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Online Master of Science in

eLearning


Update your skills and expertise in the growing field of online education while increasing your marketability in today's economy.

 
 

Innovative Design That Inspires eLearning Careers

Open the door to new teaching or training opportunities as an eLearning instructional designer, technologist, administrator or specialist, update your skills in the growing field of online education, and increase your marketability in today’s economy.

Currently one of the most comprehensive online teaching and learning training programs in California and beyond, the MS in eLearning program empowers educators, instructors, trainers, staff and other professionals to effectively design and implement online courses/modules and utilize various technology, tools, and systems for the virtual learning environment.

A Dynamic Program that Puts Your Needs First

The MS in eLearning program focuses on your individual background, taking into consideration your subject area of expertise, current knowledge, and institutional or corporate setting. Throughout the program, you’ll learn about the critical and contemporary practice in the eLearning field and how to transform your course or training materials into an engaging and interactive online experience.

Advance at Your Own Speed

The MS in eLearning degree’s flexible, online format is perfect for busy working professionals like yourself because it allows you to complete course assignments with your own unique schedule--in fact, you never need to be logged in to a class at any specific time.

Cal State East Bay’s MS in eLearning program attracts students from all over the world, providing you with a unique opportunity to engage with culturally diverse educators and collaborate for optimal learning outcomes. You’ll enjoy the hands-on curriculum in which both your facilitator and practitioners in the field along with fellow classmates provide meaningful feedback on specific assignments.

Courses are delivered entirely online as three separate learning units in eight week sessions, enabling you to complete your master’s degree in as little as three semesters. Each semester has two sessions, so if you take two courses per session (a total of four courses per semester) consecutively, you can finish within three semesters (approximately 12 months).

An Expanding Range of Opportunities

Online education is widespread, and the growing demand for quality eLearning designers, technologists, coordinators and educators is only increasing. The skills and proficiency you acquire in the MS in eLearning program can transfer over into almost any field based on your background, including university and college instruction, K-12 teaching, corporate and military training, educational administration, curriculum design, technical support, and other fields requiring design, development, implementation, and teaching services.

Occupational Trends

New Jobs

Employment of postsecondary teachers is projected to grow 12 percent from 2021 to 2031, much faster than the average for all occupations.
—U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Industry Growth

The Educational Support Services industry is projected to grow 23 percent from 2022 to 2032.
Labor Market Analytics – Lightcast

In-Demand Skills

In 2022, educational technologies was one of the top in-demand skills for occupations including: postsecondary teachers, instructional coordinators, and training and development specialists.
Labor Market Analytics – Lightcast


How can an advanced degree in elearning impact your career?
Find out directly from CSUEB graduates. »

Join a Distinguished Community
of eLearning Experts

The demand for online education and training has continued to grow exponentially since the late 1990s, and the need for qualified online trainers and educators is ever increasing.

MS in eLearning graduates leave the program equipped with the competencies necessary to develop curriculum for a completely online environment, making them invaluable in any workplace.


In fact, graduates come from a variety of settings, including higher education, K-12, corporate, non-profit, business, and the military. Here’s just some of what you should expect to achieve as a student in the MS in eLearning program:

  • Assess characteristics of online learners and components of an online teaching & learning environment.
  • Synthesize an effective online teaching and learning environment based on current research, recent innovative ideas, and best practices.
  • Apply teaching strategies, learning theories, and design models to online curriculum development.
  • Apply current teaching and learning tools / technologies to online learning environment.
  • Design a successful implementation of an online program.
  • Develop a well designed quality online curriculum/course.

From online instructors at universities and community colleges to head online trainers for HR departments and companies in the healthcare industry, MS in eLearning graduates have advanced in their career path and secured positions in a variety of settings.



The content that you learn in each course is immediately applicable to your teaching methods. The environment is a catalyst for thought, problem solving and personal growth.

Victor Castillo


I learned sound pedagogy, instructional design models, assessment methods, and other building blocks of eLearning course design. That foundational knowledge, combined with practical real-world application, gave me the confidence to create courses and teach online.

Clarisse Choy


This was an amazing opportunity to continue my learning and to be able to teach in my home country of Colombia from Asia Pacific where I live now. The program was a great influence in my life and a big milestone in my permanent quest of being a good teacher.

Rafael J. Barros


Accessible Anytime, Anywhere

All MS in eLearning courses are conveniently offered online. Classes have a start and end date, and specific assignments with due dates in all units and modules. Once you log into our learning platform, you will find a syllabus and learning modules on how to start working on the course.


All courses are asynchronous, which means you never need to log in at a particular time or on a particular day, though you might want to consider logging in 3-4 times a week in order to complete your individual and group assignments and to participate in various engaging activities. You will also have the opportunity to discuss course content or your progress with facilitators via video conferencing at a time convenient to you and the facilitator.

You can look forward to engaging activities on topics such as maintaining instructor presence in an online course, design principles, innovative ideas in eLearning, teaching strategies, student assessment, and best practices in online teaching and learning. All of these concepts lead up to your final project in which you will completely design your own online course and demonstrate your ability of using technology, tools, and systems effectively.

With a completely online program, you can look forward to communicating with your facilitators and advisors in a variety of ways: email, telephone, chat room office hours, and/or video conference. A high-speed Internet connection is strongly recommended.

All MS in eLearning courses are graduate-level, academic-bearing courses, and most of those courses are certified by national QM as high-quality designed courses.

Degree Requirements

To earn your Master of Science in eLearning, you must complete 10 courses: eight required and two electives. All courses are 3.0 semester units.

You may apply your certificate courses from the Online Teaching and Learning, eLearning Design, eLearning Technology, and/or eLearning Administration Certificate(s) towards the MS in eLearning program. Stackable certificates make it easy for you to complete your master’s degree program.

Course Schedules

View the latest course schedules here.

Required Courses

Each course is 8 weeks (Summer term is 9 weeks). 

Course Units
OTL 601: Introduction to Online Teaching and Learning 3
OTL 602: Instructional Methods for Online Instruction 3
OTL 603: Technology Tools for Online Instruction 3
OTL 604: Designing Curriculum for Online Instruction 3
OTL 605: Educational Planning and Development for Online Programs 3
OTL 606: Research in Online Teaching and Learning
(Will meet the UWSR if completed with at least a “C” grade)
3
OTL 608: Critical and Contemporary Practice in eLearning Design and Technology 3
OTL 693: Capstone Project* 3

*Must be taken in your last semester in the program.

View sample degree completion plans.

Elective Courses

Please refer to MyCSUEB for a current listing of MS in eLearning courses being offered. You will need two electives.

Course Units
Electives (select two; specific electives are only offered during certain terms.)
OTL 672: Content Development for Online Learning 3
OTL 673: Supervising and Evaluating Online Teaching and Learning 3
OTL 680: Building the Online Environment 3
OTL 681: Creating Digital Media for Online Instruction 3
OTL 682: Designing and Implementing User Interfaces for Online Instruction 3
OTL 698: Internship 3

University Writing Skills Requirement (UWSR)

OTL 606 will meet the UWSR if completed with a grade of "C" or better. Even if you have met the UWSR previously (i.e., earned your bachelor's degree at another CSU campus, received an essay score of 4.5 or higher on the GMAT or GRE, or earned an essay score of 53 or higher on the CBEST), you must still take OTL 606 since it is a required course in the program.


Next, meet your faculty. »

Beverly Bondad-Brown

PhD

Since teaching and research are two sides of the same coin, I hope to inspire students to not only improve teaching and learning, but also show the impact through research.

Beverly Bondad-Brown, PhD, is a self-described technology trainer, faculty developer, and active learning advocate. She has worked for over 20 years integrating technology into K-8 classrooms, teaching and training in universities, and as a corporate instructional designer and software trainer. She spent 10 years as Cal State LA’s Director of Academic Technology, managing the instructional design team and overseeing support for the campus LMS and ed tech tools. She is currently the Manager of Instructional Design and Learning Development at Western University of Health Sciences where she oversees the development of eLearning cases and modules used in Western U’s courses.

Dr. Bondad-Brown has a BA in Communication from UC San Diego, an MA in Instructional Technology and Media from Columbia University, and a PhD in Communication from UC Santa Barbara. She is also a QM-certified facilitator and has presented at various conferences throughout California.

Reza Boroon

MBA

Reza Boroon is the academic technology director/ATO at California State University, Dominguez Hills. He has over 20 years’ experience in higher education and the instructional technology field. Part of his responsibilities include but are not limited to conducting face-to-face and online sections of training on the pedagogy and technology ‘Best Practices’ related to online teaching, digital media, and virtual classrooms as well as customizing and maintaining the learning management system used as the eLearning platform by on-campus and distance education faculty and students. Boroon is also an adjunct faculty who teaches online and hybrid courses. He has over 18 years' experience in teaching at college level.

Karen Lackey

Ph.D.

Karen M. Lackey, Ph.D., an educator specializing in technology integration and online learning, researches both the motivating factors for K-12 students to pursue online education and the impacts of critical thinking in the classroom.

Before joining the faculty at California State University, East Bay, Dr. Lackey taught in Montana, Wyoming, Europe, and the Middle East, as well as working in technology support within the energy industry.

Dr. Lackey holds a Ph.D. in Learning Technologies from the University of North Texas, an MS in Online Teaching and Learning from Cal State East Bay, an M.Ed. in Instructional Technology from the University of Houston, and a BA in Political Science from the University of Oregon. She is currently working on an MBA from the University of Wyoming.

Ashley Lonie

MEd

I'm looking forward to helping you navigate the internship process, monitor your progress, and provide individualized support as an industry professional.

Ashley Lonie, MEd, is the founder and CEO of Teamed, a staffing agency that specializes in eLearning professionals. She has a background in K-12 teaching, instructional design, and leading online learning design and development at the university level. She is known as an innovator who established the first university partnership with Audible (an Amazon company) to bring custom audio learning solutions to busy MBA students and helped to establish a high-end story-driven production studio that creates custom, engaging learning, SEI Studios. Lonie is currently focused on connecting professionals across the globe to reimagine, modernize, and improve learning. She holds a MEd in Curriculum and Instruction and a graduate certificate in Instructional Design and Technology.

Alexander Plachuta

Ed.D.

Learning is a process of immersion, where ideas and perspectives emerge to cause meaningful impact.

Alexander Plachuta brings over twenty years of experience from both the corporate and higher education world, with respect to teaching and learning with technology. Dr. Plachuta has been teaching online since 2003 and has been instrumental in online course and degree development, faculty guidance, and student support. In addition, he brings a change agent mentality that is proactive and innovative, which has resulted in the early adoption of practices and policies that have become standard today.

Dr. Plachuta is a graduate of the CSUEB M.S. in Online Teaching and Learning from 2008 and has earned additional degrees from Northeastern University (Ed.D.), Kean University (M.S.) and West Chester University (B.S.).

Angie Portacio

MA Ed.

Now is the time to be innovative in Online Teaching and Learning.

Angie Portacio is a senior instructional designer from the University of San Francisco and worked in higher education for over 20 years. Her expertise ranges from leading and developing faculty development training to online courses. She works with faculty on how to strategically and intentionally incorporate different teaching and course design strategies to enhance teaching and learning in any course modality.

Portacio completed her MA Ed in Instructional Technology and BA in Industrial Design at San Francisco State University. She has experience in teaching online courses for undergraduates, graduates, and faculty. She’s presented at several conferences. She’s currently a member of the Educause Learning Initiative (ELI) Annual Meeting Program Committee, and a certified Quality Matters Peer Reviewer.

Cheryl Saelee

MPP

Cheryl Saelee has worked as a program development coordinator and a distance education manager for a small vocational college before coming to California State University, East Bay as a Senior eLearning Specialist. For the past eight years, she has worked with online faculty to enhance instructional delivery, improve learner assessment strategies, and mitigate the inherent barriers of online learning. Saelee obtained her Masters in Public Policy from Mills College, Oakland, CA. She has co-authored “Reenvisioning an Instructional Design System for Higher Education” which describes best practices developed at Cal State East Bay for developing online courses. Saelee has also presented at numerous conferences including Quality Matters and eLearning and Pedagogies conference, and she recently accepted a Catalyst Award for Leading Change at the Blackboard World conference.

Chris Shaltry

Ph.D.

Chris Shaltry, PhD has spent over 15 years in K-12 and higher education settings designing curriculum, teaching courses in face-to-face, online and hybrid settings, and consulting on technology integration. Dr. Shaltry holds a PhD in Educational Psychology and Educational Technology from Michigan State university where he also works as a curriculum and technology specialist. His interests include issues related to opportunity and access in education, technology integration which produces measurable gains in learning, and technology use in teacher education programs.

Ashley Skylar

PhD

Ashley Skylar, PhD works as manager of the Online Course Services Program with the CSU Chancellor’s Office, Academic Technology Services (ATS) to support campuses in leadership efforts to develop online and hybrid courses. She serves as the CSU Institutional Representative for Quality Matters, manages CSU QM & QLT Formal Course Certifications, and holds various Quality Matters certifications including: Peer Reviewer, Master Reviewer, Course Review Manager, Applying the Quality Matters Rubric Facilitator (F2F & online), and Improve Your Own Course Facilitator. She also leads and facilitates systemwide QM and QLT training for the system. In this role, she also manages campus groups including CSU QA campus leads, instructional designers, and Student Quality Assurance Impact Research (SQuAIR) in online courses. Previous to this role she served 2.5 years as the Director for Online Education for Cal State Online, 8 years as an Associate Professor in Special Education, and 2 years as a Faculty Associate in the Technology Center at CSU Northridge. She has been teaching online since 2001 and previous to higher education was a special education secondary teacher for 8 years in Las Vegas, NV. Dr. Skylar’s expertise areas are in UDL, ATI, Distance Education, Strategic Planning, and Instructional Design.

Meg Taggart

MS Ed.

Even bad news can be good news to have-create opportunities for feedback!

Einstein said, “If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.” The mastery of a good teacher is not only to express a concept simply but to find multiple ways to express it. This can include being open to the co-creation of expression in a constructive learning environment.

Meg Taggart obtained an MS in Education with a concentration in Online Teaching and Learning at California State University, East Bay in 2011. In 2006, she completed a Multimedia Design Certificate Program that inspired her passion for creating engaging eLearning content.

In addition to teaching, Taggart is an instructional designer, academic technology consultant, and learning management system administrator at CSUEB. She is a certified Quality Matters higher education teacher training facilitator.

Her prior roles in education included the design of an Early Childhood Environmental Education program for teachers, as well as operations management and marketing functions.

James Thomas

Ph.D.

James W. Thomas, PhD is a tech writer, college instructor, developer, and researcher with interests in learning design, evaluation, arts and technology, hardware UX, and human performance (human factors).

His PhD is from Arizona State in Educational Technology with a concentration in Arts, Media, and Engineering. His first ecomm site went live in 1997. He is also a musician who's either performed or shared a stage with an eclectic group of musicians ranging from Jazz great Sarah Vaughn to Metal icons Testament, to pioneering performance artist Rachael Rosenthal.

He developed and taught several music and media classes at ASU.

Sheila Thomas

Ed.D.

I have dedicated my professional career to helping working adults succeed, both inside and outside the classroom.

As a working adult who earned two degrees fully online, Dr. Sheila A. Thomas is well acquainted with the opportunities and challenges facing working adults today. She has provided institutional leadership in a variety of areas, including Cal State Online, state authorization, program and policy development, and strategic communication. Dr. Thomas is an experienced facilitator and mentor and completed the Introduction to Teaching Online Using QLT certification through CSU.

She holds a master’s degree from Cal State Dominguez Hills and a Doctor of Education degree in Higher Education Leadership from Northcentral University.

Dr. Thomas has published Women in Higher Education Leadership and the Role of Institutional Support, a book chapter in Research Anthology on Challenges for Women in Leadership Roles, IGI Global, May 2021.

Roger Wen

Ph.D.

Dr. Roger Wen is the founding Sr. Director of the Online Campus at California State University, East Bay. He oversees the campus online teaching and learning operation. Part of his duties include but not limited to the learning management system (LMS) and third-party tools that connect with Canvas (e.g., Zoom, TurnItIn, Panopto, Smart Sparrow, SoftChalk). Dr. Wen was previously the funding dean of the online campus at a private university in Missouri. He was also a tenured professor with educational training in Business Administration, Human Resource Development, and Instructional Technology. He holds a Ph.D. in Technology Teaching/Information Science from the University of Missouri - Columbia.

Karen Yoshino

Ph.D.

The surge in demand for instructional designers is here! And I want to be a part of it!

Dr. Karen Yoshino is a subject matter expert in competency-based education program design, outcomes assessment planning and design, online program strategy, and analytics for program improvement. In addition to her consulting experience in US higher education, corporate and government sectors, she has worked with clients in Hong Kong, Australia, United Arab Emirates, Mexico, and the United Kingdom. In addition to consulting, Dr. Yoshino has served on accreditation teams for the Western Association of Schools and Colleges and has served as the Executive Director of the SAT at the College Board in New York City. She earned her doctorate in Education (Higher Education Leadership) at Claremont Graduate University.

Olena Zhadko

Ph.D.

Design learning for all!

Dr. Olena Zhadko is a dynamic digital learning strategist devoted to advancing the human capital through eLearning. In the last fifteen years, she has provided leadership in designing online learning experiences, infusing best practices into curriculum development, delivery, and assessment through the effective use of technology. Zhadko consults on the topics of strategic growth and scaling of online programs, building capacity and infrastructure for online education, quality assurance and assessment, regulations and compliance for distance learning, instructional and course design, online faculty development and preparation for teaching online, online mentoring, open educational resources, and digital learning.

Zhadko earned her Ph.D. in Education with a specialization in Teaching and Learning and a Master of Education in Adult and Higher Education from the University of Missouri – St. Louis.

Some of Zhadko’s recent publications include the Routledge’s book "Best Practices in Designing Courses with Open Educational Resources (OER)" (2019), as part of the Best Practices in Online Teaching and Learning Series and two chapters for the edited book, "The Learner-Centered Instructional Designer: Purpose, Process, and Practicalities of Creating Online Courses in Higher Education" (Quinn, J., ed. , 2020) with Stylus Publishing.

 
 Swipe left or right for the next/previous instructor
Beverly Bondad-Brown

Beverly Bondad-BrownPhD

Reza Boroon

Reza BoroonMBA

Karen Lackey

Karen LackeyPh.D.

Ashley Lonie

Ashley LonieMEd

Alexander Plachuta

Alexander PlachutaEd.D.

Angie Portacio

Angie PortacioMA Ed.

Cheryl Saelee

Cheryl SaeleeMPP

Chris Shaltry

Chris ShaltryPh.D.

Ashley Skylar

Ashley SkylarPhD

Meg Taggart

Meg Taggart MS Ed.

James Thomas

James ThomasPh.D.

Sheila Thomas

Sheila ThomasEd.D.

Roger Wen

Roger WenPh.D.

Karen Yoshino

Karen YoshinoPh.D.

Olena Zhadko

Olena ZhadkoPh.D.

Admission Requirements

For admission into the MS in eLearning program, you will need to:

  • Hold a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution with a 2.5 GPA*
    • If you have a baccalaureate degree from out of the country, you must have your transcripts evaluated by the International Admissions Office.
    • If your overall undergraduate GPA is less than 2.5*, we will evaluate the last 60 semester units (or 90 quarter units) of upper-division, post-baccalaureate, or graduate-level course-work to determine if you have at least a 2.5 GPA* in those courses.
  • Have content knowledge with background in face-to-face teaching, training, HR, or faculty development. Or, be an aspiring eLearning specialist with interest in design, technology, and/or coordination of elearning programs. Your subject matter background can be from any field or content area.
    • A teaching credential is not required to join the program.

How to Apply

1. Complete the Graduate Application and your Statement of Purpose

Please select: eLearning - MS on Cal State Apply.

Your statement of purpose should explain why you'd like to be accepted to the program, your relevant teaching and/or training background (if any) and how obtaining the degree would fit into your career plans. Make sure to include your contact information in case of questions. The statement of purpose should be addressed to Dr. Roger Wen, Program Director.

You must upload the statement of purpose as part of your Cal State Apply application. Without it, you will not be able to submit your application.

View the guide on how to complete the Graduate Application on Cal State Apply.

2.  Submit your transcripts directly to the Office of Admissions

You can submit official transcripts electronically.  The originating institution must send the transcript directly to  electronictranscripts@csueastbay.edu

E-transcripts are only considered official if it comes directly from the originating institution. It is considered unofficial if the applicant sends an e-transcript.

Alternatively, you can have a hardcopy mailed to our campus:  

Cal State East Bay
Office of Admissions
25800 Carlos Bee Blvd.
Hayward, CA 94542 

The Office of Admissions does not accept composite transcripts. A composite transcript is described as transcripts that contain courses taken at another college and are not considered to be native units earned at that institution.

  • This includes all institutions before and after the award of the applicant’s bachelor degree

If you completed your undergraduate degree internationally, you also must have a TOEFL score of 80 (ibt) for the internet-based test or letter from the college or university certifying that English was the language of instruction. This requirement only applies if you graduated from a country where English is not the official language. Refer to the English proficiency requirement for graduate/post-baccalaureate students.

 


Please note:

  • Although we will continue to review your application if your transcripts arrive after the document deadline date, admission is not guaranteed until your application is considered complete and all your official transcripts have been reviewed by the Office of Admissions.
  • You must already possess an undergraduate degree when you submit your application. Your application will not be processed if your undergraduate degree is still pending.
  • There is no late admission into the program once the semester has started.
  • GRE or GMAT scores are not required.

Admission Deadlines

The application deadlines vary depending on the semester you plan to enter into the program. Please review the Application Information and Deadlines table below. New students are admitted each term.

Term Application Filing Period Transcripts and Other Documents Due By
Fall 2024 10/1/23-6/1/24 6/1/24

*Please order transcripts as soon as you have submitted your Cal State Apply application

For international students, please refer to our International Application and Documents Deadlines.


You must enroll in a class during the semester you are admitted to the program. Failure to do so will result in a "no show" status and your acceptance into our program will be canceled. You cannot defer your enrollment to a future term; you will need to reapply.

Of Related Interest

If you missed the application deadline, you may start as a student in any of the eLearning Certificate programs (such as Online Teaching and Learning, elearning Design, eLearning technology, or eLearning Administration) while you decide whether to continue to the MS degree. Please note that you must still meet graduate program admission requirements.

Still have some unanswered questions? Visit the support center for further information. »

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Common Questions

What are the basic computer and technical skills I should have to be a successful online student in the program?

In addition to having a reliable computer and internet connection, the basic technical/computer skills you must have before taking our courses include knowing how to: use various browsers and search engines (e.g., Google, Yahoo, Firefox); use advanced search commands and evaluate web resources for authority, currency, purpose, and content; install and update software; and save and retrieve files in various formats (Word, .pdf, etc).

General knowledge on how to use programs for creating and editing documents, presentations, and spreadsheets are important, and Microsoft Office programs (i.e., Word, PowerPoint, Excel) are widely used.

You should also take the Online Readiness Self-Assessment to see if our online classes are a good fit and if you have the aptitude and basic computer skills necessary to be a successful online student.

What makes this program unique?

The MS in eLearning is a graduate-level, academic-credit-bearing professional degree program for an aspiring eLearning designer, technologist, administrator or facilitator in whatever field you would like to have your career in.

Students who have joined our program come from various fields and disciplines, including teachers (K-12 and higher ed), instructional designers and trainers. Most continue in their current workplaces, though many also make lateral or upward moves into online teaching and learning administration or tech support.

Who should enroll in this program?

Those interested in the eLearning field and aiming to be aspiring professionals in the eLearning field. The MS in eLearning program does not provide actual teacher training and is not a credential program. Some students in the program are already credentialed K-12 or Adult Ed teachers or teach at the college or university level; or are corporate or non-profit trainers or faculty development specialists. Certain subject matter expertise in a face-to-face teaching/learning setting is helpful for an institution that plans to move their degrees, workshops, or courses into a fully online format.

Is this program accredited?
Yes, the MS in eLearning degree is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). Also, the majority of the courses are certified by the national Quality Matters organization as high-quality courses.
Is the program cohort-based?
The program is not a cohort. For maximum convenience, you can begin in either Spring or Fall semester and you can also fit your academic timeline to your work or family schedule. We have split our semester into two sessions, allowing students to take two courses per session (or a total of four courses per semester). However, you also have the option of taking only one class per session (which is equivalent to two courses per semester) or skip one semester since you are not locked into a cohort arrangement. While you may start out with the same classmates, you are not locked into an inflexible timeline. View sample degree completion roadmap.
Will this program help me obtain a K-12 teaching credential in California?
Coursework in the MS in eLearning program does not meet the requirements for a California K-12 teaching credential. For more information about Cal State East Bay's teacher credential program, visit the Teacher Ed Credential Student Service Center.
When can I start the MS eLearning program?
New students are admitted each Spring and Fall semester. However, you can start taking classes as a Certificate student, without formally applying to the program. You will still need to meet the admission requirements. Please contact the program manager at elearning@csueastbay.edu  for more information about this option.
How quickly can I earn my MS in eLearning Degree?

Courses are delivered entirely online in an eight week format, enabling you to complete your master's degree in as little as three semesters. Each semester has two sessions, so if you take two courses per session (a total of 4 courses per semester) consecutively, you can finish within three semesters.

View sample degree completion plans.

I have a bachelor’s degree but no teaching experience. Will this program help me become an online teacher?
If you plan to teach in higher ed, you will usually need a master’s or higher degree in your specialty area. The program can help show you how to update your current teaching/training materials to best fit your particular set of online learners, in that subject area, for whatever institution you are currently employed by.
Do I need to come to Cal State East Bay's campus to complete the program?
Courses in the MS in eLearning program are completely online. Campus attendance is never required or needed to complete the program.
I am an international student. Can I apply to this program?
Yes, we welcome international students! However, the program is not eligible for the F-1 student visa. If you are admitted, you will have to complete your coursework from your home country or another location. If you are already in the US but under a different visa status, you should contact the Center for International Education first to determine if you are allowed to apply to this program.
Can I complete the class at any time?

Each online class has a start and end date, and specific assignments with due dates in most weeks. But the courses are asynchronous. This means that you don’t need to log into the course at a specific time or on a specific day, as long as you complete the assigned work by the due date. Most of the coursework and assignments allow you to have the flexibility to work ahead and accommodate your busy schedule.

Most students log in 3-4 times a week in order to complete your individual and group assignments and to participate in various engaging learning activities. Once you log into the learning management system (Canvas), you will find a syllabus and instructions on how to start working on the course.

What is the average amount of time I will need to dedicate to the online class?
You will need to spend about 10 to 15 hours per week on each class (including readings, writing papers, participating in discussion threads or other engaging activities).
Will it show on my transcript or diploma that I earned this degree online?
All programs at Cal State East Bay have gone through a careful curriculum review process. It will not show on either your transcript or diploma that you earned this degree online. Your diploma will look exactly the same as other degrees awarded at Cal State East Bay.
Do you have career placement assistance or internships for the MS in eLearning degree?

The majority of students are already teachers or trainers, and the overwhelming majority of them continue in their current workplaces, though many also make lateral or upward moves into online teaching and learning administration or tech support.

If an employer reaches out to us looking for candidates for an online teaching/training position, we post it on our LinkedIn group pages.

Are there special accommodations for students with disabilities?
If you need special accommodations for a disability, please contact the Accessibility Services as early as possible (preferably before the class begins). If you have questions about how students with disabilities are accommodated in online courses, please contact the program manager at elearning@csueastbay.edu.
Does your program allow transferring any prior learning skills, knowledge, or certifications from other organizations?
Yes, currently graduate credits can be awarded toward your MS in eLearning (or eLearning Certificates) if you have completed the QM Teaching Online Certificate (all seven workshops) or the Oregon State University Continuing Education eLearning Instructional Design and Development CertificateIf you would like to check to see if we allow transfer of other organization or professional certificates, contact elearning@csueastbay.edu for more information.

Financing

Is Financial Aid available?

Yes. MS in eLearning students may be eligible for federal Financial Aid. Please note that only loans are available to MS in eLearning students. Our program is not eligible for grants.

Visit the University’s Financial Aid webpage for more information.

If you will be on Financial Aid, you must be enrolled in a minimum of four units for aid to be disbursed. If you need an additional 1-unit course in your final term to meet the minimum requirements for financial aid disbursement, you may enroll in OTL 690 (Independent Study).

Contact Financial Aid for more information: finaid@csueastbay.eduFull-time graduate status for Financial Aid purposes is eight units. You must take three courses per semester in order to fulfill the eight-unit minimum requirement for full-time graduate status.

Is a Payment Plan available?
Yes. MS in eLearning students are eligible for a fee installment plan. For more information about this option, contact studentfinance@csueastbay.edu

Accessibility Services

Does the university provide accessibility services?
Yes, our Accessibility Services department provides academic accommodations and support services to address the individual needs of students with differing abilities, permanent disabilities or temporary disabling conditions. For more information, including program details and contact information, visit csueastbay.edu/accessibility.

Drop and Withdrawal Policy

What is the Drop, Refund, and Withdrawal Policy?

You may drop courses online using MyCSUEB until the end of the University’s Drop Period.

After the Drop Period ends, you can complete a Withdrawal Form (eForm), available on the MyCompass forms page, with an authorized signature from the department responsible for the course(s) until the Withdrawal Deadline. Please refer to the University website for deadline information for the corresponding 7-Week Session of the term.

The date that the withdrawal request form is submitted to the University Records Office determines the amount of a refund. Please see the chart (7-Week Refund Policy) to determine the amount refunded.

Please note: Withdrawals may affect the student’s financial aid eligibility. If you are on financial aid, please contact the Office of Financial Aid before dropping or withdrawing from a course.

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At Cal State East Bay, we pride ourselves on putting students first, from the moment you inquire until you graduate. We hope you've found answers to your questions in this support center, but if not, please get in touch.

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At a Glance

Area of study: Master of Science Degree in eLearning

Ideal for: Those interested in transforming learning content and materials into an engaging and interactive online experience.

The program empowers educators, instructors, trainers, staff and other professionals to effectively design and implement online courses/modules and utilize various technology, tools, and systems for the virtual learning environment.

Program format: Online

Number of courses: 10 courses

Program length: As little as 12 months

Tuition fees: $14,580; $486 per unit (Tuition fees are subject to change at any time.)

Questions?

Please let us know if we can answer any questions about the eLearning program. Many answers can also be found in our online Support Center.

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