DLE: Critical Literacy and Social Justice Specialization (M.A.)

Important Dates for Fall 2026

Steps 1-6: Admission to SDSU

Steps 1-6 must be completed through the SDSU Graduate Admissions Office. Search out "Dual Language and English Learner" within your Cal State Application. All students enter in option 1, the online M.A. with Critical Literacy and Social Justice specialization. Those interested in hybrid option 2 can transfer once they enter the program.

• Get general help and tips on how to complete the Cal State Apply application.

• Application Guide: Cal State Apply Tutorial (M.A.)

STEP 7: ADMISSION TO PROGRAM

Within 72 hours of submitting your Cal State Apply application, you will receive an email containing a personalized link to Slate, where you must complete your program application.

Please ensure that all required program-specific documents listed below are prepared in advance and ready to upload to your Slate application.

For help, student guides will be shared the week of September 22, which will be posted on this website for reference.

Please gather the required items below and have them ready to upload to the program application:

Resume/CV or Work History Form

Complete the Work History form (PDF) or submit a resume or CV documenting your experience with multilingual and/or multicultural learners.

Statement of Purpose or Academic Writing Sample

You have two options. (1) Upload an academic writing sample or (2) Write a 500-800 word (double-spaced using a 12 point font or larger) statement of purpose that addresses the following:

1. Your background or experiences working in diverse school and community settings
2. How the M.A. program can contribute to your further learning and development 
3. Your goals as a graduate student and educational professional

We use the statement of purpose to get to know more about you and also as a writing sample. Take some time to organize your thoughts before writing and review it carefully afterwards.

1 or 2 Letters of Recommendation

Contact 1-2 individuals who you have interacted with both academically and/ or professionally and who would be able to write a letter of recommendation for you. Recommenders will submit their recommendations directly into the program application.

Please collect names and email addresses so you are ready to request these letters in the program application.

Get in Touch

Application Process Questions

• [email protected] 

Program Questions

• [email protected] 
• Tamara Collins-Parks, graduate advisor, [email protected] 

IMPORTANT NOTE: International Students requiring an I-20 immigration document from SDSU must be enrolled in a minimum of 6 units of in-person course instruction on campus, per semester. International students may not take more than 3 units of fully online course instruction, per semester.