University of Southern Maine

• Master of Science in Education (M.S.Ed.) in Literacy Education
• Master of Science in Education (M.S.Ed.) in Literacy Education,
  English as a Second Language concentration

Master of Science in Education (M.S. Ed.) in Literacy Education

The Master's level program in Literacy Education provides students with a sound theoretical and empirical knowledge base relating to literacy acquisition. Through this program, students become informed decision makers who are capable of designing and implementing appropriate up-to-date instruction in reading and writing at all levels. Students acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to become effective advocates for improving literacy instruction in their schools. The program is designed for classroom teachers, literacy specialists, and other experienced educators whose primary responsibility is helping students to become competent users of language.

The M.S. Ed. in Literacy Education requires 36 hours of coursework and successful completion of the clinical experience, EDU 639. A positive recommendation by faculty is a prerequisite to enrollment in this final phase of the program. Students seeking Maine certification as a literacy specialist through this program must also pass the Praxis II exam required by the State. Suggested courses to begin with are EDU 626, EDU 511 or EDU 513, EDU 620, EDU 559 or EDU 562.

Program Requirements (36 credits)
The following courses are required of all candidates for the master's degree. If a course is waived for any reason, it may be replaced with an elective.

First tier courses

• EDU 626 The Writing Process
• EDU 511 Children's Literature or EDU 513 Adolescent Literature
• EDU 620 Reading Development and Instruction
• EDU 559 Aspects of Multilingual Learners or EDU 562 Linguistic and Cultural Diversity
• EDU 600 Research Methods and Techniques

Second Tier Courses

• EDU 514 Improving Teaching in the Content Areas
• EDU 607 Teacher Research in Literacy
• EDU 621 Literacy Problems: Assessment and Instruction
• EDU 622 Designing and Managing Literacy Instruction, PS-3 or
  EDU 521 Electronic Literacy in Education

Third Tier Courses

• EDU 634 Seminar in Literacy Research
• EDU 639 Practicum in Literacy Education

Comprehensive Exam
The comprehensive exam is a take-home exam based on core content areas in Literacy. Students select three questions to respond to during the exam. The questions are drawn from a pool that students preview before the exam, to facilitate the review and synthesis of information. The exam is taken in conjunction with EDU 634.

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Master of Science in Education (M.S. Ed.) in Literacy Education, English as a Second Language Concentration

The M.S. Ed. in Literacy Education with a concentration in English as a Second Language provides students with a sound theoretical and empirical knowledge base relating to language acquisition for English Language Learners (ELLs). The coursework emphasizes literacy development in the second language and is designed to provide classroom practitioners with the skills to assess language deficiencies properly and implement instruction to improve learner proficiency for competent language use. The program requires 36 credit hours of coursework and leads to Maine endorsement as a teacher of ESL. Suggested courses to begin with are EDU 626, EDU 620, EDU 559, EDU 561.

Program Requirements (36 credits)

• EDU 626 The Writing Process
• EDU 514 Improving Teaching in the Content Area Through Literacy
• EDU 620 Reading Development and Instruction
• EDU 559 Aspects of Reading for Multilingual Learners*
• EDU 561 Aspects of the English Language*
• EDU 562 Linguistic and Cultural Diversity in the Classroom*
• EDU 563 ESL Language Testing and Assessment*
• EDU 600 Research Methods and Techniques
• EDU 607 Teacher Research in Literacy
• EDU 635 Seminar in Second Language Literacy
• EDU 639 Practicum in Literacy Education (6 credits)

*State endorsement in ESL requires professional teacher certification as well as coursework in ESL instruction. These courses meet state requirements and should be selected with the guidance of an advisor. The state also requires an additional course for ESL endorsement - EDU 558: Content Based Curriculum for English Language Learners. As of October 2009, we are working on modifying our program to include this course in our curriculum.

Comprehensive Exam
The comprehensive exam is a take-home exam based on core content areas in Literacy. Students select three questions to respond to during the exam. The questions are drawn from a pool that students preview before the exam, to facilitate the review and synthesis of information. The exam is taken in conjunction with EDU 635.

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