Reading M.S.Ed.

CIP: 131315

The complexities of developing approved instructional programs have brought about a demand for highly-trained specialists. This program is designed to prepare students as reading specialists (administrators and supervisors of reading programs, reading clinicians, and teachers of reading) at elementary through secondary levels. The course of study affords the opportunity for application of the learned skills in closely supervised developmental, diagnostic, and remedial reading situations.

Prerequisites for this program are:

1. A valid teaching certificate.
2. Two or more years of classroom teaching experience.

Prerequisites for K-12 Certification in Reading are:

1. A course in child psychology and a course in adolescent psychology or a combined course in child and adolescent psychology (at least 3 semester hours).
2. A course in the introduction to special education or education of the exceptional child of at least 2 semester hours.
3. A course in behavior management techniques. (This requirement may be met by completing EDCI 62540 or EDCI 62320.)
4. A course in counseling techniques. (This requirement may be met by completing EDCI 62301 or EDCI 62635.)
5. A course in language acquisition and development or language development for the exceptional child. (This requirement may be met by completing COM 29351 or COM 29553.)

Program Admission Requirements

1. A minimum overall grade point average of 2.75 on the undergraduate transcript OR an undergraduate overall GPA of 2.50 to 2.74 and a 3.0 GPA on six hours of required graduate coursework at Northwest in the major program where admission is requested.
2. A valid teaching certificate OR two years teaching experience while under a valid teaching certificate.
3. Documentation of one of the following:

• 3.5 or higher on the analytical writing measure of the GRE OR
• Successful completion of another Master's Degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher education with at least a 2.75 GPA OR
• National Board Certification OR
• Successful completion of nationally normed educational performance assessment (MoPTA, EdTPA, etc.) OR
• Department analytical writing assessment that is evaluated using a writing scoring guide based on the modified CUNY scales with a score of 4.0 or higher.

Course Requirements

Core Requirements (6)

EDUC 61695	Philosophy of Education	3
	OR
EDUC 61649	Issues in Education	3
EDUC 61682	Improvement of Instruction through Action Research	2
EDUC 61683	Action Research Paper	1

Subject Field Requirements (23)

EDCI 62553	The Reading Program in the Secondary School	3
EDCI 62652	Student Evaluation and Assessment	3
EDCI 62654	Analysis and Correction of Reading Disabilities	3
EDCI 62655	Reading in the Elementary School	3
EDCI 62659	Organization and Supervision of Reading Programs	2
EDCI 62660	Practicum 1: Diagnosis and Remediation of Reading Disabilities for Grades K-6	3
EDCI 62661	Practicum 2: Diagnosis and Remediation of Reading Disabilities for Grades 7-12	3
EDCI 62607	Language Arts in the Elementary School	3

Electives (3)

EDCI 62659: Required for Supervision Endorsement in Iowa

Total Credit Hours: 32

Any graduate course from any department may be selected as an elective providing the student will have completed 16 semester hours at the 600 level. These may include any of the prerequisite courses that have not been completed. They must be taken at the graduate level to be applied to the M.S.Ed. degree.