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Master of Arts

Program Description

The primary goal of the 36-semester hour Master of Arts in Reading Instruction (MARI) program is to provide candidates with the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to become a building or district-level Reading Specialist. Coursework is designed to address the Reading Specialist standards of the International Reading Association (IRA) and the six areas required for licensure by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE). The degree is intended for experienced, practicing licensed teachers who seek to become reading coaches or reading specialists. The Reading Specialist must successfully complete the Reading Specialist Content Test (#176).

Thirty-six semester hours are required for the Master of Arts in Reading Instruction (MARI) degree. Thirty semester hours involve coursework designated to develop candidates’ content knowledge and skills related to reading instruction and program leadership. The remaining six semester hours are spent in a supervised clinical experience involving assessment and instruction with struggling readers (EDU-6410 Practicum in Reading).

Full-time coursework leading to the degree consists of six semester hours per term for a total of 18 semester hours per year and 36 semester hours for the MARI degree. Of the 36 semester hours, six involve a supervised clinical practicum in assessment and instruction with struggling readers. The program also involves candidates in various field experiences in which they apply course content to their classroom instruction, to individual work with a struggling reader, or to developing coaching and collaboration skills.  

Thirty-six semester hours (30 semester hours in content related to literacy 6 semester hours of supervised clinical practicum involving assessment and tutoring with struggling readers).

Admission Requirements

• A valid Illinois professional educator license (early childhood, elementary, secondary, special PreK–12, or preschool-age 21)
• One or more years of teaching experience in a PreK–12 setting and current teaching position
• A completed Graduate Application for Admission (aurora.edu/auapply)
• Transcripts (official, sealed in envelope) from the last degree earned: undergraduate degree indicating a GPA of 2.75 or higher or a graduate degree indicating a GPA of 3.0 or higher, both based on a 4.0 scale. Aurora University accepts official electronic transcripts at AU-ETranscripts@aurora.edu.
• A current resume documenting required teaching and leadership experience
• A recommendation from your current building principal or direct supervisor

The School of Education Graduate Faculty Committee may accept a maximum of nine semester hours of graduate credit from regionally accredited institutions of higher learning for application toward elective degree requirements. Transfer credit is completed prior to enrollment in the first course of the program. Graduate faculty reserve the right to decide on the applicability of all transfer credit.

All courses must be less than five years old at the time of admission and must be completed with a grade of “B” or better.  An official transcript must be provided. University policy states that a maximum of six semester hours taken as a “Student-At- Large” may be applied toward a graduate degree program.

Program Requirements

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
Required Courses
EDU-6300	Professional Research in Literacy Learning	3
EDU-6310	Effective Word Study Instruction	3
EDU-6320	Effective Comprehension Instruction	3
EDU-6330	Literacy in the Content Area	3
EDU-6340	Assessment of Literacy Learning	3
EDU-6350	Teaching Reading to Diverse Learners	3
EDU-6370	Texts for Children	3
EDU-6380	Supervision and Administration in Literacy I	3
EDU-6390	Supervision and Administration in Literacy II	3
EDU-6400	Professional Research in Literacy Learning II	3
EDU-6410	Practicum in Reading	6
Total Credits		36

Graduate Degree Requirements

1. When a student's academic performance does not meet minimum standards, the instructor should send an academic alert to the student.
2. A student is placed on academic warning at the end of any semester when their cumulative or semester program/major GPA is less than 3.0.
3. A student, placed on academic warning for a second time (not necessarily consecutive semesters) will be academically dismissed, for poor scholarship.
4. A student, will be academically dismissed if their Term GPA is 0.00 in any given semester.
5. A graduate student, who is dimissed from Aurora University for poor scholarship may apply for readmission after one full semester away (Spring, Summer, or Fall).
6. To be considered for readmission, a new application for admission and a petition for readmission are both required to be filed no less than 30 days prior to the requested semester of return, with the Office of Admissions.
7. The petition will be reviewed by an academic program committee, comprised of the academic program director/chair and two faculty designated by the Jurisdictional Academic Dean, to make a determination based on the academic standards of the program.  The academic program committee may require an in person meeting with the student as deemed necessary.
8. Should readmission be granted, the student will be readmitted on Academic Warning.  Should the cumulative program GPA fall below 3.0 in a subsequent semester, the student will be dismissed from the university.
9. A student who had already had their petition for readmission denied by the academic program may appeal the decision to the Jurisdictional Academic Dean over the program.  The step must be completed in the form of a written request to the Academic Dean within one calendar week after the student has been informed of the program committee decision.  The Academic Dean will appoint two faculty members to serve on an ad hoc committee working to review the student's appeal. The ad hoc appeal committee will review all relevant materials and meet with the student and others, as deemed necessary. The decision of this ad hoc appeal committee is final.  The ad hoc appeal committee will then report back to the program and the University Registrar regarding the final decision and its reasoning.

Attendance Policy

Attendance is mandatory at all class sessions. If a candidate is to be absent for any reason, they must discuss the expected absence with the course instructor before the absence occurs.

Academic Standards and Evaluation in Graduate Education Programs

Upon completion of each course, letter grades are assigned to each candidate. At the graduate level, a “C” grade indicates less than complete mastery of the content and methods of the course. Only two grades of “C” are accepted at the graduate level. If a “C” is received within the first three courses, the candidate may be removed from the program, by action of the program faculty.

Learning Outcomes