CSUF MSIDT Course of Study

Hello!
Over the 21 months of the program, Cohort 13 of the MSIDT program will have to copmplete 10 courses to fulfill the degree requirement. It is hard to believe that 2 of them are already finished! Here is a list of the courses, which is adapted from the CSUF online catalog (https://www.fullerton.edu/catalog/pdf/HumanServices-Women_and_GenderStudies.pdf):
Session 1 – September, 2014 through December, 2014
1. IDT 505 Foundations of Instructional Design and Web Authoring Tools
--Necessary understanding of operating systems, hardware and networking environments to develop instructional tools and products using a multimedia authoring tool.
2. IDT 510 Research Practices in Instructional Design and Technology
--Survey course on terms and accepted procedures in qualitative and quantitative inquiry as they apply to instructional design and technology. Students conduct controlled portions of IDT research and prepare preliminary proposals for larger projects.
Session 2 – January, 2015 through early May, 2015
3. IDT 520 Instructional Design 1: Issues in ELearning and the Design Process
--Systematic design of instructional courseware, including analysis, media selection, design, development and evaluation. Topics include learning principles, learner characteristics, instructional strategies, screen design, response analysis, feedback and interactivity.
4. IDT 525 Learning Theories for Postsecondary and Adult Instructional Settings
--Behavioral, cognitive, constructivist learning theories, related concepts and their implications for designing instruction. Develops critical thinking about desirable cognitive outcomes when designing educational experiences.
Session 3 – May, 2015 through August, 2015
5. IDT 530 Instructional Design 2: Advanced Issues in Implementation, Management and Program Evaluation
--Application of computer-based instructional design principles to develop new methods and materials for technology-based instruction. Topics include computer-based instruction, project management, planning, assessment, design principles and development tools. Students will design multimedia courseware.
6. IDT 535 Instructional Strategies and Universal Design Issues in Learning Environments
--Instructional strategies for Pre-K through adulthood. Emphasizes current research on instructional strategies and assistive technologies in a variety of instructional contexts.
Session 4 – September, 2015 through December, 2015
7. IDT 540 Systematic Approaches to Web and Multimedia Design and Development
--Design, development and implementation of Web pages and sites for instructional purposes. Issues surrounding using the World Wide Web for instruction.
8. IDT 545 Trends, Emerging Technologies and Issues in Instructional Design
--Theoretical basis, issues and strategies for improving teaching and learning through the use of emerging technologies.
Session 5 – January, 2016 through early May, 2016
9. IDT 550 Practicum in Instructional Design and Technology
--Strategies for effectively implementing and evaluating instructional design and technology to improve learning; includes significant field work assignments in work-related settings.
10. IDT 597 Project
--Individual research on an empirical project, with conferences with the instructor, culminating in a project.
Thanks for checking in! Next time we will take a look at Moodle / TITANium, which is an essential online system for this distance learning experience.

MSIDT Program Tuition and Fees

Well, the MSIDT program is not free, but it is a great value in the masters program world, at least if you are a California resident. I figured this out ahead of time to make sure it was within my family’s budget, but of course there were a few things I forgot. Surely there will be more unexpected things as time goes on, too…
There are a lot of things that are not a financial issue in the distance learning world. No parking fees! No extra holiday trips home to see the folks. No dorm room to redecorate. No kegs of beer to take to toga parties…
But there is the rest of the stuff, as well as things I did not have to pay for when I was studying for my bachelors degree.
First off was a new laptop, which I am not including as it was not necessary. But it is really nice to have a good piece of equipment for school and blogging. I went with a MacBook Pro, and after a lifetime of PCs, it is an amazing breath of fresh air.
Of course there is tuition, which is currently $1953 per semester (for two classes)
Next come other expenses that will occur each semester, some of which I will never get to use:
-Online learning fee:$198
- Books: $463
- ASB Fee: $74
- Campus Union Fee: $134
- Consolidated Course Fee: $25.00
- Health Center Fee: $78.00
- Health Facilities Fee: $3.00
- IRA Fee: $36.00
- Student ID Card Fee: $4.00
- Student Success Fee: $60.34
- Titan Participation Fee: $7.00

If I added that up correctly, that is $3035, so for five semesters it will be $15,175, barring any inevitable fee increases. Of course it would be much higher if I were paying non-resident tuition.

But that is not all, there are some one-time costs to include:
-Application fee: $55
-Transcript: $13
-Boot-up Camp: $345
-Mid-point Symposium: $228
-Adobe Captivate 8 Software: $299

These extras add up to around $940, and when added to the tuition make for a grand total of $16,115. This will creep up as unexpected expenses that pop up and fees increase, but I think this going to be a wise investment in my future. I do not think you will find a better deal on an instructional design program from an accredited university, and the CSUF program is highly rated.
Thanks for checking in; next time you will get an overview of the courses that make up this program!