Literacy Education (Master of Arts)

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The Master of Arts in Literacy program offers courses that focus on teaching issues and practices related to an integrated language arts curriculum, and prepares teachers for Reading Specialist endorsement. Appropriate material is considered in terms of learners from diverse backgrounds and school settings. Coursework outside the literacy core has been designed to support and enhance an individual student’s program of study.

The program prepares individuals with elementary or secondary teaching certification to apply for Reading Specialist endorsement. The Literacy program complies with the guidelines on Advanced Reading Education of the International Reading Association.

Requirements.

Literacy core (30 credits).
1. Prerequisite courses (9 credits).
    EDR 543 - Foundations of Literacy.  (initial course in the program)
    EDR 645 - Literacy Instruction for Students Identified with Special Needs.  (prior to
    EDR 646 )
    LIN 520 - Linguistics for Teachers.  (prior to EDR 522 )

2. Additional literacy courses (18 credits).
    EDR 522 - Teaching English Language Learners in the K-12 Classroom.
    EDR 544 - Integrated Language Arts throughout the Curriculum: Theory into Practice.
    EDR 646 - Literacy Assessment in Elementary/Middle School.
    EDR 670 - Reading and Writing Development/Research and the Construction of Meaning.
    EDR 672 - The Literacy Specialist.
    EDT 641 - Technology: Focus on Literacy Learning and Instruction.

3. Literature course (3 credits). One from:
    EDR 530 - Children’s Literature.
    EDR 532 - Multicultural Children’s Literature.
    EDR 537 - Adolescent Literature.
Additional Electives (6 credits).* From:
EDE 500 - Contemporary Issues in Learning and Teaching.
EDR 520 - Reading and Writing Development of Young Children.
LIN 521 - First Language Acquisition.
EDR 530 - Children’s Literature.
EDR 532 - Multicultural Children’s Literature.
EDR 535 - Folklore and Storytelling.
EDR 537 - Adolescent Literature.
EDR 546 / ENG 512 - Writing for Middle and Secondary School Teachers.
EDE 601 - Contemporary Issues in Educational Policy in a Pluralistic Society.
EDE 670 - Research Seminar.
EDR 699 - Seminar in Literacy.

*Note: When a candidate has undergraduate coursework equivalent to core courses, additional electives will be selected in consultation with an Education advisor to complete a total of 36 credits.

Reading Specialist Certificate Endorsement

Upon successful completion of the Master of Arts in Literacy program and the Reading Specialist (Test Code 92) Michigan Test for Teacher Certification, graduates with teaching certificates from the State of Michigan will be eligible for Reading Specialist certificate endorsement (coded BR in Michigan). This endorsement allows teachers to teach reading and language arts as a special subject in grades K-12.