Degree Info
2+ Years to Complete
Online
Live Web Classes Held Evenings/Weekends
In-State Tuition Regardless of Residency
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Instructional Design & Technology (MEd or MS)
Master's Degree
Begins every Fall (August), Spring (January) & Summer (May)
Career Information
So what can you do as an Instructional Designer (ID)? There are many different career paths that you can follow as an instructional designer, including:
- performance improvement consulting
- multimedia development
- program evaluation
- technology integration specialist
In all cases, your IDT education prepares you to promote learning or human performance through the use of technology. In general, there are 2 main sectors IDers work in:
- public education
- corporate/organizational
Public Education Focus
If you prefer K-12 education, you may work in a variety of capacities, including:
- technology facilitator—design meaningful learning environments that make intelligent use of technology and problem solving in your classroom.
- professional development trainer—develop and deliver training for other teachers in your school, or at the district, state, or national levels.
- curriculum designer—focus exclusively on the design of large-scale curricula at all levels of the education system.
If your career focus is in higher education, you may:
- Work as a curriculum designer to develop online courses and other class/training materials for colleges and universities.
- Work with faculty to develop technology-assisted learning in a variety of ways, including distance education and multimedia development labs.
Corporate/Organizational Focus
Training is a part of virtually every organization, but some are large enough to have their own human resources department or training program. In these organizations, IDers are generally part of a design and development team, working with graphic artists, programmers, and subject-matter experts. You may be a "pure" designer, or you may develop and/or implement the training you design.
If you prefer to work in the corporate/organizational sector, you are likely to work as a training designer and/or developer for the:
- Military
- Government
- Healthcare Organizations
- Banking Industry
- Any business or organization that requires systematic and frequent training
What Is the Job Market Like in IDT?
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that the demand for qualified instructional coordinators will grow much faster than average, reflecting the need to meet new educational standards, train teachers and employees, and develop new materials.
A simple search on Monster.com for IDT corporate jobs routinely turns up thousands of jobs. It is estimated that there are 10,000 to 20,000 jobs every year in this field.
In past years, UND's graduates have had 100% job placement rate, with every student finding a job in the field 1 to 3 months after graduation. Starting salaries are between $35,000 and $60,000, making IDT jobs competitive with any other field.
For specific information on the nature of the work, job outlook, and earnings, view the Occupational Outlook Handbook from the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics.