Master of Arts: Instructional Design, Innovation & Leadership
Your career matters. Your journey matters. Innovation matters. An M.A. in Instructional Design, Innovation & Leadership from Asbury will develop, expand, and advance not just your professional pathway, but also who you are as a person. At Asbury, you will use cutting edge technology to grow the skills you need to ensure you are ready to make a difference and lead others in the much needed and fast growing industry of Instructional Design.
Do you have a creative yet methodical mind? Do you love solving problems? Do you love helping people learn and train in the most efficient ways? Do you want to become a transformational leader in your industry? Instructional Designers are the experts in how to teach and design a course and with a Master’s degree from Asbury, you will be equipped and empowered to lead teams of Instructional Designers. Many of the skills you will learn at Asbury can be adapted to teaching, training, web design, consulting and of course educational settings as well as corporate or nonprofit training. The opportunities are vast; even the military has Instructional Designers creating some of the most technologically advanced training for soldiers including digital game-based scenarios.
Instructional Designers are in demand. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates a faster than average job growth for Instructional Designers and Coordinators over the next 10 years. The M.A. in Instructional Design at Asbury ensures students are ready to launch into the industry fully equipped to make a powerful impact. A focus is placed on developing skills in the theories of learning and design paired with the purposeful use of the latest digital educational technologies and skills for the 21st century workforce.
MA Instructional Design, Innovation & Leadership Major Sheet (PDF)
Student Voices
Brittany Robinson ’20 is a current graduate student. She shares her story: “My instructional design professors have provided real-world job tools, strategies, and spreadsheets that I immediately applied to my day job as an instructional designer. They encouraged and amplified my voice in the ID field, inspired me to become a first-generation grad school student, and helped me envision myself working in academia. Upon graduation, I more than doubled my salary to $150K, so my degree paid for itself. I loved my college experience so much that I returned to Asbury for a graduate degree in instructional design. After working for Fidelity investments, FAANG corporations, and eLearning Brothers, I’m currently co-authoring a research paper with MIT on remote learning in the workplace. As a member of the IEEE ICICLE Students & Grads SIG for Learning Engineering, I’ve applied as a presenter and panelist for two upcoming conference sessions at Carnegie Mellon University this summer, including a co-presentation with Dr. Lisa Jones. I run a freelance instructional design business that serves industry, academia, and nonprofit clients in the U.S. and abroad, and I enjoy exploring how emerging technologies are shaping the future of our industry.”
Dale Moses ’22 works as Director of Instructional Support at Sullivan University. After completing his bachelor’s degree in instructional design at Asbury, Dale decided to continue his education and is getting his master’s degree in instructional design. He shares: “As an experienced instructional designer and educator passionate about creating quality learning experiences, I confirm that Asbury’s program is scholarly configured to deliver the stated learning outcomes and more. I have enjoyed the faculty’s patience, understanding, and unwavering support. The professors are a true testament of God working through people. In my current role, I oversee a team of instructional designers and technologists responsible for new and existing course creation/maintenance and learning management system (LMS) support.”
Austin England ’23 works at Asbury University. He shares about his journey: “My experience with the instructional design program helped me think more critically about approaching various aspects both in instructional design and in my day-to-day life. My most enjoyable experience was getting to design and create my own 3D model while learning how to use 3D print technology which led to the subject of my thesis. My professors helped me immensely by assisting me with my studies while I worked full-time.”
What to Do Next
If this sounds intriguing, the M.A. in Instructional Design, Innovation & Leadership may be perfect for you. To learn more about the specifics of the M.A. program, visit our Frequently Asked Questions page. Want to see the list of courses you will be taking? Check out the Instructional Design Major Sheet. You can also contact us directly or email us at gradadmissions@asbury.edu to ask questions or arrange a time to meet with a program representative.
Ready to apply?