Among the careers you can choose in the field of education, a “behind the scenes” career is online college course development. Given the growing popularity of online education, there is a growing need for ongoing course development across a wide range of subjects, so all those students will have coursework to study and complete. Online college course developers fill an important role in working with a team of professionals to write, develop, and deliver valuable online courses.

The minimum degree for entry-level online college course developer jobs is a bachelor’s degree, although most universities that hire course developers prefer master’s degrees. Most potential employers of course developers prefer experience, or at entry-level, at least the ability to demonstrate competence and skill in course development.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) does not refer directly to course developers, but places them under the category of instructional coordinators, or training and development managers. For instructional coordinators, the BLS projects a 20 percent job growth rate between 2013 and 2020, which is faster than average among other industries. For training and development managers, the BLS projects a 15 percent job growth rate between 2013 and 2020, which is about as fast as average among other industries

How to Become an Online College Course Developer

In order to become an online college course developer, you will need a minimum of a bachelor’s degree, while a master’s degree is preferred. Those interested in course development typically earn degrees in education, with a concentration in the area of instructional design, curriculum and instruction, educational technology, e-learning, or some combination of those areas.

Professional educators Oblinger and Hawkins emphasized the course development for online learning is not the same as teaching online, because online course developers must understand and implement the following core concepts:

• Pedagogy–including developing effective, targeted learning objectives.
• Technological expertise–including knowledge of content or learning management systems.
• Instructional design–aligning effective learning activities with their relevant learning objectives.
• Knowledge of copyright and intellectual property laws.
• Ability and creativity to develop and deliver courses that are dynamic and conducive to learning in the online environment.

How Online Education Can Help

Adult learners are typically busy people with current careers and other demands on their time from partners and families. Online education, with its 24/7 accessibility and flexibility, allows you to pursue your degree as an online college course developer even as you meet your other obligations.:

Your college courses will teach you about the following concepts and skills:

• E-learning principles and theory
• Instructional design
• Online education pedagogy
• Learning objectives development
• Educational technology
• Ethics in online courses
• Assessment and evaluation

Here on our Web College Search site, we provide instructions to help you choose the right school program to suit your needs and preferences. Just fill out our convenient sign-up form here on the site to get all the relevant details about the school/s of interest to you.

It’s also essential to fill out your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to save time when you apply to the school/s of your choice that offer online college course developer degrees. Come back to our site often to enjoy our valuable articles and benefit from other resources as you advance your career as an online college course developer.

Considerations for a Career as an Online College Course Developer

According to May 2012 statistics from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the following details applied to the respective roles:

Instructional Coordinators: About 133,100 instructional coordinators were employed nationwide. The median annual wage was $60,050, but annual wages ranged from a low of $34,270 to a high of $93,500.

The job outlook for instructional coordinators from 2013 to 2020 varies, but the BLS predicts a 20 percent increase in job openings. This translates to a rise from 2012 figures of 133,100 to about 166,900 instructional coordinators employed by 2020.

Training and Development Managers: About 27,350 training and development managers were employed nationwide. The median annual wage was $95,400, but annual wages ranged from a low of $54,700 to a high of $164,640.

The job outlook for training and development managers from 2013 to 2020 varies, but the BLS predicts a 15 percent increase in job openings. This translates to a rise from 2012 figures of 27,350 to about 34,100 training and development managers employed by 2020.