Certificate in Literacy Instruction

The online Certificate in Literacy Instruction and individual courses are open to anyone interested in improving their reading instruction. Our Certificate in Literacy Instruction program is aligned with the K-12 Reading Teacher endorsement for the state of Minnesota. The courses provide relevant research, learning experiences and hands-on opportunities to gain a greater understanding of how to teach reading skills, strategies, and comprehension to kindergarten through grade 12 students. The courses also prepare individuals to serve in literacy leadership roles.

The certificate is designed for those seeking a Minnesota K-12 Reading Teacher endorsement or for anyone interested in becoming a more successful and confident teacher of reading at any level.

*The K-12 Reading Teacher endorsement is for educators who have an existing Minnesota teaching license and wish to expand and deepen their knowledge of reading. Graduates will be required to pass the MTLE Reading Teacher tests in order to obtain their K-12 Teacher of Reading license.

All courses may be applied toward the Master of Education degree program to meet elective strand requirements.

Admission Requirements

The Certificate in Literacy Instruction program will consider applicants who:

Submit a completed Graduate Admissions Application form online.
Have earned a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university.
Have earned a cumulative GPA of 2.8.
Submit all official transcripts of baccalaureate and graduate coursework.
Submit a TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) test scores, including the TWE (Test of Written English) essay rating. A score of 550 on the written test, score of 213 on the computer-based test or a score of 79 on the iBT TOEFL test or a four on the TWE essay rating are required for admission. The British International English Test (IELTS), will also be acceptable, a minimum score of 6.5 is required for admission.

Application Priority Consideration

The application deadline for priority consideration for Fall term is August 1, Spring term is November 15 and Summer term is March 1. Review of completed application files will continue until all open seats for the program are filled. Acceptance Categories

The Literacy Instruction graduate certificate program grants acceptance in the following categories:

Full Acceptance: granted to those students who meet all admission requirements.
Provisional Acceptance: granted to those students who have not submitted all required materials but who otherwise have met the admission requirements. Students are allowed one semester to submit remaining credentials and are not eligible for financial aid until full acceptance.
Non-degree Acceptance: reserved for those students who wish to pursue courses for professional development but who do not wish to earn a degree or for those students who have course deficiencies that cannot be remedied within one semester. Students will be admitted to courses on a space available basis. No more than one-third of the semester credits taken in non-degree status can be applied toward a degree in the event that the student wishes to transfer to degree bound status. Students in this category are not eligible for financial aid.

Required Courses

EDU 6340 ~ Foundations of Literacy   3 cr.
EDU 6350 ~ Effective Literacy Instruction   3 cr.
EDU 6360 ~ Reading in the Content Areas   3 cr.
EDU 6375 ~ Literacy Assessment and Interventions   3 cr.
EDU 6380 ~ Leadership in K-12 Literacy   3 cr.