Ed.M. with Certification in English Language Arts Education
- Degrees & Programs
- Prospective students should download the revised proposed program guide (with fewer required credits) effective September 2025*. The program guide includes a proposed course list and application requirements for the anticipated new program.
- The current program guide is effective through Summer 2025 and is applicable to all current students.
- For more information about the pending changes to the program, please attend a GSE Initial Licensure Information Session or watch this video of an information session, password: ?0fzQs9I
- Contact Ken Tufo, Student Counselor in the Office of Student and Academic Services for further information.
Program Overview
The Ed.M. program with English teacher certification is designed for individuals who already possess a bachelor’s degree and wish to pursue both teacher certification and a master’s degree in education at the same time. The program’s curriculum covers a range of foundational topics in education, as well as specialized coursework specific to English Language Arts learning and instruction that engages research in literacy, language, linguistics, differentiated instruction, grammar, writing, and community-based learning. In alignment with the GSE’s mission, all teacher preparation programs and courses are designed to prepare teacher candidates to effectively teach diverse learners by fostering a deep understanding of students from historically underserved linguistic, economic, and cultural backgrounds and communities. Upon completion of the program, graduates will be effective English Language Arts practitioners knowledgeable about current research in learning, teaching, and literacy, and prepared to make informed decisions about their educational practice.
After the master’s degree is awarded, the GSE will make a recommendation to the New Jersey State Department of Education on behalf of the graduate to receive their Certificate of Eligibility with Advanced Standing (CEAS) as a teacher.
Program Goals as of 2022-2023
(Last updated: 9/19/2022)
Students will examine their identities, perspectives, and experiences related to literacy and forge professional commitments to antiracist/antibias English language arts (ELA) teaching and learning.
Students will develop and demonstrate deep understanding of core English language arts (ELA) disciplinary concepts of critical literacy, culturally relevant and sustaining pedagogy, sociocultural learning, linguistic justice, and multiliteracies.
Students will identify and implement student-centered and differentiated instructional and assessment strategies in their teaching that scaffold English language arts (ELA) content, skills, and standards to support equitable student learning.
Students will participate in collaborations with learners, families, colleagues, community members, and professional organizations to continuously reflect and improve upon their teaching practice.
For more information about this program:
*Pending final approval from the New Jersey Department of Education and Rutgers University.
Program Details
Application Deadline
Februrary 1, 2025
Entry Term(s)
Fall
Program Level
Masters
Program Type
Degree + Teacher Certification
Format
On-campus
Credits
59
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What You’ll Learn
Through expert-led, research-driven coursework, graduates of the Ed.M. program with English teacher certification will gain the perspective needed to understand learning as an active process in which students construct their own knowledge and understandings. More specifically, they will learn to articulate and critique their vision of the teaching of English Language Arts and develop a repertoire of instructional strategies that will help them enact that vision in the classroom. The program will provide field experiences that will allow students to bring the research and theory they have studied into practice. Students will exit the program prepared to be teacher-researchers who reflect on their practice, and armed with the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to act as change-makers in the schools and communities they serve.
For more information about the courses in this program, please visit the course catalog and online schedule of classes.
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Program Requirements
This program typically takes 2 years to complete and includes:
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- 2 no-credit Modules – Completed in the First Summer Semester
- 59 Graduate Course Credits
- 6 Credits – Completed in the First Summer Semester
- 13 Credits – Completed in the First Fall Semester
- 13 Credits – Completed in the First Spring Semester
- 6 Credits – Completed in the Second Summer Semester
- 15 Credits – Completed in Second Fall Semester
- 12 Credits – Complete in Second Spring Semester
Graduates are expected to complete the required course sequence and satisfy their general education requirements, liberal arts credits, and complete their portfolio concurrently through completion of their coursework. Accepted students have 5 years to complete the program.
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Careers and Outcomes
Graduates exiting the Ed.M. program with English teacher certification will be prepared for immediate employment as an education practitioner in New Jersey public, private, and charter schools. Equipped with the skills needed to teach students from varying educational, linguistic, and cultural backgrounds, graduates of this program may also pursue positions such as education consultants, literacy coaches, private tutors, and education advisors, within school, community-based, nonprofit, and government settings.
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Admissions Requirements
- Personal Statement
- One Letter of Recommendation
- Passing Praxis Core test scores* in Reading, Writing, and Math
- or SAT scores* greater than 50th percentile in both Math and Verbal or both Math and Reading
- or ACT scores* greater than 50th percentile in both Math and English
- or GRE scores* greater than 50th percentile in both Verbal and Quantitative Reasoning
- Official Undergraduate Transcripts**
*Any test scores submitted must be less than 5 years old as of the application deadline
**The New Jersey Department of Education requires a minimum GPA of 2.75 to be admitted to a teacher education program -
How to Apply
- Collect the materials required for admission
- Submit your application online at http://gradstudy.rutgers.edu/
- Submit supporting materials online
- Any supporting materials that cannot be submitted electronically should be mailed to Graduate Admissions’ New Brunswick office. Their mailing address can be found here: https://gradstudy.rutgers.edu/about/contact-us
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Tuition & Financial Assistance
Tuition:
For tuition and fees information please visit the tuition landing page.
Financial Aid:
While students are encouraged to apply for federal student aid using the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), there are a number of other merit- and need-based support options, including loans and college work-study programs within and external to Rutgers. For more information, please visit the Office of Financial Aid website.
Scholarships, Fellowships & Assistantships:
Generous GSE alumni, friends, and community members have established and continue to donate to more than one dozen fellowships and scholarships to help deserving students reach their goals. These awards are granted on the basis of academic achievement and or financial need. While these awards are competitive, interested students are encouraged to apply for consideration and submit the required materials. Students must also submit a FAFSA application to be eligible.
To review all current awards and learn more about the donors that established them, please click here.