Dec 04, 2024

2023-2024 Graduate Catalog

2023-2024 Graduate Catalog [NOTE!!!! THIS IS AN ARCHIVED CATALOG. FOR THE CURRENT CATALOG, GO TO CATALOG.NIU.EDU]

Interdisciplinary Study of Language and Literacy

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Certificate of Graduate Study

This certificate is designed to enhance graduate students’ understanding of contemporary issues in the study of language and literacy. This certificate will be of value to students who plan to pursue careers in research, academic and applied settings. The certificate incorporates courses from the College of Education, College of Health and Human Sciences, and College of Liberal Arts and Sciences in order provide a broad perspective on this area of study. Students who complete this certificate will gain the necessary theoretical and methodological knowledge to effectively conduct and interpret research studies concerning language and literacy. Students will also develop a broad, interdisciplinary understanding of language and literacy theory, research, and practice, which will enable them to engage in cutting-edge research and practical applications in educational and community contexts.

The Certificate of Graduate Study in Interdisciplinary Study of Language and Literacy is open to all students admitted to NIU. Students must maintain good academic standing, achieve a minimum grade of B in each course applied toward the certificate, and complete all certificate work within a period of six calendar years. All course requirements for the certificate must be completed at NIU. Some courses may have prerequisites that are not part of the certificate curriculum. Students are strongly encouraged to complete the core courses early in the certificate curriculum. Students pursuing the Certificate of Graduate Study in Interdisciplinary Study of Language and Literacy should meet with the certificate coordinator early in their academic program of study to ensure adequate time for planning and scheduling of courses.

Participants will take 18 credit hours to complete the Certificate. They will take six credit hours of IDSP 596, at least one three-credit hour course in the methods strand, and at least one course from three of the other strands listed below. Courses must be taken from at least three different program areas (e.g., PSYC, ETR, and LTIC).

Requirements (18)

Seminar Course (6 semester hours required, ideally completed in the same academic year)

IDSP 596 - Seminar in Interdisciplinary Studies of Language and Literacy Credits: 3

Methods Strand (3)

ENGL 608 - Research Methods in Linguistics Credits: 3
EPS 523 - Application of Psychological Research to Educational Practice Credits: 3
ETR 522 - Educational Statistics II Credits: 3
ETR 562 - Applied Categorical Data Analysis Credits: 3
ETR 722 - Methods of Multivariate Analysis Credits: 3
ETR 739X - Fieldwork Methods in Educational Research Credits: 3
ETR 745X - Interpretive Methods in Educational Research Credits: 3
PSYC 671 - Studies in General Psychology Credits: 1-6
D. Quantitative Methods (when the course covers hierarchical linear modeling)
Students must take 3 semester hours in this course.

At least one course from three of the strands listed below (9)

Acquisitions and Transitions

ENGL 623 - Second Language Acquisition Credits: 3
FLAL 583 - Applied Linguistics and the Romance Languages Credits: 3
LTLA 537 - Acquisition of Spoken and Written Language Credits: 3
LTRE 718 - Adult, Family, and Community Literacies Credits: 3
LTRE 719 - Principles and Methods of Teaching Postsecondary Reading Credits: 3
PSYC 675 - Development of Language Acquisition Credits: 3

Processes

ENGL 614 - Introduction to Linguistics Credits: 3
Either ENGL 614 or ENGL 615 may be applied towards the certificate, but not both.
ENGL 615 - Descriptive English Linguistics Credits: 3
Either ENGL 614 or ENGL 615 may be applied towards the certificate, but not both.
LTRE 711 - Seminar in Research Studies in the Field of Reading Credits: 3
LTRE 712 - Correlates of Effective Reading Credits: 3
PSYC 500 - Psychology of Language Credits: 3

Influences

HESA 504 - Educating for Equity and Social Justice in Higher Education Credits: 3
ENGL 622 - Theories and Methods of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages Credits: 3
ENGL 633 - Pragmatics and Discourse Credits: 3
LTIC 501 - Multicultural Education: Methods and Materials Credits: 3
LTIC 515 - Bilingualism and Reading Credits: 3
LTIC 550 - Teaching Oral Skills to Adult Multilingual Learners: Methods and Materials Credits: 3
LTIC 551 - Teaching Literacy Skills to Adult Multilingual Learners: Methods and Materials Credits: 3
LTIC 553 - Cross-Cultural Issues in the Adult ESL Classroom Credits: 3

Assessment

ETR 529 - Principles of Educational Measurement Credits: 3
LTIC 547 - Assessment of Language-Minority Students Credits: 3
LTRE 520 - Diagnosis and Treatment of Reading Difficulties Credits: 3

Special Topics Courses

The following special topics courses may be used to fulfill a requirement in place of a course from the Acquisitions and Transitions, Processes, Influences, or Assessment strand, depending on topic and approval of the certificate coordinator.

COMD 772 - Seminar in Language Credits: 3
ETR 592 - Special Topics in Research and Assessment Credits: 1-3
FLST 583 - Special Topics in Linguistics Credits: 3
LTRE 714 - Seminar in Reading Credits: 1-3
PSYC 680 - Seminar in Psychology Credits: 1-3