Instructional Design (M.ED.)
Competency-Based
Where Education Meets Innovation
Build skills to create and improve learning experiences using teaching strategies, educational technology and hands-on design methods for academic and professional settings.
- Offered 100% Online in our Competency-Based Online format.
- 1 Year
- 30 credit hours
- Non-thesis
Graduates of the M.Ed. in Instructional Design often pursue careers as curriculum developers, e-learning specialists, educational technology coordinators, and learning experience designers across education and corporate settings. The program also supports advancement into leadership and specialized roles such as chief learning officers, educational innovation managers, and multimedia learning design consultants.
Our competency-based format allows you to earn your degree online at your own pace.
What Are My Job Opportunities?
Graduates of the M.Ed. in Instructional Design are prepared to pursue innovative career paths across educational and corporate settings
Careers and Salaries
Current Median Salaries from US DOL Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2024
Program Details
Our program is designed to help you analyze complex challenges, lead ethically, strengthen team effectiveness, and apply evidence-based strategies across a variety of environments.
What Will I Learn?
You will have the opportunity to gain experience in a number of key areas.
Foundational Design and Learning Theory Integration
Synthesize comprehensive understanding of learning theories, instructional design principles, and pedagogical strategies to create innovative and effective educational experiences.
Ethical and All-Encompassing Design Practices
Demonstrate mastery of ethical considerations, accessibility standards, and culturally responsive design principles in creating welcoming learning experiences.
Comprehensive Curriculum Development and Assessment
Design, implement, and evaluate sophisticated curriculum and assessment strategies that promote meaningful learning outcomes and continuous improvement.
Professional Project Management and Implementation
Execute complex instructional design projects using advanced project management techniques, collaborative strategies, and technological tools.
Taking Classes
Our flexible programs are designed for current educators and working professionals.
Designed for your life
Whether you’re a full-time student or a working professional, our competency-based programs are structured to fit your schedule. You can progress through the program at your own pace, choosing from flexible online courses that allow you to learn wherever you are.
Our fully online master's program provides the convenience of studying from home using Brightspace, an intuitive online learning platform. Engage with interactive courses, lively discussions and cutting-edge content while managing your work and life commitments.
Curriculum
Our master's in instructional design offers two specialized tracks to align with your professional goals.
Corporate Training and Development Emphasis
This emphasis is designed for professionals seeking to excel in the dynamic field of organizational learning and employee development. Students will gain practical skills in needs assessment, curriculum development, and training evaluation, preparing them to drive organizational growth through strategic learning initiatives. The coursework provides a comprehensive overview of the field while offering practical, applicable skills for corporate training professionals.
Curriculum Innovation with AI Emphasis
This emphasis is tailored for instructional designers and educational leaders in both K-12 and higher education sectors who aim to incorporate AI and innovative technologies into educational practices.
These courses delve into crucial areas such as AI prompting, virtual reality applications, maintaining academic integrity in the AI era, AI-assisted grading and strategies for implementing AI in various
educational settings. With courses differentiated to accommodate learning paths in both K-12 and higher education curriculum, participants can tailor their experience to their specific needs.
Finding My Community
We believe that education thrives in an environment where collaboration, support and mutual respect flourish. Our community of students and professors embodies these values, creating an enriching and dynamic atmosphere for learning and growth. Our students come from a variety of backgrounds and bring a wide range of experiences and perspectives to the table. Our professors are not only experts in their respective fields but also dedicated mentors who are committed to guiding and nurturing the next generation of scholars.
Deena Besson
Faculty
Beth Bailey, Ph.D.
Faculty
George Swindell
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Program Costs
Earning a degree is more affordable than ever. Our competency-based graduate programs offer quality education at an affordable price. These rates include all required course materials.
| Residency Status | Tuition Per Term |
|---|---|
In-State (Texas resident) | $2,000 |
Out of state (e.g., Florida) | $3,000 |
Employee Scholarship | $300 |
- Tuition exemption limited to state residents
- Students can only receive ONE exemption (example: you cannot stack senior citizen and active-duty law enforcement exemptions.)
Financing My Future
Financial Aid
Financial aid includes scholarships, loans, and federal and state grants designed to help make your degree more affordable. Explore your eligibility for financial aid and scholarships, and discover how fixed tuition rates for our competency-based programs can help bring higher education within reach.
How Do I Get Started?
If you have not already done so, complete the Request Information form. You will be connected with your enrollment specialist, who can answer your questions. When you’re ready, go ahead and follow the steps below to apply.
Admissions Requirements
To be considered for admission, you must first meet the following criteria.
- GPA minimum 3.0
- Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution
Admission Process
- Create an ApplyTexas account or login if you already have one
- Complete your profile section first once you log into your account
- Select “School Search” and select East Texas A&M
- Choose the semester you wish to begin
- Pay the $50 application fee.
Wait to receive an application confirmation email before proceeding to the next step.
- Within two business days of your application, the Graduate School will send a confirmation email to the personal email account you used for ApplyTexas.
Submit the following documents after you receive an application confirmation email.
- Upload your documents at myLeo > Apps > Check Admissions Application Status & Test Scores or email your documents to your graduate coordinator unless otherwise specified below.
Your Graduate Coordinator
Domestic Transcripts
Contact your previous institution(s) and request that they send your official transcripts to your Graduate Student Services Coordinator. We accept transcripts officially via email (directly from the institution), through Parchment, and any other official transcript providing agency. If your university does not offer an electronic transcript service, you may request them to be sent via regular mail to:
East Texas A&M University
Attn: Graduate School
2600 S. Neal St.
Commerce, Texas 75428
If your degree is from East Texas A&M University, you do not have to order a transcript. We will access your transcript.
If we already have your transcript, we will reuse it for a new application as long as it is still on file.
International transcripts
WES ICAP evaluations will be required for certain countries; those are listed below:
- Transcripts/Degrees from universities in Nigeria
- Transcripts/Degrees from universities in China that do not come from CSSD (formerly CHESICC)
- Any country where the official transcript is not in English
For all other countries, an evaluation is not initially required. Original official transcripts are required for admission consideration.
Please know that upon receipt of your official transcript, the Graduate School reserves the right to require an external evaluation at that time.
We accepts evaluations sent directly from the following Agencies.
Contact your previous institution(s) and request that they send your official transcripts to:
East Texas A&M University
Attn: Graduate School
2600 S. Neal St.
Commerce, Texas 75428
We will need official/original documents.
If those documents are the only copies you have, the Graduate School can mail them back to you upon request. Contact your graduate coordinator for more information.
Describe your preparation for graduate work and your academic interests and goals in no more than 500 words.
Submit a resume or curriculum vitae (CV) which includes your academic and professional history and achievements.
Look for application updates in myLeo > Apps > Check Application Status
- Once an admission decision has been made, you will receive an email to your student email account at myLeo > Apps > Leomail.
- Apply for scholarships and graduate assistantships once you are admitted.
- Apply for financial aid by submitting a FAFSA and sending it to school code 003565.
- Contact your financial aid advisor with any questions.
Once registration opens and you are eligible to enroll, your graduate enrollment specialist will contact you to complete registration.
- View your degree plan in DegreeWorks.
- To register for classes, go to myLeo > Student Resources > Registration Menu.
Contact your graduate enrollment specialist if you have any questions regarding your degree plan and registration.
Your Graduate Enrollment Specialist
I Still Have Questions
We are here to help! Send us an email. We can answer your questions and assist you in the application process.
Contact the Department
- College of Innovation and Design
- 214.954.3615
- [email protected]
- P.O. Box 3011
- Commerce, TX 75429-3011