Reading and Language Arts M.S.

Program Rationale:

The Master of Science degree in Reading and Language Arts is designed to prepare literacy professionals who are knowledgeable and competent in providing quality support, who can enhance students' literacy learning, and who meet the standards for reading professionals as defined by the International Reading Association and by state mandates. The master's program offers three strands. Strand I: Classroom Instruction in Reading and Language Arts (30 credits) is designed to prepare teachers for teaching reading and language arts to diverse groups of students in a classroom context. Strand II: Reading-Mathematics (30 credits) is designed to prepare teachers to teach both literacy and numeracy to diverse groups of students in a classroom context. Strand III: Corrective and Remedial Reading and Language Arts (30 credits) is designed to prepare teachers to become reading specialists in compliance with the state standards for advanced certification in remedial reading and remedial language arts.

The candidate's planned program of graduate study totals a minimum of 30 credits and must include the following: either Plan A: RDG 599 Thesis (6 credits) or RDG 599 (3 credits) and RDG 598 Seminar in Reading and Language Arts Research (3 credits) or Plan B: RDG 598 Seminar in Reading and Language Arts Research (3 credits) and Comprehensive Exam, including a field of study (27 credits).

A planned program of graduate study will be developed by the candidate and the program advisor. Based on the program advisor's evaluation of candidate's needs, background, and experiences in reading and language arts, a candidate may need to complete additional coursework for his/her planned program of graduate study and therefore may exceed the minimum of 30 credits.

Program Learning Outcomes:

The Master of Science degree program in Reading and Language Arts is based on the IRA/NCTE standards for reading professionals. In order to prepare knowledgeable and competent reading and language arts classroom teachers and/or reading specialists, students in the program are expected to:

• meet the IRA standards for reading professionals;
• provide leadership, through modeling and mentoring colleagues and other support staff, and acquire a wide range of instructional practices, approaches, methods, and curriculum materials to facilitate their reading and writing instruction;
• be knowledgeable in various assessments appropriate for a wide range of diversity in the classroom, including technologically based assessments, and are able to select, administer, and interpret assessments to enhance student learning and to communicate results to educational stakeholders;
• create a literate environment to facilitate successful reading and writing for all children; and
• continue to be lifelong learners and scholars, through reading, research, and professional development, and leaders in advocating to advance the professional research base to expand knowledge-based practices.