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This course focuses on using evidence-based research and data to inform program and instructional design decisions. Students will conduct a review of scholarly literature to investigate a topic and identify gaps in the research. Students will also select between quantitative, qualitative, or mixed methods research methodologies to pose research questions and write a research proposal for further study.
The average salary for this role is $65,312 — however, the exact figure is highly dependent on several factors (including employer and location).
This role involves critical thinking, working with others, technology and consulting with stakeholders. Some of the skills you’ll need to be successful as an eLearning designer include communication, writing, project management and technical expertise.
Though earning a master’s degree is not a requirement for a career as an eLearning designer, having one can deepen your knowledge in this specialized area and help you stand out from other candidates when the time comes to apply for jobs.
No, these two roles are unique. An eLearning developer’s job is to use course authoring tools and software to assemble courses once the structure and content have been determined, making them accessible for learners.
While eLearning designers are responsible for coming up with the overall structure of a course, instructional designers are tasked with fleshing out the course content and making the learning experience engaging and memorable.
eLearning designers create learning programs for online courses. This typically involves designing curricula, ensuring programs are well-structured and guiding the course’s development every step of the way as it takes shape.
Built with working professionals in mind, this asynchronous online program can easily fit into your week. On average, coursework will require between 10-20 hours per week on reading, researching and completing class assignments. While coursework will vary per professor and course, students will generally have one main assignment due on a weekly or biweekly basis and will be expected to participate in classroom discussion boards. Professors are always willing to proactively discuss any scheduling challenges that may arise during your time in the program.
Job aids typically supplement other training methods. To fully understand when to use a job aid as performance support, you’ll need to know how to assess the learning needs of your students/employees. Learning how to apply these learning aids, in addition to how to create them, is a fundamental part of learning design programs.
For more information on what goes into a training program, see our post on how to create an employee training plan.
You can use most simple desktop applications such as Microsoft Word, Adobe Photoshop or any of the Google Suite programs to design and create your own job aid. If you’re looking for technologies that will help you with research, design and instruction, see our list of top instructional design software.
Here are some additional tips:
There are dozens of different types of job aids, many of which you probably encounter on a day-to-day basis. Any quick reference guide can be considered a “job aid,” such as signs in public restrooms that show people how to wash their hands. Even recipe books and to-do lists can be considered job aids.
While job aids are intended to be handy, quick reference guides, there are a few situations where they’re not ideal:
Absolutely. USD’s own LDT program is 100% online.
Yes. Instructional designers are in demand across industries, from public and higher education to corporate settings and even in government positions.
The average cost of a full-time, two year master’s degree program is between $44,000-$57,000 — though some programs can be much more expensive. At a cost-per-credit of $710, USD’s LDT program tuition totals $21,300.
Every program is different, but in general, a full-time master’s degree program will take you around two years to complete. You can expect part time programs to take longer depending on how many units you take in a semester.
The Master of Science in Learning Design and Technology is a 30-unit, project-based program and is designed to be completed in five semesters over 20 months.
Yes. The Master of Science in Learning Design and Technology degree program is designed specifically with working professionals in mind. The online program can be completed on your own schedule (as long as deadlines are met).
All students in the online MS-LDT program require current access to Articulate360 software for various assignments and projects. The University of San Diego will issue a one-time, discounted tech fee of $280 for all first-semester students to be granted access to an Articulate360 account. The account suite will grant access to the following tools:
Students that already have access to Articulate360 and the required tools can waive this one-time fee by submitting a Waiver Request Form. (This form will be made available to enrolled students.) Please only submit a waiver if you already have access to the following required tools: Storyline 360, Rise 360, Content Library 360, & Review 360.
All enrolled students will have access to Articulate360. If you file a Leave of Absence, withdraw/drop a course, or graduate from the program, access will be terminated until you enroll again in the program.
We’ve also compiled a list of free/freemium tools that students can use to complete their assignments. Students will have a Google Drive, Office 365 and YouTube account associated with her USDOne login.
Our instructors are subject matter experts. They are instructional design practitioners and online instructors who are fully aware of the needs of adult learners and online students. Learn more on our MSLDT faculty page.
Group Discussions are typically graded assignments posted to a discussion board embedded in each module. They require an original post and a response to peers by the end of the week. Discussion Forum is an open discussion on a variety of topics related to the course. The Discussion Board feature in Canvas is used as the platform for these online conversations.
A potential employer is not likely to value one degree over the other because they are more interested in demonstrated knowledge, skills, and abilities more so than whether your degree is in LD or ID. Employers requiring or preferring that applicants have a master’s degree will be explicit about the skills they are seeking and typically will not distinguish between type of degree such as MS, MA, or M.Ed degrees.
Instructional design involves creating learning experiences and materials to affect change in knowledge, skills, or attitude. Learning design utilizes approaches from instructional design, user-experience design, and design thinking to create these learning experiences.
Learning Design was chosen for the degree title to reflect a shift in the industry that is more inclusive of adaptations to the systematic design of instruction that is found in traditional ID. Learning Design combines instructional design and design thinking to promote a more human-centered and creative thinking approach to designing learning solutions.
The main focus of the program is on establishing a foundation and building the knowledge, skills, and abilities that are demonstrated as the competencies expected of ID professionals. While many of the course assignments require the use of eLearning authoring software and other learning technologies, the competencies you develop are grounded in theory about how people learn and are therefore applicable to designing materials for in-person training, synchronous and asynchronous online learning, and eLearning.
While the program is fully asynchronous, office hours are an opportunity to have live discussions with faculty. The program will offer webinars throughout the year as an opportunity to engage with industry professionals and explore topics in the field.
Students choose the MS-LDT program because it provides a fast-track to entry or promotion in the instructional/learning design career they seek. Our fully asynchronous program is attractive to full-time working professionals who want and need the flexibility to manage when and where they engage with their courses. We are a year-round program, which means we offer our two foundational courses every semester. This makes it convenient for students to decide when the best time is for them to begin pursuing their academic goals.
The MS-LDT program is designed to provide working adults with a short, fast-paced, but manageable path to entry into the field of instructional/learning design. Some program aspects that may make MS-LDT the right choice for you include the various ways we attend to the needs of adult learners. These include, but are not limited to:
The MS-LDT program is a 100% online, fully asynchronous degree program.