Master of Science in Instructional Technology Online
Gain experience in learning design, training solutions and project management while building ed tech leadership skills for the future of learning in this online instructional technology master’s program.
Apply by
8/1/26
Program Overview
Advance your career with UNCW’s online M.S. in Instructional Technology
The STEM-designated online Master of Science in Instructional Technology program from University of North Carolina Wilmington blends design thinking, curriculum studies and emerging tech innovation to prepare you for an array of dynamic roles in teaching and training. Whether you want to upskill in your current position or transition to a new career, this instructional technology online program will empower you to pursue opportunities in K-12 and higher education as well as business, nonprofit or government settings.
Work hands-on with learning management systems and industry-standard tools such as Articulate 360 and Adobe Captivate as you develop leadership skills to oversee teams creating digital learning environments for a range of populations and age groups. Convenient M.S. in Instructional Technology courses are available online 24/7, so you can study on your schedule as you continue to work full time.
This transformative program is offered through the Watson College of Education and is comprised of coursework aligned with Association for Talent Development (ATD) standards, ensuring relevance to industry expectations.
In this online M.S. in Instructional Technology program, you will:
- Learn to communicate effectively to convey information and facilitate meaningful dialogue with stakeholders and subject matter experts in various instructional design contexts
- Develop advanced collaboration and leadership skills to effectively build and manage professional relationships, teams and work groups within various instructional design environments
- Utilize project management skills to plan, execute and manage instructional design projects, ensuring timely and successful completion while adapting to changing conditions
- Develop mastery in instructional design models, processes and techniques and enhance your ability to apply these to design, develop and align instructional content with desired learning outcomes
- Apply learning sciences to create experiences that optimize learning and performance outcomes
- Analyze organizational performance gaps, design effective solutions and implement performance improvement strategies
- Examine the impact of change, assess risks and resistance, and design effective organizational change management strategies
- Collect, analyze, interpret and visualize data to enable evidence-based decision-making in instructional design
- Apply advanced techniques and tools to create effective learning solutions
- Learn to communicate effectively to convey information and facilitate meaningful dialogue with stakeholders and subject matter experts in various instructional design contexts
- Develop advanced collaboration and leadership skills to effectively build and manage professional relationships, teams and work groups within various instructional design environments
- Utilize project management skills to plan, execute and manage instructional design projects, ensuring timely and successful completion while adapting to changing conditions
- Develop mastery in instructional design models, processes and techniques and enhance your ability to apply these to design, develop and align instructional content with desired learning outcomes
- Apply learning sciences to create experiences that optimize learning and performance outcomes
- Analyze organizational performance gaps, design effective solutions and implement performance improvement strategies
- Examine the impact of change, assess risks and resistance, and design effective organizational change management strategies
- Collect, analyze, interpret and visualize data to enable evidence-based decision-making in instructional design
- Apply advanced techniques and tools to create effective learning solutions
Career opportunities for instructional technology online program graduates include:
- Instructional Designer, Technologist or Coach
- E-Learning Developer or Specialist
- Learning Experience Designer
- Educational Technology Specialist
- Technology Integration Coach
- Training and Development Manager
- LMS Administrator
- Multimedia Developer
- Instructional Designer, Technologist or Coach
- E-Learning Developer or Specialist
- Learning Experience Designer
- Educational Technology Specialist
- Technology Integration Coach
- Training and Development Manager
- LMS Administrator
- Multimedia Developer
Also available:
UNCW also offers additional education degree and certificate programs online.
Total Tuition
$10,645.50*
Duration
As few as 14 months**
Credit Hours
30
Accreditation:
All educator preparation programs at the University of North Carolina Wilmington are approved by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction and accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation.
Tuition
Learn about the instructional technology master’s tuition
UNCW offers convenient, pay-by-the-course tuition for our online programs. Financial aid is available for those who qualify.
Tuition and fees are subject to change each academic year pending legislative approval. View more information on your cost of attendance.
| Program | Total Tuition & Fees* |
|---|---|
| M.S. in Instructional Technology(in-state residents) | $10,645.50 |
| M.S. in Instructional Technology (out-of-state residents) | $39,915.60 |
Tuition breakdown:
Total Tuition
$10,645.50*
Calendar
Plan your schedule with these start dates and deadlines
The instructional technology master’s program is delivered in an online format ideal for working professionals, conveniently featuring rolling admissions and six start dates each year. Choose the date that best suits your goals.
| Term | Program Start Date | Application Deadline | Document Deadline | Registration Deadline | Payment Due | Last Class Day |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall 1 | 8/24/26 | 8/1/26 | 8/1/26 | 8/26/26 | 8/27/26 | 10/11/26 |
| Fall 2 | 10/19/26 | 9/26/26 | 9/26/26 | 10/21/26 | 10/22/26 | 12/6/26 |
Now enrolling:
Apply Date
8/1/26
Class Starts
8/24/26
Admissions
Review admission guidelines for the instructional technology online program
Learn more about admission guidelines for the M.S. in Instructional Technology program. UNCW reviews applications on a rolling basis, so you are urged to apply promptly for your preferred start date.
Admission Requirements:
- Bachelor’s degree
- Official transcripts
- 3.0 GPA
Admission requirements include:
- Application for graduate admission
- Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university, completed before graduate study begins
- Transcripts from all institutions attended (graduate and undergraduate)
- Undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher
- Three recommendations by individuals in relevant professional fields
- Letter of application describing your educational and professional experiences, reasons for pursuing a master’s degree in instructional technology and the contributions you hope to make after completing the degree program
Courses
Explore what you will learn in M.S. in Instructional Technology courses
M.S. in Instructional Technology curriculum is comprised of 10 courses (30 credit hours): 15 hours of core courses, 9 hours of focus area courses, three hours of internship and a minimum of three thesis or portfolio credit hours.
Visit the Course Registration page to view the course schedule for this degree.
MIT 500: Foundations of Instructional Design
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This foundational course is designed to provide an analysis of theoretical foundations of instructional design and application in design practice. The course will examine multidisciplinary and multicultural influences on instructional theory and development. A broad range of current design research and theory and future directions in design theory and practice will be explored. The course provides hands-on experiences designing and developing a self-directed learning material using current theories and research.
MIT 510: Instructional Systems Analysis and Design
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
MIT 510 provides a comprehensive overview of systems analysis and design principles as applied to instructional contexts. Students will develop a deep understanding of the macro-level instructional system and its components. Through applied projects, students will identify and analyze performance problems, conduct front-end analyses, and design strategic interventions to improve organizational performance. The course introduces foundational change management models to help students evaluate organizational readiness and anticipate potential barriers to instructional solutions, and additionally emphasizes applying leadership and collaboration skills in the context of needs analysis and solution design. Emphasis is placed on critical thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making skills essential for designing training programs that are instructionally sound, organizationally feasible, and positioned for successful adoption.
MIT 511: Multimedia Design and Development
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course focuses on cognitive learning theory, perception, motivation, color principles, communication, usability, multimedia learning principles and instructional design applicable to designing multimedia instructional products. Students will learn to design, develop, and evaluate multimedia applications. Each student will demonstrate basic proficiency across a wide spectrum of multimedia for print design, job aid design, graphic design, and screen design.
MIT 520: Instructional Design: Project Management & Development
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course focuses on the development, management, and organizational integration of instructional programs designed to address identified performance gaps. Building upon a foundational understanding of instructional systems design, students will delve into project planning, scheduling, budgeting, and resource allocation. Students will practice leading project teams, collaborating with stakeholders, and applying project management tools to address organizational challenges. The course emphasizes the creation of comprehensive instructional program proposals, effective instructional design strategies, robust evaluation plans, and the application of change management principles to anticipate risks, manage resistance, and ensure sustainable implementation within organizations.
MIT 530: Evaluation in Instructional Development
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course introduces evaluation techniques for educational programs, media, materials, curricula, and instructional design solutions. Emphasizing both summative and formative evaluation models, students will learn systematic approaches to assess the effectiveness of instructional interventions. Through hands-on projects and real-world case studies, participants will design data collection strategies, apply advanced analysis methods, and develop comprehensive reports that communicate findings and strategic recommendations for performance improvement. This course prepares students to make evidence-based decisions and effectively convey evaluation results to a range of stakeholders.
MIT 503: Applied Multimedia Design and Portfolio Development
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course builds on the foundational skills and theories introduced in MIT 511, guiding students through the creation of advanced, theory-driven multimedia instructional products. Students will deepen their understanding of multimedia learning principles, cognitive load management, perception, motivation, and usability as they apply these concepts to real-world instructional challenges. Emphasis is placed on integrating diverse media—text, graphics, audio, video, and interactive elements—into coherent, engaging learning experiences. Throughout the course, students will refine and expand their professional online portfolio, producing artifacts that demonstrate advanced design skills, critical analysis of media, and mastery of contemporary authoring tools. By the end of the course, participants will be able to design, develop, and justify multimedia products that align with research-based instructional design principles and professional standards.
MIT 513: Advanced Multimedia Design for Learning
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course focuses on building skills to harness the principles of multimodal learning, cognitive load management, and coherent multimedia design using advanced authoring software. Throughout the course, participants will delve into the art of creating engaging instructional materials that seamlessly integrate text, images, audio, and video to cater to diverse learning styles. With a focus on applying cognitive load management techniques, students will master the judicious selection and presentation of information to optimize learning outcomes. Through hands-on experiences with authoring software, participants will develop proficiency in designing multimedia content that adheres to the coherence principle, ensuring that all elements contribute meaningfully to overarching learning objectives. Additionally, students will explore and implement interactive features, fostering personalized and engaging learning experiences.
MIT 531: Performance Learning Analytics
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course explores the principles and methodologies of survey design and data analysis in the context of instructional design and educational evaluation. Emphasizing practical application, students will learn to develop reliable and valid survey instruments to assess learning needs, evaluate instructional interventions, and measure learner performance. Topics include question construction, scaling techniques, response biases, and best practices for ensuring fairness and accuracy in data collection. Additionally, students will apply statistical and analytical techniques to interpret survey data, generate meaningful insights, and support data-driven decision-making.
MIT 542: Internship Applied Learning Experience
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course provides students with an applied learning experience that bridges theory and practice in instructional design. Students will engage in a professional project or internship that addresses an authentic instructional design problem or need. Emphasis is placed on applying program knowledge and skills to real-world contexts.
MIT 598: Capstone - Instructional Technology
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Principal outcomes include the design and development research proposal and presentation of a research paper with the ultimate aim of improving the processes of instructional design, development, and evaluation. As a part of the design and development research project, students perform instructional design, development, and evaluation activities while studying the process of providing solutions to a practical problem.
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