Jun 17, 2026

2026-2027 University Catalog

Curriculum and Instruction: Learning Design and Technology Concentration, PHD

Location(s): West Lafayette

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About the Program

Graduate programs in Learning Design and Technology at Purdue University prepare students to design effective learning experiences and environments that incorporate technology with a special emphasis on inquiry-based, authentic practices in face-to-face and distributed learning settings.

The PhD program in Learning Design & Technology program is a residential program offered on the Purdue West Lafayette campus.

Program Website

Program Requirements

90 Credits Required

(Up to 30 credits from a Master’s or professional Doctoral degree may be applied.)

Required Courses (38-47 credits)

Prerequisite Courses (0-9 credits)

It is expected that students will enter the Ph.D. program having satisfied these basic requirements in advance. If they have not, students will complete these courses at the beginning of the program in addition to other requirements. No more than 9 of these credits total may be applied toward the 90 credits required for the Ph.D. program.

EDCI 51300 - Foundations Of Learning Design And Technology Credit Hours: 3.00
EDCI 53100 - Learning Theories And Instructional Design Credit Hours: 3.00
EDCI 56900 - Introduction To E-Learning Credit Hours: 3.00
EDCI 57200 - Introduction To Learning Systems Design Credit Hours: 3.00

Research Courses (17 credits)

Research Education Course (3 credits)

EDCI 62700 - Current Topics In Learning Design And Technology Credit Hours: 3.00

Qualitative Research Course (3 credits)

EDCI 61500 - Qualitative Research Methods In Education Credit Hours: 3.00

Introductory Statistics Course (3 credits)

Choose one.

COURSES TO ADD:

STAT 501; STAT 511

EDPS 55600 - Introduction To Quantitative Data Analysis Methods In Education I Credit Hours: 3.00
PSY 60000 - Statistical Inference Credit Hours: 3.00
SOC 58100 - Methods of Social Research II Credit Hours: 3.00

Advanced Qualitative or Quantitative Course (3 credits)

Choose one from either list.

COURSES TO ADD:

Qualitative: EDCI 621; COM 585; ANTH 519; ANTH 565; ENGL 599; SOC 609

Quantitative: STAT 502; STAT 512

Qualitative Methods
ANTH 60500 - Seminar In Ethnographic Analysis Credit Hours: 3.00
EDCI 61600 - Qualitative Data Collection And Analysis In Educational Research Credit Hours: 3.00
Quantitative Methods
EDPS 55700 - Introduction To Quantitative Data Analysis Methods In Education II Credit Hours: 3.00
PSY 60100 - Correlation And Experimental Design Credit Hours: 3.00

Research Seminar Course (3 credits)

Contact the Office of Graduate Studies in the College of Education for a list of department-approved substitute courses (Substitutions may not be available for all concentrations.)

EDPS 63000 - Research Procedures In Education Credit Hours: 3.00

Curriculum and Instruction Seminar Courses (2 credits)

EDCI 62800 - Curriculum And Instruction Doctoral Seminar I Credit Hours: 1.00
EDCI 63800 - Curriculum And Instruction Doctoral Seminar II Credit Hours: 1.00

Core Courses (21 credits)

*It is expected that students will take these courses in the designated order as each course builds off the previous course, resulting in a completed research study and write-up.

ADD COURSE AFTER EDCI672:

EDCI 67300

EDCI 66000 - Learning Design And Technology Seminar Credit Hours: 1.00
EDCI 62700 - Current Topics In Learning Design And Technology Credit Hours: 3.00
EDCI 67200 - Advanced Practices In Learning Systems Design Credit Hours: 3.00 Title: Intro to Critical Readings and Research in LDT
EDCI 67400 - Advanced Instructional Design Theory Credit Hours: 3.00
EDCI 69500 - Internship In Education Credit Hours: 1.00 to 10.00 Title: Internship in Learning Design and Technology (Credits: 3.00+)
EDCI 67600 - Unpacking Research: Writing Literature Reviews In Learning Design And Technology Credit Hours: 2.00 *
EDCI 67700 - Unpacking Research: Writing Research Proposals In Learning Design And Technology Credit Hours: 2.00 *
EDCI 59100 - Special Topics In Education Credit Hours: 1.00 to 4.00 * Title: Unpacking Research: Data Collection and Analysis (Credits: 2.00)
EDCI 67800 - Unpacking Research: Writing For Scholarly Publications In Learning Design And Technology Credit Hours: 2.00 *

Learning Design and Technology Electives (12-15 credits)

Students will construct a cohesive program of electives in LDT and related areas of interest. Sample electives include the following. Please note that LDT faculty frequently offer special topic classes (generally listed as EDCI 627 or EDCI 591) which may be taken as Electives in Learning Design and Technology.

Educational Foundations:
EDCI 58500 - Multicultural Education Credit Hours: 3.00
EDPS 53000 - Cognition And Learning In Context Credit Hours: 3.00
EDPS 53100 - Introduction To Measurement And Instrument Design Credit Hours: 3.00
Design:
EDCI 55600 - Educational Video Game Design Credit Hours: 3.00
EDCI 56000 - Educational Technology For Teaching And Learning Credit Hours: 3.00
EDCI 62700 - Current Topics In Learning Design And Technology Credit Hours: 3.00
EDCI 67500 - Instructional Strategies Credit Hours: 3.00
Development:
EDCI 56400 - Integration And Management Of Technology For Learning Credit Hours: 3.00
EDCI 56600 - Educational Applications Of Multimedia Credit Hours: 3.00
EDCI 57500 - Foundations Of Distance Learning Credit Hours: 3.00
EDCI 58800 - Motivation And Instructional Design Credit Hours: 3.00
Workplace Learning:
EDCI 52800 - Human Performance Technology Credit Hours: 3.00
EDCI 57700 - Strategic Assessment And Evaluation Credit Hours: 3.00
EDCI 63300 - Instructional Design Project Management Credit Hours: 3.00

Outside Area Electives (6-28 credits)

Students will take at least two related graduate-level courses in consultation with advisor in an outside area such as Adult Education, Educational Psychology, Management, Psychology, Educational Administration, Technology, Technical Writing, Computer Science, or another field of interest.

Dissertation Research (12-34 credits)

COURSE TO ADD:

EDCI 699

Program Learning Outcomes

GPA Requirements

Education Licensure Disclaimer - GR

For information on which Graduate programs lead to an Instructional or Administrative State of Indiana Educator License, and the obligations therein, visit the Office of Teacher Education and Licensure (OTEL) Graduate Programs website. The Transcript Evaluation and Credential Review (TECR) is the authoritative source for program licensure requirements.

Graduate Programs Disclaimer

The student is ultimately responsible for knowing and completing all degree requirements. Students should consult with their advisor/department for more information.
Not all graduate programs may be actively recruiting students and course modality availability may vary.
Please refer to the Explore Graduate Programs website for a list of currently available graduate programs.
Transfer credit policy: Credits earned for graduate study at other universities (both domestic and international) may be applied toward an advanced degree. Only credit hours associated with graduate courses for which grades of B- or better were obtained will be eligible for transfer. Any additional conditions under which credit transfers may be made are determined by the various departments.
Comparative information about Purdue University and other U.S. educational institutions is also available through the College Navigator tool, provided by the National Center for Education Statistics, and through the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

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