Literacy Education: Birth-Grade 12 - M.S.Ed
Department of Education
Office: E268 Thompson Hall
(716) 673-3701
Robert L. Dahlgren, Chairperson
email: dahlgren@fredonia.edu
This program leads to a Master of Science in Education: Literacy Education Birth to Grade 12 degree and recommendations for initial certification in both Literacy Education: Birth to Grade 6 and Literacy Education: Grades 5-12. Program completion results in the ability to teach as a reading specialist, a literary coach, or as informed and literacy-savvy classroom teachers at the level for which they were initially certified. The content of the program includes practicum work, research, and opportunities to provide professional development for paraprofessionals and classroom teachers.
The State University of New York at Fredonia does not have the authority to recommend graduating Literacy candidates for a professional certification in the area of their original initial certification, only for Literacy Education (initial and professional). Graduates of the Literacy program who are interested in applying for their professional certification related to their original initial certification area will have to submit their materials directly to NYSED for individual evaluation through the TEACH online system. Please see the following link for further information about this topic: http://www.highered.nysed.gov/tcert/certificate/relatedmasters.html
Requirements for Admission to the Degree Program with Matriculated Acceptance
Submit a completed Graduate Application to the Office of Graduate Studies, including two current (within six months) letters of recommendation that address the applicant's academic and teaching abilities, official academic transcripts from all prior undergraduate and graduate institutions (except Fredonia), formal score reports from GRE (and TEOFL or IELTS if required), evidence of initial teaching certification and evidence of DASA training.
- Baccalaureate Degree awarded
- Baccalaureate GPA of 3.0 or above
- Completion of the GRE*, with a minimum qualifying score of 272 for combined Quantitative and Verbal Reasoning and submission of a GRE Analytical Writing Score
- Initial teacher certification* for New York State or equivalent
- Evidence of completion of DASA* training
- Interview with Literacy faculty (this is a requirement for all applicants, not just non-native speakers)
- For non-native speakers of English, the following sub-scores on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS):
- TOEFL Reading: 21 or IELTS Reading: 6.5
- TOEFL Speaking: 18 or IELTS Speaking: 6.0
- TOEFL Listening: 15 or IELTS Listening: 6.0
- TOEFL Writing: 21 or IELTS Writing: 6.5
* Applicants may be granted conditional acceptance and then have one semester to meet the conditions.
Program Requirements
Core courses:
| EDU 513 | Literacy in the Content Areas | 3 |
| EDU 552 | Introduction to Literacy Assessment | 3 |
| EDU 570 | Using Educational Research to Improve Instruction | 3 |
| EDU 574 | Multicultural Children's Literature & Technology | 3 |
| EDU 576 | Practicum in Literacy for All Students | 1 |
| EDU 579 | Foundations of Literacy | 3 |
| EDU 583 | Literacy Interventionist Practicum I | 3 |
| EDU 613 | Literacy Interventionist Practicum II | 3 |
| EDU 623 | Advanced Literacy Assessment | 3 |
| EDU 628 | Reading Specialist Practicum | 1 |
| EDU 651 | Issues and Research in Literacy | 3 |
| EDU 659 | Master's Thesis/Project in Literacy | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 32 |
Additional Program Requirements:
It is the candidate's responsibility to be aware of course prerequisites, the Program Assessment Plan and Transition Point Grid, and the required passing grade of B or higher for EDU 552, EDU 583, EDU 613, EDU 651, and EDU 659, as well as the additional program requirements of:
- The New York State Content Specialty Test (CST) in Literacy
- Candidates must pass this CST to become certified in Literacy Education in New York State
- Specific Program Assessments aligned with the International Literacy Association (ILA) Standards
- Program assessments have been designed to meet these standards as part of the institutional accreditation efforts through the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). Candidates will be kept informed of these assessments.
As of December 31, 2013, candidates in all education programs are required to complete training under the Dignity for All Students Act (DASA). Candidates entering the program without the DASA requirement may take an EDU DASA workshop through Fredonia's Extended Learning.