Graduate Course Descriptions

This course will equip candidates with the ability to effectively integrate children’s literature into instruction from Pre-K through high school. Various fiction and nonfiction genres will be explored in terms of motivating students, increasing their interest in reading, and developing an appreciation for a wide variety of types of texts. Emphasis will be placed on incorporating children’s literature into core and intervention instruction to address the Pennsylvania Core ELA Standards. This course is required for reading specialist certification.

This course is designed to provide reading specialist candidates with the ability to successfully evaluate and diagnose children who are struggling with reading and writing. Students will gain an in-depth understanding of how to select, administer, and analyze date gleaned from a variety of formal, informal, and state-required assessment types, including but not limited to formative, diagnostic, progress-monitoring, summative, curriculum-based, standardized, and informal reading inventories. Candidates will develop the ability to interpret and communicate those results to school personnel and families. Students will conduct a variety of assessments and will compose a case study diagnosing the strengths and needs of a struggling learner. This course is required for reading specialist certification.

This course will focus on the study of the PK-12 literacy program. Emphasis is placed on the role of the reading specialist in developing, coordinating, and administering a literacy program at the school and district levels. Students will analyze the strengths and needs of a school’s literacy program and make recommendations for improvement. Other topics that will be explored include involvement in professional organizations; instructional schedules, tasks, and procedures; selecting materials and programs providing professional support and development.

The Special Topics in Education course will address innovations, trends, and strategies in the field of education.

Provides the Principal Certification Candidate with the opportunity to apply educational theory and research findings to practical application in a variety of educational environments. Students are required to experience appropriate activities in the areas of administration, curriculum, teaching and learning. These experiences provide students with opportunities to compare their varied practical educational experience with the knowledge base of educational administration to diagnose sources of difficulty, to identify problems, to develop plans and strategies as well as to assess developing outcomes. Includes 360 hours of documented activities of which 180 may be accumulated prior to taking the Principal Practicum. The hours may be accumulated through work-site activities in the school setting as well as through completion of assigned coursework research. The focus of the practicum experience is directly aligned with the standards of the Pennsylvania Inspired Leadership Program. (All pr

This course provides the Certification Candidate with the opportunity to apply educational theory and research findings to practical application in a variety of educational environments. The candidate may accomplish this task through participation in work-site activities in the schools setting as well as completion of assigned coursework research. Students are required to experience appropriate activities in the areas of administration, curriculum, teaching and learning which are directly aligned with the standards of the Pennsylvania Inspired Leadership program. These experiences provide students with opportunities to compare their varied practical educational experience with the knowledge base of educational administration to diagnose sources of difficulty, to identify problems, to develop plans and strategies as well as to assess developing outcomes.

During this practicum, candidates will connect theory to practical application of concepts studied during coursework. The focus of the practicum experience is directly aligned with the competencies identified by the Pennsylvania Department of Education for Reading Specialist certification. Students will administer various assessments; analyze data; design standards-aligned instructional plans reflecting an understanding of systems of language in the reading process, phonemic awareness, phonics, word identification, vocabulary, comprehension, and process writing; select, implement, and adapt a variety of instructional materials; monitor student progress; communicate with colleagues; and demonstrate knowledge and competencies that foster professionalism. Students will be required to submit a portfolio of practicum experiences.

Provides the Supervisor Certification Candidate opportunities to integrate education theory and research with practical experiences in the schools. The candidate may accomplish this task through participation in work-site activities in the school setting as well as through completion of assigned coursework research. The focus of this internship program and the on-site activities are directly aligned with the standards of the Pennsylvania Inspired Leadership program. Includes 360 hours of documented activities of which 180 may be accumulated prior to taking the Supervisor’s Internship. (All prerequisite courses should be completed per advisement.)

An overview of methods used to conduct educational research with emphasis on locating and evaluating research literature. Course content includes the scientific method, development of research questions, formulation of research designs with ethical considerations, and professional critiques of methodologies. Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-method designs will be reviewed. Design of an action research project wil be required. Scholarly writing and APA formatting will be a focus. (Course must be taken within the first 12 credits of the doctoral program.

Students will refine their skills in scholarly research and writing by framing research questions, analyzing and synthesizing research, and completing a miniliterature review in APA format on a topic of theirchoice. (Course must be taken within the first 21 credits of the doctoral program).