Birth to Grade 12 Literacy, MSED
Program Director: Sheri Voss, A.B.D., Assistant Professor
Phone: 716-375-2368
Email: svoss@sbu.edu
This literacy degree is designed for certified teachers in all grade levels to expand their employment opportunities and skills by acquiring a Master of Science in Education (MSED) degree, thus qualifying them to work with children from Birth to Grade 12. Graduates can go on to a variety of positions: reading teacher, literacy specialist, remedial reading teacher, early childhood specialist, literacy/instructional coach, and/or remain elementary or secondary classroom teachers who have an advantageously strong competence in the classroom. Certification in literacy will give teachers in all grade levels and content areas the knowledge of how to teach students to learn from every type of text across all disciplines. The heart of the program content is teaching students how to fall in love with reading. It includes stellar field experiences and a highly sought-after practicum known as the St. Bonaventure University Reading Center.
Information About Certification
The B-12 Literacy program requires candidates to have met all requirements for initial teacher certification in a matching area (early childhood, elementary, and/or secondary) by the end of their first semester in the program.
The MSED B12 Literacy degree meets the criteria for additional professional certification area in New York.
Upon graduation, teachers will be recommended by the SBU EPPC Office to NYS for dual certification in Literacy Education: Birth to Grade 6 AND Secondary Grades 5-12, at which time the graduate can apply at the NYSED website to take the literacy certification assessment.
Admission Requirements
The admission committee reviews the following in considering candidates for this program:
- Initial (or pending) Teaching certificate in elementary or secondary education
- Note: Candidates can be admitted prior to initial certification (passed edTPA and all NYS required certification tests) with a grace period of one semester from the start of the program to complete certification.
- Official transcripts of all prior college work (3.00/4.00 GPA)
- Two letters of recommendation
- Interview Impromptu writing sample (taken at interview)
NOTE: State law requires SBU to collect immunization records from students taking six or more credit hours in any semester.
Degree Requirements
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| READ-501 | THEORIES/FOUND OF LITERACY | 3 |
| READ-520 | LANGUAGE ARTS | 3 |
| READ-525 | LITERACY SECONDARY SCHOOL | 3 |
| READ-540 | SUPRV/CUR ISS-LITERACY PROGS | 3 |
| READ-550 | TCHNG LINGUISTICALLY/CULTURALLY DIVERSE | 3 |
| READ-560 | LITERACY IN THE CONTENT AREAS | 3 |
| READ-565 | READING INSTRUCTION FOR INDIVIDUALS & SMALL GROUPS:ELEMENTARY/ADOLESCENT | 3 |
| READ-570 | ASSESS/DIAG OF LITERACY | 3 |
| READ-580 | CLIN/PRACT CHILD/LITERACY | 3 |
| READ-595 | CLINICAL PRACT/ADOLE.LIT | 3 |
| READ-599 | LITERACY COACHING INTERNSHIP | 0 |
| EDUC-500 | RESEARCH METHODS IN THE EDUCATION PROFESSION | 3 |
| SPED-510 | INST DESIGN & STRATEGIES | 3 |
| EDUC-599K | EXPERIENCE IN DIVERSE ENVIRONMENTS | 0 |
| Total Credits | 36 | |
Practicum/Internship Requirement
One value of this online graduate level program in literacy is the ability to learn from anywhere with individualized mentoring from a dedicated group of experienced teacher educators.
A hallmark feature of this program is the St Bonaventure University Reading Center (SBURC) Practicum experience. It covers K-12 grade ranges ensuring that teachers get practical experience across grade levels to take with them into their careers.
The SBURC is a highly sought after offering for local parents of the SBU area where students are paired in a unique 1:1 partnership with a NYS literacy certified graduate teacher candidate. This program can occur both on campus or through virtual learning.
Exit Criteria
In order to be awarded the degree in Birth - Grade 12 Literacy, the MSED Literacy student must meet the following criteria:
- A cumulative GPA of at least 3.0
- Clinical practicum in literacy (100 hours)
- Literacy/coaching internship (logged hours of field experiences, e-folio)
- SBU School of Education MSED Literacy Comprehensive Exam (online, take home, pass/fail)