Dec 08, 2024  
2024-2025 SUNY Potsdam Academic Catalog 
    
2024-2025 SUNY Potsdam Academic Catalog

Literacy, M.S.Ed.


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The fully online Literacy Program offers a Master of Science in Education that prepares candidates to serve in the field of literacy education. The following describes the requirements for the Literacy Program.

Program Student Learning Outcomes:

Literacy M.S.Ed. candidates will be able to:
  

  • design and implement an evidence-based, supplemental, and intervention approach and program after interpreting multiple learner data sources of a student’s reading and writing challenges.
  • develop a project proposal that can strengthen family-school community partnerships, and enhance literacy learning and development, within the focus school.
  • communicate with the classroom teacher to compose a thematic unit, supporting learners’ needs, interests, and abilities.
  • develop a research plan to discover best practices for teaching culturally linguistic and diverse learners.

Program Requirements

  1. The fully online Literacy Program offers a Master of Science in Education that prepares candidates to serve in the field of literacy education. Candidates must hold Initial teacher certification or complete this within the first 12 credits of the program. Students will not be able to register for any additional courses, beyond 12 credits, if they have not obtained initial certification.

  2. Six credit hours of undergraduate or graduate (from Initial certification programs) study in literacy education focusing on teaching methods are required within the first 15 credit hours completed. Students will not be able to register for any additional courses if they have not completed these prerequisites by that time.

Candidates in the Literacy program are eligible to obtain Initial certification in one of the following levels as well as satisfying the academic requirements for Professional certification in their Initial New York certification area:

· MSED Literacy Early Childhood and Childhood (Birth-Grade 6)

· MSED Literacy Middle Childhood and Adolescence (Grades 5-12)

The Literacy program is nationally recognized by the International Literacy Association (ILA) and is currently accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) until 2028.

In accordance with New York State certification regulations, candidates for the Literacy program must have preparation in general education at the level they are seeking in literacy certification. For example, candidates holding a certificate in Early Childhood or Childhood Education may enroll only in the Literacy Birth-Grade 6 program. Candidates holding a certificate in Middle Childhood or Adolescence Education may enroll only in the Literacy Grades 5-12 program. Candidates holding certificates in K-12 areas (i.e., Art, Music, Physical Education) should consult with Literacy Program.

Additional Degree Information

All degree candidates are required to complete a supervised field experience designed to synthesize and apply the academic experience.  For candidates in the Literacy program this requirement is fulfilled by completion of the practicum.  (GRDG 690 /GRDG 691  or GRDG 696 /GRDG 697 ) or by completing the yearlong six-credit internship (GRDG 699 ). While New York state certification requirements have set a minimum of 50 clock hours in the field, candidates in our programs can expect to serve additional hours. Candidate progress is carefully monitored throughout the program, based on demonstration of appropriate knowledge, skills, and dispositions. Candidates are provided with information on program expectations in the first semester. Candidates not making satisfactory progress will be counseled by their adviser and may be dropped from the program.

Literacy Course Requirements


A minimum of 30 credit hours with an overall grade point average of 3.0 or higher is required for the granting of the Master of Science in Education, Literacy degree. The 30 credits include 15 Core Requirement credits plus 15 credits in one of the Concentrations (including the clinical experience requirements).

Concentration Requirements: 15 Credits


Complete one of the following concentrations as appropriate for the original certification:

Early Childhood/Childhood Literacy, Birth-Grade 6: 15 Credits


OR


Total Credit Hours Required: 30


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