Reading and Literacy (MED, Multiple Specializations) - Online Program
The purpose of the Master of Education in Reading and Literacy is to increase professional and scholarly knowledge about literacy development, learning and teaching in monolingual, bilingual and multilingual contexts. Students in the program choose a concentration to follow: literacy, biliteracy, adolescent literacy, or K-12 reading specialist. The program provides graduates with a deep understanding of:
1. The ways that literacy is constructed socially, culturally, and ideologically in an increasingly globalized world.
2. Language and literacy development across multiple linguistic and cultural contexts.
3. Instructional design, delivery, and assessment in literacy education for students with diverse backgrounds including students from culturally diverse backgrounds, emergent bilinguals and multilinguals, transnational students, and those with reading difficulties or challenges.
4. Effective oral and written communication for scholarly and professional purposes; collaboration with administrators, literacy colleagues, parents/families, and community members; and leadership skills and techniques.
Admission Requirements
To be admitted to the graduate program in reading and literacy, prospective candidates must first meet all requirements for graduate admission to UT Rio Grande Valley, as well as the other requirements listed below:
1. Undergraduate GPA of at least 3.0 in the last 60 semester credit hours. If applicant does not meet the minimum undergraduate GPA criterion of 3.0, GRE general test with minimum scores of 150 Verbal, 141 Quantitative, and 4.0 Analytical are required for conditional admission.
2. One to two page letter of intent indicating reasons for pursuing the degree
Application for admission must be submitted prior to the published deadline. The application is available at www.utrgv.edu/gradapply.
Program Requirements
Required Courses - 12 Hours
| RLIT 6305 | Conducting Literacy Research | 3 |
| RLIT 6307 | Sociocultural Foundations of Literacy | 3 |
| RLIT 6309 | Theoretical Foundations of Reading and Literacy | 3 |
| RLIT 6345 | Transnational and Immigrant Literacies | 3 |
Choose one of the following concentrations:
Biliteracy Concentration:
Biliteracy Courses (12 Credits):
| RLIT 6311 | Crossing Borders with Literature for Young People | 3 |
| RLIT 6313 | Literacy Development and Language Study | 3 |
| RLIT 6333 | Biliiteracy in the Classroom | 3 |
| RLIT 6334 | Contemporary Topics in Biliteracy | 3 |
English/Adolescent Literacy:
English/Adolescent Literacy Courses (12 Credits):
| RLIT 6302 | Adolescent Digital Literacy and Reading | 3 |
| RLIT 6310 | Children's and Adolescent Literature | 3 |
| RLIT 6320 | Writing in the Reading Classroom | 3 |
| RLIT 6351 | Adolescent Literacy and Disciplinary Learning | 3 |
Digital Literacy Concentration:
Digital Literacy Courses (12 Credits)
| RLIT 6302 | Adolescent Digital Literacy and Reading | 3 |
| RLIT 6303 | Digital Literacies and the Diverse Learner | 3 |
| RLIT 6306 | Assessment Practices in Digital Literacies and Readingÿ | 3 |
| RLIT 6308 | Digital Literacies and Leadership | 3 |
Reading Specialist Concentration:
Reading Specialist Courses (12 Credits):
| RLIT 6310 | Children's and Adolescent Literature | 3 |
| RLIT 6313 | Literacy Development and Language Study | 3 |
| RLIT 6329 | Literacy Assessment and Instructional Decision-Making | 3 |
| RLIT 6330 | Teaching Marginalized Readers | 3 |
Electives - 6 Hours
Choose one of the following options:
Thesis Option (6 Credits)
Or
Non Thesis Option (6 Credits)
| | Six hours of literacy-related electives approved by advisor | |
| RLIT 6301 | Digital Literacies and Young Children | 3 |
| RLIT 6302 | Adolescent Digital Literacy and Reading | 3 |
| RLIT 6303 | Digital Literacies and the Diverse Learner | 3 |
| RLIT 6306 | Assessment Practices in Digital Literacies and Readingÿ | 3 |
| RLIT 6308 | Digital Literacies and Leadership | 3 |
| RLIT 6310 | Children's and Adolescent Literature | 3 |
| RLIT 6311 | Crossing Borders with Literature for Young People | 3 |
| RLIT 6313 | Literacy Development and Language Study | 3 |
| RLIT 6317 | Special Topics | 3 |
| RLIT 6320 | Writing in the Reading Classroom | 3 |
| RLIT 6329 | Literacy Assessment and Instructional Decision-Making | 3 |
| RLIT 6330 | Teaching Marginalized Readers | 3 |
| RLIT 6333 | Biliiteracy in the Classroom | 3 |
| RLIT 6334 | Contemporary Topics in Biliteracy | 3 |
| RLIT 6351 | Adolescent Literacy and Disciplinary Learning | 3 |
| EDBE 5310 | Bilingual Education and the Adolescent Learner | 3 |
| EDBE 5315 | Technology, Pedagogy and Curriculum for Secondary Bilingual Education | 3 |
| EDBE 6322 | Bilingual/Multilingual Critical Issues | 3 |
| EDBE 6324 | Dual Language Enrichment Education | 3 |
| EDBE 6335 | Bilingual Content Area Across the Curriculum | 3 |
| EDBE 6350 | The Bilingual Reading Process | 3 |
| EDBE 6351 | Research on Language Development in Bilingual Environments | 3 |
| EDBE 6363 | Literatura Infantil | 3 |
| EDBE 6364 | Principles and Practices of Biliteracy Development in Spanish and English | 3 |
| EDBE 6365 | Action Research in Dual Language and ESL Education | 3 |
| EDBE 6366 | Academic Spanish Across the Content Area | 3 |
| EDBE 6367 | Assessing Emergent Bilinguals | 3 |
| EDSL 6323 | Approaches and Current Practices in Second Language Instruction | 3 |
| EDSL 6325 | ESL for Bilingual and Multicultural Settings | 3 |
| EDSL 6351 | Linguistics for ESL | 3 |
| ENGL 6355 | Literature for Secondary School Teachers | 3 |
| ENGL 6360 | Introduction to Descriptive Linguistics for Teachers | 3 |
| ENGL 6375 | Studies in Language and Culture | 3 |
Total Credit Hours: 30
Exit Option
In addition to coursework, students in all concentrations must successfully complete either a thesis or a cumulative graduate portfolio in order to graduate.
Additional Information about Reading Specialist Certification
Students who wish to pursue K-12 Reading Specialist certification in the state of Texas must graduate from the UTRGV Reading and Literacy M.Ed., then complete the Reading Specialist Certification program, which has separate admission criteria.