Reading Specialist, Initial Licensure, Certificate Program

Graduate Program Chair

Brenda Hawkins, PhD

Program Objectives

This program defines the knowledge and skills necessary for effective assessment, instruction and leadership in the field of reading. It responds to the needs of school districts by preparing specialists in leadership roles, as well as equipping candidates with the requisite knowledge to meet the needs of students with a wide range of abilities.

This certificate program provides candidates who hold initial licenses in early childhood, elementary, middle school or special education with a rigorous, research based curriculum, a range of assessment, and teaching and staff development opportunities. Candidates for this program already hold a master’s degree and are seeking preparation for the state licensure examination for initial licensure: reading specialist.

This program has been approved by NCATE through the International Reading Association and by the Massachusetts Deparment of Elementary and Secondary Education.

Admissions Standards and Criteria

To apply for enrollment in the Reading Specialist Certificate Program, a student must submit documents as outlined in the graduate admissions section as well as:

• Initial Teaching License in Early Childhood, Elementary, Middle School or Special Education
• Master’s Degree
• Applicants to graduate initial licensure teacher preparation programs must successfully complete the literacy and communication subtests of the Massachusetts Test for Educator Licensure (MTEL) and submit passing scores as part of their application.

MAT/GRE/GMAT exams are not required

Program Prerequisites

• An initial teaching license as outlined above
• Literature for Children or Young Adults (or equivalent)
• Child Growth and Development (or equivalent)
• Principles and Practices of the Teaching of Reading (or equivalent)
• In addition, students must successfully pass the appropriate content exam(s) of the MTEL prior to the practicum experience. For this program, it is the Reading Specialist exam.