The Languages, Literacies, and Transformative Pedagogies (LLT) Master’s Degree offers a focus area in Languages and Literacies, with an emphasis on Bilingual Education and English Language Learners, Critical, Digital, and Multimodal Literacies, and/or Reading/Writing Processes and Instruction. All MA students are required to take a research course and two core courses and then select from courses offered within their focus area. 

Our courses center on sociocultural and critical pedagogies and practices that address meaning making, knowledge building, and learning with bi/multilingual learners in school, home, and community contexts. Theories and pedagogies address reading, writing, language, and meaning making processes. In addition to reading and writing, approaches to literacy include digital and multimodal learning, media literacies, and data literacies, along with content creation and interpersonal skills within a digital environment. 

Core faculty include Iliana Reyes, Carol Brochin, Jill Castek, Mary Carol Combs, Erin Turner, Patricia Moreira

Students in our focus area have the opportunity to

• Explore multiple dimensions of literacy and meaning making
• Examine relationships between literacy, language, and culture
• Explore theories, processes, and practices of literacy from critical perspectives
• Examine historical, sociocultural and political contexts for the education of students acquiring English as another language.
• Explore theoretically based instructional strategies designed to integrate language development and content area acquisition.
• Explore sheltered instruction in bilingual and ESL classrooms

The LLTP MA is a 30-unit program delivered in-person and online. The LLTP MA required courses are:

• TLS 504  Language, Culture and Society
• TLS 505  Literacies and Transformative Pedagogies
• TLS 576  Action Inquiry in Classrooms and Communities

Recommended Courses in Languages and Literacies 

• TLS 502  Linguistics for Teachers
• TLS 506  Assessment and Instruction with English Language Learners
• TLS 514  Reading and Writing in Bilingual and Second Language Settings
• TLS 515  New Media and Learning
• TLS 528  Curriculum & Instruction in Bilingual & Second Language Settings
• TLS 540  Literacy/Technology
• TLS 595  Language Socialization
• TLS 615  Critical Pedagogy: The Life, Work, and Pedagogies of Paulo Freire
• TLS 641  Immigration and Education

Other courses in Languages and Literacies include: 

• TLS 515  New Media and Learning
• TLS 530  Literacy Technology
• TLS 547  Data Literacy 
• TLS 561  Multimodal Literacies
• TLS 564  Literacy and the Arts
• TLS 581  Diverse Literatures and Literacies
• TLS 596  Digital Literacies for Disciplinary Learning
• TLS 615  Critical Pedagogy: The Life, Work, and Pedagogies of Paulo Freire
• TLS 651  Reading, Writing and Texts: A Socio-Psycholinguistics Perspective
• TLS 653  Written Language Development
• TLS 795A Theory and Research in Language, Reading, and Culture: Biliteracy and Multiliteracies across Languages and Cultures
• TLS 795C Language Planning and Policy

NOTE: We offer a Bilingual Endorsement

• Foundations: 509, Foundations of Education for Social Justice
• Bilingual Methods: 506, Assessment and Instruction with ELLs and 514, Reading and Writing in Bilingual Settings
• Linguistics: 502, Linguistics for Teachers,
• School, Community, Family: TLS 501, Sustaining Family, Community, School Partnerships
• English as a Second Language for Bilingual Settings: TLS 516, Structured English Immersion (online)

The Languages, Literacies, and Transformative Pedagogies (LLTP) Master’s Degree offers a focus area in children’s and young adult literature. Students are required to take a research course and two core courses, and then select from courses offered within TLS. 

Our courses center on bringing a critical lens to youth literature through examining issues surrounding books and their use with readers. The courses are experiential, involving many interactions with books and engagements to connect readers with books.  We are passionate about books and readers and a focus on diversity within the U.S. and globally. Students in this focus area have many opportunities to participate in projects and events in Worlds of Words Center of Global Literacies and Literatures, and to interact with authors, illustrators, and publishers at the Tucson Festival of Books. 

Core faculty include: Desiree Cueto, Sybil Durand and Kathy G. Short, along with Carol Brochin and Leah Duran. 

Students in our focus area have the opportunity to

• Study children’s and young adult literature to examine issues around books and interactions with readers
• Learn about books and connections between literature and readers within the U.S. and around the globe
• Gain experience through opportunities to interact with authors, illustrators, and publishers.  

The LLTP MA is a 30-unit program delivered in-person and online. The required courses are:

• TLS 504, Language, Culture and Society
• TLS 505, Literacies and Transformative Pedagogies
• TLS 576, Action Inquiry in Classrooms and Communities

Course Options in Youth Literature include: 

• TLS 579, Literature and Literacy for Young Children
• TLS 580, Reading Children’s Literature as a Writer
• TLS 581, Diverse Youth Literatures and Literacies
• TLS 582, The Art of the Picturebook
• TLS 583, Dialogic Pedagogies with Youth Literature
• TLS 585, Young Adult Literature
• TLS 586, Reading the World through Youth Literature
• TLS 680, Reader Response Theories
• TLS 681, Critical Content Analysis of Text and Image
• Special topics classes (TLS 595) include
  • Anti-Colonial Perspectives in Young Adult Literature
  • Book Banning and the Politicization of Schools and Libraries
  • Gender and Sexuality in Youth Literature

The Languages, Literacies, and Transformative Pedagogies (LLTP) Master’s Degree offers a focus area in Critical Youth Studies. LLTP MA students are required to take a research course and two core courses, and then select from courses offered within the focus area. 

Our critical youth studies courses center on the intricate dynamics of youth culture, agency, and resistance in contemporary society. Youth subcultures are explored as sites of cultural innovation and critique, rather the deviation from societal norms.

Core faculty include Julio Cammarota, Cindy Cruz, Ashley Dominguez, and Sybil Durand

Students in our focus area have the opportunity to

• Understand the foundational theories of Critical Youth Studies, focusing on cultural autonomy and resistance within youth subcultures.
• Analyze intersectional identities among youth, including race, class, gender, and sexuality, with a specific focus on LGBTQ communities.
• Explore the transnational dimensions of resistance theories, examining the experiences of marginalized youth in US scholarship.

The LLTP MA is a 30-unit program delivered in-person and online. The LLTP MA required courses are:

• TLS 504, Language, Culture and Society
• TLS 505, Literacies and Transformative Pedagogies
• TLS 576, Action Inquiry in Classrooms and Communities

Course Options in Critical Youth Studies include 

• TLS 503: Critical Youth Studies: Exploring Youth Cultures, Agencies and Resistances
• TLS 518 Participatory Action Research within Schools and Communities
• TLS 581 Diverse Youth Literacies and Literatures
• TLS 585 Young Adult Literature
• TLS 587 Anti Colonial Perspectives and Young Adult Literature
• TLS 596 Critical Indigenous Pedagogy and Education
• TLS 641 Immigration and Education
• TLS 696 Arts-Based Research Methods

The Languages, Literacies, and Transformative Pedagogies (LLTP) Master’s Degree offers a focus area in Early Childhood Education: Young Children, Family, & Community Studies. Students are required to take a research course and two core courses, and then select from courses offered within TLS.

Our courses center on contributing to scholarship and teaching related to the growth and development of young children from birth through age eight, early childhood pedagogy, early education programs, curriculum design and implementation, educational policy, and the sociological, cultural, and political constructions of early childhood. We emphasize educational excellence, diversity, and social justice in early childhood education within the U.S. and in global contexts. Students in this program have opportunities to develop their own research or teaching agendas related to young children, their families, and the community, addressing a range of critical questions in the field of early childhood education and early childhood teacher education. Additionally, students can build asset-based and equity-centered partnerships and collaborations with families, local schools, and community members.

Core faculty include Iliana Reyes, Sung Eun Jung, and Leah Durán.  

Students in our focus area have the opportunity to

• Develop rigorous methodological, theoretical, and practical foundations for research and teaching in early childhood education.
• Gain experience through involvement in faculty-led research projects, professional development activities, and community-engaged activities.
• Build capacity to become researchers, educators (practitioners), and leaders in early childhood education who address and support the diverse strengths, interests, and needs of all children, their families, and communities.

The LLTP MA is a 30-unit program delivered in-person and online. The LLTP MA required courses are:

• TLS 504, Language, Culture and Society
• TLS 505, Literacies and Transformative Pedagogies
• TLS 576, Action Inquiry in Classrooms and Communities

Course Options in Early Childhood Education: Young Children, Family, & Community Studies include: 

• TLS 551  Developing Programs for Young Children
• TLS 579  Literature and Literacy for Young Children
• TLS 582  The Art of the Picture Book
• TLS 595   Issues in Language, Reading, and Culture: Assessment in Early Childhood   
• TLS 595   Issues in Language, Reading, and Culture: Language Socialization Across Cultures
• TLS 596  Topics in Teacher Education: Play, Development, and Learning in Early Childhood
• TLS 652  Language Acquisition and Development
• TLS 653 Written Language Development
• TLS 795A Theory and Research in Language, Reading, and Culture: Biliteracy and Multiliteracies across Languages and Cultures
• TLS 795B Vygotsky and Education
• TLS 641: Immigration and Education
• HDFS 546: Foundations of Family and Interpersonal Theory
• HDFS 607:  Topics in Family Studies and Human Development: Child and Adolescent Development
• SERP 602 - Foundations of Development
• SERP 602 - Early Childhood Assessment and Intervention

The Languages, Literacies, and Transformative Pedagogies (LLTP) Master’s Degree offers a focus area in Indigenous Studies, Education, and Language Education. Students are required to take a research course and two core courses, and then select from courses offered within TLS. 

Our courses center on developing curriculum and research rooted in Indigenous knowledge, values, and language that center Indigenous theories and paradigms. In addition, our courses assert sovereignty and self-determination in the community, not just the classroom, and are focused on justice-centered education. 

Core faculty include Jeremy Garcia, Sheilah Nicholas, and Valerie Shirley. 

Students in our focus area have the opportunity to

• Reconceptualize Indigenous education, language education, and research
• Explore educators, researchers, and community in relation to Indigenous sovereignty
• Examine critical Indigenous theories, paradigms, and pedagogies. 

The LLTP MA is a 30-unit program delivered in-person and online. The LLTP MA required courses are:

• TLS 504, Language, Culture and Society
• TLS 505, Literacies and Transformative Pedagogies
• TLS 576, Action Inquiry in Classrooms and Communities

Course Options in Indigenous Studies, Education, and Language Education include:

• TLS 696  Indigenous Research Methodologies
• TLS 596  Topics in Teacher Education: Indigenous Pedagogies
• TLS 596  Topics in Teacher Education: Critical Issues in Indigenous Education, Curriculum, & Pedagogy
• TLS 642   Oral Traditions Across Societies
• TLS 643   International Indigenous Culture-based Education
• TLS 644   International Indigenous Well-being through Education
• Other courses taught by faculty in the Indigenous Focus area (e.g. TLS 545, Curriculum Theory and Policy; TLS 539, Recent Research on Teaching and Schooling.

The Languages, Literacies, and Transformative Pedagogies (LLTP) Master’s Degree offers a focus area in science, mathematics, or environmental and sustainability education. Students are required to take a research course and two core courses, and then select from courses offered within TLS. 

Courses in this focus area focus on research and teaching in science education, mathematics education, and environmental and sustainability education. 

Core faculty include Alberto Arenas, Erin Turner, Patricia Moriera, and Marcy Wood. Stephen Arnold also teaches some courses in this focus area.

Students in our focus area have the opportunity to

• Become familiar with the current literature, issues, and scholarly conversations in science education, mathematics education, and environmental and sustainability education.
• Study with leading researchers and scholars in these areas.
• Gain experience with research methodologies relevant to these fields.

The LLTP MA is a 30-unit program delivered in-person and online. The required courses are:

• TLS 504, Language, Culture and Society
• TLS 505, Literacies and Transformative Pedagogies
• TLS 576, Action Inquiry in Classrooms and Communities

Course Options in science, mathematics, and environmental and sustainability education include: 

• TLS 519  Learning in Science & Mathematics
• TLS 541  Equity and Social Justice in Math/Science Education
• TLS 542  School Mathematics and Science History, Curriculum and Reform
• TLS 538  Research on Preparing Elementary Teachers in Mathematics and Science
• TLS 563 Collaborative Writing Groups in Education
• TLS 531 Environmental Learning
• TLS 560 Education & Sustainability
• TLS 562 Groupwork for Diverse Classrooms
• TLS 565 Discourse and Identity

The Languages, Literacies, and Transformative Pedagogies (LLTP) Master’s Degree offers a focus area in Social Justice in  Education. LLTP MA students are required to take a research course and two core courses, and then select from courses offered within the focus area. 

Our Social Justice course offerings address urgent issues in education, including the critical study of race, gender, class and sexuality issues in schools; the educational experiences of linguistically diverse children and youth in the Southwest borderlands; and power, ideologies, and politics in public education. 

Core faculty include: Julio Cammarota, Mary Carol Combs, Cindy Cruz, Desirée Cueto, and Ashley Dominguez, and Sybil Durand.

Students in our focus area have the opportunity to              

• Understand the foundations of Social Justice in Education research and methodologies to investigate and address critical issues in public education.
• Develop research and analysis skills informed by a distinctive Borderlands edge and gain depth and breadth of knowledge in related academic fields such as anthropology, history, philosophy, gender and women’s studies, sociology, linguistics, higher education, and literacy.
• Critically examine the practices in K-12 classrooms and institutions shaping the sociocultural contexts of schooling for low-income, racially, culturally, gender minority and LGBTQ+, and linguistically diverse communities.

The LLTP MA is a 30-unit program delivered in-person and online. The required courses are:

• TLS 504, Language, Culture and Society
• TLS 505, Literacies and Transformative Pedagogies
• TLS 576, Action Inquiry in Classrooms and Communities

Course Options in Social Justice in Education include: 

• TLS 633    Critical Race Theory
• TLS 595e  Anthropology and Education
• TLS 641     Immigration and Education
• TLS 575a   Education of Latinas/os/x
• TLS 584     Equity Literacy
• TLS 685     Microaggression Theory and Racial Battle Fatigue
• TLS 615     Critical Pedagogy and the Life, Work, and Pedagogy of Paulo Freire
• TLS 696a   Gender and Sexuality in Youth Literature
• Special topics courses