Applied Education Studies (BS): Learning Design and Technology
The Learning Design and Technology (LDT) concentration was created under the Applied Education Studies degree plan to serve students who are interested in working in multiple sectors as instructional designers and developers rather than teachers. This concentration does not lead to licensure like most undergraduate programs in the College of Education. Rather, graduates would be expected to work as instructional designers and content developers for different employers such as K-12 and private school systems, higher education institutions, government/military agencies, or business/industry. Some graduates may also be interested in entrepreneurial work, creating non-profits or startup companies to offer technical educational services, training, or new products.
This undergraduate program is closely paired with the LDT master’s program in offering an Accelerated Bachelor’s-Master’s (ABM) option, allowing students to receive both their B.S. and M.Ed. in five years with a reduction of 12 credit hours that are double-counted. Students must meet specific requirements to be eligible for the 4+1 program including a 3.5 GPA at the time of application (end of junior year), with that 3.5 GPA maintained until graduation with the B.S. degree. If an undergraduate student is not eligible for 4+1 at the end of their junior year or loses their eligibility by a GPA dropping below 3.5, they can still apply separately for the regular, non-accelerated master’s program after graduation which requires a 3.0 GPA for unconditional admission.
Plan Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours | Counts towards |
|---|---|---|---|
| English, Literature, and Speech | |||
| ENG 101 | Academic Writing and Research | 4 | |
| Advanced Writing | 3 | ||
| COM 110 | Public Speaking | 3 | |
| or COM 112 | Interpersonal Communication | ||
| or COM 211 | Argumentation and Advocacy | ||
| Humanities & Social Sciences | |||
| PSY 200 | Introduction to Psychology | 3 | |
| SOC 202 | Principles of Sociology | 3 | |
| History | 3 | ||
| GEP Humanities | 3 | ||
| Education Major | |||
| ED 100 | Intro to Education | 2 | |
| ELP 344 | School and Society | 3 | |
| EDP 304 | Educational Psychology | 3 | |
| PSY 376 | Developmental Psychology | 3 | |
| Major Electives | |||
| Education Electives | 3 | ||
| Introduction to Science, Technology, and Society | |||
| Teaching Field Electives | 30 | ||
| Supporting Electives | 12 | ||
| Foundations of Interactive Game Design | |||
| Design Inquiry I: Methods and Processes | |||
| Desktop Publishing and Imaging Technology | |||
| GEP Courses | |||
| GEP Mathematical Sciences | 6 | ||
| GEP Natural Sciences | 7 | ||
| GEP Health and Exercise Studies | 2 | ||
| GEP Interdisciplinary Perspectives | 5 | ||
| GEP Global Knowledge | |||
| GEP US Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion | 3 | ||
| World Language Proficiency | |||
| Free Electives | 19 | ||
| Total Hours | 120 | ||
Advanced Writing
| Code | Title | Hours | Counts towards |
|---|---|---|---|
| ENG 287 | Explorations in Creative Writing | 3 | |
| ENG 288 | Fiction Writing | 3 | |
| ENG 289 | Poetry Writing | 3 | |
| ENG 292 | Writing About Film | 3 | |
| ENG 316 | Introduction to News and Article Writing | 3 | |
| ENG 323 | Writing in Rhetorical Traditions | 3 | |
| ENG 331 | Communication for Engineering and Technology | 3 | |
| ENG 332 | Communication for Business and Management | 3 | |
| ENG 333 | Communication for Science and Research | 3 |
History
| Code | Title | Hours | Counts towards |
|---|---|---|---|
| AFS/HI 275 | Introduction to History of South and East Africa | 3 | |
| AFS/HI 276 | Introduction to History of West Africa | 3 | |
| HI 205 | Western Civilization Since 1400 | 3 | |
| HI 207 | Ancient Mediterranean World | 3 | |
| HI 208 | The Middle Ages | 3 | |
| HI 209 | From Renaissance to Revolution: The Origins of Modern Europe | 3 | |
| HI 210 | Modern Europe 1815-Present | 3 | |
| HI 221 | British History to 1688 | 3 | |
| HI 222 | History of British Cultures and Societies From 1688 | 3 | |
| HI 233 | The World Since 1750 | 3 | |
| HI 251 | American History I | 3 | |
| HI 252 | American History II | 3 | |
| HI 263 | Asian Civilizations to 1800 | 3 | |
| HI 264 | Modern Asia: 1800 to Present | 3 | |
| HI 270 | Modern Middle East | 3 | |
| HON 290 | Honors Special Topics - Humanities/US Diversity | 3 | |
| HON 293 | Honors Special Topics - Interdisciplinary Perspectives/Global Knowledge | 3 |
Teaching Field Electives
| Code | Title | Hours | Counts towards |
|---|---|---|---|
| ECI 201 | Intro to Instructional Technology for Educators | 3 | |
| ECI 511 | Introduction to Learning Design and Technology | 3 | |
| ECI 512 | Emerging Technologies for Teaching and Learning | 3 | |
| ECI 513 | Video for Teaching and Learning | 3 | |
| ECI 514 | Developing and Delivering Online Instruction | 3 | |
| ECI 515 | Cultural Investigations and Technical Representations in Education | 3 | |
| ECI 516 | Design and Evaluation Of Instructional Materials | 3 | |
| ECI 517 | Theoretical Foundations of Advanced Learning Environments | 3 | |
| ECI 518 | Digital Learning Program and Staff Development | 3 | |
| EI 201 | Exploring Interdisciplinary Entrepreneurial Thinking | 3 | |
| EI 331 | Interdisciplinary Entrepreneurial Thinking I: Skills and Planning Basics | 3 |
This is a sample.
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall Semester | Hours | |
| ENG 101 | Academic Writing and Research | 4 |
| PSY 200 | Introduction to Psychology | 3 |
| GEP Mathematical Sciences | 3 | |
| COM 211 | Argumentation and Advocacy (Communications Elective) or Public Speaking or Interpersonal Communication | 3 |
| GEP Health and Exercise Studies | 1 | |
| ED 100 | Intro to Education | 2 |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| GEP Health and Exercise Studies | 1 | |
| GEP Mathematical Sciences | 3 | |
| SOC 202 | Principles of Sociology | 3 |
| Free Elective | 2 | |
| Teaching Field Elective | 3 | |
| ANT 261 | Technology in Society and Culture (GEP Interdisciplinary Perspectives) | 3 |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| BIT 100 | Current Topics in Biotechnology (GEP Natural Sciences) | 3 |
| D 100 | Design Inquiry I: Methods and Processes (Supporting Elective) | 3 |
| ECI 201 | Intro to Instructional Technology for Educators (Teaching Field Elective) | 3 |
| History Elective | 3 | |
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| BIO 227 | Understanding Structural Diversity through Biological Illustration (GEP Natural Sciences) | 4 |
| D 101 | Design Inquiry II: Methods and Processes (GEP Interdisciplinary Perspectives) | 3 |
| COM 200 or COM 395 | Communication Media in a Changing World (GEP Humanities) or Studies in Rhetoric and Digital Media | 3 |
| U.S. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion | 3 | |
| Free Elective | 1 | |
| Hours | 14 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| ELP 344 | School and Society | 3 |
| CSC 281 | Foundations of Interactive Game Design (Supporting Elective) | 3 |
| EI 201 | Exploring Interdisciplinary Entrepreneurial Thinking (Teaching Field Elective) | 3 |
| Teaching Field Elective | 3 | |
| ENG 331 or ENG 332 | Communication for Engineering and Technology (Advanced Writing Elective) or Communication for Business and Management | 3 |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| EI 331 | Interdisciplinary Entrepreneurial Thinking I: Skills and Planning Basics (Teaching Field Elective) | 3 |
| STS 214 | Introduction to Science, Technology, and Society (Education Elective) | 3 |
| PSY 376 | Developmental Psychology or Child Psychology or Psychology of Adolescent Development | 3 |
| Teaching Field Elective | 3 | |
| TDE 205 | Desktop Publishing and Imaging Technology (Supporting Elective) | 3 |
| SLC 250 | Critical and Creative Decision Making Models (Free Elective) | 3 |
| Hours | 18 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| GC 420 | Visual Thinking (Free Elective) | 3 |
| AEE 325 | Planning and Delivering Non-Formal Education (Free Elective) | 3 |
| EDP 304 | Educational Psychology | 3 |
| Supporting Elective | 3 | |
| Teaching Field (recommend drawing from 500-level instructional/media design courses in LDT master’s program) | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| Teaching Field (recommend drawing from 500-level instructional/media design courses in LDT master’s program) | 9 | |
| HA 240 | Introduction to Visual Culture (Free Elective) | 3 |
| Hours | 12 | |
| Total Hours | 120 | |
For those pursuing the Accelerated Bachelor's Master's Program:
| Fifth Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall Semester | Hours | |
| Draw from 500-level instructional/media design courses in LDT master’s program | 3 | |
| ECI 546 | New Literacies & Media | 3 |
| ECI 721 | Technology and Informal Learning Environments | 3 |
| Hours | 9 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| ECI 652 | Field-Based Applications of Learning Design and Technology | 3 |
| ECI 502 | Technology Program Evaluation | 3 |
| ECI 722 | Theory and Research in Distance Education | 3 |
| Hours | 9 | |
| Total Hours | 18 | |
Career Opportunities
Graduates would be expected to work as instructional designers and content developers for different employers such as K-12 and private school systems, higher education institutions, government/military agencies, or business/industry. Some graduates may also be interested in entrepreneurial work, creating non-profits or startup companies to offer technical educational services, training, or new products.
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