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Applied Education Studies (BS): Learning Design and Technology

Learning, Design, and Technology (LDT) is a concentration under the Applied Education Studies (AES) degree in the College of Education. AES:LDT was designed for undergraduate students who are interested in working in the Education sector not as traditional teachers but as instructional designers and developers for varied employers (higher education, government/military agencies, business/industry) or as independent entrepreneurs of education services and products. While training in instructional design is typically found in graduate school, scholars in the field of LDT have highlighted undergraduate preparation as a future direction for the expanding field to help meet demand (An, 2024). We are excited to provide this opportunity for undergraduates at NC State, and given the large number of courses taken by undergraduates, expect AES:LDT graduates to be well prepared to meet employer demands.

As a field, LDT draws on interdisciplinary foundations across education, psychology, communications, and design to apply what is empirically understood about how people learn to effectively design, develop, implement, and evaluate instructional resources to improve learning and performance in varied settings. Graduates will develop knowledge of underlying learning theory, applicable instructional design skills such as instructional analysis and instructional strategy planning, design and development skills with varied technologies (e-learning, apps, games, video, AR/VR), and entrepreneurship and project management skills to plan and iterate original educational innovations.

Program Description

The AES:LDT concentration features the following:

  • required four-course core for undergraduates taught by LDT faculty on campus featuring courses on foundations of LDT, instructional design, artificial intelligence in education, and educational innovation and entrepreneurship in education
  • customizable curriculum plan featuring multiple elective slots and General Education Program (GEP) courses that LDT faculty have aligned with IBSTPIÌýÌýto ensure graduates are well prepared for careers in the field
  • opportunity for undergraduates interested in entrepreneurial educational solutions to get involved inÌýÌýsuch as Campfire, the Entrepreneurship Garage, and the Entrepreneurs Village
  • formally approved Accelerated Bachelor’s to Master’s (ABM) option allowing well-qualified undergraduates with a 3.5 GPA to receive both their B.S. and M.Ed. degrees in LDT in as little as five years with a 12-hour reduction in master’s credit hours by taking four 500-level graduate courses in the senior year
  • presently the only undergraduate concentration in the College of Education that does not lead to teacher licensure (no student teaching, edTPA portfolio, or Praxis exam) with graduates instead working as instructional designers, developers, or entrepreneurs

Additional Information

´¡ÌýÌýis maintained by LDT faculty to provide expanded information on the AES:LDT program, its curriculum, student opportunities on campus and in employment, the Accelerated Bachelor’s to Master’s (ABM) option, and further references. For additional information, students can reach out to the AES:LDT undergraduate program coordinator, Dr. Kevin Oliver (kmoliver@ncsu.edu).

Plan Requirements

English, Literature, and Speech
·¡±·³ÒÌý101Academic Writing and Research4
Advanced Writing3
°ä°¿²ÑÌý110Public Speaking3
´Ç°ùÌý°ä°¿²ÑÌý112 Interpersonal Communication
´Ç°ùÌý°ä°¿²ÑÌý211 Argumentation and Advocacy
Humanities & Social Sciences
±Ê³§³ÛÌý200Introduction to Psychology3
³§°¿°äÌý202Principles of Sociology3
History3
GEP Humanities3
Education Major
·¡¶ÙÌý100Intro to Education2
·¡³¢±ÊÌý344School and Society3
·¡¶Ù±ÊÌý304Educational Psychology3
±Ê³§³ÛÌý376Developmental Psychology3
Major Electives
Education Electives3
Introduction to Science, Technology, and Society
Teaching Field Electives30
Supporting Electives12
Foundations of Interactive Game Design
Design Inquiry I: Methods and Processes
Desktop Publishing and Imaging Technology
GEP Courses
GEP Mathematical Sciences6
GEP Natural Sciences7
GEP Health and Exercise Studies2
GEP Interdisciplinary Perspectives5
GEP Global Knowledge
GEP Foundations of American Democracy (verify requirement)
GEP Elective3
World Language Proficiency
Free Electives19
Total Hours120

Advanced Writing

·¡±·³ÒÌý287Explorations in Creative Writing3
·¡±·³ÒÌý288Fiction Writing3
·¡±·³ÒÌý289Poetry Writing3
·¡±·³ÒÌý292Writing About Film3
·¡±·³ÒÌý316Introduction to News and Article Writing3
·¡±·³ÒÌý323Writing in Rhetorical Traditions3
·¡±·³ÒÌý331Communication for Engineering and Technology3
·¡±·³ÒÌý332Communication for Business and Management3
·¡±·³ÒÌý333Communication for Science and Research3

History

AFS/HI 275Introduction to History of South and East Africa3
AFS/HI 276Introduction to History of West Africa3
±á±õÌý205Western Civilization Since 14003
±á±õÌý207Ancient Mediterranean World3
±á±õÌý208The Middle Ages3
±á±õÌý209From Renaissance to Revolution: The Origins of Modern Europe3
±á±õÌý210Modern Europe 1815-Present3
±á±õÌý221British History to 16883
±á±õÌý222History of British Cultures and Societies From 16883
±á±õÌý233The World Since 17503
±á±õÌý251American History I3
±á±õÌý252American History II3
±á±õÌý263Asian Civilizations to 18003
±á±õÌý264Modern Asia: 1800 to Present3
±á±õÌý270Modern Middle East3
±á°¿±·Ìý290Honors Special Topics - Humanities/US Diversity3
±á°¿±·Ìý293Honors Special Topics - Interdisciplinary Perspectives/Global Knowledge3

Teaching Field Electives

·¡°ä±õÌý201Intro to Instructional Technology for Educators3
·¡°ä±õÌý511Introduction to Learning Design and Technology3
·¡°ä±õÌý512Emerging Technologies for Teaching and Learning3
·¡°ä±õÌý513Video for Teaching and Learning3
·¡°ä±õÌý514Developing and Delivering Online Instruction3
·¡°ä±õÌý515Cultural Investigations and Technical Representations in Education3
·¡°ä±õÌý516Design and Evaluation Of Instructional Materials3
·¡°ä±õÌý517Theoretical Foundations of Advanced Learning Environments3
·¡°ä±õÌý518Digital Learning Program and Staff Development3
·¡±õÌý201Exploring Interdisciplinary Entrepreneurial Thinking3
·¡±õÌý331Interdisciplinary Entrepreneurial Thinking I: Skills and Planning Basics3


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This is a sample.

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
Fall SemesterHours
·¡±·³ÒÌý101 Academic Writing and Research 4
±Ê³§³ÛÌý200 Introduction to Psychology 3
GEP Mathematical Sciences 3
°ä°¿²ÑÌý211
Argumentation and Advocacy (Communications Elective)
or Public Speaking
or Interpersonal Communication
3
GEP Health and Exercise Studies 1
·¡¶ÙÌý100 Intro to Education 2
ÌýHours16
Spring Semester
GEP Health and Exercise Studies 1
GEP Mathematical Sciences 3
³§°¿°äÌý202 Principles of Sociology 3
Free Elective 2
Teaching Field Elective 3
ANTÌý261 Technology in Society and Culture (GEP Interdisciplinary Perspectives) 3
ÌýHours15
Second Year
Fall Semester
BITÌý100 Current Topics in Biotechnology (GEP Natural Sciences) 3
¶ÙÌý100 Design Inquiry I: Methods and Processes (Supporting Elective) 3
·¡°ä±õÌý201 Intro to Instructional Technology for Educators (Teaching Field Elective) 3
History Elective 3
Free Elective 3
ÌýHours15
Spring Semester
BIOÌý227 Understanding Structural Diversity through Biological Illustration (GEP Natural Sciences) 4
DÌý101 Design Inquiry II: Methods and Processes (GEP Interdisciplinary Perspectives) 3
COMÌý200
Communication Media in a Changing World (GEP Humanities)
or Studies in Rhetoric and Digital Media
3
GEP Elective 3
Free Elective 1
ÌýHours14
Third Year
Fall Semester
·¡³¢±ÊÌý344 School and Society 3
°ä³§°äÌý281 Foundations of Interactive Game Design (Supporting Elective) 3
·¡±õÌý201 Exploring Interdisciplinary Entrepreneurial Thinking (Teaching Field Elective) 3
Teaching Field Elective 3
·¡±·³ÒÌý331
Communication for Engineering and Technology (Advanced Writing Elective)
or Communication for Business and Management
3
ÌýHours15
Spring Semester
·¡±õÌý331 Interdisciplinary Entrepreneurial Thinking I: Skills and Planning Basics (Teaching Field Elective) 3
³§°Õ³§Ìý214 Introduction to Science, Technology, and Society (Education Elective) 3
±Ê³§³ÛÌý376
Developmental Psychology
or Child Psychology
or Psychology of Adolescent Development
3
Teaching Field Elective 3
°Õ¶Ù·¡Ìý205 Desktop Publishing and Imaging Technology (Supporting Elective) 3
SLCÌý250 Critical and Creative Decision Making Models (Free Elective) 3
ÌýHours18
Fourth Year
Fall Semester
GCÌý420 Visual Thinking (Free Elective) 3
AEEÌý325 Planning and Delivering Non-Formal Education (Free Elective) 3
·¡¶Ù±ÊÌý304 Educational Psychology 3
Supporting Elective 3
Teaching Field (recommend drawing from 500-level instructional/media design courses in LDT master’s program) 3
ÌýHours15
Spring Semester
Teaching Field (recommend drawing from 500-level instructional/media design courses in LDT master’s program) 9
H´¡Ìý240 Introduction to Visual Culture (Free Elective) 3
ÌýHours12
ÌýTotal Hours120

For those pursuing the Accelerated Bachelor's Master's Program:

Plan of Study Grid
Fifth Year
Fall SemesterHours
Draw from 500-level instructional/media design courses in LDT master’s program 3
ECIÌý546 New Literacies & Media 3
ECIÌý721 Technology and Informal Learning Environments 3
ÌýHours9
Spring Semester
ECIÌý652 Field-Based Applications of Learning Design and Technology 3
ECIÌý502 Technology Program Evaluation 3
ECIÌý722 Theory and Research in Distance Education 3
ÌýHours9
ÌýTotal Hours18

Career Opportunities

Graduates are expected to work as instructional designers and content developers for different employers such as K-12 and private school systems, higher education institutions, government/military agencies, or business/industry. Some graduates may also be interested in entrepreneurial work, creating non-profits or startup companies to offer technical educational services, training, or new products.

Career Titles

  • Content Developer
  • Entrepreneur
  • Instructional Designer
  • Non-Profit Director
  • Technical Director
  • Training Specialist

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