Full or part-time cohort program
Our 36-credit program can be completed in one year (fall, spring, summer semesters) by participating in our full-time cohort program. We also offer the option to enroll part-time, which gives you flexibility to maintain employment while pursuing the degree over 2-3 years.
We admit students on a rolling basis, and students can start the program during the fall or spring semesters. However, the program culminates with a final project that can only be completed during the summer semesters, with final presentation taking place on the last Friday of July.
For full-time students, each semester includes 12 credit hours of coursework (four courses) and 3 credit hours of internship (one course), which are earned by providing eight hours a week worth of service to your internship. The program concludes with two 8-week summer sessions.
For part-time students, each semester typically includes 6 credit hours of coursework (2 courses). In the second year, students often continue taking 6 credit hours of coursework and 3 credit hours for their internship (one course) each semester.
The program of studies includes:
- 12 credit hours in core courses across the fall and spring;
- 12 credit hours of courses in your specialized concentration across the fall and spring;
- 6 credit hours of internship during the fall and spring; and,
- 6 credit hours of MA thesis project during the summer sessions.
Core Courses
- EDUC 767: Educational Innovation & Technology, Integrative Seminar I, 3 credit hours
- EDUC 789: Educational Innovation & Technology, Integrative Seminar II, 3 credit hours
- EDUC 761: Design of Emerging Technologies for Education, 3 credit hours
- A “Learning Sciences” course (e.g.: EDUC 825 or EDUC 915), 3 credit hours
Specialized Concentrations
You will choose one of the following specialized concentrations. Each concentration has a different set of course recommendations based on its focus areas. The availability of courses for MEITE students changes each year, and the courses listed below are example courses that fill the requirements. You will work with your academic advisor to identify the courses that work best for you and are available. The design of your internship and thesis project will also depend on the concentration you choose.
When selecting courses, please understand that due to the interdisciplinary nature of the MEITE program, the availability of courses often changes. You will work with your academic advisor to navigate those changes, so we can find the best available course for you!
Please note, we do allow students to select courses from UNC Online to help fulfill their course concentration requirements, and UNC Online lets students take courses offered by a consortium of universities that comprise the UNC systems. Students are allowed to register for 3.0 credit hours per semester via UNC Online, and they will need their academic advisor’s approval to ensure the course fits into their plan of study.
The Edupreneur
The Edupreneur utilizes the core concepts for design thinking to develop and prepare for the launching of unique, innovative ventures in the field of educational innovation. This track is ideal for students who wish to begin their own startup or join an early-stage startup.
Internship Placements:
The internship course is EDUC 701: Practica Student Internship, 6 credit hours.
- Technology Startup
- Business Accelerator or Incubator
- App Developer
More about the MEITE internship.
Core Focus Areas & Course Recommendations
Business & Entrepreneurship – choose 6 credit hours
- MBA 848 A, B, C, and D: Startup UNC, 1.5 credit hours per section
- BUSI 504: Launching the Venture, 1.5 credit hours
- BUSI 505: Consulting to Entrepreneurial Firms, 3.0 credit hours
- BUSI 507H: Sustainable Business and Social Enterprise, 3.0 credit hours
- A course selected through UNC Online can be used for this requirement, with approval of your academic advisor
Marketing – choose 3 credit hours
- MEJO 475: Concepts of Marketing, 3 credit hours
- MEJO 477: New Media Technologies: Their Impact on the Future of Advertising, Marketing, and Public Relations, 3 credit hours
- MEJO 550: Business and the Media, 3 credit hours
- BUSI 522: Personal Branding and Professional Relationships
- BUSI 558: Digital Marketing, 3 credit hours
- BUSI 566: Marketing Strategy, 3 credit hours
- A course selected through UNC Online can be used for this requirement, with approval of your academic advisor
Learning Analytics – choose 3 credit hours
- EDUC 795: Learning Analytics, 3 credit hours
Final Project: Venture Plan and Prototype
The final project course is EDUC 992: Thesis, 6 credit hours.
For this project, you will identify and define a problem that exists and its impacts on specific populations. You will then use design thinking principles to develop a venture plan and prototype that is feasible, desirable, and scalable. The venture plan is a combination of a business plan and marketing plan. The prototype is a website, wireframe, or device that has been tested by target users and revised based on their feedback.
The Innovative Specialist
The Innovative Specialist gains a deep understanding of the trends, research, and budgetary issues related to leadership, business, and innovation in educational organizations. This track prepares you to work in innovative roles within departments of educational organizations, including companies, schools, districts, and non-profits.
Internship Placements:
The internship course is EDUC 701: Practica Student Internship, 6 credit hours.
- EdTech Company
- Digital Marketing Firm
- Departments of Innovation
More about the MEITE internship.
Core Focus Areas & Course Recommendations
Choose one course from each of the following four focus areas.
Business Finance – choose 3 credit hours
- BUSI 407: Financial Accounting and Analysis, 3 credit hours
- BUSI 408: Corporate Finance, 3 credit hours
- BUSI 520: Advanced Spreadsheet Modeling for Business, 3 credit hours
- BUSI 584: Financial Modeling, 3 credit hours
- A course selected through UNC Online can be used for this requirement, with approval of your academic advisor
School Structure – choose 3 credit hours
- EDUC 740: Cultural Leadership for the School Executive, 3 credit hours
- EDUC 741: School Inquiry and Reform for the School Executive, 3 credit hours
- EDUC 742: Law for the School Executive, 3 credit hours
- EDUC 750: Empowerment Strategies for the School Executive, 3 credit hours
Innovation – choose 3 credit hours
- BUSI 521: Design Thinking: The Innovation Process for Complex Problems, 3 credit hours
- BUSI 552: Strategic Innovation, 1.5 credit hours
- BUSI 564: New Product Development, 3 credit hours
- BUSI 623: Global Entrepreneurship I, 1.5 credit hours
- A course selected through UNC Online can be used for this requirement, with approval of your academic advisor
Current Issues in Education – choose 3 credit hours
- EDUC 533: Social Justice in Education, 3 credit hours
- INLS 534: Youth and Technology in Libraries, 3 credit hours
- EDUC 535: Teachers and Schools, 3 credit hours
- INLS 539: Going the Last Mile: Information Access for Underserved Populations, 3 credit hours
- EDUC 574: Representations of Education in Documentaries, 3 credit hours
- EDUC 764: Current Issues in Literacy, 3 credit hours
- EDUC 765: Global Child: Development and Education, 3 credit hours
- EDUC 776: Gender, Race, and Class Issues in Education, 3 credit hours
- EDUC 867: Issues in Educational Policy and Research, 3 credit hours
Final Project: Industry Analysis & Business Profile
The final project course is EDUC 992: Thesis, 6 credit hours.
For this project, you will identify an industry within the field of educational technology (e.g., eLearning, textbooks, AR/VR, psychometrics, etc.). You will then complete an analysis of that industry, which consists of a history of the industry, trends taking place within it, high performing entities within the industry, and predictions for its future. Next, you will select a current business to profile. The profile will provide an overview of the business and contextualize it within the industry. Next, you will evaluate the business based on its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities for growth, and threats to its potential success. You will conclude the profile with innovative recommendations for the business that will advance its market share.
The Learning Engineer
The Learning Engineer uses instructional design principles along with analytics to create engaging, collaborative, learning experiences that are centered on students. This track builds the knowledge and skills needed to work in school districts, universities, textbook companies, eLearning providers, training departments, and non-profit organizations.
Internship Placements:
The internship course is EDUC 701: Practica Student Internship, 6 hrs
- Learning Management Companies
- Corporate Training Departments
- Offices of Innovation
- Digital Curriculum Developers
More about the MEITE internship.
Core Focus Areas & Course Recommendations
Learning Analytics – choose 3 credit hours
- EDUC 795: Special Topics (Learning Analytics w/ Dr. Bernacki), 3 credit hours
Digital Design – choose 6 credit hours
- MEJO 487: Intermediate Interactive Media, 3 credit hours
(Prerequisite: MEJO 187) - MEJO 583: Advanced Interactive Media, 3 credit hours
(Prerequisite: MEJO 487) - MEJO 588: Emerging Technologies, 3 credit hours
- A course selected through UNC Online can be used for this requirement, with approval of your academic advisor
Instructional Methods – 3 credit hours
- EDUC 790: Teaching and Learning in Digital Spaces, 3 credit hours
Final Project: Framework for Instructional Design & Full Online Course
The final project course is EDUC 992: Thesis, 6 credit hours.
For this project, you will put forward your own instructional design framework based on previously published scholarly works in the learning sciences, your own experience, and best practices employed by instructional designers. You will need to provide a written and visual explanation of your framework. Second, you will select a topic for your online course, then develop a full course (a minimum of 15 modules or activities). In addition, you must complete a model response for each assignment and activity.
The Adaptive Learning Analyst
The Adaptive Learning Analyst gains the data science skills needed to analyze information sets for themes and patterns to support learning and teaching. Its focuses include designing digital learning environments that feature adaptive learning elements along with the quantitative research skills needed to evaluate data collected by those environments and elements. This concentration prepares students to find employment with educational technology companies and organizations as data analysts and scientists.
Internship Placements:
The internship course is EDUC 701: Practica Student Internship, 6 hrs
- EdTech Companies
- Instructional Technology Departments
- Quantitative Research and Data Science Initiatives
- Teaching and Learning Units
Core Focus Areas & Course Recommendations
Statistical Methods, 6 credit hours required
- EDUC 710. Introductory Statistical Methods, 3 credit hours
- EDUC 784. Intermediate Statistical Methods, 3 credit hours
Learning Environments, 6 credit hours required
- EDUC 795. Learning Analytics
- EDUC 846: Personalized and Adaptive Learning
Final Project: Digital Environment Featuring an Adaptive Learning Element
For this project, you will create an online educational environment that features a learning element. The element will be dynamic in that it is responsive to the data it gathers from authentic users (e.g., K12 or university students), and examples of that data include responses to questions, frequency of user engagement, and behaviors within the environment. Once data is collected, the element will provide users with feedback based on the data along with recommendations and resources.