Education: Literacy Concentration, M.A.

Education Academic Policy for Master’s Programs

To maintain enrollment the student must:

• Maintain a 3.0 grade point average in all graduate coursework with no grade below a “C.”
• Only one grade of “C” is accepted in the program.
• Only one course may be repeated one time in the entire program.

Students who are unable to maintain these academic standards will be dismissed from the program.

To receive a Master of Arts in Education degree students must:

• Complete a minimum of 31-33 credit hours of coursework in one of the concentrations .
• A maximum of 9 credit hours may be transferred in from other accredited universities/colleges. 
• Applicants residing within the Greater Kansas City metro area are limited to six credit hours of online Advancement Courses for transfer into the program. For a detailed listing of these courses, please see the Advancement Courses section of this catalog.

Required Courses (31 credit hours)

• ED 564 - Consultation, Collaboration & Family Engagement: Special Education (1)
• ED 652 - Methods of Teaching Language & Literacy (3)
• ED 656 - Advanced Literature For Youth (3)
• ED 661 - Second Language Acquisition (3)
• ED 670 - Advanced Assessment & Remediation (3)
• ED 671 - Advanced Teaching of Secondary Literacy (3)
• ED 673 - Evaluation of Abilities & Assessment (3)
• ED 674 - Supervision of Literacy Program (3)
• ED 689 - Educational Research (3)
• ED 697 - Advanced Literacy Clinical Elementary (3)
• ED 698 - Advanced Literacy Clinical Secondary (3)

Outcomes

The educational outcomes are designed to prepare practicing professionals with the skills necessary to demonstrate professional practice, integrate educational theory with practice, and to assume leadership roles through knowledge of current educational research and practice. Graduate education outcomes assess skills in receptive and expressive communication, thinking strategies and skills, professional dispositions, and depth and breadth of knowledge. All course requirements are tied to the Avila Learning Outcomes, School of Education Conceptual Framework, Missouri Standards for Practicing Teachers, and InTASC Core Teaching Standards.

Students who complete the Master of Arts degree in Education with a concentration in Literacy will meet the following outcomes:

• Understand the characteristics and needs of literacy learners at various stages of development.
• Analyze and critique past practices and current trends in literacy learning, teaching, and evaluation.
• Know and access the wide array of texts types available for use with literacy learners.
• Consider a range of theories, approaches, methods, and techniques for learning and teaching literacy.
• Utilize appropriate evaluation tools and remedial procedures.
• Design and implement individualized instructional programs for struggling readers and writers based on assessment results.
• Apply literacy teaching skills in supervised settings.
• Discuss literacy concerns with students, parents, and other school professionals.
• Understand the evolving nature of literacy learning and teaching and have strategies for dealing effectively with the change.

Assessment: Master’s in Education Programs

Outcomes for the Master of Arts degree in Education are assessed through signature assessments, and research action projects as indicated on course syllabi. 

Alignment matrices showing the assessment of outcomes in each graduate concentration are located in the School of Education Office. Concentrations require capstone courses in which the outcomes are assessed.