Literacy and Language Combined Program

Program Description

The combined program in Teacher Education allows students to begin working toward a Master’s degree as they finish their undergraduate degree. For students admitted into the combined program, 12 hours of 500/600 level courses can be double counted toward the B.S. and M.Ed. The degree may be obtained in 5 years or less. This combined program prepares students to succeed in literacy positions in preK-12 schools by providing the very latest in research for working with emergent and striving readers. Curricular concepts allow students to explore sociopolitical, cultural, and linguistic factors that affect literacy and research practices that inform assessment and instructional design.

Academic Preparation

Undergraduate students are enrolled as Teacher Education majors (Primary Education, Middle Childhood Education, Adolescent to Young Adult and foreign language.) Students from other undergraduate majors may be considered pending review by the Literacy and Language M.Ed. program coordinator. At the time of application, candidates will have completed all Miami Plan foundation courses toward the B.S. degree.

Declaration of Interest

Students may declare their interest in enrolling in a combined program anytime during their academic career at Miami, from the time they are admitted for an undergraduate degree. Completing the coursework required for a combined program requires careful planning, so please contact the Program Director as soon as possible if you are considering the combined degree program. 

Graduate Requirements

Students must complete all graduate requirements for the M.Ed. in Literacy and Language, including a minimum of 31 credits and successful completion of a final defense.

Admission

Upon earning a minimum of 64 credit hours and having a cumulative GPA of 3.25 or greater, students may apply for admission to the combined program. Prospective applicants are encouraged to contact Dr. Racheal Rothrock, in the Department of Teaching, Curriculum and Educational Inquiry, to discuss their interests and to outline a plan of study.

You may apply by completing the online application and submitting the $50 application fee. Be sure to indicate that you are a current Miami student applying to a Combined Degree Program. Required application materials include an essay, resume, two letters of recommendation, and your academic transcript (unofficial accepted). Materials will be uploaded via the Graduate School’s application portal.

Admitted students will be assigned a graduate faculty advisor within the combined program. Students admitted to the program should be aware that in the fifth (graduate) year their academic progress is evaluated using the performance standards expected of all graduate students.

Double Counting Graduate Hours

With permission of the appropriate advisor(s) and dean(s) or their designee(s), departments or programs with a combined degree option may allow students to double-count up to 12 hours of graduate coursework toward their undergraduate major, minor, electives, or university requirements.

A minimum total of 150 hours earned toward graduation is required by the State of Ohio to receive both a bachelors and masters. A minimum of 120 semester hours earned toward graduation is required for the bachelor's degree (may be undergraduate and graduate credit) and a minimum of 30 additional hours of graduate semester hours earned toward graduation is required (500 level or above) for a master's degree.

Based on each program’s required minimum number of hours, it may not be possible to double-count up to 12 hours. For example, if a student takes the minimum hours required for the bachelor's degree (128 hours) and the minimum graduate hours required for the masters degree (31 hours), the student may only double count up to 8 hours of graduate credit toward their undergraduate degree.

Student Classification and Graduation

Students in a combined program will remain undergraduates until they apply for graduation or submit a request to the Graduate School to have their classification changed from undergraduate to graduate. Students must have completed a minimum of 124 hours to be classified as a graduate student (note: this change in classification may affect eligibility for financial aid). Students MUST receive their bachelor's degree prior to completing their master's degree. Upon receiving the bachelor's, students will automatically be classified as graduate students. (undergraduate and graduate hours combined). Students may receive their Bachelor's degree prior to completing their Master’s degree. Upon receiving the Bachelor's degree, students will automatically be classified as graduate level students.

Regular time-limits for completing the master’s degree apply to students in a combined program (see the Graduate School Handbook for more information).

Sample Plan

Must have 3.25 GPA and 64 credit hours to begin graduate level coursework