Instructional Design Graduate Handbook
REMINDER: Check in with your advisor about Fall 2019!
Please follow this link for our Welcome Packet and Graduate Policies Acknowledgment Form. You'll find answers to many of your questions here.
Employers contact the Instructional Design Graduate Program Office regularly to promote job opportunities. Check here and the LinkedIn Instructional Design Alumni Group (see link below) for current postings.
Helpful websites to keep up with the ever evolving field of instructional design.
Learn about the staff, office hours and location of the Instructional Design Graduate Program Office. We're always happy to speak with you!
Academic Program
Follow the links below to review information about the Instructional Design MEd, the Instructional Technology Design Certificate, and the Instructional and Learning Design Certificate. Use this information to help determine what courses match your interests and prepare for meeting with your academic advisor to solidify your course schedule. Please note that UMB credentials are required to view the "Course Descriptions and Syllabi" page.
M.Ed. in Instructional Design
Graduate Certificate in Instructional Technology Design (ITD)
Graduate Certificate in Instructional and Learning Design (ILD)
General program information:
Academic Advising
Learn about the important role the academic advisor plays in guiding each student's course of study and how to contact program advisors.
- The Role of the Academic Advisor
- Meet your advisor:
- Judith Erdman (students with last names beginning with A-L)
- Carol Sharicz (students with last names beginning with M-Z)
Registering for Classes
Follow the links below to learn how to register for classes, what to do if you are not taking a class in a given semester, and how to remove registration holds.
Note: The Instructional Design Graduate Program is located within the College of Advancing and Professional Studies (CAPS). Registration deadlines and holidays for the College of Advancing and Professional Studies (CAPS) may be different from the rest of the UMass Boston campus community. Registration deadlines are also different for matriculated graduate students (those admitted and active in the ID Graduate Program) and for those taking classes as a non-matriculated (non-degree) student. Please see "Registration deadlines to avoid the late fee" listed immediately below.
- Registration deadlines to avoid the late fee (from the Registrar's Website)
- Registration process for students not yet admitted to the program (Non-degree students)
- Registration process for students admitted to the program (Matriculated)
- Registering for blended courses in Wiser
- Registering after the semester starts
- Not taking a course this semester? (Continuous Registration Policy)
- Registration Holds and How To Remove Them
Directions on how to apply to graduate from the MEd program. See deadlines for submitting your graduation application and find information about graduation and commencement.
Find out how to apply for graduation with the Instructional Technology Design Certificate or the Instructional and Learning Design Certificate.
Policies and Forms
Follow the links below to learn how the policies of UMass Boston and the Instructional Design Graduate Program affect you. All Instructional Design Graduate Program students receive the Graduate Policies Acknowledgment Form with their Welcome Packet once accepted into the program (as of Fall 2014). Please sign this form and send it to the Program Office.
- Statute of Limitations (5 years)
- INSDSG Program Email Policy
- INSDSG Policy on Incomplete Grades
- Transfer of Courses and Credits
- Academic Honesty and Student Code of Conduct
- Office of the Registrar - Academic Policies
- Office of the Registrar - Forms
- Academic Regulations - Graduate
- University Health Services - Immunization Requirements
- University Health Services - Sexual Assault Prevention
- Continuous Registration Policy
- CAPS Course Cancellation Policy
UMass Boston Services and Support
UMass Boston provides a wealth of resources for students. Please follow the links below to learn more.
- Ross Center for Disability Services
- Graduate Writing Center
- Healey Library Instructional Design Research Guide
- Counseling Center
- Department of Public Safety
- UMass Boston Alert System
- IT Help Desk
- HOONUIT
- Access to tutorials on Blackboard; Moodle; Canvas; Articulate Storyline; Adobe Captivate; VoiceThread; Camtasia; Adobe Acrobat, Illustrator, Photoshop, Premiere, InDesign, and Dreamweaver; Google Docs; and HTML and CSS
- Attend workshops on how to be an effective online student, use APA formatting, design effective presentations, etc.
- Graduate Student Assembly
Here are answers to commonly asked questions by Instructional Design Graduate Program students and applicants. If you don't see the answer you're looking for, please contact the Program Office.
Please send us your suggestions for how we could make this Instructional Design Graduate Student Handbook wiki more useful to you.
Current and former students are welcome to connect with our office - and one another! - through the UMass Boston Instructional Design Alumni group on LinkedIn. We hope to see you there!