University of Southern Maine

• Certificate of Advanced Study in Literacy Education
• Certificate of Advanced Study in English as Second Language

Certificate of Advanced Study in Literacy Education

The C.A.S. in Literacy Education is designed to meet the needs of classroom teachers, administrators, and other educators who want to pursue advanced graduate study in literacy education and related areas. The program is highly flexible, in recognition of each student's unique experiences and interests. Participants have considerable choice in self-designing coursework and projects and work closely with a faculty advisor to ensure that the course of study selected is appropriate, rigorous, and relevant. The program requires 30 credit hours of graduate coursework, including a capstone experience. Students with appropriate background may earn Maine certification as a Literacy Specialist through the C.A.S. program.

Admission Requirements

• Master's degree
• Evidence of a strong academic and/or experiential background in Literacy Education
• Completed application materials

Program Requirements (30 credits)

• Core Course (3 credits)
• EDU 660 C.A.S. Seminar

Electives (24 credits)
Students may select graduate courses in education or other disciplines at USM that relate to their focus area and contribute to their overall C.A.S. plan of study. Faculty advisor approval of selected courses is required.

Advanced Seminar in Literacy/Capstone Project (3 credits)
Each C.A.S. student is required to complete a capstone experience. There are many options for this project, including an original research project, an in-depth exploration of an issue related to literacy, a curriculum guide, or a similar project approved by the program faculty.

• General Requirements of the Capstone Project (PDF)

Transfer Policy
No courses that were part of a student's Master's degree may be counted toward the C.A.S. Up to six graduate credits earned prior to admission may be accepted by the C.A.S. Admissions Committee.

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C.A.S. in English as a Second Language Program

This program is designed for classroom teachers, administrators, and other educators who want to pursue advanced graduate study in ESL and related areas and/or earn Maine ESL endorsement. The program is highly flexible, in recognition of each student's unique experiences and interests. The C.A.S. requires 30 hours of graduate coursework including a capstone experience. Students may design a program to suit their needs for advanced study. The program will vary depending on the master's degree focus and the goals of the student. Participants will have considerable choice in designing coursework and projects, and will work closely with a faculty advisor.

Admission Requirements

• Master's degree
• Evidence of a strong academic and/or experiential background in Literacy Education
• Completed application materials, including $50 application fee

Program Requirements (30 credits)

• Core Course (3 credits)
• EDU 660 C.A.S. Seminar

Concentration (18 credits, ESL endorsement program)

• EDU 559 Aspects of Reading for Multilingual Learners
• EDU 561 Aspects of the English Language
• EDU 562 Linguistic and Cultural Diversity in the Classroom
• EDU 563 Language Testing and Assessment
• EDU 600 Research Methods and Techniques or EDU 607 Teacher Research in Literacy
• EDU 635 Seminar in Second Language Literacy

Electives (ESL endorsement: 6 credits; Self-designed program: 18 credits)

Advanced Seminar in Literacy/Capstone Project (3 credits)

Transfer Policy
No courses that were part of a student's Master's degree may be counted toward the C.A.S. Up to six graduate credits earned prior to admission may be accepted by the C.A.S. Admissions Committee.

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