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Foundations of Instructional Design Certificate

Program Overview

The need for instructional designers has increased in response to the growth of online learning within educational institutions as well as online training programs within the corporate world. The School of Continuing and Professional Studies (SCPS) at Loyola University Chicago addresses this accelerating need with its Foundations of Instructional Design (FIND) graduate professional certificate.

FIND provides foundational knowledge and skills in instructional design for educational and organizational professionals seeking to enhance their current positions. This includes K-12 teachers and higher education faculty as well as organizational trainers. The certificate program is grounded in SCPS’s well-established Master of Professional Studies (MPS) in Instructional Design program, which prepares students to become generalist instructional designers equipped to work in a variety of fields and professional settings. 

The 12-credit hour certificate includes courses offered in 8-week sessions in a fully online format with evening synchronous meetings. Upon completing the certificate, students can apply for admission into the MPS in Instructional Design program, where their four graduate-level FIND courses will count toward that graduate degree’s requirements.

 

Curriculum

CIEP 470 Principles of Instructional Design (prerequisite for all courses)

INDN 420 Theories and Models of Instructional Design

INDN 421 Design and Development of Instructional Materials

AND

INDN 430 Performance and Improvement in Organizations OR INDN 431 Fundamentals of Learning Analytics

Program Learning Outcomes

You will learn how to:

  • Utilize instructional design processes and appropriate theoretical approaches to design effective and innovative learning experiences
  • Employ a variety of technologies and multimedia authoring tools to produce instructional materials
  • Adapt instructional design processes to a professional setting (K-12 schools, corporate organizations, higher education institutions)
  • Manage the iterative lifecycle of instructional design projects progressing from conception to implementation to revision
  • Apply culturally responsive and ethical practices that engage diverse communities and promote social justice

Career Outcomes

The need for instructional designers has swelled alongside the growth of online learning within educational institutions and online training programs within the corporate world. While many instructional designers work in academic settings, where they develop, direct, and assess learning programs for students, corporations continue hiring instructional designers to create lively training programs for employees.

$63,740

Median annual salary for instructional coordinators (Source: BLS)

7%

Projected growth in employment for instructional coordinators over the next decade (Source: BLS)

20,900

Projected number of annual job openings for instructional coordinators over the next decade (Source: BLS)

$120,130

Median annual salary for training and development managers (Source: BLS)

7%

Projected growth in employment for training and development managers over the next decade (Source: BLS)

3,700

Projected number of annual job openings for training and development managers over the next decade (Source: BLS)

Faculty

SPCS students enrolled in the Foundations of Instructional Design Certificate program receive instruction, guidance, and support from dedicated faculty members. This includes both scholars in the field of instructional design as well as working practitioners who understand the current market climate and relevant skills today’s instructional designers need. View Our Directory

Admissions

To apply for the Foundations of Instructional Design Certificate Program at SCPS, students must provide:

  • A completed application
  • Official transcripts from all prior institutions. To be eligible for admission, your transcript must show an earned bachelor’s degree or a bachelor’s degree in progress (with an expected graduation to occur before the start of your graduate program).
  • 2.5 GPA or higher and in good standing at all prior institutions. In exceptional cases, applicants whose undergraduate GPA is below 2.5 may be admitted. Each program area gives meaningful consideration to the applicant's graduate GPA, recommendations, professional experience, and reasons for pursuing a graduate program.
  • 1-2 letters of recommendation. If you supply your recommender's email address as part of your completed online application form, then your recommendation letters will be submitted directly through the online application system. Recommenders may be academic or professional in nature.
  • A personal statement

Students start the master’s degree in Fall I (August) of each year and take one course each 8-week session to complete the certificate in two 16-week semesters.

Program Overview

The need for instructional designers has increased in response to the growth of online learning within educational institutions as well as online training programs within the corporate world. The School of Continuing and Professional Studies (SCPS) at Loyola University Chicago addresses this accelerating need with its Foundations of Instructional Design (FIND) graduate professional certificate.

FIND provides foundational knowledge and skills in instructional design for educational and organizational professionals seeking to enhance their current positions. This includes K-12 teachers and higher education faculty as well as organizational trainers. The certificate program is grounded in SCPS’s well-established Master of Professional Studies (MPS) in Instructional Design program, which prepares students to become generalist instructional designers equipped to work in a variety of fields and professional settings. 

The 12-credit hour certificate includes courses offered in 8-week sessions in a fully online format with evening synchronous meetings. Upon completing the certificate, students can apply for admission into the MPS in Instructional Design program, where their four graduate-level FIND courses will count toward that graduate degree’s requirements.