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Masters Program
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Available Master's Programs
Master's degrees are awarded in the Instructional Technology program area in several categories:
- M.Ed. with 077 Instructional Technology Specialist licensure for students with an existing North Carolina A level certification in some area (K-12)
- M.Ed. without licensure for students only interested in a Master's
- M.S. with thesis requirement for students interested in pursuing a doctoral degree or research-related career
Other Non-Degree Options
The 079 computer endorsement for previously licensed teachers allows an individual to work part-time or full-time as a computer teacher, school computer coordinator, computer resource teacher, computer lab teacher, or computer education specialist. Licensed A-level North Carolina teachers may take six Instructional Technology courses (18 hours) from an approved list to receive the 079 computer endorsement on their license. The six courses taken toward the 079 endorsement may count toward a Master’s degree, but are not sufficient for a Master’s degree. Students interested only in the 079 endorsement and not a degree program do not need to apply for a Master’s program, but can register through continuing education in non-degree studies (NDS) and take the required courses. Students apply for any receive their 079 endorsement from the state Department of Public Instruction, not NC State. DPI maintains a Web site with further information about the 079 endorsement.
A completely online Graduate Certificate in E-Learning is offered jointly by the Instructional Technology program area and the department of Adult and Higher Education (5 courses, 15 hours), which some students may find a useful alternative to the Master’s programs if they would like to explore coursework in this field without committing to a full degree program. Courses taken in this certificate program may count toward the Instructional Technology M.Ed. or M.S. degrees, provided the student meets the requirements for program admission and is admitted to a degree program. Courses include EAC 539 (offered fall), EAC 560 (offered spring), ECI 517 (offered spring), ECI 716 (offered spring), and a choice of either EAC 559 (offered fall and spring) or ECI 515 (offered spring). See distance education course listings for details.
Master's Program Curriculum
Students seeking the M.Ed. must take 36 hours*. Students seeking the M.S. must take 42 hours*. The six additional hours required for the M.S. degree are taken in methodology courses and independent research pertaining to the thesis study. Students must complete all requirements for the Master's degree within six calendar years, beginning with the date the student commences courses carrying graduate credit applicable to the degree program.
Instructional Technology Curriculum Display (Word) (PDF)
Instructional technology courses are aligned with the fall 2005, state-approved standards for the Master of Instructional Technology/Coordinator/Director of Technology License. These state standards are aligned with the ISTE/NCATE Technology Leadership (TL) Advanced Program standards.
*Please note, the number of required hours is currently under review and may decrease to 30 for the M.Ed. and 36 for the M.S. if pending changes are approved. These pending changes do not affect any student currently enrolled who will be held to the former standard of 36 and 42 hours for the M.Ed. and M.S. respectively.
Master's Program Admission
Selection of students for the Graduate Program in Instructional Technology is based on accomplishments in professional practice, previous scholarship, performance on standardized measures of academic abilities, and professional goals. An application to either the M.Ed. or M.S. Instructional Technology programs requires the following:
- two official copies of all undergraduate and graduate transcripts, including non-degree studies (NDS) at NC State
- satisfactory official scores on either the Miller Analogies Test (can be taken at NC State) or the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) (not older than 5 years)
- a minimum 3.0 GPA on all undergraduate work for unconditional admission
- three letters of reference
- a statement of 500-800 words describing the applicant's professional goals to be accomplished through advanced study
- an interview (if requested by the Department)
Master’s applications are reviewed twice a year by program area faculty. Departmental deadlines for completed Master's degree applications are October 1 (for Spring semester admission) and March 1 (for Summer or Fall semester admission). All supporting documents must be received by the departmental deadline in order for an application to be considered. Late or incomplete applications will have to wait until the next department deadline to be reviewed. Note, the departmental deadlines are earlier than those of the Graduate School. There is no cap on the number of new Master’s students admitted per year, provided they meet the requirements for admission.
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Prospective students should apply online and send all applications materials to:
The Graduate School |
Transfer Credits
Students may transfer up to 12 credit hours into Instructional
Technology Master’s programs from graduate-level courses taken at NC State or
other accredited universities, provided the student earned a grade of “B” or
better. Information on transferring credit hours is provided by the Graduate
School on the following sites: http://www.fis.ncsu.edu/grad_catalog/transfer_credits.htm
http://www.fis.ncsu.edu/grad_catalog/masters_credit_hours.htm
Taking Courses Before Admission
Students may enroll in non-degree studies (NDS) at NC State prior to admission in a Master’s program. As stated previously, up to 12 hours of coursework taken in NDS can be transferred into a Master’s program, should the student be admitted. For further information on NDS, see http://www.ncsu.edu/nds/application/index.html
Special Requirements for Students Seeking 077 Licensure
Once admitted, students seeking 077 licensure must meet three additional requirements: an internship, a midpoint essay, and a portfolio. The I.T. Internship course (ECI 652) provides students with an opportunity to apply research, concepts, and skills, from their I.T. classes to an authentic setting with an identified instructional technology need. The internship is 150 hours, equivalent to a 3-hour course, and includes a weekly reflection and 20-page paper. The completed internship package serves as the program's mid-point gateway in connection with NCATE requirements. Please review the I.T. Internship form for further details, recommended internship sites, and required documentation.
After a student has completed approximately half of their core courses in the I.T. curriculum, they must complete a short midpoint essay not to exceed three double-spaced pages, reflecting on the signature artifacts (i.e., projects) they have completed in each of their core I.T. courses. This essay is another NCATE accreditation requirement for students seeking licensure.
Finally, students seeking licensure must develop an Instructional Technology Portfolio to document their mastery of Technology Leadership Advanced Program Standards. To fulfill the portfolio requirement, students assemble a set of designated signature artifacts (i.e., projects) produced in program area core courses along with assessment details received from course instructors. The portfolio serves as the program's culminating project or completion gateway in connection with NCATE requirements. The artifacts may be organized electronically on a CD or compiled in a notebook. The portfolio is turned in to the student's advisor during the semester in which the student graduates, no later than the last day of classes for the semester. The following signature artifacts must be included in the portfolio if the student took the course:
| Course | Artifact |
| ECI 511, Computer Applications and Curriculum Integration | oral history project |
| ECI 513, Videography for Education | problem context video |
| ECI 514, Multimedia Design and Applications in Instruction | TBD |
| ECI 515, Internet Applications and Web Page Design in Instruction | TBD |
| ECI 517, Advanced Multimedia Design and Applications in Instruction | collaborative web module |
| ECI 652, Internship in Instructional Technology | research paper |
| ECI 716, Design and Evaluation Of Instructional Materials | client project |
Assistantships and Financial Support
Although courses in the Master's programs are moving to an entirely online format, some assistantships are available for students attending school full-time (9 credit hours per semester) who live near Raleigh and can work on campus, renewable on an annual basis. Assistantships typically require 20 hours of work per week, pay $12,000-15,000 per semester depending on duties, and come with tuition remission and health benefits. Several assistantships are based at the Friday Institute on grant-funded projects, providing students with excellent opportunities to engage in research and writing throughout their degree program. Students interested in assistantships should notify the instructional technology program coordinator shortly after they have been admitted to inquire into any open positions.
Other support for graduate studies may be sought through fellowships and scholarships. The Graduate School maintains a page dedicated to financing graduate education.
Contact
For further information about Instructional Technology Master's Programs, please email:
Kevin Oliver, Assistant Professor and
Instructional Technology Program Coordinator
Department of Curriculum and Instruction
602K Poe Hall, Box 7801
College of Education
Raleigh, NC 27695-7801
kevin_oliver at ncsu dot edu
