Department of Workforce Education and Instructional Technology

The Department of Workforce Education and Instructional Technology develops informed leaders through teaching, research, and service in learning, design, and technology; and career and workforce development. Programs within the department emphasize creativity and innovation in learning, instruction, scholarship, and outreach.

Our faculty members are diverse and have deep knowledge of teaching and learning within multiple in-school and out-of-school settings. As an interdisciplinary group, we focus on innovative approaches to effective teaching and learning to help citizens develop knowledge and expertise in a variety of areas.

Degree Structure

Concentrations

Learning, Design, and Technology
The Learning, Design, and Technology program trains students in the latest technologies and tools to design and implement lesson and training programs. Our goal is to prepare professionals to identify and analyze learning problems and to then create and implement more effective instruction in its place.
Workforce Education
The Workforce Education program prepares students for leadership, university, and other roles in career and technical education.

Degree Programs

Double Dawgs
Combined Bachelor's and Master's Degrees

BSFCS in Family and Consumer Sciences Education / MEd in Workforce Education
Help others shape their future career choices with a path that combines a BSFCS in Family and Consumer Sciences Education with an MEd in Workforce Education.

Master of Education (MEd)

MEd in Learning, Design, and Technology (Instructional Technology)
The MEd in Learning, Design, and Technology program prepares graduate students to be skilled practitioners and leaders in technology-enhanced education for P-12 schools.
MEd in Learning, Design, and Technology (Online)
MEd in Learning, Design, and Technology (Research-oriented MEd)
The MEd in Learning, Design, and Technology program prepares graduate students to be skilled practitioners and leaders in technology-enhanced education for K-12 schools.
MEd in Workforce Education
Graduates of this state flagship unit take on roles within career and technical education.

Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT)

MAT in Workforce Education (Business Education)
Graduates of this state flagship unit take on roles within career and technical education. The Master of Arts for Teachers degree is designed for those who are not certified to teach in a career and technical education instructional field.
MAT in Workforce Education (Family and Consumer Sciences)
Graduates of this state flagship unit take on roles within career and technical education. The Master of Arts for Teachers degree is designed for those who are not certified to teach in a career and technical education instructional field.
MAT in Workforce Education (Healthcare Science Education)
Graduates of this state flagship unit take on roles within career and technical education. The Master of Arts for Teachers degree is designed for those who are not certified to teach in a career and technical education instructional field.
MAT in Workforce Education (Marketing Education)
Graduates of this state flagship unit take on roles within career and technical education. The Master of Arts for Teachers degree is designed for those who are not certified to teach in a career and technical education instructional field.
MAT in Workforce Education (Engineering and Technology Education)
Graduates of this state flagship unit take on roles within career and technical education. The Master of Arts for Teachers degree is designed for those who are not certified to teach in a career and technical education instructional field.
MAT in Workforce Education (Trade and Industrial Education)
Graduates of this state flagship unit take on roles within career and technical education. The Master of Arts for Teachers degree is designed for those who are not certified to teach in a career and technical education instructional field.

Educational Specialist (EdS)

EdS in Education (Workforce Education)
As the flagship unit for Georgia on workforce research and education, this specialist program prepares graduates to take on roles within career and technical education.
EdS in Learning, Design, and Technology (Instructional Technology)
Enroll in this online program to earn an advanced degree and certificate upgrade in school library media or instructional technology while continuing your career.

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

PhD in Learning, Design, and Technology
This PhD program prepares students for advanced scholarly inquiry related to the design, development, and evaluation of effective interactive learning environments.
PhD in Workforce Education
Delve into the field of workforce education with coursework and a dissertation that will prepare you for research, scholarship, and policy development positions.

Doctor of Education (EdD)

EdD in Workforce Education
The EdD in Workforce Education prepares students for leadership, university teaching, and other roles in career and technical education.
EdD in Workforce Education (Traditional)
The EdD in Workforce Education prepares students for leadership, university teaching, and other roles in career and technical education.

Non-Degree Programs

Certificates

Certificate in eLearning Design
Most of your fellow students will be practicing teachers. This provides you with an excellent opportunity to gain a new set of colleagues, to compare professional experiences, and to develop personal relationships. • The UGA Griffin Campus is located 40 miles south of Atlanta in Griffin, Georgia and plays host to several of the university's programs.
Certificate in Instructional Technology for Teaching
This certificate teaches powerful ways to integrate technology into your own teaching practice by working with world-class faculty, all from the convenience of an online graduate certificate taken in five courses.
Certificate in Learning, Design, and Technology (Undergraduate)
Open to all undergraduate students, this certificate program aims to promote a more meaningful and systematic view of the role of educational technology in P-12, higher education, and corporate learning environments.
Certificate in STEM
The Certificate in STEM requires a minimum of 12 credit hours, with courses that focus on digital learning, robotics, and science and mathematics instruction for children in kindergarten through grade eight.
Certificate in Online Teaching and Learning (Online)
This certificate is ideal for people who are already teaching or who hope to do so in the future, whether in P-12, higher education, or at the corporate level.

Statement on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

The faculty and staff are committed to working toward building and sustaining an inclusive and equitable working and learning environment for all students, staff, and faculty. We believe every member in our department enriches our diversity by exposing us to a broad range of ways to understand and engage with the world, identify challenges, and discover, design, and deliver solutions.

Department Activities that Exemplify DEI Commitment

Diverse faculty
Diverse students
Career mentoring for diverse students
Diversity course (EDIT 6600; WFED 5550/7550, WFED 7560e)
Class projects/assignments focused on DEI/in diverse settings
Research focused on DEI/in diverse settings
DEI-related committee membership
Department purchased an anti-racist book for faculty and staff for voluntary reading/sharing
Participating in DEI-related workshops

Latest News

Assistant professor quoted in Education Week
Lauren Bagdy was recently quoted in Education Week about where teens are learning about climate change.
Associate professor receives two awards from GACTE
Associate professor Elaine Adams recently received two awards from the Georgia Association for Career and Technical Education (GACTE).
Faculty members participate in interdisciplinary research pre-seed program
Five faculty members in the Mary Frances Early College of Education partaking in interdisciplinary research teams received pre-seed funding for their projects.

Study Abroad in Tanzania

Image of a market in Tanzania

Featuring Swahili culture and language, and information and communications technology

Program dates: June 21 - July 16, 2022

Application deadline: Jan. 15, 2022

This program is open to:

Preservice teachers
In-service teachers
Education administrators
Education researchers
Those studying Swahili

Apply Now

For more information, contact Rob Branch or John Mativo .

RAIL programResearch for the Advancement of Innovative Learning (RAIL) was formed to bring educational innovation to the masses. Our current projects cover robotics, forest research studies, and STEM education.

Real-world lessonsProfessor John Mativo is working with students and volunteers to bring modern solutions to a rural village in India. Their sustainable innovations benefit both the residents and the students’ future careers.

STEM educationThanks to public-private partnerships around the world, we are developing innovative curricula and teaching it to educators, preparing the next generation of learners.

Student Organizations

Career and Information Studies Graduate Association (CISGA)

The Career and Information Studies Graduate Association aims to foster relationships and communication between students and faculty in the Department of Workforce Education and Instructional Technology, establishing a shared knowledge and collaboration community. Through the promotion of cross-departmental partnerships and community affiliations, CISGA attempts to increase students’ engagement in professional practices surpassing the university’s boundaries.

Faculty advisor: Ikseon Choi

Instructional Technology Student Association

This organization allows students to learn more about the field of instructional technology through contacts with fellow students, professors, alumni, and working professionals, and through participation in projects.