The applied professional experience is one of many practical applications included in the early literacy education specialization. It is the final step in the completion of the M.S.Ed. program. Conducted in an appropriate educational setting, candidates will maintain reflective journals and create files of samples of their students’ work and the assessment instruments used to demonstrate achievement of the state professional and content standards. All applied professional experiences are accompanied by portfolios detailing the rationale, process, and evaluation of the project.