Instruction Psychology and Technology Program Overview
Instructional Psychology and Technology deals with identifying and implementing improvements in
instruction and understanding the principles that influence these improvements. IP&T applies
these principles to solve instructional problems, which occur in educational settings, including
public schools and universities, government, church, military, business, and industry.
The program requires students to attain skills in the following areas:
Research
Instructional Design and Development
Evaluation and Measurement
Students participate in department seminars, interact with other students in group projects and
informal study, collaborate with faculty, and participate in a wide variety of internship
experiences. All majors are accepted.
Each master’s student must identify a “track”. In consultation with an advisory committee,
each student must fill out and complete a program of study. This plan must be completed and
delivered to the department secretary by the end of the second week of the second semester.
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: an instructional designer, a content-matter
specialist, a project manager, a graphic designer, a multimedia specialist,
a 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.
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.
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.
Graduation Requirements
36-39 credits
18 credits of core courses
8 credits of specialized courses
3 credits of internship
1 credit of seminar
Internship: Register for 1-3 credit hours of IP&T 599R during any semester or term.
Thesis/Project Work: Complete a total of 6 hours of Master’s project or thesis credit in order to
graduate. These credits may be taken over a period of one or two semesters, as the student
prepares the prospectus, conducts the project, and writes the report.
Oral exam: The Final Oral Examination should be scheduled with the Department Secretary. An oral
exam may take from 1-4 hours, but typically lasts about 2 hours.
