School of Education
M.Ed. in Literacy
The University of Delaware’s fully online and flexible M.Ed. in Literacy will prepare current teachers and educators for certification as a Reading/Literacy specialist.
Taught by a team of distinguished faculty, you will develop knowledge of the theoretical and evidenced foundations of reading and writing development, plan culturally and linguistically relevant literacy instruction for all students, and support students and teachers in the use of digital literacy tools.
You will also engage with colleagues and school leaders to design and participate in relevant professional development opportunities.
The School of Education online education programs are ranked among the top 30 programs nationally by US News & World Report.
Program structure
This degree program is designed for practicing teachers and educators.
- Fully online
- Part-time
- 30 credits (10 classes) completed over 2 years
- 7-week courses
Program experiences
- Learn within a fully-online and flexible environment
- Develop knowledge of the theoretical and evidenced foundations of reading and writing development
- Plan culturally and linguistically relevant literacy instruction for all students
- Plan and deliver targeted literacy instruction to both English learners and native English speakers in responsive ways
- Support students and teachers in the use of digital literacy tools
- Engage with colleagues and school leaders to design and participate in relevant professional development
- Prepare for certification as a Reading/Literacy Specialist
This online program is designed to allow students to learn through application.
Therefore, you will be asked to apply your classroom content in an educational setting, assessing and instructing K-12 students using a variety of methods and strategies. You will also be asked to engage in coaching and mentoring opportunities.
Your work must be documented with video and submitted to course instructors for their review.
It is the student’s responsibility to obtain required technology, identify appropriate educational settings, obtain appropriate consent, and record and upload videos. Students will receive a consent form template which must be submitted to their instructor at the time of assignment submission.
Required Courses
The M.Ed. in Literacy requires 30 credits of graduate-level coursework. There are no electives. The required coursework includes:
- EDUC601 Language Development in the Classroom (3 credits)
- EDUC 604 Teaching Writing in the Elementary School (3 credits)
- EDUC 608 Literacy Assessment and Instruction I (3 credits)
- EDUC 609 Literacy Assessment and Instruction II (3 credits)
- EDUC 622 The Role of Literacy in Content Areas (3 credits)
- EDUC 630 Supervised Reading Clinic: I (3 credits)
- EDUC 631 Organization and Supervision of Literacy Programs (3 credits)
- EDUC 762 Digital Literacies (3 credits)
- EDUC 763 Supervised Reading Clinic: II (3 credits)
- EDUC 740 Literacy Instruction for English Language Learners (3 credits)
Required Exam
Prior to exit from the program, all candidates are required to earn a passing score of at least 165 on the Praxis II Reading Specialist exam (#5302) as mandated by the Delaware Department of Education certification requirements for Reading Specialists.
Required Technology
Technology plays a vital role in the M.Ed. in Literacy program. Candidates will use technology to communicate with instructors, collaborate with peers, document school-based instruction, and submit assignments. Students are responsible for ensuring access to the following:
- DSL or Broadband Internet connection
- Mac or Windows personal computer with up-to-date antivirus software
- Digital Video Camera or WebCam
- Internal or external microphone
- Sound card with speakers
- Scanner
- Flash Player
- Microsoft Power Point
- Microsoft Word
- Adobe Reader
- UD email
- Adobe Connect
- Canvas
Applicants must meet the university requirements for graduate students and complete the University of Delaware’s online application. For information about graduate tuition, visit UD’s graduate tuition page for CEHD programs. Requirements specific to this program include:
- Baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university.
- Transcripts showing an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher.
- Transcripts showing a minimum GPA of 3.0 for all graduate courses completed (if applicable).
- Three letters of recommendation from individuals who are able to assess the applicant’s academic potential. Letters should be from professors who can attest to the candidate’s suitability for graduate study and supervisors who can comment on the candidate’s professional commitment and experience.
- For students whose native language is not English, an officially reported minimum TOEFL score of 600 (paper-based test) or 250 (computer-based test), and IELTS of 7.0. The program also accepts the iTEP Academic Plus test with a minimum score of 4.5.
- Three written, 500-word essays responding to the following three prompts:
- Outline your short-term and long-term career goals and how a M.Ed. in Literacy relates to them.
- Describe a problem in your professional setting that typifies an issue you would like to pursue as a reading/literacy specialist and why you think it is important to address.
- As you know, the M.Ed. in Literacy program at the University of Delaware is offered online. It requires students to be self-initiated learners and excellent time-managers. Additionally, many of the courses require you to apply what you learn to an educational setting with students. Specifically, EDUC 630 and EDUC 763 require you to tutor a child regularly in reading and writing. Describe (a) how you plan to manage your time so you are able to fulfill your course requirements and (b) how you will identify appropriate educational settings so you can fulfill course requirements. Be specific.
- Demonstrated knowledge of the teaching of oral language, reading, and writing through previous coursework and teaching.
- Preference given to applicants with initial teaching certification and classroom teaching experience. Students must have 3 years of teaching experience by the time they seek certification as a Reading/Literacy Specialist.
- Prior to enrolling, students who teach outside of the state of Delaware are responsible for verifying their state licensing board’s requirements to determine if the UD M.Ed. in Literacy program meets their state’s requirements for reading/literacy specialist certification.
Application Deadlines
Applications for Fall are due August 15.
Applications for Spring A are due January 23, and applications for Spring B are due March 25.
Applications for Summer are due May 27.
Program Faculty
The M.Ed. in Literacy program is taught by full-time faculty in the School of Education. They are renowned in their field for both teaching and research.
