Literacy, M.Ed.

The Literacy Master’s degree is offered both online, typically asynchronously during fall, winter, spring and summer terms, and includes a summer in person practicum experience situated within the graduate student’s area of residence or school district. Graduates from the Literacy program are eligible for Reading Specialist certification.

Admission

All applications for admission to our Teacher Education programs must begin with application to the Graduate School at Shippensburg. The Teacher Education Department (TED) reviews and approves applications. Once accepted into either the Curriculum and Instruction program or the Literacy program, the graduate student is assigned an academic advisor who provides course recommendations and semester-by-semester course sequencing support to ensure that the graduate student meets degree requirements.

At times and under the direction of the academic advisor, the graduate student may be approved to substitute or transfer one or more course(s) into the program, so long as the course(s) meets Shippensburg University policies and practices and include at least a B or higher final grade.

Important admission information follows:

1. Applicants must have a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university.

2. Applicants must present an official transcript showing at least a 2.75 cumulative quality point average for undergraduate studies. Those who do not qualify will be required to take either the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) or the Miller Analogies Test (MAT) prior to admission. Applicants for certification programs must have a 3.0 cumulative quality point average for undergraduate students.

3. Applicants to the Reading Specialist program are expected to have prior certification in either elementary or secondary education.

If the candidate is not presently employed in a school district, the following additional information is required at the time of the interview:

The Pennsylvania State Police Request for Criminal Records Check (Act 34)
The Federal Criminal History Record (Act 114)
The Child Abuse History Clearance (Act 151)

Degree Requirements (30 crs.)

Reading Specialist Praxis Exam

Graduate students in the Literacy Program are eligible for PK-12 Reading Specialist certification. The ETS Praxis Exam and passing score is required for certification as determined by the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

Program Completion

When candidates have been granted program completion status, they are eligible to apply for graduation through Registrar’s office.

For more information on the Reading Program at ship.edu/academics/programs/graduate/reading/.