SUNY Potsdam Adds to its Growing List of Virtual Graduate Programs, with New M.S. in Instructional Design & Educational Technology
Sarah Benko ’22 demonstrates virtual reality and augmented reality technology that she utilizes in her graduate courses at SUNY Potsdam. The College’s new master’s degree in instructional design and educational technology is fully online.
SUNY Potsdam has just launched its latest addition to the College’s growing list of virtual graduate programs, with the new fully online Master of Science degree program in instructional design and educational technology.
The instructional design and educational technology program (IDET) prepares students for positions in the public and private sector that focus on designing instructional materials to support technology-rich teaching and training environments.
“SUNY Potsdam is proud to announce our newest online graduate degree in instructional design and educational technology. This program draws on our longstanding strength in teacher education while integrating the latest technology to help prepare students for rewarding careers,” said Officer-in-Charge Dr. Philip T. Neisser ’79.
The program places emphasis on instructional design, emerging learning technologies and online learning. Students will engage in hands-on, minds-on learning in courses that are designed around research and applied best practices from a variety of fields. Electives give students the freedom to focus on developing skills associated with their individual career aspirations. All theory is coupled with real-world application and examples, and students implement and evaluate their designs in authentic learning environments.
“This program challenges students to think boldly and creatively about the potential and possibilities that technology has to offer for facilitating and improving teaching and learning. The focus is not only on our formal educational institutions, but also on strengthening the fabric of our society and culture through the promotion of lifelong learning,” said Dr. Anthony Betrus ’93 & ’94, a professor of business administration, who oversees the program.
The new IDET program was developed in response to demand from students who were interested in instructional design, but didn’t want to pursue professional certification as K-12 educators in the field—something that is offered in the College’s Master of Science in Education degree program in educational technology specialist, which leads to New York State certification. No initial certification is required for admittance to the IDET program.
Courses are offered fully online, and include asynchronous, synchronous and extended reality interactions among the students and faculty. The program is jointly administered by the Department of Business Administration and the Department of Advanced Studies in Education.
The instructional design and educational technology program is 30 credits, and students can study full-time or part-time. Admission is on a rolling basis, and students can start in either the spring, fall or summer semesters. To find out more, visit www.potsdam.edu/idet.
The School of Education and Professional Studies at SUNY Potsdam has been preparing educators for more than 200 years. Today, that legacy of educational excellence also stretches to undergraduate and graduate programs in business administration, public health and human performance, to help students prepare for professions in the global economy. To learn more, visit www.potsdam.edu/academics/SOEPS.
SUNY Potsdam’s Department of Business Administration program provides students with an understanding of how for-profit and not-for-profit organizations function effectively and efficiently. Students gain a comprehensive understanding of accounting, finance, human resources, law, management, marketing, information technology and operations. For more information, visit http://www.potsdam.edu/academics/SOEPS/BusinessAdmin.
About SUNY Potsdam:
Founded in 1816, The State University of New York at Potsdam is one of America’s first 50 colleges—and the oldest institution within SUNY. Now in its third century, SUNY Potsdam is distinguished by a legacy of pioneering programs and educational excellence. The College currently enrolls approximately 3,000 undergraduate and graduate students. Home to the world-renowned Crane School of Music, SUNY Potsdam is known for its challenging liberal arts and sciences core, distinction in teacher training and culture of creativity. To learn more, visit www.potsdam.edu.