Learning Design - Archived 2018-19 Graduate Catalog

Chair & Graduate Coordinator: Donna K. Trautman
Address: 260 Technology Building
Phone: 419-372-2437
Program Web Page: www.bgsu.edu/lrnd

Degrees Offered:
Master of Education (M.Ed.)

Program Offered:
M.Ed. in Learning Design
Certificate in Instructional Design

The Learning Design Master of Education program prepares students to assume learning leadership roles in most environments. Students focus on performance improvement through learning. Through interactive instructional design, students create interactive programs and learning systems to help organizations identify and solve performance problems, evaluate learning solutions and interventions. Learning Design also helps organizations adapt to continuous and sustainable change and improvement.

Course work in the Learning Design program emphasizes skills in needs analysis, instructional design, instructional strategies, curriculum development, evaluation, cost benefit analysis, interactive media, digital learning theories, new and emerging learning technologies and motivation. These can be blended with course selections from other University program offerings such as technical communication, industrial psychology, human resource management, education, and organization development. Many courses involve projects in business or industry, higher education, or K-12 education settings.

This program will prepare students for the following profit and non-profit career environments: Business & Industry, Public Service, Health Care, Military and Education.

Program Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of the Master's degree, students in the Learning Design program are expected to be able to:

• Compare and Contrast theoretical models and competing philosophical positions regarding the study of and/or leadership in technology and learning. 
• Analyze organizational or educational problems with theoretical models and established needs assessment techniques. 
• Create Instructional Design solutions that are appropriate for organizational or educational problems. 
• Design and Conduct research that evaluates the effectiveness of learning programs. 

Prerequisites to Graduate Work:
A bachelor's degree in technology, education or a related technical or professional area from an accredited university is required. If the graduate coordinator determines deficiencies in a student's background, additional undergraduate or graduate work will be prescribed.

Admission Procedure:
Applicants seeking admission to the Learning Design program should follow the instructions outlined in the graduate admission section of this Graduate Catalog. Minimal admissions criteria may also be found in this section. All  application materials should be sent to the Graduate Admissions Office. In addition, applicants should review the admission requirements specific to the program to which they seek admission.

Degree Requirements:
To earn a Master of Education degree, candidates may pursue one of two plans.

Plan I - Thesis: Under this research-centered plan, students must take a minimum of 33 semester hours of graduate credit, write a thesis, and pass a final oral examination.

Plan II - Major Project/Comprehensive Examination: Under this course-centered plan, students must take a minimum of 36 semester hours of graduate credit, write, and defend a major project or comprehensive examination.

In order to maximize graduate offerings in relation to career goals, the remainder of the degree program is designed by each student in consultation with their graduate advisor. Persons who have undergraduate work in a component area of Learning Design may pursue a degree program to broaden their career opportunities. Persons from education, health care, government, military, business or industry may similarly individualize their degree programs. Additional program materials may be obtained from the graduate coordinator.

Graduate Courses:
Please access graduate courses online at http://www.bgsu.edu/registration-records/courses-and-classes/class-course-information.html. Graduate courses offered by the Learning Design program use the prefixes: LRND.