What Are the Best Graduate Programs in Educational Technology?

In recent years, educational technology has swept through classrooms with encouraging results. The best of these products demonstrably improve student outcomes, enhance individualized education, and reduce teacher workloads. Adaptive learning software, for example, can replace textbooks, delivering tailor-made instruction that address students’ individual needs. Many teachers are also experimenting with gamification, a teaching approach that motivates students to learn by incorporating video game design and game elements.

With more data available to track learning progress, teachers have greater insight into their students’ struggles, allowing them to focus on the areas where they need the most help. Educational technology (or EdTech for short) can also reduce the many demands placed on teachers by helping them use their time, attention, and energy in new ways to expand what they’re able to accomplish in a day.

These are but a few examples of how educational technology is creating massive shifts in approaches to teaching, learning, and the classroom environment. Clearly, traditional instructional methods will continue evolving. That means that the EdTech industry will continue to grow, encompassing a wide range of sub-industries and niches working together to bridge gaps and support education organizations worldwide.

If you’re considering a career rooted in the EdTech revolution, a master’s degree in the field is a great way to take the plunge. But which education programs are best? We’ve assembled a list of the top on-campus and online programs, detailing their curricula so you can find the one best suited to your career goals.

Our guide to the best educational technology graduate programs covers the following questions:

• What are the prerequisites for educational technology graduate programs?
• What do students in educational technology graduate programs study?
• How does educational technology differ from instructional technology?
• Which schools have the best educational technology graduate programs?
• What types of jobs require a master’s in education technology?

What are the prerequisites for educational technology graduate programs?

Graduate-level educational technology programs vary from school to school. Most require applicants to hold a bachelor’s degree in education, information technology, business, or another relevant field. Generally, applicants should also possess a minimum 2.5 undergraduate GPA, although some programs may require a GPA of 3.0 or higher.

Most programs also require applicants to hold teaching licensure, which, in most states, can be earned during a bachelor’s program in education. Those who don’t have a degree in education may pursue alternative teacher certification. Also referred to as non-traditional certification, this path is available in most states out of a need to fill critical teacher shortages in the US.

Additional requirements include:

• Transcripts from all previously attended higher education institutions
• Letters of recommendation
• Resume or CV
• Statement of purpose
• Writing samples

Most graduate educational technology programs also require that applicants submit either GRE or MAT scores. In some cases, programs may waive testing requirements for applicants who possess extensive work experience as teachers or administrators.

What do students in educational technology graduate programs study?

Coursework in curriculum assessment and development, advanced research methods, instructional design, and educational leadership development tend to form the core of most master’s programs in educational technology.

Beyond core classes, graduate students can pursue a specialization to cultivate the advanced, industry-specific skills that suit their career goals. Some specializations in the field include:

• Adult education
• Distance learning
• ​Educational media
• Instructional design
• K-12 education
• Media literacies
• Special education
• Training and development
• Web development

How does educational technology differ from instructional technology?

“Educational technology” and “instructional technology” are terms often used in a similar context. Schools may choose one term or the other to name their degree programs, but the curricula are usually similar. What’s more, the term “educational technologist” describes the many professionals that practice in the field of educational technology, instructional designers included. Confusing, right?

Think of it this way. Educational technology applies theories of instruction, learning, and educational psychology to the assessment, design, implementation, and evaluation of instructional material, processes, and resources. In contrast, instructional technology activities are directly tied to a specific result: creating resources for learning that allow students to solve a problem or develop their ideas in a structured and systematic way.

In the end, no matter a program’s title, coursework and learning objectives most often feature instructional design, learning design, instructional systems, and learning technologies while focusing on the design and development of environments, materials, and tools that enhance teaching effectiveness and learning achievement.

Which schools have the best educational technology graduate programs?

Each of the online master’s programs in educational technology featured below includes the relevant information to consider when choosing a program that best suits your needs, interests, and career goals. These factors include:

• Degree type
• Format
• Tuition
• Graduation requirements
• Core courses
• Electives
• Features
• Concentrations (when available)

When assembling this list, we consulted US News and World Report school rankings as well as program websites and graduate education catalogs.

American University

• Degree: Master of Science in Instructional Design and Learning Analytics
• Format: Online; full-time, part-time
• Tuition: $1,812 per credit
• Graduation requirements: 30 credit hours of approved graduate coursework and completed capstone experience
• Core courses: Innovation Through New Technologies, Intercultural Communication for Professionals, Data-Driven Decision Making
• Electives: Adaptive Project Management Principles, Standards & Systems in U.S. Healthcare, Human Resource Information Systems (HRIS), Principles and Theories of Evaluation, Strategic Management of Sports Organizations, Decision Making and Change Management, Professional Ethics & Project Leadership, Client Communications & Professional Consulting, Evaluation: Qualitative Methods
• Features: Developed in consultation with an advisory council of current instructional design and talent development professionals to ensure that it reflects the most current thinking and research in instructional design. Courses feature professionally aligned classwork and foster a broader skill set that employers have identified as relevant and valuable.

Arizona State University – Downtown Phoenix

• Degree: Master of Education in Learning Design and Technologies
• Format: Online; full-time, part-time
• Tuition: $532 per credit hour
• Graduation requirements: 30 credit hours including the required applied project course
• Core courses: Introduction to Research and Evaluation in Education, Learning Theories and Instructional Strategies, Foundations of Learning Design and Technologies, Design and Development of Instruction, Design of Effective Communications, Modalities of Learning, Evaluation of Learning Systems, Issues in Online and Distance Education
• Features: Through projects that provide opportunities to take on authentic, real-world challenges, students apply current research and learning theories to the practice of learning and instructional design with the use of emerging technologies.

Boise State University

• Degree: Master’s in Educational Technology; Master of Science in Educational Technology
• Format: Online, “fits your schedule”
• Tuition: $478 per credit
• Core courses:
  • Master’s in Educational Technology: Introduction to Educational Technology, The Internet for Educators, Instructional Design, Theoretical Foundations of Educational Technology
  • M.S. in Educational Technology: Introduction to Educational Technology, The Internet for Educators, Instructional Design, Theoretical Foundations of Educational Technology, Evaluation for Educational Technologists, Research in Educational Technology, Introduction to Statistics for Educational Technology

Florida State University

• Degree: Master of Science in Instructional Systems and Learning Technologies
• Format: Online, on-campus
• Tuition:
  • Online: In-state: $444 per credit; out-of-state: $1,076 per credit
  • On-campus: $479.32 per credit; out-of-state: $1,110.72 per credit

Indiana University – Bloomington

• Degree: Master of Science in Education in Instructional Systems Technology (IST)
• Format: Online, on-campus
• Tuition:
  • Online: In-state: $321.34 per credit, out-of-state: $434.07 per credit
  • On-campus: In-state: $10,080 per year, out-of-state: $30,642 per year

Michigan State University

• Degree: Master of Arts in Educational Technology
• Format: Online, hybrid
• Tuition: $897.50 per credit hour
• Graduation requirements: Students must complete a total of 30 credits, which they typically do within two years
• Core courses: Learning in School and Other Settings, Approaches to Educational Research, Proseminar in Educational Technology
• Electives: Learning Mathematics with Technology, Teaching for Understanding with Technology, Adapting Innovative Technologies in Education, Applying Educational Technology to Issues of Practice, Electronic Assessment for Teaching and Learning, Computational Thinking for K-12 Educators, Technology and Leadership, Technology, Teaching, and Learning Across the Curriculum, Learning Technology by Design, Creativity in Teaching and Learning, Teaching Students Online, Programming Concepts for K12 Educators, Creativity in K12 Computing Education
• Features: Faculty and adjunct faculty members include winners of awards such as Technology Teacher of the Year from the Michigan Association for Computer Users in Learning (MACUL) and the national award of the International Society for Technology in Education

New York University

• Degree: Master of Science in Games for Learning
• Format: On-campus; full-time, part-time
• Tuition: $1,795 per credit
• Graduation requirements: Students must complete 36 credit hours, a minimum of 50 hours of fieldwork experience, and a thesis capstone project
• Core courses: Foundations of Cognitive Science, Foundations of the Learning Sciences, Video Games and Play in Education, Designing Simulations and Games for Learning, Narrative, Digital Media and Learning, Research on Simulations and Games for Learning, Research in Educational Communications and Technology
• Electives: Varies by concentration
• Features: Offers flexibility in creating a program of study that students can tailor to fit their professional goals and interests; access to the Games for Learning Institute’s (G4LI), which involves nine other universities and conducts research on the design of effective games for learning in a variety of formal and informal settings
• Concentrations: Include game design, game development, game research, student-customized focus areas under faculty supervision

Purdue University Main Campus

• Degree: Master of Science in Education in Learning Design and Technology
• Format: Online; full-time, part-time
• Tuition: In-state: $422.85 per credit hour; out-of-state: $743.80 per credit hour
• Core courses: Foundations of Learning Design and Technology, Human Performance Technology, Learning Theory and Instructional Design, Integration and Management of Technology for Learning, Introduction to E-Learning, Learning Systems Design, Learning Design and Technology Practicum, Strategic Assessment and Evaluation, Advanced Practices in Learning Systems Design
• Electives: Computer and Video Game Design for Education, Educational Technology for Teaching and Learning, Educational Applications of Multimedia, Partnering with Web-Based Tools for Learner Centered Environments, Foundations of Distance Education, Motivation and Instructional Design, Instructional Design Project Management, Introduction to Educational Research
• Features: Students have the option to pursue “competency” and “technology” badges, which respectively demonstrate that Purdue has verified their mastery of design and abilities to implement and evaluate instruction and training programs and knowledge of distinct instructional tools

Stanford University

• Degree: Master’s in Learning, Design, and Technology
• Format: On-campus, part-time
• Tuition: $18,105 per quarter
• Graduation requirements: 45 units at or above the 100 level, internship, master’s project and portfolio
• Core courses: LDT Seminar, Evaluation and Research Methods, Design Processes, Learning, Theories of Learning, Design of Learning Experiences
• Electives: Include a range of courses related to learners and education. Students may also take electives from any department at Stanford with their advisors’ approval.
• Features: Essential resources and learning support services to students include peer tutoring and foreign language conversation partners, academic skills coaching, access to student study and collaboration space, equipment check-out, computing and printing services, multimedia consulting, and residential computing and networking support (RCCs)

University of Florida

• Degree: Master of Arts in Education with an emphasis on Educational Technology
• Format: On-campus; full-time, part-time
• Tuition: $12,740 per academic year
• Graduation requirements: 36-hour program includes 30 hours of coursework and 6 hours of thesis or project in place of thesis work
• Core courses: Foundations of Educational Technology, Instructional Design, Designing Integrated Media Environments I, Emerging Learning Technologies
• Features: Faculty and students collaborate with colleagues at UF and around the world to facilitate, study and disseminate ways in which learning, design, and innovative technologies empower educators and learners and impact society

University of Georgia

• Degree: Master of Education in Learning, Design, and Technology
• Format: Online, on-campus; full-time, part-time
• Tuition:
  • Online: In-state: $318 per credit hour 1-14; out-of-state: $938 per credit hour 1-14
  • On-campus: In-state: $11,600 per semester; out-of-state: $19,200 per semester

University of Pennsylvania

• Degree: Master of Science in Education in Learning Sciences and Technologies
• Format: On-campus, full-time; part-time
• Tuition: $28,032 per academic year
• Graduation requirements: Ten courses (four required courses, two concentration, three elective, one distributional), Master’s Paper, internship
• Core courses: Foundations of Teaching and Learning, Master’s Paper Seminar, Research Methods, Informal Learning Internship Seminar
• Features: Internship opportunities at Philadelphia’s premier educational nonprofits, cultural institution, museums, and libraries; community-oriented student cohort; access to several faculty-run centers that produce cutting-edge research on global issues in education
• Concentrations: Design of Learning Environments, Video Games and Virtual Worlds, Assessment of and for Learning, Core Methods in Educational Data Mining

University of Southern California

• Degree: Master of Education in Learning, Design, and Technology
• Format: Online
• Tuition: $1,928 per credit-unit
• Graduation requirements: A minimum of 30 credit-unit, can be completed in 21 months
• Core courses: Creating Communities of Interest, Learning and Motivation, Human Lifespan Development, Diversity: Power, Equity, and Inclusion, Research Methods and Data Analysis, Assessment and Evaluation, Instructional Design, Media Selection and Evaluation, Design of Learning Environments, Master’s Studio
• Features: Students explore all aspects of blended learning and other techniques for success in traditional and non-traditional educational settings, including online learning, corporate training, and performance assessment.

Vanderbilt University

• Degree: Master of Education in Learning and Design
• Format: On-campus; full-time, part-time
• Tuition: $2,025 per credit hour
• Core courses: Learning Out of School, Diversity and Equity in Education, Learning and Instruction, Designing for Contexts, Inquiry Into Contexts, Capstone Seminar
• Electives: 15 credit hours from any graduate degree course in any department, college, or university in which students can enroll. At least one elective must have a primary focus on diversity and at least one must have a primary focus on design.
• Features: Option of dual M.D./M.Ed. dual degree program

What types of jobs require a master’s in education technology?

Graduates of educational technology master’s programs have a skill set that can be put to use in K-12 public and private schools, higher education, the corporate world, government agencies, and the nonprofit sector, among a range of other industries and employment settings.

Instructional design is one of the most popular career paths for EdTech master’s degree-holders, a role that’s mostly employed by school districts, colleges and universities, and companies that need to train employees on how to use a tool or product. Day-to-day, IDs look for gaps in knowledge in education and think up ways to fill them through games, tutorials, articles, or other media. In some cases, this may require them to collaborate with subject experts to redesign courses or develop entire courses or curricula.

Graduates may also pursue roles as education consultants. In a school setting, this position typically works with teachers, administrators, and education advocates to integrate technology into the classroom. Outside of it, education consultants may design and manage professional development programs for teachers at universities and or help companies design educational technology products.

The list of additional jobs open to graduates of top educational technology master’s programs covers a long and varied list of titles related in some capacity to helping tie computer or web-based technology to learning. They include:

• Distance learning coordinator
• Educational software programmer
• eLearning developer
• Faculty support and development specialist
• Learning and development consultant
• Learning app designer
• Training specialist
• Web instructor

Questions or feedback? Email editor@noodle.com