Master of Science in Instructional Design
Now accepting applications for the fall 2025 semester! Contact Ginger Hermon, Senior Enrollment Counselor of Adult and Graduate Admissions, at ghermon @ grandview.edu for more information.
Our Master of Science in Instructional Design is an interdisciplinary program field that combines theories and methods of education, psychology, and communication. It will prepare you to make an impact on diverse learners in a wide range of settings.
Instructional designers create learning materials that reflect an evidence-based understanding of how people learn most effectively. Instructional design has applications in educational settings and in workplaces where employees need training or retraining.
Instructional designers need to be well-versed in learning assessment so they can confirm that the materials accomplish the specified goals. Instructional designers also need to be effective team players because they rarely are experts in the subject area where they are creating materials.
This 33-credit degree program includes four certificates (Instructional Design Foundations, Learning Assessments, Instructional Design Technology, and Instructional Design Facilitation). The certificates can be taken alone or stacked in any combination. The first three are embedded in the master's program curriculum.
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Stackable Credentials:
Instructional Design Foundations: (9 Credits)
- Introduction to Instructional Design (3 credits)
- Theories in Instructional Design and Learning (3 credits)
- Systematic Design of Instruction (3 credits)
Learning Assessments (9 Credits)
- Assessment of Learning (3 credits)
- Statistical Analysis of Learning (3 credits)
- Implementing and Assessing E-Learning Solution (3 credits)
Instructional Design Technology: (9 Credits)
- Current and Emerging Technology for Instructional Design (3 credits)
- Integration of Technology into Instructional Design Process (3 credits)
- Basic Web Design or Multimedia Design (3 credits)
Instructional Design Facilitation: (9 Credits)
- Project Management (3 credits)
- Multimedia Design (3 credits)
- Facilitation of Learning (3 credits)
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| Admission Requirements |
Admission Requirements:
- A baccalaureate degree earned from a regionally accredited institution, evidenced by a transcript.
- Validated minimum undergraduate grade-point average of 2.75 on a 4.0 scale (or 2.75 GPA in last sixty hours). Students below 2.75 will be considered for provisional acceptance.
- Complete the application for admission.
Submit the Following:
- Include a statement of purpose with application that addresses:
- The student’s interest in the program, including the identification of short-term and long-term career goals
- The skills and experiences the student will contribute to the program
- Expectations the student has of the program
- Provide two references (academic or professional) who will complete an online recommendation form
- Transcript from institution where bachelor's degree was earned
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| Course Descriptions |
Program Required Courses:
Introduction to Instructional Design (3 credits)
Introduction to the field of instructional and curricular design. This course will look at best practices in the field and how basic learning theory intersects with the application of instructional design. The ADDIE framework will be introduced.
Prerequisite: None
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Theories in Instructional Design and Learning (3 credits)
This course will review and expand the students’ knowledge of the major instructional design theories. Students will develop a process for the application of learning theory as brain-based research into learning, memory, and transfer of knowledge. and develop a process for understanding the needs of the learner.
Prerequisite: Introduction to Instructional Design
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Current and Emerging Technology for Instructional Design (3 credits)
Technology is a part of all aspects of learning. In this course you will investigate commonly implemented technology in instructional design and be able to identify use cases for emerging technologies. This you also will start to employ different types of technology into different modes of learning.
Prerequisite: None
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Integration of Technology into Instructional Design Process (3 credits)
This course will focus on the integration and application of technology into instructional design. You will also learn how to apply universal design as an inclusive part of your instructional design process ensuring instructional strategies and technology do not inhibit the learning process.
Prerequisite: Theories in Instructional Design and Learning
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Statistical Analysis of Learning (3 credits)
In this course you will be introduced to and apply common statistical methods in the analysis of learning. This will include but not be limited to Mean, Median, Module, Standard Deviation, Variance and ANOVA.
Prerequisite: None
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Web Design (3 credits)
Instructional design requires the creation of learning solutions. This course was designed to prepare the future professional for developing web-based training through the application of HTML or other associated languages. (Utilizing Dreamweaver or another appropriate software).
Prerequisite: None
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Assessment of Learning (3 credits)
In this course you will examine common methods for assessing student learning and evaluating learning systems. You will develop the skills necessary to complete a basic evaluation or assessment, prepare a summative report, and present that to colleagues. It will help you to conceptualize how learning is progressing through analysis of skill development.
Prerequisite: Statistical Analysis of Learning
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Systematic Design of Instruction (3 credits)
Designing specific learning experiences can be difficult. This course will help you develop design principles, learning needs, Universal Design for Learning, accessibility techniques, and learning theories into practice designing and building learning solutions.
Prerequisite: Theories in Instructional Design and Learning
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Implementing and Assessing E-Learning Solution (3 credits)
Developing and implementing an e-learning solution can be a daunting task. This course will focus on developing, implementing, and assessing learning solutions within an LMS or digital authoring tool. Students will incorporate design thinking to identify challenges within the development and implementation process to enhance the development of the e-learning solution.
Prerequisite: Integration of Technology into Instructional Design Process
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Experiential Learning Capstone Project (3 credits)
The capstone experience is designed as a final research and application project where you will put all of your skills into practice. This course is taken during the last term of a student's learning and will help you with the development of your Professional Portfolio. Projects could include designing a course unit or module, a professional certification course, or a skill development module. Your project must be approved by the program faculty.
Prerequisite: Completion of rest of program
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Elective (3 credits)
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Comprehensive Portfolio (0 credits)
Your professional portfolio is a summative document that provides examples of completed work. This can include your capstone project but should also include other examples of work you have completed throughout your coursework. Final semester.
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Total Credits: 33
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Electives (Choose 1):
Project Management
Project management is an essential component of the instructional design process. You will examine simulated “real world” experiences and develop responses to adapt to these challenges. You will examine different leadership techniques as well as how and when to employ them during project management.
Prerequisite: Systematic Design of Instruction
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Facilitation of Learning
Applying instructional design techniques and theories to develop and deliver training in face-to-face, hybrid, and/or web-based training. The focus will be to develop the knowledge and skills needed for developing and delivering training in multiple settings. In many instances, training needs to be developed to maximize both facilitation and learning. So that it can be provided by multiple individuals with similar levels of success. This course will help the student develop a full understanding of this process.
Prerequisite: Theories of Learning and Instructional Design
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Multimedia Design
How to implement Instructional Video, Audio, Graphics, Animation, and graphic facilitation. Students will learn how to incorporate multimedia into their instructional design process. This will include the skills necessary to create and edit video and audio as well as the development of prerecorded graphics and animation. Some time will also be spent developing the skills necessary to transmit knowledge and ideas through the written word in face-to-face or web-based training.
Prerequisite: None
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