The Reading Department has been offering Master's degrees since it was founded in 1948, preparing classroom teachers and specialists for K-12 positions in New York State and across the nation. In 2004, New York State completely revised its teacher and specialist certification requirements, and our MS programs have been approved by New York State.

We currently offer Masters programs that lead to several of the new teaching certificates:

• MS in Literacy, with three distinct tracks, that lead to professional certification in any area of initial certification and initial/professional certification as a Literacy Specialist Birth-6th grade, 5th-12th grade, and Birth-12th grade, respectively.

• MS in Early Childhood/Childhood Education (Literacy), that lead to professional certification in Early Childhood Birth-2nd grade and Professional Certification in Childhood Education, 1st-6th grade. respectively. You must have initial certification in Early Childhood or Childhood Education for this degree program. The MS in Childhood Education (Literacy) is offered on campus and on-line.

• MS in Special Education/MS in Literacy (a 40-hour joint MS program with the Division of Special Education) that leads to professional certification in Childhood Education, and initial/professional certification in Special Education and Literacy Specialist, Birth-6th grade

• MS in Special Education/MS in Literacy (a 67-hour joint MS program with the Division of Special Education) that leads to initial and professional certification in Childhood Education, initial and professional certification in Special Education and Literacy Specialist, Birth-6th grade (this program requires no prior teaching certification before entering)

All these MS programs are offered on campus. The MS in Childhood Education (Literacy) is also offered on-line.