About the Early Grade Reading in Developing Countries Graduate Certificate

The Early Grade Reading (EGR) courses and graduate certificate are designed to meet the professional development needs of practitioners and policymakers in government and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) who work or intend to work on early grade reading projects in developing and under-resourced countries.

Anyone in the world can apply, including non-US residents. We have designed this course specifically for participants living outside of the U.S. 

The goals of the Early Grade Reading program include:

• Increase the capacity of government and non-governmental (NGO) personnel to develop, monitor and improve early grade reading programs in developing countries.
• Provide accessible training to practitioners and policy makers who work in early grade reading but cannot attend university classes in the U.S.
• Serve as a stepping stone to a master’s degree for those who finish the certificate and then want to apply to the International Education concentration at UMass Amherst (the 15 credits from the graduate certificate can be applied towards the 36-credit Master’s degree or the doctoral degree with specialization in international education).

Overview of the Program 

Cost 

As of Spring 2024, each course costs $1893, with a $75 term enrollment fee. The total cost of the Early Grade Reading Certificate program (5 courses) is $9,465. Expect tuition increases over time.

Courses

• EDUC 680 – How Children in Developing Countries Learn to Read
• EDUC 680B – Systems to Support Early Grade Reading
• EDUC 686R – Teacher Preparation and Support for Early Grade Reading
• EDUC 687T – Materials and Technology for Early Grade Reading
• EDUC 687R – Role of Community and Family in Supporting Early Grade Reading

For more details about these classes, see the List of EGR Classes page.

Take all five courses to earn the certificate 

You can also take just one or two courses for your own professional development, and you will receive 3 graduate credits for each course. Once you take all five courses, you are eligible for the graduate certificate. 

Who can take courses

Courses are open to UMass students and non-umass students

Anyone can take EGR courses, you do not need to be a degree student at UMass.

If you are a UMass Amherst graduate student, you can register for EGR courses through SPIRE, as you do with your other courses. However, because the course is offered through the University+ continuing education unit, the fee structure is separate from your graduate program, and you will need to pay the course fees and non-refundable registration fee that University+ charges. (Tuition waivers offered by your University graduate program usually do NOT apply to these courses)

Academic Requirements

• Hold a minimum of a bachelor’s degree;
• Work or intend to work in the field of education and/or early grade reading;
• Have English reading and writing skills equivalent to an 80 on the TOEFL Internet-based course. Participants do not need to take the TOEFL test or submit their scores to take a course or be admitted into the program. 

Note: Although the TOEFL is not required, we recommend that your English reading and writing skill level be equivalent to a score of 80 on the TOEFL IBT as a guideline for the level of English you need to do well in the course. You should assess your own English skills and decide whether they are sufficient to be successful in the course. We will not be verifying people’s English skills directly before or after registration.

Computer Requirements

All courses are held entirely online, you will need regular access to the following:

• high-speed internet
• a laptop or desktop computer running a current Mac or Windows operating system that can run recent versions of Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and Word. Note that a mobile device such as an iPad or smartphone will not be enough for some class activities.
• a browser supported by Canvas
• A microphone and camera capable of recording and/or participating in Zoom meetings.  

Course Structure and Workload 

Online courses are typically 12 weeks

An online course typically includes readings, online discussion, and both practical and written assignments tailored to your own early grade reading context. It may also include multimedia presentations, virtual small group work, and online presentations of students’ products.

Expect to spend approximately 5-7 hours per week

Participants should spend approximately 5-7 hours each week during the 12-week course. This should be enough time to read the assignments, watch the short videos, post and read comments on the discussion board, and write and post your written assignments. 

Course work can be done on your schedule during the week 

EGR courses are designed for participants in different time zones. All of the work is “asynchronous”, which means that you can work on weekly assignments at any time during the week they are assigned; you don’t need to be available at a specific time during the day or week.

Even if you are doing group work with people around the world, you can submit your posts and responses and upload your assignments to share at any time. Others in your group will access them whenever they log on. Presentation of material is all in video format, not live, so you can watch it any time you are able to be online.

Grades are based on participation and assignments, not exams

There is no final examination. You will be graded on how well you participate in the course and on several written assignments. You will be required to submit several papers as the course progresses that help you apply key concepts about early grade reading to your own work and context.

Courses can be taken for a grade or “Pass/Fail” basis

You can receive either a grade or a “Satisfactory” if you pass the course. Let the instructor know when the course begins whether you want to take the course “Pass/Fail” or for a grade.

Expect to submit assignments even if not taking a course for credit or a degree

If you sign up for a course, you are required to do the assignments. Even if you don’t want the university credits for completing the course, doing the assignments is important to help you process what you are learning. In some courses, other students will share their assignments with you and you will share yours with them, or you may work on a group assignment together; thus everyone learns more. Doing the assignments ensures that the course is valuable to all.

Earning the Graduate Certificate

Once you complete all five courses, you are eligible for the graduate certificate. You do not need to be enrolled in the program to take a course or two. If you are intending to earn the Early Grade Reading Graduate Certificate, we encourage you to apply to the Certificate program by the end of your second course.

Applying to the program involves filling out an online form, submitting a resume/CV, and writing a short personal statement. Details on how to apply can be found on the How to Apply page. 

While your application is being processed, you can go ahead and enroll yourself in courses by following the instructions on the how to enroll in a class page.

Once accepted to the Certificate program, you will be supported by an  advisor who will be available to discuss your professional goals and academic work, and support you during the certificate program.

You will register for and complete each individual course as usual. After you have successfully completed all five courses, you will submit a completion form and a short (one page) reflection paper to receive the Certificate.