Literacy Teaching and Learning, AC

Focus on developing effective strategies to teach reading, writing and comprehension skills while understanding and addressing the diverse needs of learners from various cultural, linguistic and socioeconomic backgrounds.

Foster a Lifelong Love of Reading

This program provides a comprehensive curriculum that combines cutting-edge research with practical classroom strategies, ensuring you can create a transformative learning experience for your students. Our literacy teaching and learning advanced certificate is designed for educators who are passionate about empowering students through enhanced reading, writing and critical thinking skills.

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The Value of an Advanced Certificate

In today’s dynamic professional environment, continuous self-improvement is essential for career success. Advancements, competition and evolving landscapes require professionals to maintain current, industry-relevant knowledge, skills and competencies. Advanced certificates can complement completed degrees or serve as standalone credentials. Regardless of your chosen path, an advanced certificate offers additional knowledge and opportunities to refine professional skills, facilitating career advancement. They offer a flexible, accessible and cost-effective educational route to pursue career goals and remain competitive.

Points of Distinction

Young students listening to their teacher read a book.

Learn to design and evaluate literacy programs and disseminate current research while you gain the skills to address educational challenges and improve literacy outcomes.

A young student looks at a book his tutor is holding up.

Emphasize teaching and learning across diverse cultural, linguistic and socioeconomic backgrounds, and learn to fund your research with grant writing courses.

Benefit from a variety of professional development opportunities and connect globally at various conferences and presentations.

Program Summary

Academic credential granted	Advanced Certificate (AC)
Credits required for completion	15
Time to completion	4 to 5 part-time semesters
Course delivery	Online through a combination of synchronous and asynchronous courses. Select courses may be taken on campus. The course practica can be completed online or in person.
Application deadline	Priority Deadlines Spring: Nov. 1, then rolling until Dec. 1 Fall: Feb. 1, then rolling until July 15

Teacher
Education professional

Required Courses (12 credits)

LAI 556 Classroom Assessment and Instruction (Prerequisites: LAI 628 and LAI 629)
LAI 557 Clinical Literacy Assessment and Instruction (Prerequisite: LAI 556)
LAI 558 Clinic-Based Practicum in Teaching Literacy (Prerequisite: LAI 557)
(A pre-approved elective may be substituted for LAI 558)
LAI 559 School-Based Practicum in Teaching Literacy (Prerequisite: LAI 557)
(A pre-approved elective may be substituted for LAI 559)

Elective Courses (Choose One)

LAI 539 Science of Reading Instruction
LAI 560 Language Arts Methods
LAI 563 Language, Literacy and Culture
LAI 565 Diverse Children’s Literature
LAI 576 Literacy and Technology
LAI 580 Literature for Young Adults
LAI 628 Literacy Acquisition and Instruction, PreK–Primary
LAI 629 Childhood Literacy Methods
LAI 665 Middle Childhood/Adolescent Literacy Methods

Adapted from the International Literacy Association (ILA) 2017 Literacy Standards.

Learning Outcome One

Literacy teaching and learning advanced certificate candidates will design and implement small-group and individual evidence-based literacy instruction for learners with specific literacy needs.

Learning Outcome Two

Literacy teaching and learning advanced certificate candidates will understand, select and use valid, reliable, fair and appropriate assessment tools to determine student literacy achievement; inform instruction and evaluate interventions; participate in professional learning experiences, explain assessment results and advocate for appropriate literacy practices to relevant stakeholders.

Learning Outcome Three

Literacy teaching and learning advanced certificate candidates will demonstrate knowledge of research and relevant theories, pedagogies, and essential concepts of diversity and equity, create classrooms and schools that are inclusive and affirming, and advocate for change in education practices and institutional structures that are inherently biased or prejudiced.

Learning Outcome Four

Literacy teaching and learning advanced certificate candidates will collaborate to differentiate instruction to meet the needs of all learners on a developmental continuum of language and literacy learning and use a variety of digital and print materials to engage and motivate all learners.

Learning Outcome Five

Literacy teaching and learning advanced certificate candidates will develop, reflect on and study their own professional practice; apply what they know in supervised clinical and field experiences to improve their performance with individual learners and in classrooms; and reflect on and revise practice based on supervisor and peer feedback.

This program is ideal for anyone certified to teach in the areas of early childhood, childhood, adolescence or related educational areas (e.g., teaching English language learners, special education).

Submit your completed online application, which includes:

Application fee: A $50 non-refundable application fee, submitted electronically through UB's ePayment system.
Unofficial transcripts from all colleges attended. (UB transcripts are automatically submitted for current UB students and alumni.)
Contact information for two individuals who will each be asked to provide an electronic recommendation letter. The individuals must be academic or teaching/professional references, not personal references.
Proof of NYS certification in one or more areas of teaching (e.g., early childhood, childhood, adolescence, teaching English language learners, special education, math, science, etc.)
Statement of career goals: A clearly written and thoughtful statement of your career goals.
Statement of values: In “Cultivating Genius: An Equity Framework for Culturally and Historically Responsive Literacy,” Gholdy Muhammad (2020) wrote: “In contemporary classrooms across the nation, teachers, school leaders and teacher educators are still wrestling with ways to improve and elevate the literacy achievement of youth, especially Black children and other culturally and linguistically diverse populations of students who are in dire need of excellence, brilliance and teachers who make it impossible for them to fail” (p. 10). In 400 to 500 words:
- Discuss how the ideas in this excerpt resonate with you and your thinking about high-quality literacy education.
- Explain how they align with your personal and professional values.

Former/Maiden Name: Please provide us with your former/maiden name if you have one. When requesting transcripts, please ask the sending institution to indicate your current name and former/maiden name.

Admissions Decision: The admissions decision will be communicated to you as soon as review is complete. The decision is based on a number of factors and is the result of a thorough and deliberate process. All decisions are final and cannot be appealed.

In-State Residency Tuition

To qualify for the in-state residency tuition rate, you must provide residency documentation indicating you have lived in New York State (NYS) 12 months before your semester start date.

If accepted, you will need to upload three documents to qualify for the in-state tuition rate. See Required Documents for Residency Application for more information.

International Applicant Additional Requirements

Official original proof of your degree
A copy of your passport biographical page
Official test scores—dated within two years of submitting your application—for either the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language), the IELTS (International English Language Testing System) or PTE (Pearson Test of English) Academic.
- TOEFL minimum score is 250 for computer-based test, 600 for paper- based test and 96 for internet-based test
- IELTS minimum score is 7.0 overall
- PTE minimum score is 55 overall
Financial documentation: International graduate applicants must document their ability to pay for all costs incurred while studying in the U.S.
An official bank statement

All financial forms and supporting documentation with required signatures must be uploaded with your application and dated within one year of your intended enrollment date.