Learning Design and Technology, MEd

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The MEd in Learning Design and Technology is offered in both campus-based and online versions. Both involve face-to-face and online experiences (known as hybrid). These programs are designed to accommodate busy professionals with evening hours for live sessions, whether online or face-to-face.

Campus-based (LTEC): students take required courses in the evenings at the UH Mānoa campus. Electives may be online or face-to-face.
Online program (OTEC): Courses are offered online, students may be required to attend weekend sessions on campus, typically in the first semester.

Students should indicate their preference of campus-based or online when applying. There is no automatic transfer between these programs after admission.

Admission Requirements

Admission to the learning design and technology program is only for the fall semester. Applications may be filed with Graduate Division beginning October 1 until the deadline of February 1 for the following fall semester. Students must meet the requirements set by Graduate Division. Because the number of students who can be admitted is limited, the admission process is highly competitive and meeting the minimum established criteria does not guarantee automatic admission.

In addition to the application materials required by Graduate Division, prospective students must also submit the following directly to the LTEC Department (see LTEC web page for additional details):

3 letters of recommendation
Intent to apply (online form provided by LTEC office)
Statement of objectives (brief narrative)
Current resume

Students are not required to have an undergraduate degree in education or educational technology to enter the master’s program. However, students without a previous background in education or with limited skills in technology are advised to consider taking a course in educational technology prior to entering the program to determine match for skill sets and interests.

Major Requirements

The master’s program requires a minimum of 33 semester credit hours, with six required and five elective LTEC courses. The LTEC MEd is cohort based, with students only admitted in fall term each year as part of a group that takes initial classes together. In a cohort model, students enroll in a series of core courses, beginning and ending the series together. Such an approach helps build community and support structures within the program. Students work with like-minded professionals to achieve a common goal. Students are required to take two core courses each in their initial fall and spring semesters; these typically meet on Tuesday and Thursday evenings. Elective courses are offered in every semester and may be taken online or on campus. All students are required to have access to a laptop computer with internet access to meet program requirements.

The set of required LTEC courses provides each educational technology major with a solid foundation in technology, instructional design, learning theory, and research and evaluation. After the four core courses in the initial year have been completed, each student will be evaluated to determine whether he or she is making satisfactory academic progress and is prepared academically and in other ways for the continuation in the program. Poise, personal dispositions, attitude, and communication skills as well as substantive progress in course work are significant components in the overall evaluation. If advancement to candidacy is recommended, students will be allowed to begin work on their master’s project. The program culminates with student presentations of a final master’s project at a professional conference in their final year.