graduationrequirements.htm

In order to graduate from our MS Program, there are a few critical things to remember. You have to complete all the required courses in the program (e.g., Lit B-6) you wish to graduate from, and with acceptable grades in those courses (see REQUIRED MINIMUM GPAs, below). You have to meet all course distribution requirements (e.g., in the Lit B-6 program, you must have taken and passed ERDG500, ERDG600, ERDG610, ERDG620 in the core required reading area). Finally, you have to meet specific assessment criteria, depending on the program you are in (e.g., you have to satisfactorily complete a final project in ERDG625 if you are in the Early Childhood or Childhood Education program--just attaining a passing grade in the course is not sufficient).

Remember that graduation requirements are not the same as certification requirements. For example, our MS Literacy programs lead to Initial Certification in the area of the program (e.g., Literacy Specialist B-6, 5-12, B-12; Childhood Education--Literacy, Early Childhood--Literacy, Special Education, etc.), which, after two years of successful teaching, and fulfilling all other requirements (e.g., Abuse Identification, Fingerprinting, Content Specialty examinations, etc.), lead to Professional Certification. Applicants must successfully pass the Literacy Content Specialty Exam (see http://www.nystce.nesinc.com/ for preparation guide and registration information). The University processes your application for initial certification at the time of graduation, but completing the degree is only one part of the certification process. For more details about certification, click here.

REQUIRED MINIMUM GRADE POINT
AVERAGES
Students are required to maintain a minimum of a ‘B’ average throughout their program. With a grading system which uses pluses and minuses in addition to letter grades, it is hard to know what counts as a ‘B’ average unless the letter grades are converted to their corresponding numbers:

A 4.0
A- 3.7
B+ 3.3
B 3.0
B- 2.7
C+ 2.3
C 2.0

In numerical terms, students must maintain an average grade of 3.0 or higher in their coursework. A grade of C (2.0) in a course is able to be offset by a grade of A (4.0) in another, but a grade below C cannot be offset by any grade. In such a case, the student must petition the Department to take up to 6 credits beyond the required 30 hours. There is no maximum number of courses graded S/U that can be applied to the master’s degree program. A grade of S is assumed to be a B or better, but it cannot substitute for an A in making up for a C grade. Note: some courses are always graded S/U (e.g., ERDG687) and some are always letter-graded. A course is designated as S/U or letter-graded (one or the other, but not both) by the faculty—students can’t choose to have a course graded S/U or by letter.
Students whose performance in coursework falls below a “B” average, or takes a sudden turn for the worse, are subject to departmental review, warnings, and dismissal from the program. In the case of a grade of B- or below in a required core course, the department will review the circumstances of the case, and recommend a course of action, which may include additional coursework, probation, or transferring the student to another program within the Reading Department. No course of action will be put into effect until the student has had the chance to appeal the department’s recommendation.