Reading and Literacy, M.A.

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Effective Spring 2017 - The Master of Arts in Reading is not accepting any new students. Students interested in earning the Reading Teacher endorsement to their initial license may wish to pursue the Reading Teacher Endorsement Certificate .

Current students, please refer to the FAQ web page linked here to learn about the “teach out” process. Please meet with your Academic Advisor regarding your current Study Plan.

The College of Education Master of Arts in Reading and Literacy program prepares teachers to be reading specialists and literacy coaches and to deliver staff development to teachers who serve an increasingly diverse student population. The program is designed for persons holding an Illinois (or comparable out-of-state) Early Childhood, Elementary, Secondary, or Special teaching license and who either have, or will have, completed at least two years of appropriate teaching experience before admission to candidacy in the M.A. program.

M.A. in Reading and Literacy students take courses in reading-related subjects, including reading diagnosis, reading remediation, the psycholinguistic and sociolinguistic foundations of literacy, developing school reading programs, and narrative and expository writing instruction. Practicum experiences at both the elementary and secondary levels and completion of an action research project are required.

The M.A. in Reading and Literacy program has Nationally Recognized Status from the International Reading Association. Knowledge areas and competencies incorporated into the program’s required course work are based on those identified by the Professional Standards and Ethics Committee and the Advisory Group to the National Council of Accreditation of Teacher Education Joint Task Force of the International Reading Association.

Up to nine credit-hours in previous graduate Reading course work may be applied to degree requirements (see below for restrictions). Credit-hours earned in EDPD or undergraduate courses cannot be applied toward degree requirements.

Note: The M.A. in Reading and Literacy program prepares students for the role of Reading Specialist. A subset of eight courses prepares students for the role of Reading Teacher. The Illinois State Board of Education explains the difference between these two roles as follows: “Although there is overlap between the roles and requirements for these endorsements, a ‘Reading Teacher’ is one whose assignment involves teaching reading to [K-12] students. Generally, this new endorsement title is the successor to the 18-hour ‘reading’ endorsement. A ‘Reading’ Specialist is one whose assignment involves the provision of technical assistance and/or professional development to other teachers, as well as teaching reading to students. Generally, this certificate/endorsement is the successor to the previous K-12 reading certificate” (Patton, ISBE, 6/30/04). See below for details about Reading Teacher options.

Program Admissions

The Reading Teacher Endorsement program is offered in a cohort format with the majority of the courses offered online or as a hybrid delivery mode. Admission to the M.A. in Reading program is available at two points each year: summer term and fall term.

Applications for summer term admission are due by February 15; applications for fall term admission are due by May 15.

After meeting the university admission criteria, in order to continue in the program, students must submit to the College of Education all components of the complete application packet, before completing their first term’s course work (READ-6210 or READ-6220 ). These are due by August 1 for those students beginning the program during the summer term and by November 1 for those students beginning the program during the fall term. The complete application packet includes:

transcripts showing a cumulative G.P.A. of 2.75 or higher in all undergraduate work attempted and all grades in graduate course work at a “B” or better;
syllabi and/or detailed narrative descriptions of previous graduate reading course work to be evaluated for transfer credit (see below for restrictions);
scores from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) (General Test), including a score of 4 or higher on the Writing Subtest;
a valid Illinois or comparable out-of-state initial, standard or master teaching license;
evidence of having passed the Test of Academic Proficiency of the Illinois Licensure Testing System or evidence of possessing an Illinois teaching license that required passing this test; and
evidence of two years teaching experience in a recognized public or private school as directed in the application materials prior to candidacy (READ-7240 ).

After the student has completed six hours in READ coursework the faculty will review this information and recommend that the student be permitted to continue in the program, continue in the program conditionally, or recommend to the division chair that the student be dismissed from the program. To receive a recommendation to continue, the student must meet the knowledge, skills, and disposition standards outlined in the Licensure of Teachers and Other School Professionals section of this catalog, as well as earn a grade of “B” or better in each READ class.

Note: Those applicants who previously acquired ISBE 24-hour Reading Teacher endorsements through GSU course work (taken no more than six years prior to application for admission to the M.A. in Reading program) must submit all of the above materials, including GRE scores, prior to enrolling in the first of their additional ISBE Reading Specialist endorsement/certification and M.A. in Reading courses.

Conditional Continuation

The faculty may permit a student to progress conditionally. In such cases, faculty review of the applicant’s record and performance identifies evidence that the student will likely be successful in the program. The status of all students permitted to progress conditionally is reviewed by the faculty each term, and students are informed in writing of the conditions necessary for them to be transferred to good standing status. When conditions are met, students are informed in writing of the transfer to good standing status. A student may not be admitted to READ-8260 , READ-8270 , READ-8828 , or the culminating project (EDUC-8999 ) without achieving good standing status.

Candidacy

To continue in the program, the student must apply for and be accepted as a candidate for the M.A. in Reading after completing 12 hours of graduate course work that must include the following four courses: READ-6200 , READ-6210, READ-6220 and one additional READ course listed on the student study plan. Candidacy must be attained prior to enrollment in READ-7240 , which in most cases will be taken during the student’s third term in the program.

Students must submit to the Division of Education Graduate Advising Office an application for candidacy by the end of the first month of the term they expect to have completed the courses required for candidacy (i.e., their second term). Application forms are available via the student portal of the GSU website - College of Education Graduate Programs.

To qualify for candidacy, a student must:

have an approved degree study plan;
have completed the courses listed above with a grade of “B” or higher; and
receive a positive recommendation from the reading faculty.

Note: Those applicants who have acquired ISBE 24-hour Reading Teacher Endorsement through GSU course work (taken no more than six years prior to application for admission to the M.A. in Reading program) must apply for candidacy before the end of the first term during which they take additional, required courses for ISBE Reading Specialist endorsement/licensure and the M.A. in Reading degree.

Student Progress

The program faculty monitor and evaluate student progress continually. The section Licensure of Teachers and Other School Professionals in this catalog provides a general description of the standards used to evaluate student progress. A more detailed statement of the standards and processes followed by the reading faculty is available in the Graduate Reading Student Handbook.

Student Handbook

The Graduate Reading Student Handbook referred to in this catalog is available via the student portal of the GSU website - College of Education Graduate Programs.

Program Requirements

In addition to meeting all university requirements for a master’s degree, students:

must earn “B” or better in each course;
may apply a maximum of nine hours of course credit from other accredited institutions toward the degree requirements, subject to approval by the faculty of the M.A. in Reading program;
must complete all required course work, including transfer credits, within eight calendar years;
must display the dispositions expected of graduate students as listed in the Licensure of Teachers and Other School Professionals section of this catalog;
must have candidacy before being admitted to READ-7240 ;
must take the required comprehensive examination for the program during the term immediately following completion of READ-8260 or READ-8270 , whichever is first;
must provide evidence of having passed the ILTS Exam (176 Reading Specialist) and/or the program comprehensive exam before being admitted to READ-8260 ; and
be recommended by the M.A. in Reading program faculty.

Course Requirements for M.A. in Reading

Total - 36 Hours

NOTE: A maximum of nine credit-hours of previous graduate reading course work may be applied to the degree requirements. Only courses potentially equivalent to specific M.A. in Reading courses (READ-6190 , READ-6200 , READ-6220 , and READ-6230 ) will be considered. Courses must have been taken no longer than six years prior to application for admission to the M.A. in Reading program. Petitions and documents for these applied credits must be submitted before or at the same time as application for admission to the M.A. in Reading program. No courses taken at other institutions after starting course work for the GSU M.A. in Reading may be applied.

All petitions for transfer credit will be evaluated by the M.A. in Reading faculty. Under no circumstances will previous course work that does not closely match one of the above GSU READ courses be applied for credit to the GSU M.A. in Reading degree. This restriction is necessary in order to maintain the program’s accreditation.