Advanced Teaching: Literacy

Advanced Teaching: Literacy draws on the strengths and specialties of the School of Education and Social Policy at Northwestern University. This highly individualized program allows certified teachers the opportunity to enhance their professional skills in the area of literacy education and (under the guidance of an adviser) select courses that will best benefit their long-term professional development.

Students in Advanced Teaching: Literacy may pursue a master's degree or a six-course certificate. Courses for the master's degree are described below. Courses for the certificate are selected under the guidance of an adviser. The certificate program requires an abbreviated application. See the certificate application process page for more details.

Required Courses for Advanced Teaching: Literacy

MS_ED 402 Social Contexts of Education

The course examines how individuals' social contexts and societal structures impact learning.

MS_ED 403 Childhood and Early Adolescent Development and Learning

The course provides an overview of developmental concepts from birth to adolescence.

MS_ED 404 Adolescent Development in Social Contexts

The course explores adolescent development in its differing social contexts, with particular attention to schools, families and peer groups.

MS_ED 406 Research and Analysis in Teaching and Learning I: Discussion and Question Development

The first course of the Master's Project sequence. Students form a question that the Master's Project will address and begin a literature review on the topic.

MS_ED 407 Research and Analysis in Teaching and Learning II: Literature Review and Methodology

The second course of the Master's Project sequence. Students learn about data collection methods and techniques and write a plan to collect their data.

MS_ED 408 Research and Analysis in Teaching and Learning III: Analysis, Interpretation and Dissemination

The third course of the Master's Project sequence. Students collect, analyze and interpret their data and present their findings.

Nine Elective Courses

Advanced Teaching: Literacy students may take graduate-level elective courses from any school or program at Northwestern University. Students in Advanced Teaching: Literacy often take courses on topics such as cognitive development, design of learning environments, curricular differentiation, children’s literature, composition, children’s theater, and many others.