Which graduate degree best fits my career goals?

Use the information below to help you determine which degree and career path are right for you.

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Master of Arts in
Educational Technology

Master of Arts in
Instructional
Design

Master of Arts in Educational Technology

Master of Arts in Instructional Design

Educational Technology focuses on the tools and resources used to support and improve teaching and student learning.

Instructional Design focuses on the application of learning theory to the design and delivery of high-impact learning and development solutions in business and non-profit settings.

Master of Arts in Educational Technology

Master of Arts in Instructional Design

You are an educator or an individual contemplating a career change, who is seeking the knowledge and skills to support and enhance the teaching and learning process for the evolving digital age in and outside the classroom.

You are a working professional or recent graduate who wants to understand how people learn and how technology can be used to support instruction in multiple fields.

Master of Arts in Educational Technology

Master of Arts in Instructional Design

Develop valuable competencies in areas such as educational technology, curating and creating digital content, designing for online instruction, and research and evaluation in K-12 consultation and leadership.

Prepare to design online instruction for use in multiple fields. You will be able to design, create, and implement instruction, as well as manage and lead projects. The program goes beyond the technical aspects of instructional design to include relevant learning theory and takes the whole learner into account.

Master of Arts in Educational Technology

Master of Arts in Instructional Design

Introduction to Educational Technology
Technology and Transformational Culture
Research and Evaluation in K–12 Consultation and Leadership
Designing for Online Instruction
Curating and Creating Digital Content
Capstone Experience

Understanding the Whole Learner
Principles of Instructional Development
Designing for Online Instruction
Designing and Developing Training Programs
Technologies for Building Online Engagement
Planning and Managing the Instructional Design Process

Master of Arts in Educational Technology

Master of Arts in Instructional Design

Settings:²

K–12 schools
Postsecondary education
Continuing professional development and training
School libraries and media centers

Settings:³

Corporate
Academic
Non-profit
Medical
Government

Titles:

Training and Development Managers
Instructional Coordinators
Training and Development Specialists
Secondary School Teachers
Middle School Teachers*
Elementary School Teachers*

Titles:

Training and Development Managers
Instructional Coordinators
Training and Development Specialists

Fairfield University’s MA Instructional Design and MA Educational Technology each focus on the science of learning and the application of technology to develop high-impact learning experiences. The primary difference between these two programs is that instructional design prepares students for careers as learning and development leaders in a variety of settings, including corporate and non-profit training; whereas the educational technology program is designed for students who want to advance their practice as a teacher or to lead the learning and technology strategy for their school, district or diocese.

– Assistant Professor and Program Director Josh Elliot, EdD

*Except for Special and Career/Technical Education

¹(Lightcast, 2023).

²Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Instructional Coordinators,at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/education-training-and-library/instructional-coordinators.htm (visited September 06, 2023).

³Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Training and Development Specialists,at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/business-and-financial/training-and-development-specialists.htm (visited September 06, 2023).

Fairfield Mission

Visionary by nature.
Jesuit Catholic by origin.
The driving force of Fairfield is our mission — to impact the world. It prompts us to ask important questions, to embrace our social responsibilities, and to lead by example. And it’s what has made us a premier institution in the Northeast. Let the mission be part of your journey.