E-learning solopreneur 
in Avignon, FR 
since 2020
Introduction
UMGC’s MicroMasters Program in Instructional Design and Technology is an 8-month online academic graduate-level program that prepares students for careers in various settings and industries in places such as educational institutions, corporate training departments, ed-tech companies, or wherever modern digital learning solutions might be needed.
Course provider
University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC) is an American public university accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education that offers a wide range of online degrees and certificates in various fields. The university was originally founded in 1947 as a branch of the University of Maryland to serve adult learners and military personnel who were not able to attend traditional college classes due to time or geographic constraints. With a global presence across more than 20 countries and territories reaching over 90,000 students worldwide, UMGC strives to provide affordable, accessible, and high-quality education to its diverse student body.
Why Choose UMGC? | UMGC. (2023). University of Maryland Global Campus. https://www.umgc.edu/experience/why-choose-umgc
Course Accreditation
The Micromaster is considered a credit-granting professional certificate that is designed to help candidates advance their careers and get them started on a path toward a full advanced degree.
While the MicroMaster certificate enjoys international recognition thanks to its affiliation with Edx and University System of Maryland, only the full master’s program in Learning Design and Technology is fully accredited.
The full master’s program is institutionally accredited by Middle States Commission on Higher Education which allows graduates to continue their education at any other regionally or nationally accredited institution in the country.
Cost
Thanks to the nature of MOOC and various grants helping fund the course’s development, the full cost of the program was only $1,196 as of February 17, 2023, which is far cheaper than a graduate semester at a public university.
This brings the per-credit cost to under 100 dollars which is 6 times lower than the average graduate credit cost in the US.
Cost Per Credit for Master’s Degrees | Gradschools.com
Credit transfer options
Successful candidates are granted 12 credits (out of 36 total credits) towards a full Master’s degree in Learning Design & Technology at the University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC).
Other institutions may also choose to grant some credits towards a full degree at their own discretion as suggested by Edx.org:
MicroMasters programs are designed to offer learners a pathway to an advanced degree and can count as credit toward completing a Master’s degree program. Learners who successfully earn this MicroMasters program certificate may apply for admission to a Master’s program, and if accepted, the MicroMasters program certificate will count towards the degree.
Instructional Design and Technology MicroMasters® Program | edX
Coursework
The 8-month program consists of 4 courses, each focusing on different parts of the learning design process:
- Instructional Design and Technology: Learning Theories
- Instructional Design Models
- Instructional Design: Digital Media, New Tools and Technology
- Instructional Design Course Evaluation & Capstone Project
Throughout the program, participants learn how to design, implement, and evaluate learning experiences and explore subjects such as learning theories, instructional design models, emerging technologies, data analytics, and digital media to help inform the learning design process.
Part of the course work involves building a portfolio that is evaluated by professors at the end of each course.
Apart from the course portfolio, the program is capped by a final capstone project which must be successfully completed to earn the MicroMasters certificate.
