Apply new perspectives and skills on your path to a career in Instructional Design as you grow alongside a diverse group of educators in a collaborative learning environment.
Pave the way for advancement within your field of choice or set yourself apart from others in a job search. The industry-relevant curriculum and practical training you receive will have you prepared to make an impact for years to come.
Collaborate with our expert faculty and master the skills you need to launch your career in instructional design with the help and guidance of seasoned professionals.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of instructional coordinators is projected to grow from 2022 to 2032, with over 19,000 jobs projected each year1. Invest in yourself when you join a field with growth and opportunity.
The MA in Instructional Design was created to prepare you to design and develop instructional materials for use in multiple fields. These can include corporate, academic, non-profit and the medical fields. When you complete the program, you will be able to excel in the field of digital learning. 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 to take the whole learner into account, in the spirit of Cura Personalis (care for the whole person), for optimal learner engagement.
Graduates of the program will be able to:
Tuition for the MA in Instructional Design program is $26,850 ($895 per credit hour).
Please see the Tuition and Financial Aid page for more information.
The MA in Instructional Design program is open to students with bachelor’s degrees in any discipline. An undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or better is preferred but not required. No GMAT/GRE required.
Dr. Joshua Elliott is an Assistant Professor and Director of the Educational Technology program at Fairfield University. Dr. Elliott has spoken at national and regional conferences, and is a Google Educator, Apple Teacher, and ISTE Certified Educator. He runs frequent professional development workshops structured to provide teachers with strategies for effective technology integration.
Craig Tunks, Director of Tech Integration & Innovation at King School, leads EdTech and IT teams, driving classroom-focused decisions. A Connecticut Education Technology Leaders (CTETL) founding member, he advances statewide tech integration in classrooms, drawing from 25+ years in finance, schools, and municipalities. With a computer science master's and doctorate, Craig teaches IT as an adjunct college professor, fostering NETS, AASL standards, and social networking integration across education.
Christina Anderson, Senior Director of Learning Design and Production at Coursera, has been working at the intersection of learning and technology for 20+ years. Christina is passionate about leveraging technology to expand educational opportunity through global access to high-quality learning. With academic grounding in Cognitive Science and a Masters in Learning and Organizational Change, Christina leads teams who design learning science-based online education for adult learners.
Find Your Right Fit
Unsure which degree and career path is right for you?
Explore the difference between Educational Technology and Instructional Design.
Earning a Master of Arts in Instructional Design from Fairfield University prepares students to apply new perspectives and skills for today’s adult learners.
Fall, Spring, or Summer
Full-Time or Part-Time
8 months
$10,740 ($895 per credit hour)
Credits – 3
Understanding the Whole Learner: As teaching and learning has moved, over the past half century, from a one-size-fits-all approach to something that is more individualized, instructional design has been compelled to look at individual learners’ needs as well as at their backgrounds and cultural orientations. This course will examine the wide range of considerations that should be employed to successfully teach the Whole Learner, including such topics as inclusive/anti-racist pedagogy; creating equitable learning environments; pedagogy vs. andragogy; building supportive student relationships; Universal Design for Learning; and the Ignatian Pedagogical Paradigm (Context > Experience > Reflection > Action > Evaluation).
Credits – 3
This course covers the principles and application of systemic design of instruction in multimedia curricula design. Topics include designing, developing, and evaluating instructional materials; selecting media; conducting needs assessment and learner analysis; writing instructional objectives; and assessing learner performance. Candidates analyze, evaluate, and propose potential solutions to selected case studies and conduct a needs assessment. Previously MD 0460.
Credits – 3
This course examines the nature of teaching online, the development of online teaching courses and activities, and the use of integrated media resources in online learning in K-12, higher education, and professional development settings. Previously MD 0470.
Credits – 3
Using modern, mobile-based tools to communicate and develop Multimedia/interactive experiences can turn a passive, go-at-your-own-pace on-line course into a highly engaging community learning experience for students. This course will review a range of current technologies that can be applied to delivering content and interacting with students to create such courses. Tools such as SoftChalk, H5P, Microsoft Sway, Microsoft Teams, Slack, and others will be examined, with students completing a final project using one or more of the tools.
Credits – 3
Designing instruction requires expertise in pedagogy and technology, but just as important are the planning and project management skills that allow the work to happen smoothly and collaboratively. This course will begin with an examination of the methodologies that can be used to structure and develop courses – ADDIE, SAM, etc. – followed by an examination of standard planning techniques such as the use of wireframes and storyboards. This will conclude with the basic principles and practices of Project Management, including the use of collaboration technologies to facilitate communication and the overall development process.
Credits – 3
Candidates develop their individual, group, and consultation skills in this course through placement in an instructional design position, while receiving ongoing individual and group support. Participation requires audio recording at the practicum site for supervision and demonstration of professional competency.
Credits – 3
Designed for prospective training specialists, personnel generalists, school media specialists or line personnel in business and industry, this course focuses on designing and developing training programs for administrative professionals, management employees, and school personnel. Course assignments provide individualization and tailoring of course content to candidate needs and working environments. Crosslisted with PSYC 6545. Previously MD 0545.
Credits – 9
Electives chosen in consultation with advisor.
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.
