About E-learning Design And Development (ma) in Cork Institute of Technology

Duration

Online 2 semesters (January to September).

The programme is delivered entirely online using many of the same e-learning tools and technologies which also form the course curriculum. All registered students are also, uniquely, given access to a virtualised desktop which provides all their multimedia software and remote storage requirements for the duration of the course. This means the programme may appeal to those who, for whatever reasons, cannot commit to attending regular face-to face lectures and labs or who simply find the flexibility and convenience of studying at a distance attractive.

Overview

E-learning as a field of study, as an approach to teaching and learning and as an industry, has evolved considerably over the last decade and a half. Governments and policy makers have made e-learning a central imperative of their political educational rhetoric and provide substantial funding initiatives to support its development and mainstreaming. Related policies, practices and requirements with regard to lifelong learning, and continuous education combine with the benefits and wider acceptance of e-learning as a delivery and support tool to make e-learning one of the most rapidly growing areas in both the worldwide education and training sector and the digital media sector today.

Aim

In the above context the programme seeks to produce developers of cutting edge, educationally effective e-learning solutions. Our graduates, subsequently, will go on to work as designers and developers either directly as part of the burgeoning e-learning sector or in support of in-house e-learning and learning technology departments which are becoming mainstream in a number of other areas and industries.

The programme is a Master of Arts and, as such, reflects a special orientation towards, variously, creativity, culture and design, rather than technology per se.

Academic qualification equivalents

• Bachelor's degree (Honours) holders with a minimal overall first division result
• First Class BSc Science/Arts/Commerce three year degree (for MA Global Business Practice/MSc International Business course)

English language requirements (one of the below):

• IELTS 6.5 overall (6.0 for Business programmes)
• IELTS 5.5 in all four components (listening, reading, speaking and writing)
• PTE 60 (63 for integrated programmes)
• PTE 55 in all four components (listening, reading, speaking and writing)