Master of Education (M.Ed) in Literacy

Student studying in library

Why the Master of Education in Literacy?

At Judson, candidates complete their master’s degree in just 14 months and are taught by quality professors who are experts in the field—several of whom have won awards such as Kane County Educator of the Year, Illinois Reading Educator of the Year, and the National Milken Foundation Award.

  • A significant focus on all areas of literacy—reading, writing, and literature.
  • Complimentary one-year membership or renewal with The Illinois Reading Council
  • Affordable, inclusive tuition
  • Three anchor courses with split sections (K-3 and 4-12)
  • Quality professors who are experts in the field—several of whom have won awards such as Kane County Educator of the Year, Illinois Reading Educator of the Year, and the National Milken Foundation Award.
  • Reading Specialist Licensure opportunities

I currently serve as an instructional coach for teachers who are new to the district, plan and implement new staff orientation and institute days, assist with and oversee ELA curriculum writing implementation, as well as many other responsibilities. What really stands out to me was the level of support that I received. Even after changing my dissertation topic, I never felt being or incapable of completing the work on time because the staff was there for me the whole time.
smiling male alumni headshot
Ben ZulaufDirector of Reading and Language Arts, Cicero Public School District | Cicero, IL

Outcomes

Graduates of the Master of Education in Literacy program will:

Graduates will broaden their understanding of the process of literacy development and the impact of motivation, language, and culture on the individual learner.

Graduates will expand working knowledge of current research and their ability to interpret student assessments in order to differentiate instruction to meet the needs of all learners.

Graduates will expand their working knowledge of a broad range of literature and of its role in supporting meaningful instruction, developing accomplished literacy learners, and fostering a lifelong love of reading and writing.

Graduates will enhance their knowledge of language literacy which includes strategies for the teaching of reading, writing, speaking, listening, and viewing as well as the use of technology to enhance instruction.

Graduates will cultivate a deeper understanding and appreciation for the need to continually refine instruction through professional development that challenges personal ideology and teaching practice.

LITERACY IN MOTION Conference

Our annual Literacy in Motion conference was held on June 21-23, 2022.

Held in our Creekside South Education Building, this annual conference welcomes educators from all over the world to learn from speakers about instructional methods for elevating literacy in K-12 classrooms. Educators who attend the three-day conference can earn 13 professional development (PD) hours or enroll for graduate credit.

This year’s speakers included leading authors like Dan Santat, Jasmine Warga, Samira Ahmed, and Taylor Mali. Unlike typical conferences, Judson limits this event to 200 participants, ensuring that every attendee gets a seat and the opportunity to interact with speakers.

In addition to several keynote speeches, there were also breakout sessions, workshops, and book sales.

Program Accreditation | The Reading Specialist licensure program is accredited by the Illinois State Board of Education.