This graduate certificate program offers a unique opportunity for students interested in language and literacy intervention to gain and apply knowledge about research, theory and practice across a variety of relevant disciplines. Prospective language and literacy specialists venturing into today’s school environments would benefit from an understanding of leadership, teaching and learning theory, research, and effective practice across the broad range of disciplines involved in interventions. Successful interventionists require many tools to teach, as well as the skills to know when and how to apply those tools. These skills come from a critical, reflective understanding of the research and theory, as well as a complex problem-solving approach to assessment and instruction. The 16-credit certificate program is multi-disciplinary, drawing upon current coursework in Educational Psychology, and Teaching and Learning in the School of Education, as well as courses in Communication Sciences and Disorders in the College of Health Sciences.
Admission Requirements
Application Deadlines
Application deadlines vary by program, please review the application deadline chart for specific programs. Other important dates and deadlines can be found by using the One Stop calendars.
Admission
Applicants must have completed a bachelor’s degree prior to admission and a minimum 2.75 cumulative undergraduate grade point average. Applicants with a graduate degree must have a minimum 3.0 graduate grade point average.
Application
- Students wishing to obtain this certificate must declare their intention by applying to the program office or director.
- All graduate certificate applicants—even those already enrolled in a UWM graduate program—must apply to the Graduate School.
- Graduate degree and previously admitted graduate non-degree students who decide to pursue a certificate program must submit the application before completing 6 credits in the certificate sequence.
- Applicants must possess a baccalaureate degree and have a minimum 2.75 cumulative undergraduate grade point average to be admitted into a certificate program.
Credits and Courses
Sixteen credits are required as indicated below:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Core | ||
| ED PSY 748 | Oral Language, Cognition, and Literacy | 3 |
| Language and Literacy Intervention Electives | ||
| Select 12 credits from the following: | 12 | |
| The Role of the Speech-Language Pathologist in Literacy | ||
| Independent Studies (Application of Theory to Learning Activities (1 credit)) | ||
| Developing Biliteracy | ||
| University of Wisconsin System Reading Research Symposium | ||
| Early Reading Empowerment: Part 1 | ||
| Early Reading Empowerment: Part 2 | ||
| Reading Assessment and Instruction with Practicum: K-12 Part I | ||
| Reading Assessment and Instruction with Practicum, K-12: Part II | ||
| Seminar in Developmental Reading: (with the topic of “Current Trends in Literacy”) | ||
| Guiding and Directing School Reading Programs K-12 | ||
| UWM Writing Project: Teachers as Writers | ||
| UWM Writing Project: Teacher Leadership in Writing | ||
| Academic Intervention and Alternative Assessment | ||
| Current Topics in Educational Psychology: (with the topic of “Self-Regulation Assessment and Interventions”) | ||
| Social, Psychological, and Biological Basis of Learning Disorders | ||
| Advanced Methods in Learning Disabilities | ||
| Issues in Bilingualism | ||
Other LINGUIS courses upon approval of the Certificate Director | ||
| Required Core Capstone | ||
| ILLI Capstone — Independent Study with advisor | 1 | |
| Total Credits | 16 | |
Additional Requirements
Transfer Credit
No more than 20% of the required credits may be taken at an institution other than UWM. These courses are subject to Graduate School transfer policy and must be approved by the director of the certificate program.
Grade Point Average Requirement
A minimum cumulative 3.00 grade point average in certificate courses taken at UWM is required.
Articulation with Degree Programs
- Credits and courses required for a certificate may double count toward meeting UWM graduate degree requirements subject to the following restrictions:
- Degree programs must approve the courses from certificates that can double count toward the degree.
- All credits taken in completion of certificate requirements may count towards a UWM graduate degree as long as they do not contribute more than 90% of the total credits needed to obtain the degree. (Note: Students in PhD programs must still complete the minimum residency requirements)
- Certificate courses used toward meeting degree requirements must be completed within the time limit for transfer credit.
- Courses completed for a degree may be counted toward a subsequent certificate, subject to all certificate policy requirements.
- A course may count toward no more than one certificate and one degree.
- Students may not earn a certificate subsequent to a concentration in the same area.
Time Limit
Certificate program time limits shall be established as follows:
- 18 or fewer credits/Three years from initial enrollment in the certificate sequence.
- 19 or more credits/Four years from initial enrollment in the certificate sequence.
For certificates that are designed as add-ons to degree programs and are awarded concurrent with the degree, the time limit shall be the same as that of the degree program.