Alverno has long been a leader in education, and we are recognized nationally and internationally for our faculty's work with ability-based education and performance-based assessment. The Master of Arts degree carries on the college's tradition in the liberal arts, with its particular focus on integrative, experiential and reflective approaches to learning.
Our Master of Arts is designed for teachers in K-12 schools and in technical and community colleges and for persons working in the areas of instructional design, training, human resources or organizational development in business, government and not-for-profit agencies.
Open to men and women, courses are offered in four every-other weekend time slots: Friday night, Saturday morning, Saturday afternoon, and Sunday afternoon. Some courses meet on selected weekday evenings. A special summer schedule offers options for daytime, evening, and weekend classes.
The curriculum consists of a common set of core courses and courses specific to each specialization. It is designed so that candidates can complete the degree in two or three years.
Outcomes
You'll will be guided by five program outcomes that you will apply throughout your coursework. By developing these abilities, you will be able to inspire change and innovation in schools, businesses, your community and society.
Conceptualization: Integrating disciplinary knowledge with learning frameworks and a broad understanding of human development to plan and implement learning processes.
Diagnosis: Interpreting observations of behavior and situations and using frameworks to foster learning.
Coordination: Managing resources effectively to support learning.
Communication: Using oral, written and media modes of communication to structure and reinforce learning processes.
Integrative Interaction: Demonstrating professional responsibility in the learning environment.
Application steps
Our application is free and available at alverno.edu/apply. There is not deadline; instead, we have a rolling admissions process and review applications as they are received.
Please submit the following with your application:
The specialization in reading is designed for licensed PK-12 teachers interested in developing their teaching ability or in qualifying as reading teachers or reading specialists. Courses meet guidelines of the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction and the International Reading Association for the preparation of reading teachers and reading specialists.
Degree candidates must be licensed teachers working in a PK-12 setting where they will be able to complete a practicum. In addition, in order to be eligible to hold a Wisconsin Reading Teacher (316) license, teachers must have completed two years of successful regular classroom teaching experience.
Reading teacher
Candidates who want to earn the Reading Teacher license (316) must complete the following courses: Literature in the PK-12 Setting (3 cr) Integrated Literacy Development I (3 cr) Integrated Literacy Development II (3 cr) Content Area Reading Strategies (3 cr) Adapting Strategies for Inclusive Settings (3 cr) Practicum on Teaching Reading in Elementary/Middle/Secondary Grades (3 cr)
*Up to six credits of undergraduate work may be accepted as transfer credit, as determined by the Reading faculty.
Licensure-only program
Reading Teacher License (License #316)
Students with a bachelor’s degree and an initial teaching license may complete coursework for the Reading Teacher (316) license as a licensure-only program. Candidates for the Reading Teacher license must complete at least 18 semester credits, with at least 12 of those credits taken beyond the bachelor’s degree. Candidates are asked to submit undergraduate transcripts to determine if 6 credits can be transferred. In addition, in order to be eligible to hold a Wisconsin Reading Teacher license, teachers must have completed two years of successful regular classroom teaching experience.
Reading specialist
In order to be eligible to hold a Wisconsin Reading Specialist (317) license, teachers must be eligible to hold a Wisconsin Reading Teacher license. In addition to meeting the core courses and Reading Teacher license requirements, candidates for the Master of Arts specialization in reading must take the following courses to fulfill the requirements of the program and for the Reading Specialist license (#17): Mentoring: Strengthening Professional Practice (3 cr) Program Development for the Reading Specialist (3 cr) Practicum: Guiding and Directing the PK-12 Reading Program (3 cr) Reading Specialist License (License #317)
Teachers who already hold both a master’s degree and the Reading Teacher license (316) can complete the Reading Specialist license.
