Literacy Education: Grades 5-12 - M.S.Ed

Department of Education

Office: E268 Thompson Hall

(716) 673-3701

Robert L. Dahlgren, Chairperson
email:  dahlgren@fredonia.edu

The program leads to a degree in Literacy Education: Grades 5-12 Master of Science in Education and a recommendation for initial certification in Literacy Education: Grades 5-12. Program completion results in the ability to teach as a reading specialist, a literary coach, or as an informed and literacy-savvy classroom teacher at the adolescent 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 certified 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 without Deficiencies:

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 certification and evidence of DASA training.

• Baccalaureate Degree awarded
• Baccalaureate GPA of 3.0 or above
• GRE scores with a minimum combined Quantitative Reasoning and Verbal Reasoning score of 272 and submission of a GRE Analytical Writing score
• Initial certification for New York State or equivalent
• Evidence of completion of DASA training*
• Interview with Literacy Faculty
• For non-native speakers of English, the following subscores 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

* 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.

Additional Program Requirements

It is the candidate's responsibility to be aware of course prerequisites, the Program Assessment Plan, and Transition Point Grid noting the required grade of B or higher for EDU 552, EDU 623, 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 which candidates must pass to become certified in Literacy Education in New York State
• Specific Program Assessments aligned with the International Literacy Association (ILA) Standards. These 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.