Coursework includes the study of theory and research related to the acquisition and development of reading and writing, as well as evidence-based practice and analysis of assessment and instructional materials, professional development, leadership, and coaching.

The program also includes practica in each semester of study, providing opportunities for situated practice from the outset. In the fall term, students will complete a clinical experience on Saturday mornings in SED’s state-of-the-art Donald D. Durrell Reading and Writing Clinic (RWC), working under the supervision of School of Education faculty to tutor an individual or small group of students. Clinicians learn to work closely with their students’ classroom teachers, thereby increasing the instructional coherence of the programs students receive in their in-school and out-of-school programs. In addition, clinicians work with their students’ parents to co-construct homework practices that cohere with and support the students’ experiences in the RWC.

During the spring term, students complete a field-based experience in a school setting; this allows them to extend the understanding and experience they developed in clinical practice by working with individuals or small groups of children in school settings (8 hours per week). In addition, students spend approximately 4 hours per week shadowing a school-based literacy specialist to deepen their understanding of principles and practices related to school leadership, coaching, and professional development.