Instructional Design
Certificate Program

Instructional Design

The design of inspired learning

Enroll in Certificate View Individual Courses

Certificate Description

Deliver great learning

The rapidly growing field of instructional design needs qualified people to organize and deliver learning that effectively serves diverse learning styles and organizational goals. This certificate focuses on the principles and practices of traditional settings in K-12 classrooms, colleges, universities, and professional training settings in corporations and government.

Our instructors model the best of instructional design, starting with assessments of each participant’s needs so they can coach you toward the next developmental stage. As a student, you will develop and expand existing skills, build on natural talents and strengths, and learn from assessments any areas in need of special attention. Throughout the program, participants build practical approaches in the following areas:

  • Online learning
  • Facilitation
  • Emerging technologies
  • Intercultural communication
  • Curriculum and training vendor evaluation

If you are interested in developing a cultural proficiency course, learning to teach online, or polishing up on current learning theories and styles, the Instructional Design and Delivery program has both individual courses and a certificate program that lays the foundation for a fulfilling and successful instructional design career.

Cost: $4,500 | International Tuition Cost
Required Credits: Total Required: 8–9 courses/14 units: Take 3 required courses (4 units), 4–5 elective credit courses (8–9 units), and end with capstone course (2 units) followed by certificate of completion review.
Duration: A full-time student can complete the certificate in 9–12 months.

Courses

Course Units Fall Winter Spring Summer
1. Required Courses
Cultural Proficiency 2.0
Instructional Design and Delivery, Introduction 1.0
Learning Theories and Styles 1.0
2. Elective Courses
Building Online Learning Communities 2.0
Designing Online Instruction 2.0
Designing Training Programs 2.0
Facilitation Skills 2.0
Instructional Needs Assessment and Evaluation 1.5
Introduction to Online Teaching 2.0
Role of the Project Manager 1.5
3. Capstone Course
Instructional Design and Delivery, Practicum 2.0
4. Required Certificate Review
Instructional Design Certificate Completion Fee None

Certificate Inquiry Form

Contact Us
Speak to a student services representative.

Call (408) 861-3860

Envelope extension@ucsc.edu

Requisite Knowledge

Ground your instructional design in practical skills

Learn to serve different learning styles. Our instructional design students learn to organize and deliver information to meet organizational goals for all ages and environments—from kindergarten and college to government and corporate training programs. Explore new approaches to online learning, facilitation, the use of emerging technologies, intercultural communication, and the evaluation of curriculum and training vendors.

Instructional Design and Delivery certificate program objectives:

  • Plan and implement assessment and evaluation as they play out in corporate training and university settings
  • Understand the principles of visual design
  • Develop a training program or event
  • Design online courses and build online communities
  • Manage projects and facilitate group conversations

Advisory Board

Certificate Program Chair 

CHRISTINA RI, M.S., Ed.D. is an innovative academic leader, learning experience director, senior instructional designer, project manager, and professor with more than a decade of experience teaching in higher education. Previously she served as a dean of Academic Affairs, chief academic officer, academic director, director of Learning Experience Design, and program chair. A passion for diverse learners inspires her to design engaging, accessible, and effective learning environment.

Ri earned a bachelor's degree from the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University, a Master of Science from the Center for Advanced Digital Applications program at New York University; and a Doctorate of Education with a concentration in Education and Media Studies from Fielding Graduate University. She also studied Human-Computer Interaction for User Experience Design at Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Declaring Candidacy

You can enroll in a certificate program any time during your studies.

Once you create your student account, you can enroll in a certificate program. Although you can enroll in a program at any time, the benefit of enrolling early is that it locks in your certificate requirements. This means that even if program requirements change, the requirements to complete your certificate will remain the same for you.

  • You must enroll in the certificate program before enrolling in the Certificate Completion Review.

You have a total of five years to complete all necessary courses in a certificate program.

All the necessary units in a certificate must be completed within a five-year window. The clock begins on the first day of your first course in the certificate program. For example, if you started a course on Sept. 5, 2017, you would have to complete all of the required units in this certificate by Sept. 4, 2022.

  • Enrolling in a certificate program does not trigger the beginning of the five-year window. It begins the first day of the first course that applies to a certificate program.
  • The Certificate Completion Review process does not have to occur within the five-year timeframe.

Grade Requirements

Please note that only letter grades of C- or higher may be applied to a certificate, and in some programs, students may have more stringent requirements. Students in most employer- and government-sponsored payment programs, such as workforce development, as well as international students on F-1 visas, need to maintain a B average to meet their requirements. Personal Financial Planning students have additional grade requirements for individual courses to attain a certificate.

See Grading and Credits Policy for further information.