MEd in Learning and Instructional Design
Required Courses
The Master of Education in Learning and Instructional Design is a 36 credit hour program, offered for students who meet the admission requirements and seek a graduate level degree.
- Core Curriculum Courses 21 credit hours
- Electives 12 credit hours
- Thesis Work 3 credit hours or Non-Thesis Work 3 credit hours
Please note: Many students proceed through the program at a rapid pace, don't assume doing so is easy. WSU programs are quite rigorous. A successful student will invest 12 to 18 hours per week, per class. Your pace is yours to determine. Your advisor can assist you in developing a personalized estimate of your time to completion.
Core Curriculum Courses (21 credit hours)
| CI 794 Diversity and Culture in a Global Society (3) |
| This course will equip students to become multi-instructional leaders who practice cultural and social justice. The course will provide students with the necessary concepts of diversity to scaffold a paradigm shift from culture awareness to cultural diplomacy. The course will enable students to become successful global citizens in the globalized world. |
| CI 795 Change, Creativity and Innovation (3) |
| This course will focus on key theories and elements related to organizational change, the creative process, and innovation. Students will develop an understanding of creative thinking processes to explore how those processes can impact change and lead to innovation. |
| CI 880 Learning Theory & Curriculum Design (3) |
| This course will focus on cognitive science relative to how people learn and how instruction is designed to facilitate and optimize learning. Several different theoretical perspectives on learning, cognition, and cognitive development will be explored. By looking at current learning theories, a range of tools will be identified in understanding effective curriculum design for a variety of settings. |
| CI 881 Instructional Theory (3) |
| This course will focus on instructional design and underlying theories necessary for effective facilitation of learning. Different perspectives of instruction will be explored. Investigation of current theories will lead to an understanding of effective instructional practices in a variety of settings. |
| CI 884 Inquiry into Instructional Practice: Part 1 (3) |
| This course will be an introduction to the procedures commonly used in research and data analysis. Conceptual, procedural and analysis issues from a wide variety of areas will be covered, ranging from the formal research techniques to the approaches used by researchers involved in investigations in "real-life" settings. The course will also include critical analysis of selected published research in your professional area. |
| CI 885 Inquiry into Instructional Practice: Part 2 (3) |
| This course is designed to provide students with the skills necessary to conduct research relevant to their professional practice. The course will include elements of quantitative as well as qualitative data analysis. Students will critically analyze data-based decision making and potential implications for instructional practice. |
| CI 893 Instructional Leadership: Professionalism and Collaboration (3) |
| This course focuses on the role of the instructional leader to facilitate the implementation and sustainability of change necessary to support individual and organizational learning. Candidates will acquire the skills necessary to facilitate, nurture and maintain partnerships. |
Elective Courses (12 credit hours)
Students can choose courses based on personal professional interest, which will be planned and negotiated with the advisor.
Examples: Reading Specialist Endorsement, Special Education, ESOL Curriculum, STEM Specialization, Educational Technology, Instructional Design.
Thesis Requirements (3 credit hours)
| CI 875 Master's Thesis Research Proposal (1-2) |
| Students complete and the research proposal accepted by their thesis committee. Students work closely with their adviser and committee. Student received credit for this course when their thesis has been completed and defended. Prerequisite: CI 885, 858 |
| CI 876 Master's Thesis Completion and Defense (1-2) |
| Students complete and orally defend their thesis. Students work closely with their adviser and committee. Students needing an addition semester to satisfy these requirements should enroll in one hour of CI 876. Students received credit for courses when their thesis has been completed and defended. Prerequisite: CI 875 or instructor's consent. |
Non-Thesis Requirements (3 credit hours)
| CI 862 Evidence-Based Inquiry: Capstone Proposal (1-2) |
| Students develop a research-based inquiry proposal as a process for increasing skills as evidence-based practitioners. A formal proposal is written to research evidence-based practices or other important knowledge bases relevant to learning and instruction. Prerequisite: CI 851 or CI 860 or CI 885 or instructor's consent. |
| CI 863 Evidence-Based Inquiry: Capstone Project (1-2) |
| Students complete and present a research-based inquiry proposal as a process for increasing skills as evidence-based practitioners. This formal report is presented to a pre-identified audience describing the results of an inquiry into a knowledge basis relevant to the fields of learning and instruction. Prerequisite: CI 862. |