Literacy is an important part of a child's social, emotional and intellectual development. The stronger a child's reading and comprehension skills, the greater the child's potential for life-long success. The Master of Science in Childhood Education/Literacy explores the values of reading, writing and technology and will train you to become a New York State certified teacher of children from grades 1 to 6. This 48-credit program will greatly expand your career opportunities by preparing you for dual certification – offered by New York State – in both childhood education and teaching literacy. The program is accredited by the Teacher Education Accreditation Council, signifying it meets the highest standards of quality in preparing competent, caring and qualified professional educators in public and private schools.<br><br>In your courses, you will explore basic principles of elementary education curricula as well as a full spectrum of instructional strategies and assessment methods. For example, ''Social Foundations of American Education'' looks at the development of the American school system in a rapidly changing environment, with emphasis on the relationship between education and society, while ''Curriculum Development for the Classroom Teacher'' examines historical, theoretical and practical considerations of the purpose, content and organization of educational experiences (including non-school settings).