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School Overview

Master's Program

Master’s tracks

You must identify a “track” for your program of emphasis. IP&T students may choose from the following tracks: (a) Research, (b) Design & Development, or (c) Measurement & Evaluation. The requirements and recommended courses for each track are described below. Please study the following recommended course sequences for each track on the following pages. Then, in consultation with your committee, fill out and complete a program of study.

Creating a Program of Study

To create a personalized Program of Study, please fill out the corresponding Program of Study form. Note that required courses for each track are in black and elective courses are in gray. Choose which courses you will take and delete the rest prior to printing the list. Also, fill in the Date column with specific semester and year information (e.g., W 2020). Then, print your proposed plan and counsel with each of your committee members to get their approval of your proposed plan. This plan must be completed and delivered to the department secretary by the end of the second week of your second semester.

Fast Start: Many students like to get a jump start with their courses before fall semester. If you want to do this, we recommend the following courses as options for the spring term immediately following your admittance to the IP&T program:

Research Track

The research track is for students considering doctoral degrees and future academic careers. It is designed to provide a strong foundation in research skills, in both qualitative and quantitative methodologies, that will prepare a student for a research thesis, journal publication, and future doctoral coursework.

After consulting this recommended sequence, please consult with your committee and fill out a program of study form.

Year 1

Semester Courses
Fall
Winter
Spring
Summer You should begin thinking about a thesis topic. The IP&T department does not teach courses in the summer; we recommend you take a break. However, if you want to take some credits, consider working on an internship (IP&T 599R) and collaborative research projects with your chair.

*This course is taught every other year, check catalog offerings

Year 2

Semester Courses
Fall
Winter
Spring
Summer Graduate!

*This course is taught every other year, check catalog offerings

Design & Development Track

The Design and Development Track is intended to prepare students for work as an instructional designer, in corporate, government, and higher education settings. Instructional designers typically work in diversely skilled teams of professionals to design and develop learning materials. For example, a common team might consist of: instructional designer, content-matter specialist, project manager, graphic designer, multimedia specialist, developer, and a writer. As a designer, you should develop a skillset that enables you to contribute a specific skill to this team as well as a general ability to understand the other members’ roles so that you can communicate effectively.

As IP&T faculty, we propose that D&D students complete what we call the “Studio” sequence. Year 1 consists of establishing a foundation, while year 2 engages students in a year-long collaborative design & development project where you work in a diverse team on a real-world project for a local client.

After reviewing this recommended sequence, please consult with your committee and fill out a program of study form.

Year 1

Semester Courses
Fall
Winter
Spring IP&T 510, Scholarly Writing and Argumentation (3 credits)
Summer You should begin thinking about project. The IP&T department does not teach courses in the summer; we recommend you take a break. If you would like to continue school, consider a directed independent study (693R) or collaborating with a professor on research.

Year 2

Semester Courses
Fall
Winter IP&T 599R, Faculty-mentored internship completing the project that was started in 664 (3 credits) IP&T 698R — Master’s Project (3 credits)
Spring IP&T 698R — Project (3 credits)
Summer Graduate!

Measurement & Evaluation Track

A central aspect of learning is knowing how to to measure and evaluate individual and institutional progress. The M&E track encourages students to develop theoretical knowledge about how to assess learning and evaluate program and product effectiveness. Students who complete this track typically find positions as measurement specialists, educational research coordinators, or independent evaluators. Many administrators will find the advanced evaluation course covering program evaluation to be useful to their careers.

After reviewing this recommended sequence, please consult with your committee and fill out a program of study form.

Year 1

Semester Courses
Fall
Winter
Spring
Summer You should begin thinking about a measurement or evaluation project. The IP&T department does not teach courses in the summer; we recommend you take a break. However, if you want to take some credits, consider working on an internship (IP&T 599R) and collaborative research projects with your chair.

Year 2

Semester Courses
Fall
Winter
Spring
Summer Graduate!