This program is offered online.
Master of Education in Literacy Education (ESOL Focus)
The Citadel is currently offering educators a 25% discount on tuition for students who join the M.Ed. in Literacy Education as part of a cohort that includes coursework for the ESOL certification and R2S Literacy Teacher Add-on Endorsement.
Our 30-credit hour program is designed for PK-12 teachers, in all content areas, who want to better support students to develop skills in language and literacy. If you’ve ever been at a loss as to how to reach English language learners, speakers of a variety of dialects, or those who need more support with reading and writing (in print and online), this program is for you.
More Benefits of the Program
- 25% off tuition when you start the M.Ed. with a cohort of at least 15.
- Only 30 credit hours (10 courses) – It’s the shortest master’s degree the state allows. Students generally finish in a year and a half.
- Flexibility for professionals. Courses are offered online in a sync/async format:
- Zoom weeks meet for 1.5 hours (5:30-7:00 pm).
- Asynchronous weeks mean instruction is delivered through an online module on Canvas that is interactive, connected to your classrooms, and designed for you.
- Leads to learning in a critical shortage area: Teaching multilingual learners (MLLs).
- South Carolina has the fifth fastest growing population of MLLs in the nation. Be the one who sees these students’ potential and knows how to bring it out.
- Earn your Read2Succeed Literacy Teacher Endorsement:
- What is the Science of Reading anyway?
- After learning with us, you’ll know. From phonemic awareness to phonics to disciplinary literacy to the promise and pitfalls of using AI for literacy and language instruction, we teach you what the research says.
- You’ll take coursework on literacy coaching, learning how to view the school with a lens on equity and teachers’ learning.
- You’ll interview building leaders and work with your school-based colleagues, helping you to network with those at your school and ensuring that they know you are the up-and-coming leader they need.
- What is the Science of Reading anyway?
- Your professors are focused on the needs of practitioners and active in the research community.
- You need just enough theory to make professional judgements in the best interests of your students.
- You need professors who are up to date in their fields.
- Find both at The Citadel.
What Courses Will I Take?
With the M.Ed. in Literacy, you can meet all your R2S requirements and complete coursework for your state Literacy Teacher & ESOL certification.
- EDUC 570: Teaching Reading and Writing with ELLs and Students from Historically Marginalized Communities**
- EDUC 588: Foundations in Literacy*
- EDUC 591: Practicum in Literacy Assessment and Instruction*
- EDUC 592: Teaching Language and Literacy across the Content Areas***
- EDUC 608: Literacy in the Earliest Years: Phonemic Awareness, Phonics, Fluency, Handwriting, and Orthography*
- EDUC 642: Literacy Coaching
- EDUC 665: Cultural and Linguistic Diversity in Education**
- EDUC 667: Linguistics for Educators**
- EDUC 668: Principles and Strategies for Supporting K-12 ELLs**
- EDUC 589: Teaching Writing in the Age of AI
Certification in “ESOL Instruction” (MLLs)
- 5 courses focused on MLLs
- A passing score on the Praxis 5362
- A 15-hour practicum
Our courses that lead to this certification include:
- EDUC 665: Cultural and Linguistic Diversity in Education
- EDUC 667: Linguistics for Educators
- EDUC 668: Principles and Strategies for ESOL/MLL Education (15-hour practicum included)
- EDUC 592: Teaching Language and Literacy across the Content Areas
- EDUC 570: Teaching Reading and Writing with Multilingual Learners and Other Historically Marginalized Groups
How Do I Apply?
- To waive the $40 application fee, please email the program coordinator, Dr. Britnie Delinger Kane, for a code.
FAQ
Will it be fully online?
Yes, the M.Ed. in Literacy Education is fully online. Our coursework includes an innovative sync/async structure, which means that you will meet every other week on Zoom with your peers.
Benefits of Sync/Async Classes:
- Sync meetings allow you to interact live with your professors, participate in small group work, and see the instructional techniques you are learning to use in action.
- Get to know your peers, who are dedicated educators just like you, working toward an advanced degree in language and literacy. This helps you build a great professional network.
- You have direct, live access to your professors.
- Talk with your fellow educators and peers in real time about the concepts and instructional techniques you are learning.
- Asynchronous weeks mean you have an online module on Canvas. It’s not a PowerPoint some professor recycled from in-person teaching. It’s interactive, connected to your classrooms, and designed for you.
- Do your asynchronous coursework in your jammies, during your planning period, or whenever is right for your schedule.
- Nothing opens a professional door like a degree from The Citadel.
How many semesters will it take to complete my degree?
5 semesters, or approximately 1.5 years.
What is the cost of the program?
Take 25% off tuition when you start the M.Ed. with a cohort of at least 15 students.
Contact our Office of Financial Aid to discuss payment options, as there is federal financial aid available. Be sure to ask about the South Carolina Teacher’s Loan, which may qualify you for up to $5,000 in loan reimbursement, depending on where you teach. Both literacy and ESOL have been designated as areas of critical need. See the South Carolina Student Loan website for more information.
What is a cohort?
A cohort is a group of at least 15 educators who sign up to enter the program together. This allows you to build a strong network of similarly dedicated and knowledgeable professionals with whom you can collaborate, both during the program and long after. If you are interested but don’t have a cohort, no problem. Apply with us. We will check on the feasibility of helping you to join a cohort.
