Through internships in settings such as Penn’s Tutoring and Learning Resource Center, public and independent schools, and community and social service agencies, students in RWL work with learners across generations. Students collaborate with RWL faculty in research associated with some of the most distinguished research centers and professional development projects in the country: The Philadelphia Writing Project, the Penn Literacy Network, the National Center on Fathers and Families, the National Center on Adult Literacy, and the International Literacy Institute. The faculty’s research and scholarly interests include: critical and feminist theory and pedagogy; literacy in families and communities; intergenerational and adult literacy; multiculturalism; curricular organization and design; assessment and evaluation; children’s responses to literature; and teacher leadership.

The program prepares students as practitioners, researchers and policy-makers in educational settings that include K-12 schools, colleges and universities, community-based literacy programs, and educational publishing and government programs.

Degree Requirements

Master of Science in Education (M.S.Ed.)

Students take a minimum of 11 course units (12 for those seeking certification), which may include one transferred course. In developing their plans of study with an advisor, students draw from a range of course and field-based options. They have the option of working towards Commonwealth of Pennsylvania certification as reading specialists. In addition to certification as a reading specialist, students may take additional courses to become certified as a secondary English or elementary teacher (K-6) through the Teacher Education Program. For master’s students who do not wish to pursue the reading specialist certification option, some of the core requirements may be waived so that areas of specific interest may be explored in more depth. Students may elect to focus their electives on one of four conceptual strands.

K-12 Literacy
This strand gives students a broad background in literacy theory, research, and practice, from kindergarten through secondary school. It is intended for current (already certified) teachers as well as prospective teachers who are not yet certified.

Post-Seconday Literacies
This strand allows students to focus on learning environments and academic literacies in colleges, universities, and community colleges. Field experiences and internships can be arranged in places such as Penn’s Tutoring and Learning Resource Center.

Adult, Family, and Community Literacy
This strand allows students to focus on the wider social and cultural contexts of schooling in relationship to adult literacy, family and intergenerational literacy, and home-school-community relationships.

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) and Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

The Ed.D. and Ph.D. programs require a minimum of 20 course units. Eight of the 20 course units may be transferred from outside of the University of Pennsylvania. Though a master’s degree is usually required for entrance into the doctoral programs, particularly strong candidates may be accepted into these programs without a master’s degree.

The programs emphasize the interrelationships and integration of theory, research, and practice. The Ed.D. degree is intended for graduate study leading to an emphasis on the practice of education in schools, school districts, colleges and universities, government agencies, foundations, and consulting positions. The Ph.D. degree is intended for graduate study leading to positions in research and teaching at colleges and universities.

Doctoral students will construct an individual program of study with their advisor to suit their interests. The programs are designed by combining the core courses with additional courses in research methodology, distributional requirements (i.e., two courses outside of Language and Literacy in Education Division, but within the Graduate School of Education), and electives taken within theLanguage and Literacy in Education Division, the Graduate School of Education, and the University. Doctoral students are encouraged to develop one or more areas of concentration. There are many options, including teacher education and professional development; leadership and policy; postsecondary learning environments; adult literacy education; reading, writing, and literacy across elementary, middle, and secondary curricula; children’s literature; families, schools, and communities; and urban education.

Program of Study

Courses Include:

• EDUC 622 Response to Literature: An Interdisciplinary Perspective
• EDUC 723 Multicultural Issues in Education
• EDUC 724 Literacy: Social and Historical Perspectives
• EDUC 737 Research in Teaching Writing
• EDUC 834 Theories of Reading
• EDUC 836 Issues in Instructional Leadership in Reading and Writing

• PENN GSE Application
• Application Fee
• Statement of Purpose
• Three letters of Recommendation
• Academic transcript(s) from all undergraduate and graduate institutions.
• GRE scores are required for Ph.D. and Ed.D applicants.
• TOEFL or IELTS scores are required for international applicants.
  
  

Application Deadline

Applications for the M.S.Ed. degree program are reviewed on a rolling basis until the degree program is full. The application deadline for the Ed.D. degree program is February 15, 2008. Applications submitted afterwards may be reviewed for admission until the program is full. The application deadline for the Ph.D. is December 15, 2007.