School of Education
Program Overview
If you are working in literacy instruction, this online program will advance your skills and equip you with evidence-based approaches that meet the needs of all learners. Within one year, the program provides a comprehensive understanding of the cognitive underpinnings of literacy, reading assessment, reading disorders, interventions for older students, and more. Learn from leading experts in reading science, including the program’s directorKatie Pace Miles, Ph.D., in this five-course program, which includes three fieldwork experiences where you can put theory into practice. This program is open to post-master’s professionals, including early childhood and childhood educators, mental health professionals, speech and language pathologists, and others.
Where You'll Go
This program responds to the public call of city and state leaders to retrain teachers in reading science, which means our graduates are sought after by school districts and early childhood centers. Make yourself a strong candidate for positions in New York City public schools and beyond. This program addresses recent changes in the New York State literacy license requirements and can lead to New York State Teacher Certification.
Program Details
The program information listed here reflects the approved curriculum for the 2024–25 academic year per the Brooklyn College Bulletin. Bulletins from past academic years can be found here.
Program Description
The Advanced Certificate in Reading Science: All Grades focuses on reading across PreK–12th grade. If you are a licensed teacher in New York State and complete the Advanced Certificate in Reading Science: All Grades you will have met the requirements to apply for the New York State Literacy (All Grades) license.
The Advanced Certificate in Reading Science: All Grades provides comprehensive knowledge to in-service teachers on best practices, including cognitive underpinnings of literacy, developmental progression of literacy, reading assessment, reading disorders, structured literacy, reading interventions for older students, advanced concepts in literacy research, and three robust fieldwork experiences.
The program content is critical in preparing educators to raise literacy achievement for historically underserved student groups, a gap that has only widened since the COVID-19 pandemic. This advanced certificate supports the imperative training of teachers to use evidence-based approaches to meet the needs of all learners.
This program is open to post-master’s professionals, including early childhood, childhood, and secondary educators, mental health professionals, speech and language pathologists, and individuals in other educational and family settings. The certificate ensures that all school staff who support literacy outcomes for students are equipped with the knowledge and skills to implement evidence-based approaches. Three of the five courses have a rigorous tutoring fieldwork component to ensure students can apply research to practice.
Matriculation Requirements
Applicants must have a master’s degree in education (any). For individuals with a master’s degree in an alternative field, an interview and/or a transcript of course listings is required to determine eligibility.
International applicants for whom English is a second language are required to pass the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) with a minimum score of 575 on the paper-based test, 233 on the computer-based test, or 79 on the internet-based test to be considered for admission. Applicants are interviewed and may be required to demonstrate written proficiency in English.
Program Requirements
Students must complete 15 credits in the following courses:
- ECAE 7115: Literacy Curriculum in Early Childhood
- ECAE 7383: Methods and Practicum in Literacy for Struggling Readers and Writers: Prekindergarten to Grade 2
- ECAE 7387: Instructional Strategies and Assessment of Emergent Literacy Skills
- ECAE 7381X and CBSE 7026X: Seminar and Applied Research in Literacy
- CBSE 7022: Reading Science Findings for 3rd–12th Grade
Student Learning Outcomes
The student learning outcomes for the Advanced Certificate in Reading Science: All Grades program are based on the New York State Program-Specific Pedagogical Requirements for the Literacy (All Grades) certification:
- Knowledge of the theories of literacy development and individual differences, including but not limited to: an understanding of difficulties that may be confronted in acquiring the literacy skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing; and the principles and practices of assessing student literacy performance.
- Proficiency in providing instruction and assessment in cooperation with other school staff, including but not limited to: creating instructional environments; teaching all aspects of literacy acquisition, including but not limited to phonemic awareness, phonics skills, word identification, vocabulary skills, study strategies and strategies for building comprehension, constructing meaning, and building literacy in the content areas; assessing students’ literacy performance, including but not limited to identifying dyslexia; providing appropriate instruction for students experiencing difficulty in acquiring literacy skills; and providing literacy services to students in compensatory or special education programs.
- Proficiency in organizing and enhancing literacy programs, including but not limited to: communicating information about literacy to various groups; developing literacy curricula; and communicating assessment results to parents, caregivers, and school personnel.
Admissions Requirements
- Fall Application Deadline—August 15
- Spring Application Deadline—December 15
Supporting Documents for Matriculation
Submit the following documents to the Office of Graduate Admissions:
- Transcripts from all colleges and universities attended. Applicants who earned a bachelor’s degree outside the United States need to submit a course-by-course international transcript evaluation. See Graduate Admissions for more information.
- Two letters of recommendation
- Résumé
- A statement of purpose (500–1,000 words) describing your reasons for pursuing the program and your future professional goals
Required Tests
- F-1 or J-1 international students must submit an English Proficiency Exam.
Contact
Elizabeth Doherty, Program Coordinator
2306a James Hall
E: elizabeth.doherty@brooklyn.cuny.edu
P: 718.951.5000, ext. 3812
Or contact:
Office of Graduate Admissions
222 West Quad Center
2900 Bedford Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11210
E:grads@brooklyn.cuny.edu
P: 718.951.4536
Office Hours
Mondays–Fridays, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.
To make an appointment with a graduate admissions counselor, visit:
The Support You’ll Find
Our faculty members in Early Childhood Education/Art Education offer incomparable expertise and tremendous talent, and each brings a unique perspective to their teaching and mentoring in and out of the classroom.
Beth Ferholt
Herman Jiesamfoek
Mark Lauterbach
Xia Li
Katharine Pace Miles
Lulu Song
Internships and Employers
In two of your three courses, you will participate in rigorous online or in-person tutoring fieldwork to ensure that you can apply research to practice. Because this program responds to the public call of both city and state leaders to re-train teachers in reading science, our graduates are sought after by school districts.
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