Design the Media and Technology of the Future
Working with established and emergent digital media, you will design rich technology-based, multimedia learning environments, understand and evaluate their use in varied educational settings, and conduct research on how people learn with technology. Our studio-based curriculum is complemented by an excellent internship program with host sites in all areas of educational technology and media.
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Degree Details
Official Degree Title
Master of Arts in Digital Media Design for Learning
Format
Full-time or Part-time
Credits
36
Start Date
Spring
Application Deadline
Start Date
Summer
Application Deadline
Start Date
Fall
Application Deadline
Through course work, internships, and your thesis project, you’ll be prepared to:
- Create, use, and evaluate media and technology for learning across varied contexts – K–12 schools, universities, workplaces, museums, nonprofits, and international development.
- Critically analyze historical developments, theoretical shifts, and broad trends in practice in the field of educational technology, focusing especially on challenges and opportunities afforded by changes in media and technology landscapes and educational trends.
- Produce prototypes and media, and support design thinking and instructional design.
- Apply principles of design and practice that hold the greatest promise for enriching learning experiences across the spectrum of learning environments – from informal to formal learning as well as face-to-face and online learning.
Core Courses and Electives
You will study media design principles and theoretical perspectives drawn from the cognitive sciences, the learning sciences, developmental models of learning, constructivist and constructionist philosophies of learning, and social learning theories.
Our degree exposes you to the design of computer-based, multimedia simulations and games for learning, dramatic and documentary narratives, media that support advocacy and advance social justice, the educational potential of social media, educational data mining, learning analytics, and educational applications of media and technology for international development.
Fieldwork and Internships
Our interns gain professional field experience in chosen career areas. You will learn through supervised participation in learning technology, instructional design and production, product design and development, and a wide range of other professional positions and practices. Learn more about internships for this degree.
Thesis Capstone Project
The thesis capstone project is a culminating project in which you will integrate and apply what you have learned through previous academic work, internships and other experiences and interests – with faculty supervision. See recent thesis capstone projects.
Flexible Study
The curriculum offers flexibility in creating a program of study that you and your advisor can tailor to fit your professional goals and interests. You can choose to study full time or part time.
You’ll have the skills and knowledge for a breadth of careers, including:
- Designer or producer in educational software companies focused on technology-based learning
- Consultant to schools and school districts at all levels, as an academic technology coordinator or professional development specialist in the integration of technology in curriculum and instruction
- Faculty member or other leadership role in a college/university setting in areas such as: instructional design and technology, faculty teaching and learning support services, academic innovation, and online/e-learning course development
- Director or instructional designer in learning and development departments within corporate settings
- Interactive exhibit designer or website developer for cultural institutions such as visual arts and children's museums, science centers and museums, and historical and international societies
- Designer or producer in a media production company or organization focused on educational programming, interactive digital games, simulations or narrative fiction
- Producer or educational technology director at a publishing company that is increasingly producing media as companion or replacements to textbooks in every subject for every grade level
Take the Next Step
Advance your personal and professional journey – apply to join our community of students.
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