Our Language, Literacy, and Culture study program provides foundational knowledge on the nature of language, literacy and culture across multilingual settings, including elementary and secondary schools, community centers, and various global contexts. We value multiple languages, dialects, and forms of literacy including oral, visual, digital, etc. emphasizing critical, sociocultural, indigenous, and anti-racist approaches to honor the diverse ways that youth, families, and communities learn and engage with languages and literacies. Our program also prepares language and literacy educators to deepen their teaching practice in racially, ethnically, linguistically, and culturally diverse classroom and community settings. Graduates of our program engage with opportunities that deepen their understanding of how migration and schooling are interconnected.
Students completing the M. Ed. with the Language, Literacy, and Culture option will leave the program with (1); a greater understanding of how justice is interconnected with language, literacy, and culture (2) a sense of connectedness with a community of educators who are grappling with similar questions and issues; (3) the disposition to question and suspend belief and disbelief as needed; (4) a commitment to the work guided by deep knowledge and understanding; and (5) a passion for greater understanding.
Graduates of this program typically work in classrooms and in school and district leadership roles (e.g. content or curriculum specialists, team leaders, and staff developers), as well as for nonprofit organizations and community literacy programs. (For those interested in obtaining teaching certifications in Washington state, please see our Teacher Education programs.)
The M.Ed. requires 45 credits:
• 9 credits in Foundations of Education
• 18 credits in in area of specialization (Reading/Writing/Language Arts or English Language Learning)
• 9 credits of coursework that enhance or expand their primary area of specialization, and
• 9 credits in Culminating Experience
All course choices are to be negotiated with advisors. Advisors have the discretion to recommend or require certain courses depending on the student’s background.
You should carefully review the Program Requirements for details about all components of the M.Ed. course of study. You must also follow the Degree Requirements of the Graduate School; among these are that a course of study should include at least 18 credits at the 500 level or above as well as 18 graded credits.
Doctoral Program: Ph.D. and Ed.D. students work closely with their advisers to create highly tailored programs of study that include intermediate and advanced coursework in language and literacy as well as outside coursework to gain broader perspective and deeper insight into specialized topics. Ph.D. students have specific requirements and milestones that can be viewed here. Ed.D. students have specific program and degree requirements that can be found here.
• Prospective students holding relevant master’s degrees should apply to the College of Education’s Ph.D. program. The Ed.D. program is not accepting applications for autumn 2022.
Graduates of this program work in classrooms and in school and district leadership roles (as content or curriculum specialists, team leaders, staff developers, etc.) as well as in nonprofit and community organizations. Graduates of the Ph.D. program also work in university faculty positions.
