This chapter describes the history and philosophy of the professional preparation program for instructional developers at Michigan State University (MSU). The history of the program is traced from the establishment of the MSU Audiovisual Center in 1952 through the Joint Film Catalog and the NDEA (National Defense Education Act) Fellowships in the 1960s, to the Brazil Project for the Agency for International Development (AID) and the Educational Development Program of the late 1960s. The program's history in the 1970s is then detailed, including the evolution of formal coursework in instructional development, the University Consortium for Instructional Development and Technology, and the Instructional Development Curriculum. The current program, its underlying philosophy, and future developments are considered, and the relationship of these developments to the instructional development profession and to other branches of education are discussed. (Author/EW)