4+1 Instructional Design and Learning Technologies Accelerated Program

The Master of Arts in Instructional Design and Learning Technologies Accelerated Program, or 4+1 program, is designed for undergraduate students in the Instructional Design and Learning Technologies major who have the interest, and demonstrated ability, to pursue a Masters degree. The program is designed to allow students who complete the BA in Instructional Design and Learning Technologies to fulfill the requirements of the MA in Instructional Design and Learning Technologies with one additional year of graduate study.  This will be achieved by combining a portion of undergraduate and graduate coursework as described below.

To be eligible for the program, a student must:

• Be enrolled in the undergraduate Instructional Design and Learning Technologies program at the University of Michigan-Dearborn.
• Have a 3.0 cumulative GPA or better.
• Have earned at least 60 credits at the undergraduate level.

1. The 4+1 Masters program allows current UM-Dearborn undergraduate Instructional Design and Learning Technologies majors to complete both the BA and MA in Instructional Design and Learning Technologies degrees in an accelerated format. 4+1 students can double-count up to 15 credits of 500-level or above courses. Double-counting these 15 credits between the BA and MA programs saves students a total of 5 classes.  In addition, in accordance with the campus Course Level Assessment Policy, undergraduate students are charged undergraduate tuition rates for graduate level courses. As a result, the cost of completing the Masters degree is reduced by more than $12,000, assuming part-time enrollment at resident tuition rates.

The courses eligible to be double-counted include (can only double count 5 of the eligible classes):

• EDT 501
• EDT 502
• EDT 514
• EDT 520
• EDT 522
• EDT 530
• EDT 562

2. At least one additional year of graduate work (at least 15 credits) would be needed to complete the Master's program.

3. The double-counted classes appear on both the undergraduate and graduate transcripts.  Students are graded based on the graduate grading scheme for all graduate courses elected. Only graduate level courses can be double counted towards both the undergraduate and graduate degree.  Students are not allowed to count undergraduate coursework towards a graduate degree.

1. Participation in the 4+1 program is limited to students who have:
   a. completed at least 60 undergraduate credit hours
   b. earned a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0
    
2. Admission to the 4+1 program is at the discretion of the CEHHS Director of Master’s Degree Programs.
    
3. Applicants to the 4+1 program must apply for the MA in Instructional Design and Learning Technologies program through the online graduate program application and indicate a "Yes" response to the 4+1 accelerated program question.  Students must submit a letter of recommendation from an Learning Technology faculty member or instructor and official transcripts.
    
4.  4+1 students must enroll in the MA in Instructional Design and Learning Technologies program for a minimum of two full terms, paying full tuition. 4+1 students do not dual register and should utilize their graduate registration, not their undergraduate registration, to complete the remaining credits of the graduate program.
    
5. Students must attain a grade of B or better in each 500 level class double-counted or transferred to the graduate program.  Failure to do so may result in removal from the 4+1 program.  Students may be given the opportunity to retake courses once they complete their undergraduate degree.

To complete the 4+1 program in five years students will have to complete any remaining required EDT courses and 3 foundational courses.  The following table shows a sample course schedule for the last three years of the accelerated program.  In this schedule it is assumed that students take 15 credits of graduate coursework as undergraduates, which leaves them with 15 credits to complete as graduate students.   Students taking less than the full 15 credits as undergraduates may require more than one year to complete the Masters program.  The courses shown in the table are only the graduate level courses that would be required to complete the MA in Instructional Design and Learning Technologies.  It is assumed students would fill in other requirements for their undergraduate degree as needed.

Sample Course Schedule

YEAR 3

• Fall : EDT 501, EDT 502
• Winter: EDT 514

YEAR 4

• Fall: EDT 530
• Winter: EDT 522
• Summer: EDT 520

YEAR 5

• Fall: EDK 500
• Winter: EDT 562, EDC 505
• Summer: EDA 501

Program Notes

The undergraduate degree for 4+1 students can be conferred upon completion of the undergraduate degree requirements, rather than after completion of the graduate degree.

CEHHS Office for Student Success
262 Fairlane Center South (FCS)
[email protected]
313-593-5090