Reading (MS)

Current Catalog Year
2024-2025
Degree
Master of Science
Major / Total Credits
31 / 31
Locations
Online
Accreditation
CAEP
Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation

Unique course content includes Response to Intervention (RTI), Content area reading instruction, literacy for culturally and linguistically diverse students and a strong emphasis in the link between assessment and instruction. While you work toward your master's degree, you fulfill some of the requirements for coursework for Minnesota K-12 reading licensure.

Program Requirements

Common Core

This course focuses on the development of emergent and beginning readers. Students will become familiar with the evidence-based components of literacy instruction for children at this level, including oral language, phonemic awareness, phonics, and word recognition skills.

Prerequisites: none

This course focuses on the administration and analysis of literacy assessments appropriate for emergent and beginning readers. Students will complete a 10-hour in-person or virtual field experience providing instruction at the K-2 level. They will conduct assessments appropriate for the reader and use the results from these assessments to design interventions that are consistent with evidence-based instruction for emergent and beginning readers.

Prerequisites: none

This course provides a comprehensive practicum experience for students in literacy planning, instruction, and assessment. Students will complete an in-person and/or virtual 80-hour practicum experience working outside of their current teaching licensure area. Students will plan, provide, and reflect on evidence-based and data-informed literacy instruction to differentiate literacy instruction based on student¿s cognitive, cultural, linguistic assets and needs.

Prerequisites: none

This course provides a study of the characteristics and causes of literacy difficulties of older students. Students will administer and analyze appropriate assessments to design evidence-based individual and group intervention strategies. Students will complete a case study over the course of 10 hours in which they analyze and identify gaps in literacy data at the individual, group, classroom, and school level at the middle level, and create a plan for how teachers can create data-informed literacy instruction.

Prerequisites: none

This graduate course presents a variety of research-based pedagogical content strategies for literacy and advanced pedagogical strategies for literature-based instruction.

Prerequisites: none

This course provides an overview of current reading policy initiatives, at both the federal and state levels on systemic literacy support systems. Students will also develop professional knowledge related to research and theories in literacy instruction viewed through the critical lens of equity, social justice, and inclusion.

Prerequisites: none

Research/Methods Course(s)

This course focuses on developing skills related to academic writing.

Prerequisites: none

Examines research and theory in education. Explores major research and theoretical thinking in education.

Prerequisites: none

Restricted Electives

Choose 6 Credit(s).

Presents information about elementary learners' writing development, genres for the elementary curriculum, and assessment of elementary students' writing. Research-validated practices for teaching diverse learners will be the focus of the course.

Prerequisites: none

Students will develop expertise in working with culturally and linguistically diverse students in literacy learning. The course focuses on culturally responsive instructional strategies for literacy learning in reading, writing, and oral language to meet the cognitive, linguistic, cultural, and dispositional needs of English learners and culturally diverse learners. English language development, linguistics, academic language, assessment, family engagement, strengthening students' cultural connections, vocabulary development, comprehension strategies, writing instruction, and differentiation are major topics.

Prerequisites: none

Develop skills, knowledge, and dispositions related to technology use for literacy learning in the elementary classroom.

Prerequisites: none

Capstone Course

For students completing a Master's degree with the alternate plan paper option.

Prerequisites: none

For students completing a Master's degree with the creative project option.

Prerequisites: none

For students completing the Master's or Specialist degree using the thesis option.

Prerequisites: none

Degree Plan

First Year

Fall - 6 Credits

This course focuses on the development of emergent and beginning readers. Students will become familiar with the evidence-based components of literacy instruction for children at this level, including oral language, phonemic awareness, phonics, and word recognition skills.

Prerequisites: none

This course focuses on the administration and analysis of literacy assessments appropriate for emergent and beginning readers. Students will complete a 10-hour in-person or virtual field experience providing instruction at the K-2 level. They will conduct assessments appropriate for the reader and use the results from these assessments to design interventions that are consistent with evidence-based instruction for emergent and beginning readers.

Prerequisites: none

Spring - 6 Credits

This course provides a study of the characteristics and causes of literacy difficulties of older students. Students will administer and analyze appropriate assessments to design evidence-based individual and group intervention strategies. Students will complete a case study over the course of 10 hours in which they analyze and identify gaps in literacy data at the individual, group, classroom, and school level at the middle level, and create a plan for how teachers can create data-informed literacy instruction.

Prerequisites: none

This graduate course presents a variety of research-based pedagogical content strategies for literacy and advanced pedagogical strategies for literature-based instruction.

Prerequisites: none

Summer - 6 Credits

This course provides an overview of current reading policy initiatives, at both the federal and state levels on systemic literacy support systems. Students will also develop professional knowledge related to research and theories in literacy instruction viewed through the critical lens of equity, social justice, and inclusion.

Prerequisites: none

Examines research and theory in education. Explores major research and theoretical thinking in education.

Prerequisites: none

Second Year

Fall - 6 Credits

This course focuses on developing skills related to academic writing.

Prerequisites: none

Students will develop expertise in working with culturally and linguistically diverse students in literacy learning. The course focuses on culturally responsive instructional strategies for literacy learning in reading, writing, and oral language to meet the cognitive, linguistic, cultural, and dispositional needs of English learners and culturally diverse learners. English language development, linguistics, academic language, assessment, family engagement, strengthening students' cultural connections, vocabulary development, comprehension strategies, writing instruction, and differentiation are major topics.

Prerequisites: none

Spring - 3 Credits

Presents information about elementary learners' writing development, genres for the elementary curriculum, and assessment of elementary students' writing. Research-validated practices for teaching diverse learners will be the focus of the course.

Prerequisites: none

Summer - 4 Credits

This course provides a comprehensive practicum experience for students in literacy planning, instruction, and assessment. Students will complete an in-person and/or virtual 80-hour practicum experience working outside of their current teaching licensure area. Students will plan, provide, and reflect on evidence-based and data-informed literacy instruction to differentiate literacy instruction based on student¿s cognitive, cultural, linguistic assets and needs.

Prerequisites: none

For students completing a Master's degree with the creative project option.

Prerequisites: none