifacts. When you have reached your goal, the completed capstone becomes a source of pride as you document your expertise. 

Research Courses (3 semester credits)

3 semester credits

This course enables students to become informed consumers of research and to develop skills to prepare them to carry out action research in their professional organizations. An emphasis is placed on providing students with knowledge they can apply in determining whether particular research findings are relevant to their leadership and instructional practices and to distinguish between trustworthy and non-trustworthy research. The course places action research within the context of various types of research and examines research in terms of basic concepts and various purposes, methods, data, and paradigms. Emphasis is placed on how research can become a vital and relevant tool for professional practice.

Admission Requirements

M.Ed. in Instructional Design and Technology

ACE General Admission Requirements

  • Complete and submit all application components including the admission application, the enrollment agreement, and the payment agreement.
  • Submit the nonrefundable application fee.*
  • Provide official transcripts from a regionally accredited institution indicating successful completion of the level of education required for entry to the program.**

*The application fee is valid for one year from date of submission.
**Additional evidence may be required to fulfill state requirements, including but not limited to verification of professional experience, test scores, or an interview.

Program Admission Requirements

  • Bachelor's or Highest Post-Baccalaureate degree earned
  • Minimum Grade Point Average 2.75 on a 4.0 Scale for full admission
  • Minimum Cumulative Grade Point Average of 2.50 on a 4.0 Scale for Provisional Admission*
  • Additional evidence may be required to fulfill state requirements, including but not limited to verification of professional experience, test scores, or an interview

*Applicants whose overall GPA, or GPA in the last 60 hours is below 2.50 will not be admitted to the degree program

A Note About Licensure:

While this program provides a comprehensive understanding of the intended program outcomes, it does not lead to licensure, certification, or endorsement. ACE offers several programs that do provide a pathway to licensure, certification, or endorsement and they can be found here.

1This is an estimated value of the cost for tuition and fees. Amounts may vary depending on number of transfer credits applied to the selected program hours or program pathway credit hours, the pace and satisfactory completion of the selected program or program pathway credit hours, receipt of, or eligibility for, institutional or non-institutional scholarship and/or grant amounts, and adjustments to tuition or fees as described in the Catalog Right to Modify Tuition section.

State of California Student Tuition Recovery Fund (STRF)

It is a state of California requirement that a student who pays his or her tuition is required to pay a state-imposed assessment fifty cents ($0.50) per one thousand dollars ($1,000) of institutional charges, rounded to the nearest thousand dollars, for the California Student Tuition Recovery Fund. For more information and to see if you must pay the state-imposed assessment for Student Tuition Recovery Fund (STRF) click here.

For information on international transcript requirements, see the Admissions Information section of the College Catalog.

For English as a second language applicant information, see the Admissions Information section of the College Catalog.

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