Literacy Education (Birth-Grade 12), M.S.

Teach literacy grounded in evidence, built for every learner.

Literacy shapes a student’s whole learning, and the students who need strong literacy instruction most are too often the students who receive it least. The M.S. in Literacy Education prepares you to close that gap, teaching learners from birth through grade 12 with evidence-based methods and genuine commitment to inclusion and equity.

The School of Education has trained literacy educators since 1948, when it formed one of the nation’s oldest programs dedicated to reading and language arts. In that time, our faculty have opened entire new fields of literacy inquiry, have been inducted into the national Reading Hall of Fame, and have shaped how literacy is taught nationally and internationally.

Suggested Application Deadline: January 15 | More admissions information
Join us for an info session October 13 or November 18!

Why Literacy Education at Syracuse?

At Syracuse, you will study with faculty exploring some of the most current and fascinating questions in the field, developed in collaboration with schools and other community partners.

• Dual New York State certification. Graduates meet the academic requirements for both New York State Literacy Birth-Grade 6 and Literacy Grades 5-12 certificates—one degree leading to two certifications, and a far wider range of roles available after graduation.
• Equity built into every course. From culturally responsive approaches to early literacy instruction to inclusive practices for multilingual learners and students with disabilities, equity is the foundation of the whole curriculum.
• Shaping the past, present, and future of reading instruction. Faculty scholarship helped establish reading across the curriculum and the national evidence base for early reading intervention, contributing to models still used in classrooms today. Current research is just as forward-looking, examining how young people build story worlds through games and digital play, how artificial intelligence is reshaping literacy instruction, and how to fairly assess and support multilingual learners.
• Gain field experience with real students. Our community-based literacy clinics put you in direct practice with Syracuse-area students who need literacy support as a sustained, immersive, and faculty-supervised part of your training.
• Faculty who are researchers first. Courses are taught by faculty who are active researchers as well as teachers, bringing current scholarship directly into your preparation. Small cohorts mean you will get to know faculty and peers well enough that they become long-term colleagues, not just classmates.
• Learn in city that has shaped literacy globally. Grassroots literacy organizations that were founded in Syracuse in the 1950s and 60s have grown into some of the largest literacy organizations in the world, and national organizations dedicated to advancing literacy still call our city home today.

“While completing my master’s degree, I was able to work with a wide variety of students from infancy through college aged. The hands-on classroom experiences helped prepare me to have my own classroom. A prospective student should choose the School of Education for the incredible amount of hands-on experiences you receive.”

—Rexana Vachereau ’19, G’20

Who Should Apply?

This program is built for certified teachers who want to become the literacy expert their school or district turns to—teachers ready to ground their practice in evidence, engage every learner, and bring the field’s most current thinking into their own classroom. This program is open to applicants who hold a New York State initial teaching certificate, or who will qualify for one before beginning the program. You are a strong fit if you are:

• A certified classroom teacher looking to add literacy specialist certification and deepen your instructional practice.
• An aspiring literacy coach or specialist ready to support students, as well as other teachers, in building strong literacy instruction.
• A working professional who wants a program built around your schedule, with courses offered in the afternoon, evening, and summer.

Program at a Glance

The master’s degree in Literacy Education is a 30-credit program that can be completed in as little as one calendar year.

• Flexible pacing, comprehensive certification: Progress full time on a fall/spring/summer sequence or take courses part time while you continue to teach. Graduates meet the academic requirements for both NYS Literacy Birth-Grade 6 and Literacy Grades 5-12 certificates.
• A curriculum built around real classroom problems: Coursework moves from foundational areas such as children’s and adolescent literature and academic language, through targeted work on comprehension, writing instruction, and early intervention for reading difficulties, into data-driven coaching practice.
• A capstone clinical experience: The Literacy Clinic capstone course is a 6-credit culminating practicum where you apply everything you have learned with real students in Syracuse-area schools, not simulated ones.
• A two-point portfolio process: Students build a professional portfolio at two stages of the program—once after the foundational coursework and again after the Literacy Clinic—demonstrating the integration of research and practice that examiners and hiring administrators look for.

More information on academic requirements available in the Syracuse University Course Catalog. SOE is accredited by the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation (AAQEP).

What Our Graduates Do

Syracuse-prepared literacy educators work in schools and community organizations across the United States and internationally in roles such as:

• Classroom and subject-area teachers
• Consultant teachers
• Literacy specialists and coaches
• Teacher leaders, department chairs, or school administrators
• Media, communications, and literacy professionals
• Many graduates also pursue further study in literacy education, educational leadership, library science, or similar areas