Full Sail
How to Succeed in the Instructional Design & Technology Master's Program at Full Sail University
Every student has a different learning style, and successful educators are the ones who can identify those styles and create relevant, interactive, and targeted educational materials. Full Sail University’s 12-month, online Instructional Design & Technology master of science degree program combines technology and theory to do just that – helping to prepare educators for careers as instructional content creators in corporate and academic environments. “This program is designed for the instructional designer of today and tomorrow,” says Dr. Thomas Lucas, the Program Director for this graduate coursework. “We are focused on aligning the curriculum with industry expectations so that our students will be taught the skills, the knowledge, and the theoretical background to be highly effective instructional designers.”
Instructional Design & Technology grads have gone on to pursue both new and elevated career opportunities: Grad Joanna Puello founded World Upside Down, an educational media company for K-12 students; and grad Khalil Nasir helps shape futuristic teaching ideas as he works for NASA and the Army.
Here are some of the traits and skills you need to bring to the table – or in this case, the online classroom – to succeed in the Instructional Design & Technology program:
Before enrolling in the Instructional Design & Technology program: Students with backgrounds in teaching or creating visual media are a good fit for this program, Dr. Lucas says. Since you’ll be creating educational assets throughout the project-based program, experience in learning theory, graphic design, or advanced visual and verbal communication is ideal.
“Anyone who is really motivated in helping other people acquire knowledge and skills to achieve whatever personal or professional goals they have [would be a great fit],” Dr. Lucas says. “They will learn to develop various types of instructional materials for individuals across numerous areas, so they have to understand how to take information and clearly convey it through media assets that are designed to help make an impact on these learners.”
Be ready to: Students can expect to spend 25-30 hours per week on their coursework. During the program, you’ll cover learning research and theory, visual and verbal communication, media asset development, and more. You’ll have to learn new software applications, too. The most successful Instructional Design & Technology students are passionate, self-directed critical thinkers who are willing to hear and accept feedback and apply new research and investigations to take their work to higher levels. Students should also have a good handle on time management, which is one of the most important skills for a Full Sail student to master. The university’s accelerated track means you’re getting a master’s degree in one year instead of the typical two. It’s a huge benefit – you get a head start in the industry and can get a master’s degree while working full time – but it definitely requires commitment and organization.
Why the project-based environment matters: “It is definitely a project-based program, so students can expect to work on a lot of media projects, whether they are videos, audio assets, creating games, [or] working with e-learning authoring tools,” Dr. Lucas says. “Many instructional design programs out there are often focused on writing. In this program, students will do a fair amount of academic writing, but they will also have a project from every class that they can add to their final portfolio at the end. This gives our students a nice portfolio when they’re out applying for jobs.”
More questions? Check out the Instructional Design & Technology degree page here or call an Admissions Representative at 800.226.7625.
Whether you’re ready to apply or just want to learn more about Full Sail University, our Admissions Representatives are here to help. Call us or request more information.