Graduate Certificate in Literacy Instruction & Intervention

The Boston University Graduate Certificate in Literacy Instruction & Intervention is a four-course, 16-unit sequence of courses that is designed for K–12 teachers, administrators, and other educators who wish to expand their understanding of literacy development and apply this knowledge to instruction and leadership rooted in a critical and humanizing approach. The certificate includes graduate-level courses in literacy instruction, assessment, and leadership. These courses introduce students to theory, research, and evidence-based practice in literacy from multiple perspectives, including foundational, critical, and disciplinary literacies; multilingualism; multiliteracies; and the social, cultural, and historical contexts of literacy.

This certificate program is geared toward in-service educators who desire deeper knowledge of reading and literacies but who may not wish to pursue an academic degree at the present time. However, should certificate participants choose to continue their studies at Boston University, earned units may be applied toward the requirements for the EdM in Reading Education, CAGS in Reading Education, or the EdM in Language & Literacy Education.

Learning Outcomes

• Students will be able to demonstrate understanding of theory and research related to equity, diversity, and humanizing pedagogies, including an understanding of themselves and others as cultural beings and the need to advocate for equity at school, district, and community levels.
• Students will be able to demonstrate understanding of major theoretical, conceptual, historical, critical, and evidence-based foundations of literacy and language and their interconnections.
• Students will be able to work collaboratively and reflexively with colleagues, families, and communities.
• Students will be able to meet diverse needs by using appropriate practices, including tiered instruction and scaffolds, to accommodate differences in learning styles, needs, interests, and levels of readiness, including those of students with disabilities and multilingual learners.
• Students will be able to engage in reflective practice and collaboration by frequently reflecting on the effectiveness of lessons, units, and interactions with their students and using insights gained to improve practice and student learning.
• Students will be able to communicate with family members and consider cultural and/or linguistic diversity in these communications; keep families informed of students’ progress; and encourage family participation and engagement.

The Graduate Certificate in Literacy Instruction & Intervention includes four courses:

Required Coursework (12 units)

• WED LS 764 Introduction to Literacy Leadership: Becoming a Critical Specialized Literacy Professional (4 units)
• WED LS 792 Instruction and Assessment for Disciplinary and Digital Literacies (4 units)

Elective Course (4 units)

Options include (but are not limited to):

• WED BI 535 Literacy Development for Bilingual Students: Instruction and Assessment (4 units)
• WED EN 711 Critical Literacy as a Lens (4 units)
• WED LS 627 Critical Analysis of Children’s and Young Adult Literature (4 units)
• WED LS 727 Topical Seminar in Literacy and Language (4 units)
• WED SE 580 Instructional Methods for Teaching Foundational Literacy Skills (4 units)

The appropriate elective course should be chosen in consultation with the advisor or program director. If students have completed prior advanced coursework in any of the areas above, another course may be substituted in consultation with the advisor or program director.