Learning Design and Technology (LDT)

Program Requirements

Students must complete at least 45 units at Stanford to receive the master's degree in LDT. The following constraints are placed on those 45 units:

• All courses must be at or above the 100 level. Courses numbered below 100 do not count toward the master's degree.
• At least 23 units (half of the total minimum units) must be at or above the 200 level. EDUC 180 and 190 count toward this requirement.
• At least 30 units must be from courses offered by the Graduate School of Education (EDUC units).
• At least 15 units must be taken for a letter grade (as opposed to Credit or Satisfactory).
• A 3.0 GPA must be maintained for all courses applied to the master's degree.
• All students must enroll in a minimum of 8 units during Autumn, Winter and Spring Quarters, and cannot exceed 18 units in any quarter (exception: HCP students take 3-7 units)
• LDT students are required to register for exactly 6 units in the Summer quarter. The remaining 39 units need to be completed in Autumn, Winter and Spring quarters. 
• English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOLLANG) and Athletics, Physical Education and Recreation (ATHLETIC) courses cannot be applied towards the master's degree.
• See the “Coterminal Degree” section for unit requirements applying to students admitted through the coterminal degree program.

Required Courses

Note: All course information is subject to change.
Please consult ExploreCourses and Axess for final course offerings.

Internship

Students must register for a minimum of one unit of Education Internship Workshop (EDUC 215 or equivalent) for at least two quarters during the year. A maximum of 9 internship units are accepted for the master's degree.

Electives

Recommended electives for LDT include a range of courses related to learners and education. Students may take electives from any department at Stanford, with advisor's approval. Also, students are encouraged to approach professors for Directed Reading (EDUC 180) on a topic of special interest to them.

Learning Portfolio and Master's Project

The online Learning Portfolio consists of substantial work done during the year, together with a reflection on the learning represented by that work. The Master's Project consists of a design project conceived and developed by the student. The project proposal and reports will include a description and analysis of the learning problem, the theoretical approach and research used to address it, the design proposal, prototypes, and learning assessments. The Master's Project must be submitted to the student's advisor for approval by the end of winter quarter and presented to the public late in the summer. Both the Learning Portfolio and the Master's Project Report are due in summer quarter.

2024-2025 List of Pre-Approved Courses