Graduate Programs
Master of Science - Instructional Design and Training (Track III)
Millions of people take training programs offered by business and industry, training organizations, the military, governmental entities, school districts and private schools every year. In 2007, in the US alone, $58.5 billion was spent on training, and the field is expected to grow faster than average in the future (Occupation Outlook Handbook). Demand is strong and salaries are consistently competitive. Interested? Here is your answer...
Instructional Design and Training Masters Degree
The Master of Science degree in Instructional Design and Training, offered by the Center for Information Media (IM) at St. Cloud State University, is designed for people interested in careers in human performance, technology and training management in business, industrial, governmental and health fields. The course work prepares individuals with such competencies as problem analysis, program development, resource management, and personnel/performance evaluation. Students will develop specific skills for positions in training/human resources development and performance analysis.
Student Learning Outcomes*
Standard 1: PROFESSIONAL FOUNDATIONS
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Candidates apply appropriate research methods and findings in professional practice: the candidates understand, apply, and integrate research into teaching and learning and uses various resources available to inform best practice and add to the professional knowledge base.
- Candidates will identify and resolve ethical and legal implications of design in the work place.
Standard 2: PLANNING AND ANALYSIS
- Candidates will demonstrate the ability to conduct analysis before planning a program or curriculum, including a needs assessment, assessment of target population characteristics and environment characteristics and other elements of a situation.
- Candidates will plan a program or curriculum using a variety of techniques for determining instructional content, analyzing the characteristics of existing and emerging technologies and their use in an instructional environment and reflecting upon them before finalizing design solutions and strategies.
Standard 3: DESIGN, DEVELOPMENT AND EVALUATION
- Candidates will design and develop programs or curricula that reflect an understanding of the diversity of learners. They will select and use a variety of techniques to define and sequence the instructional content and strategies, create, select or modify existing instructional materials and evaluate and assess instruction and its impact.
Standard 4: IMPLEMENTATION AND MANAGEMENT
- Candidates will apply business skills to plan and manage instructional design projects and promote collaboration, partnerships and relationships among the participants in a design project.
- Candidates will provide for the effective implementation of instructional products and programs and design instructional management systems.
**Adapted from IBSTPI competencies: Copyright 2003** by the International Board of Standards for Training, Performance and Instruction. All rights reserved. Used with permission.
The International Board of Standards for Training, Performance and Instruction (ibstpi) is a non-profit organization serving the instructional design, training, and performance improvement communities through research, publications and conferences. www.ibstpi.org
Career Opportunities
- Business, industry and government training
- Training needs analysis/assessment
- Design, development and delivery of instruction, including distributed or E-learning
- Management of technology support services
- Management development, training and human resources
What do our graduates say about their careers?
"What I like best about it is the ability to challenge myself with a problem for training/change and to figure out the best method to present the needed learning and to see people make the connection! I, also, love to facilitate learning!!! I truly like to see and help people succeed - and this job lets me do that!!"
"What I like in this field are the capabilities of technology, and how this can affect how learners learn. There are always new things to learn and use. For an instructional designer or learning system administrator, the variety of work involved make it interesting."
What do our graduates say about the program?
"The IM Track III program … focuses on the real world experiences and hands-on design with application of ISD theories and principles."
"I am never bored with my work, and am rewarded with being able to learn new things, while getting paid! It was a perk I hadn’t even thought of when I was working on my master’s. "
Entrance Requirements for SCSU Graduate School
- Baccalaureate degree
- Completed an SCSU graduate school application
- Submitted three letters of recommendation
- Paid the matriculation fee
- Taken the Graduate Record Exam (the general test)
- Earned an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or earned a Score of 3 on the analytical writing GRE test, combined score of 1,000 on the GRE verbal and quantitative tests, or a score of 480 on the verbal test.
Acceptance into the graduate school permits students to attend graduate courses at SCSU. It does not automatically admit them into the Information Media graduate program.
Entrance Requirements to the Information Media Graduate Program
In addition to meeting SCSU Graduate School requirements, IM candidates must:
- Write a preliminary examination in Information Media
- Complete an interview with the IM graduate faculty
A candidate will be assigned to a graduate adviser upon acceptance to the Information Media Program.
Students should be accepted into a program of study prior to completion of more than 9 credits. Failure to do so may result in accrued classes that are not applicable to their program.
Courses for Track III: Instructional Design and Training
Instructional Design and Training Program of Study
Plan A: 42 credit, including thesis
Plan B: 39 credits, including starred paper
Plan C: 39 credits plus portfolio
(All course are 3 credits unless indicated)
I. Research
Plan A: 9 credits,
Plan B: 5 credits,
Plan C: 3 credits
IM 608 Research Methods in Media
IM 697 Starred Paper, 2 credits (Plan B only)
IM 699 Thesis, 6 credits (Plan A only)
II. Major Core
Plan A, B, and C: 14 credits
IM 502 Information Media: Theory, Research and Practice, 2 credits
IM 504 Instructional Design I
IM 552 Access to Information
IM 554 Developing Skills for Online Learning
IM 555 Design and Preparation of Multimedia Presentations I
III. Applications
Plan A, B, and C: 13 - 17 credits
IM 546 Facilitating and Administering E-learning
IM 632 Training/Human Resource Development, 2 credits
IM 634 Instructional Design II
IM 638 Organizational Training and Media Management
IM 656 Computer-based Authoring
IM 680 Internship, 2 - 6 credits
IV. Electives
Plan A: 2 - 6 credits
Plan B: 3 - 7 credits
Plan C: 5 - 9 credits
Courses to be selected in consultation with adviser.
V. Course Sequencing
Preliminary course work:
Students should take the courses in the IM Major Core (II above) and IM 632 at the beginning of their program.
Culminating course work and activities:
Students finish their Instructional Design/Training program by taking IM 608, 680 and IM 697, 699 or preparing the Plan C portfolio.
Additional Information
These materials, including the opinions and conclusions, are those of the Center for Information Media and not the ibstpi Board which makes no judgment on the outcomes of the program, nor endorses the program.
