Master’s in Learning Design

Program Overview

The future of education and workforce development depends on how well learning experiences are designed, developed, implemented, and evaluated. As organizations across industries invest in digital learning, AI-enabled tools, and performance improvement systems, there is a growing demand for professionals who can rigorously design learning that is strategic, measurable, and impactful.

The M.S.E. in Learning Design program (STEM CIP 13.0501) prepares professional Instructional/Learning designers to lead in the professional field of Learning/Instructional Design and Technology, capable of enhancing education, learning, and work performance across diverse populations and settings. The program’s graduates will hold various job titles (e.g., Instructional Designer, Learning Designer, Training Development Specialist, Instructional Consultant, Learning Engineer, etc.) working across formal and informal K-16 educational contexts, corporate training environments, military sectors, and non-profit or government organizations.

Learn more about the Career Outlook for Learning Design Professionals in the Corporate and Education sectors.

Built on the Jayhawk Flex competency-based model, the program allows students to progress by demonstrating mastery rather than accumulating seat time. Through authentic, portfolio-driven assessments, students produce professional artifacts such as design outlines, stakeholder strategies, assessment systems, data analysis reports, prototypes, and final learning artifacts. Every competency’s course content and assessments are grounded in real-world contexts, ensuring graduates leave with demonstrated capability rather than just theoretical knowledge.

Student Outcomes

At the completion of the M.S.E. in Learning Design program, graduates/professional Learning Designers will be able to:

1. Demonstrate designerly thinking by applying design processes, prototyping, and iterative testing to generate innovative solutions to complex learning challenges.
2. Conduct critical inquiry into learner needs and contexts, integrating diverse sources of evidence to design effective learning environments.
3. Communicate design decisions and learning solutions clearly and persuasively across modalities—including written, visual, oral, and digital formats—to stakeholders, learners, and professional audiences. 
4. Develop, validate, and analyze assessments to measure learning outcomes and communicate results through accessible data visualizations, reports, and presentations. 
5. Critically evaluate learning theories, research, and design models to inform and justify evidence-based learning designs for different audiences.
6. Design inclusive learning experiences that ensure accessibility and responsiveness to different learner characteristics. 
7. Apply principles of ethical responsibility by ensuring privacy, security, and ethical use of learning technologies, as well as adhering to professional codes of conduct in design practice. 
8. Collaborate effectively with subject matter experts, stakeholders, and learners to co-design, adapt, and implement learning experiences that address shared goals.
9. Contribute and manage learning design projects by defining scope, coordinating workflows, and sustaining productive team and stakeholder relationships. 
10. Engage with professional communities of practice to contribute to knowledge building, foster continuous improvement, and advance the field of learning design.