The M.S. in Instructional Design and Development program prepares students to effectively design, develop, and evaluate learning in a variety of environments such as healthcare, business, government, and higher education. You'll learn about systematic instructional design, theories of learning and cognition, multimedia design and development, and have an opportunity to apply this while working with a client in our practicum.

The UAB Master of Science in Instructional Design and Development program is not designed as a teacher certification pathway. The program focuses on corporate and higher education learning and development positions.

This fully online 30-hour program follows the International Board of Standards for Training, Performance, and Instruction (IBSTPI) competencies and performance standards for instructional designers and is designed to meet the needs of working adults. All core courses (except for the practicum) run on a 7-week schedule, allowing students to register for 2 classes (6 credit hours) per semester. The IDD program is cohort-based and there is no tuition difference for in-state and out-of-state students. We offer an IDD Program Scholarship.

• View the Instructional Design and Development program handbook

What does the IDD Program offer?

• You’ll conduct a learner analysis and create a persona.
• You’ll learn about designing for diverse learners, accessibility, and UDL.
• You’ll apply visual design principles.
• You’ll develop an evaluation plan and apply Kirkpatrick’s training evaluation model to a workplace setting.
• You’ll design and develop storyboards, instructor-led training, and virtual instructor-led training.
• You’ll use Articulate Rise, Articulate Storyline, and TechSmith Camtasia, and multimedia design principles to create e-learning modules.
• You’ll scope out a project and create a budget and timeline.
• You’ll bring in your work experience to discuss ethics, workplace issues that need to be improved.
• You’ll work with subject matter experts (SMEs) to create a training and development solution for a community partner.
• You’ll be taught by faculty who are practitioners in the field.
• You’ll hear from learning and development guest speakers on a variety of topics.

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What are our graduates doing now?

• Instructional Designers
• Instructional Technologists
• Instructional Design Managers
• Learning and Development Leads

What courses are offered?

• Trends and Issues in Instructional Design and Technology
• Instructional Design
• Universal Differential Instructional Design and Development
• Performance Systems Technology
• Learning, Cognition, and Instructional Design and Development
• Alternative Instructional Design and Development Models
• Assessment and Evaluation in Instructional Design and Development
• Multimedia Design and Development for Instruction/Training
• Elective in Project Management
• Practicum (Service-Learning Course with a Community Partner/Client)
  • View a list of clients our IDD students have worked with recently

What are the admissions requirements?

• No GRE test score required
• Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution (No specific undergraduate degree is required. A diverse array of fields and undergraduate degrees will be accepted.)
• Transcripts from an accredited institution
• 2.5 GPA in all undergraduate coursework
• Two (2) letters of recommendation
• Written response to provided prompt
• Resume/CV
• Interview with Admissions Committee

When are the application deadlines? 

• Fall Semester Start: July 1*
• Spring Semester Start: November 1*

 * We admit on a rolling basis until the cohort is full OR until the deadline, whichever comes first. 

What are the graduation requirements?

• Coursework, including a practicum
• Comprehensive exam
• Digital portfolio