Master of Literacy Education (MC-LITEDUC)

You’re currently viewing the 2017 version of this course

Overview

Award title	Master of Literacy Education
Year & campus	2017 — Parkville
Fees information	Subject EFTSL, level, discipline and census date
Study level & type	Graduate Coursework
AQF level	9
Credit points	100 credit points
Duration	24 months part-time

The Master of Literacy Education is a 100 point degree that can be taken part-time over 2 years. It is designed to support professional educators with a mix of campus-based and online learning. The course understands literacy will foster a comprehensive understanding of literacy as social practice, informing evidence-based approaches with the latest theoretical understandings from leading-edge research into literacy learning and teaching. Graduates will acquire specialist knowledge in literacy policy, theory and curriculum; contemporary literacies; supporting diverse and exceptional learners and literacy leadership. Graduates will be well placed to lead schools and students in all facets of literacy and literacy development. The course offers two options in the second year; a coursework option that includes further core study, a capstone experience and an elective, or a research-intensive option (requisites apply), which can lead to Doctoral studies.

Links to further information

http://education.unimelb.edu.au/study_with_us/courses/literacy

Entry requirements

In order to be considered for entry, applicants must have completed either:

a four-year education degree, or equivalent; or
an undergraduate degree in any discipline and at least 50 credit points, or equivalent, of graduate study in education.

Meeting these entry requirements does not guarantee selection.

In ranking applications, the Selection Committee will consider:

prior academic performance.

The Selection Committee may seek further information to clarify any aspect of an application in accordance with the Academic Board rules on the use of selection instruments.

Applicants are required to satisfy the university’s English language requirements for graduate courses. For those applicants seeking to meet these requirements by one of the standard tests approved by the Academic Board, performance band 7 is required.

Note:

For those applicants with an undergraduate degree in any discipline but no fourth-year level qualification in education, a place in the Graduate Diploma in Educational Studies may be offered. Successful completion of the Graduate Diploma provides a guaranteed pathway into the 100 point Master of Literacy Education.

Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)

The Melbourne Graduate School of Education welcomes applications from students with disabilities. It is University and Graduate School policy to take reasonable steps to enable the participation of students with disabilities, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student’s participation in the Graduate School’s programs.
The core participation requirements for study in the Melbourne Graduate School of Education are:

In all courses

The ability to comprehend complex information related to education and the disciplines in which the student is teaching.
The ability to communicate clearly and independently in assessment tasks a knowledge of the content, principles and practices relating to education and other relevant disciplines.
Behavioural and social attributes that enable a student to participate in a complex learning environment. Students are required to take responsibility for their own participation and learning. They also contribute to the learning of other students in collaborative learning environments, demonstrating interpersonal skills and an understanding of the needs of other students. Assessment may include the outcomes of tasks completed in collaboration with other students.

Students who feel a disability will prevent them from meeting the above academic requirements are encouraged to contact the Disability Liaison Unit.

Intended learning outcomes

On completion of this course, students should be able to:

Conceptualise 21st Century literacies as social practices requiring a broad repertoire of knowledge, skills, strategies and understandings;
Understand key debates impacting on the teaching of literacy in schools;
Understand the development of language and literacy from birth to adulthood;
Understand the fundamental importance of language and literacy in schooling across the curriculum;
Utilise clinical approaches to teaching literacy which reflect diverse learners’ needs, interests and abilities;
Embed critical and creative pedagogies and practices in their literacy teaching;
Plan and evaluate literacy teaching drawing on contemporary research, theory and scholarship;
Demonstrate characteristics of educators working at Lead level of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers evidenced by the capacity for literacy leadership in their workplace.

Generic skills

In addition to developing skills specific to the Master of Literacy Education, graduates will develop the following generic skills:

Problem-solving skills, including identifying and researching strategies to solve unfamiliar problems.
Analytical skills and the ability to construct and express logical arguments.
Collaborative and teamwork skills through working with fellow students and with work-based colleagues.
Skills to investigate critically, implement, adapt and modify new ideas and approaches.
The capacity to plan effectively and to meet deadlines.
Oral and written communication skills.
Interpersonal skills including teamwork and staff mentoring.
The capacity to use information and communication technology for a range of purposes.
The ability to develop, critique and use appropriately a range of evidence and data.

Graduate attributes

The Master of Literacy Education will enable graduates to achieve the following University of Melbourne Graduate Attributes:

Academically excellent: Graduates will develop an in-depth research and evidence-based knowledge of learning, teaching, professional learning, and educational culture and climate. They will demonstrate a high level of achievement in writing, generic research activities, problem-solving and communication. Graduates will be critical and creative thinkers, with an aptitude for continued self-directed learning and will be adept at learning in a range of ways, including through information and communication technologies.
Knowledgeable across disciplines: Graduates will examine critically, synthesise and evaluate knowledge in the field of literacy education, particularly those with relevance to their education setting. They will expand their analytical and cognitive skills through learning experiences and have the capacity to participate fully in collaborative learning and to confront unfamiliar problems.
Leaders in communities: Graduates will develop specialist skills and knowledge that will enable them to provide leadership in educational and wider community contexts. They will be able to initiate and implement constructive change in their workplaces, supported by their knowledge of research around educational effectiveness. They will mentor future generations of learners and teachers and be able to engage in meaningful public discourse around education.
Attuned to cultural diversity: Graduates will be working within schools and organisations characterised by cultural and other forms of diversity. This is reflected in such overarching documents as the Australian Charter for the Teaching Profession, the Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for Young People and the various national professional teaching standards and curriculum documents. Graduates will value different cultures and be well-informed citizens able to contribute to their communities wherever they choose to live and work. They will have an understanding of the social and cultural diversity in our community and respect indigenous knowledge, cultures and values.
Active global citizens: Graduates will accept social and civic responsibilities and attempt to inculcate these values in those with whom they work. They will be advocates for improving the sustainability of the environment and have a broad global understanding, with a high regard for human rights, equity and ethics. They will recognise that education is the best means we have of opening the doors of opportunity for people and of ameliorating the effects of inequity and disadvantage.

Course structure

Students complete 100 points over 2 years part time, which includes 4 core subjects (50pts), and 50 pts of subjects specific to either the coursework or research intensive option*.

The options in second year are:
• Coursework: a literacy leadership subject, a capstone experience, and an elective; or
• Research intensive*: 50 points of research preparation for entry to higher degree research programs

*In order to be eligible to apply for the research intensive option, students must achieve at an average of at least H2A (75%) in the first 50 credit points of the program.

Subject options

Year One (50 points)

Code	Name	Study period	Credit Points
EDUC90684	Contemporary Literacies: Policy & Praxis	February (On Campus - Parkville)	12.5
EDUC90683	Reading Texts: Selection to Response	April (On Campus - Parkville)	12.5
EDUC90680	Creating Texts: Designing Meaning	July (On Campus - Parkville)	12.5
EDUC90685	Literacy Practices and Diverse Learners	September (On Campus - Parkville)	12.5

Year Two (50 points)

Coursework Option

EDUC90686, EDUC90620, EDUC90057 and one 12.5 point elective from the Master of Education’s suite of electives (subject to meeting prerequisites).

Code	Name	Study period	Credit Points
EDUC90686	Literacy Leadership in the 21st Century	Not available in 2017	12.5
EDUC90620	Reading Educational Research	Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) August (On Campus - Parkville)	12.5
EDUC90057	Education Research Project	Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)	12.5

Research Intensive Option

Code	Name	Study period	Credit Points
EDUC90419	Education Research Methodology	February (On Campus - Parkville) July (On Campus - Parkville)	12.5
EDUC90558	Education Research Study	Year Long (On Campus - Parkville)	37.5

Further study

Graduates may progress to a range of other graduate coursework programs, as well as research higher degree programs including the Doctor of Philosophy if the research intensive option has been completed.

Last updated: 12 November 2024