Graduate Certificate in Instructional Design

At a glance

Credential: graduate certificate
Credits: 9
Next start: see program details

If you want to improve your instructional design expertise in a short time, the online Graduate Certificate in Instructional Design is an excellent way to build your skills and knowledge.

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About Graduate Certificate in Instructional Design

Elevate your skills in distance education with Athabasca University's online Graduate Certificate in Instructional Design. This 9-credit program focuses on key aspects like applying learning theory, program evaluation, and developing materials in a project-based setting—perfect for practitioners eager to meet the rising demand for instructional design expertise. With a flexible timeline of up to 2 years to complete the program and the option to ladder your credits into our Master of Education in Open, Digital, and Distance Education, you can tailor your learning journey to fit your life.

Admission requirements

Admission requirements include a baccalaureate degree or equivalent education and experience.

See full Graduate Certificate in Instructional Design admission requirements

Program details

Overview

This program is intended for practitioners who are specifically interested in:

applying learning theory to instructional design
applying program evaluation concepts in distance education
applying current Instructional Systems Design (ISD) models to distance education
developing instructional materials in a project-based setting

The Graduate Certificate in Instructional Design is a 9-credit online graduate program. You must complete at least 6 credits through Athabasca University. All courses are online grouped study, with defined start and end dates.

As Graduate Certificate in Instructional Design courses are part of the Master of Education in Open, Digital, and Distance Education (MEd) program, you will take your courses with MEd students.

Why take the Graduate Certificate in Instructional Design?

As distance education and web-based learning grows and evolves, so too does instructional design. Professional instructional designers and educators with instructional design skills are in demand.

With the Graduate Certificate in Instructional Design, you can upgrade your skills to meet this demand and get a graduate-level credential in 2 years or less.

Application deadlines and start dates

Application deadline	Start date
Jan. 15	spring
May 15	fall
Sep. 15	winter

Routes and options

Ladder to a master’s degree

Once you have completed the Graduate Certificate in Instructional Design, you may apply to the MEd program. If you’re admitted, your Graduate Certificate in Instructional Design credits may be applied towards the MEd degree.

Completion times

You can take up to 2 years to complete all requirements.

Tuition and fees

A non-refundable convenience charge will be charged when using Visa or Mastercard to pay student fees. American Express is no longer an accepted method of payment. For more information on the convenience charge, please visit the Financial Services website.

The following fees are effective for courses starting Sep. 1, 2024 to Aug. 31, 2025. All fees are quoted in Canadian dollars and are subject to change. Academic-related fees are exempt from the Federal Goods and Services Tax (G.S.T.). G.S.T. is added to all other goods and services, for example, workshops, some publications, self-help seminars, and Athabasca University promotional sales items.

program application and admission fees
Program application fee (non-refundable) required each time a person applies:	$197
Program admission fee (payable upon acceptance into the program and non-refundable):	$255
Non-program application fee (non-refundable) required only once and waived if previously an AU student:	$124

Course tuition fees (includes all required materials)

fees for students living in canada and out
Students living in Canada:	$1,975¹
Students living outside Canada:	$2,220¹

¹ Graduate Certificate in Instructional Design (GCID) Course Tuition fees now include a Course Administration fee of $167 and Course Materials fee of $37 per course, plus the Athabasca University Graduate Students Association (AUGSA) fee of $14 per credit.

Estimated program tuition cost (2024-2025)

The total tuition cost for a student living in Canada who takes all courses from Athabasca University, would be $5,925 ($1,975 x 3, three-credit course equivalents). The AUGSA fees, Course Administration and Technology fee, and Course Materials fee are included in the above calculation. Application and admission fees are not included.

Other fees

other fees
Transfer credit evaluation fee (one time):	$348
Transfer credit evaluation fee (international)(one time):	$348
Letter of Permission fee:	$100
Western Deans' Agreement administration fee (non-AU visiting students)	$250/course
Course extension fee:	$334
Course withdrawal processing fee¹:	$453
Continuation (program extension) fee. Same as course tuition fees (see above).
AU Graduate Student Association Fee (per credit)	$14

¹The course withdrawal processing fee is a mandatory administrative fee charged when a student withdraws from a course. For early withdrawal only, the student will be refunded the full course tuition fees (see above) less the course withdrawal processing fee. Refer to Course Withdrawal.

Continuation fees

Continuation fees are the same as course fees. Continuation fees are normally assessed when program students do not register in the required six credits per academic year of course work. Continuation fees may be charged to students that exceed the maximum completion time limit.

Fee information effective Sep. 1, 2024 to Aug. 31, 2025.

Courses

The Graduate Certificate in Instructional Design program at Athabasca University offers a structured learning path that spans three 13-week semesters each year, giving you up to two years to complete the requirements. To keep your program status, you'll need to complete 6 credits each academic year, adhering to specific grade requirements in both core and elective courses. And don't worry, you have the flexibility to ladder your earned credits into higher-level programs like our Master of Education in Open, Digital, and Distance Education if you choose to continue your educational journey.

To complete the program you will need to fulfill all the general requirements of the Graduate Certificate in Instructional Design.

Our program regulations plans can give you an idea of what courses you need to finish this program.

Program regulations

Courses to explore

Below are some of the courses that our students take in this program.

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Career options

Earning a Graduate Certificate in Instructional Design from Athabasca University can open doors to careers such as instructional designer, e-learning developer, or training consultant in various sectors including education, healthcare, and corporate settings. With the growing emphasis on online and distance education, your skills will be in high demand, offering you a versatile and fulfilling career path.

Depending on your experience and goals, careers may include:

instructional designer
e-learning developer
training consultant
curriculum developer
learning and development specialist
educational technologist
content strategist
project manager in educational settings
online course coordinator
user experience designer

Resources and links

Additional information that you need to know about AU and this program.

Program resources

Additional resources

Program contact

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