USA

This master of science program is for people who want to change the world through research, creativity, and innovation. From enhancing medical training technologies to designing educational apps, instructional designers are essential for organizations that wish to leverage technology for learning in a dynamic world.

• Apply learning theory in the development of instructional strategies to meet defined learning outcomes.
• Identify, apply and evaluate instructional design methods and principles in learning systems architectures.
• Effectively manage and lead instructional design project development in a changing environment.
• Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the role of instructional design and technology as it relates to human performance.
• Utilize learning analytics to support data-driven decision making critical to change and improvement.
• Contribute to the improvement of instructional methodologies and development of learning innovations through research.

The field of instructional design and technology has changed dramatically over the last several years and will continue to grow and change with the rapid introduction and adoption of emerging technologies and new approaches to teaching and learning. Technology through social, distance and mobile learning media continues to change the landscape of traditional education and training.

For the professional instructional designer—especially for those with a master’s degree—career options exist in academic, government and profit and non-profit sectors and include positions such as:

• Designer/Developer/Artist
• Corporate Trainer
• Performance Improvement Coordinator
• Educational Technology Specialist
• Director of Instructional Design Technologies
• Curriculum Designer
• Curriculum and Instructional Director

Recruiter.com and Indeed.com report a very positive outlook for instructional designer and technologist careers:

• Job growth has been positiveover the past decade, with total employment jumping 20 percent from 106,590 to 128,780 jobs.
• 36,220 new jobsare expected to be added by 2018, an increase of 28 percent in just eight years.
• California leads the nationin the number of jobs (17,900), followed by Texas (10,890), New York (9,970), Florida (6,990) and Ohio (5,670).
• In 2015, the average salarywas $63,000.
• Median salariesrange from $50,090 (private sector) to $84,000 (federal government).
• Based on experience and tenure within an organization, salaries range from $28,900-$87,820 (private sector), $36,100-$84,400 (state government), $37,970-$95,520 (local government) and $63,130-$121,580 (federal government).