Communication, Media and Learning Technologies Design

Preparing Effective Educators

We prepare the next generation of educational leaders in information and communication technologies.

Students and MST collaborators at Podfest

Who Are We?

We are an interdisciplinary community of designers, educators, and researchers with a shared commitment to thinking broadly about education.

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Welcome to the Communication, Media, & Learning Technologies Design program

The Communication, Media, and Learning Technologies Design program prepares students to develop leadership capacities in the fields of information and communication technologies within education and society. Our students play a constructive role in shaping new innovations in education. The coursework is broad, encompassing video, computer-based media, digital and non-digital game-based learning, and the role of communication and media in society.

Choose Your Degree

We use methods of the social sciences, encompassing both qualitative and quantitative approaches to the study of communication and education. Our courses focus on how education and other social systems change under the impact of new media. We offer three degrees:

Master of Arts (M.A.) in Communication and Education - 32 points
Master of Education (Ed.M.) in Communication and Education - 60 points
Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Communication and Education - 90 points (Beginning in the 2024-2025 academic year, the Ed.D. degree required credit load for this program will change from 90 to 75 credits. Up to 30 credits from prior graduate studies may be transferred, subject to advisor approval. Prospective new students who apply for spring, summer or fall 2024 terms and are successfully admitted will follow the new reduced Ed.D. credit requirements.)

We prepare students to design, develop, implement and evaluate digital games for learning and behavior in both formal and informal educational settings. Our program is unique in that the curriculum is structured to examine game design from a combination of social, cultural, cognitive, and affective perspectives.

Master of Arts (M.A.) in Design & Development of Digital Games - 32-points

Graduate students in our program examine the following questions:

Which emerging technologies hold the greatest promise for enriching learning experiences throughout the educational enterprise?
What cognitive, social, and cultural theories of learning must be considered when designing educational tools, environments, and systems?
How should educators deploy, manage, and evaluate information and communication technologies in classrooms for optimal educational effect?
What principles of design and practice should educators incorporate into distributed educational courses and programs?

We offer three-degree levels:

Master of Arts (M.A.) in Instructional Technology & Media - 32-points
Master of Education (Ed.M.) in Instructional Technology & Media - 60-points
Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Instructional Technology & Media - 90-points (Beginning in the 2024-2025 academic year, the Ed.D. degree required credit load for this program will change from 90 to 75 credits. Up to 30 credits from prior graduate studies may be transferred, subject to advisor approval. Prospective new students who apply for spring, summer or fall 2024 terms and are successfully admitted will follow the new reduced Ed.D. credit requirements.)

We offer two degrees for those wishing to gain initial certification in Technology Specialist in New York State. One is intended for pre-service teachers and the other for those already holind NYS certification in another content area. Both programs prepare individuals to use technology with students and to work effectively with teachers to help them learn to use technology, design curriculum, and implement classroom projects in which technology is well integrated.

Master of Arts (M.A.) for pre-service teachers - 38 points
Master of Arts (M.A.) for certified teachers - 38 points

This program is for those who teach in K-12 schools or who have an interest in working with technology in schools. Students engage in course work through different combinations of online asynchronous discussion forums and web video meetings. Courses in this program emphasize inquiry, reflection, active project work, and interaction between students and between students and instructors.