Contact Us
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Graduate Admissions212-875-4404
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Co-Director, Childhood Programs212-875-4474
Teaching Literacy and Childhood General Education Dual Certification
MSEd
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Program Overview
The Teaching Literacy and Childhood General Education degree prepares you to teach as a classroom teacher with strong preparation in language arts and as a literacy specialist.
Our Reading and Literacy programs are designed to prepare you to understand that literacy is a set of dynamic, interrelated, and sociocultural processes that include speaking, listening, reading, writing, and viewing. Using the core understanding that children’s literacy learning is shaped by the values, beliefs, and experiences acquired at home, school, and in their communities, you will learn to design curriculum and instruction that is responsive to the children you teach.
This program culminates in a Master of Science in Education and requires 52-55 credits.
The Teaching Literacy & Childhood General Education degree prepares you to obtain two New York State certifications and is for students who do not have certification in early childhood education or elementary education.
Important News about New York State Literacy Certification
In the fall of 2022, New York State (NYS) announced a change in the Literacy Certification, currently from birth-6th grade, to PreK-12th grade. After the summer of 2027 NYS will no longer confer literacy degrees in existing programs. As a result, Bank Street Graduate School of Education is changing our literacy degree programs in order to comply with NYS’s guidelines.
Your literacy certification will remain active if you graduate and attain certification within the timeframe shared below, and take the steps to maintain your certification.
When applying to any of our literacy programs, and in order to receive NYS literacy certification under the new guidelines, you will need to:
- complete all of your degree requirements to graduate by Summer 2026
- complete all certification exams before Summer 2027.
- We will support you through the certification process.
You can review NYS guidelines for more information about these NYS certification changes in literacy.
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Admissions Requirements
In addition to the main admissions criteria, there are additional requirements needed to apply for this program:
- You will need to have breadth and depth in the liberal arts and sciences.
Important News about New York State Literacy Certification
In the fall of 2022, New York State (NYS) announced a change in the Literacy Certification, currently from birth-6th grade, to PreK-12th grade. After the summer of 2027 NYS will no longer confer literacy degrees in existing programs. As a result, Bank Street Graduate School of Education is changing our literacy degree programs in order to comply with NYS’s guidelines.
Your literacy certification will remain active if you graduate and attain certification within the timeframe shared below, and take the steps to maintain your certification.
When applying to any of our literacy programs, and in order to receive NYS literacy certification under the new guidelines, you will need to:
- complete all of your degree requirements to graduate by Summer 2026 (Typically, our students can complete their coursework (52-55 credits) in 2.5 years, taking courses in our spring, summer, and fall terms).
- complete all certification exams before Summer 2027.
- We will support you through the certification process.
You can review NYS guidelines for more information about these NYS certification changes in literacy.
We are happy to connect with you to answer any questions—you can reach out to our Director of Graduate Admissions, Kevin B. Taylor.
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Coursework
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Supervised Fieldwork/Advisement
Supervised fieldwork/advisement lies at the heart of a Bank Street education. Through sustained experiences in the field, supervision from core faculty, and close collaboration with peers, our graduate students develop the ability to connect theory to practice and to reflect deeply on their own growth as educators. In this program:
- You can work as a full-time assistant or head teacher in a classroom (grades 1-6) with an additional summer clinical placement [55 credit option] OR as a student teacher in three consecutive placements in classroom and clinical settings four days per week [52 credit option].
- You will learn from an experienced educator—your advisor—who individualizes your fieldwork throughout the school year.
- You will participate in a weekly conference group with your advisor and approximately 7-9 other students in which you will collaboratively deepen your learning about teaching and learning.
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Career Opportunities
Your degree will provide you with a range of career opportunities:
- You can teach in elementary school classrooms in grades 1-6 in public, charter, or independent schools.
- You can teach as a reading specialist in public, charter, or independent schools.
- Graduates who choose to teach outside of New York State can usually arrange for reciprocity for teaching certification in their new location.
- To be eligible for New York State literacy certification (providing you meet all requirements at the end of your Bank Street program), you will need to apply to New York State by September 1, 2027. We will support you through the certification process.
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Faculty
Lynne EinbenderCourse Instructorleinbender@bankstreet.edu 212-875-4754
Mollie Welsh KrugerSupervised Fieldwork Advisor & Course Instructormwelshkruger@bankstreet.edu 212-875-4549
Meet Our Alumni
- Xiania Foster, an alumnus of Reading & Literacy, is a literacy staff developer for the organization, Teaching Matters. This article features her work with teachers to help them improve reading instruction. Read more >>
- Clio Stearn, an alumnus of Reading & Literacy, has published a critical analysis of current approaches to socio-emotional learning in American schools. Read more >>