To best meet the needs of our students, we have decided to suspend enrollment in the Master of Arts in Literacy Education, Birth–Grade 6. We encourage you to explore other programs in the Department of Teaching and Learning.
Not Accepting Applications
Prepare to help children from birth through grade 6 gain the reading and writing skills needed for academic success. You’ll develop your expertise as a literacy specialist in general education or within a content discipline through course work and field experiences, and become eligible for the New York State Literacy Specialist Certificate.
Degree Details
Official Degree Title
Master of Arts in Literacy Education, Birth–Grade 6
Licensure or Certification
Format
Full-time or Part-time
Credits
30
Nationally recognized, full-time faculty members will teach most of your courses, ensuring that you learn:
- Explicit techniques for teaching reading and writing skills to pre-kindergarten and elementary school students of all learning levels
- Methods for meeting the literacy needs within specific subject areas such as science, math, English, and social studies
- Supportive strategies for the literacy and language development of diverse learners at varying developmental stages, skill levels, and socio-cultural contexts
- A diagnostic-intervention protocol to guide all children's progress toward English Language Arts (ELA) standards
- Leadership skills for facilitating school literacy improvement as a literacy coach
Courses That Synthesize Theory and Practice
We interpret literacy as the means by which people think, learn, and communicate through reading, writing, listening, and speaking. You will take courses designed to help you understand the principles of language and literacy learning, focusing on the development of diverse learners, especially those who are experiencing difficulty with literacy acquisition.
Extensive Field Experiences
Most courses in our program incorporate the application of content in the field. These assignments typically may be completed in your school or classroom if you are a practicing teacher. Each instructor supports the identification of field placements for assignments as needed. Our required capstone experience is the Clinical Literacy Practicum. In the clinic, you engage in supervised, long-term individualized tutoring with children who have literacy difficulties.
The Literacy Education program is open to candidates who hold or are eligible for initial teaching certificates in Early Childhood or Childhood Education. This degree leads to eligibility for the New York State Literacy Specialist Certificate. Upon graduation, you’ll be prepared for a number of careers including:
- Classroom teacher or interventionist with specialized expertise teaching reading and writing in public or private preschools and schools through grade 6
- School literacy specialist or literacy coach, including through the NYC DOE literacy specialist hiring initiative
- Literacy expert in clinical settings, including private tutoring, dyslexia intervention, and psychoeducational centers
- Editor or publisher of educational materials for literacy teaching and assessment
Learn more about teacher certification and our degree's accreditation.