Program Overview

Master of Arts in Literacy Education

The Master of Arts in Literacy Education, Birth–Grade 6, is a professional certification program designed to prepare students to help children gain the reading and writing skills needed for academic success.

Degree Details

• Official Degree Title: Master of Arts in Literacy Education, Birth–Grade 6
• Licensure or Certification: Leads to eligibility for the New York State Literacy Specialist Certificate
• Format: Full-time or Part-time
• Credits: 30

What You'll Learn

Students will develop expertise as a literacy specialist in general education or within a content discipline through coursework and field experiences. The program focuses on:

• Explicit techniques for teaching reading and writing skills to pre-kindergarten and elementary school students of all learning levels
• Methods for meeting the literacy needs within specific subject areas such as science, math, English, and social studies
• Supportive strategies for the literacy and language development of diverse learners at varying developmental stages, skill levels, and socio-cultural contexts
• A diagnostic-intervention protocol to guide all children's progress toward English Language Arts (ELA) standards
• Leadership skills for facilitating school literacy improvement as a literacy coach

Courses That Synthesize Theory and Practice

The program interprets literacy as the means by which people think, learn, and communicate through reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Courses are designed to help students understand the principles of language and literacy learning, focusing on the development of diverse learners, especially those who are experiencing difficulty with literacy acquisition.

Extensive Field Experiences

Most courses incorporate the application of content in the field, which can be completed in the student's school or classroom if they are a practicing teacher. The required capstone experience is the Clinical Literacy Practicum, where students engage in supervised, long-term individualized tutoring with children who have literacy difficulties.

Careers and Outcomes

Upon graduation, students will be prepared for careers including:

• Classroom teacher or interventionist with specialized expertise teaching reading and writing in public or private preschools and schools through grade 6
• School literacy specialist or literacy coach
• Literacy expert in clinical settings, including private tutoring, dyslexia intervention, and psychoeducational centers
• Editor or publisher of educational materials for literacy teaching and assessment

Admission Criteria

The Literacy Education program is open to candidates who hold or are eligible for initial teaching certificates in Early Childhood or Childhood Education.