Online Master of Education (MEd) Programs with a Literacy / Reading Endorsement
Literacy education begins with teaching fundamental reading, writing, and language skills and expands to encompass fluency, vocabulary development, comprehension, and critical analysis proficiencies. It is a teaching specialization prioritized throughout the educational system, from early childhood education through high school and on to post-secondary vocational training programs. Reading and literacy coaches, specialists, teachers, and curriculum development professionals draw on theories of language acquisition, linguistics, and symbolic reasoning to provide focused literacy instruction. The skills literacy instruction instills are foundational across disciplines, contributing to student success in the humanities, social sciences, mathematics, and physical sciences.
While language instruction is a core teaching proficiency, reading and literacy specialists cultivate deep knowledge of the learning processes involved in English language acquisition and literacy development. They learn strategies to tailor curricula to specific student populations and implement the latest pedagogical and technological tools in literacy instruction. Master of Education (MEd) in Literacy programs provide graduate training in these areas, and are typically, but not exclusively, designed for teachers and other educational professionals who want to advance their skills in order to specialize in literacy instruction. Many programs also include a reading endorsement track, which typically aligns graduate training with requirements for reading specialist teachers administered by individual states.
What is a Master of Education with a Specialization in Literacy / Reading Endorsement Degree?
A Master of Education (MEd) in Literacy / Reading Endorsement is a graduate program designed to prepare educators with the knowledge and skills needed to teach reading, develop literacy curricula, and provide program leadership and expertise at all levels of the education system, from early childhood through high school and beyond. These programs can also prepare educators for certification in states that require reading and literacy specialists to be licensed in order to work in public-schools. It is important to note that licensing requirements for reading specialists and other teaching specializations vary by state. Teachers who are considering an MEd with a literacy and reading endorsement track should research the requirements for certification in their state before applying to a master’s program.
Students typically enter graduate programs in literacy and/or programs that are designed to prepare students to earn a reading endorsement after studying education or a related field at the bachelor’s degree level and completing their initial teacher training. Furthermore, for some programs that include an endorsement track, having an active teaching license may be required for admission. Once enrolled, students in these programs typically spend between one- and three-years studying literacy education, pedagogical strategies, and developing expertise in the field through a mix of didactic instruction and practical experiences, which may include internships and student teaching placements in schools and literacy educations programs.
Online Master of Education – Literacy / Reading Endorsement Programs
Many accredited colleges and universities now offer online MEd programs in Reading Instruction and Literacy. These programs use distance learning technologies and learning management systems (LMSs) to deliver all or most of their didactic classroom instruction online, significantly reducing or eliminating the need to commute to a school’s campus for classes. Online MEd in Literacy / Reading Endorsement programs are designed to provide the same level of training and instruction as their campus-based counterparts and are similar in curricular structure and content.
Students in an online master’s program log on to a school’s LMS to access and view live and/or pre-recorded lectures and class meetings and receive other instruction materials via a secure internet connection. Readings, research, written assignments, discussion forums, and exams are typically delivered online as well, furthering the relative flexibility afforded by an online program. For online students, practical experiences, such as internships and student teaching assignments, are typically completed at program-approved sites within commuting distance to a student’s place of residence.
How OnlineEducation.com Identifies and Classifies Online MEd in Literacy / Reading Endorsement Programs
There are Master of Education (MEd), Master of Arts (MA), and Master of Science (MS) programs in dozens of teaching and education specializations, including reading and literacy instruction both with and without reading endorsement tracks. These programs are generally offered through schools of education and/or professional studies, as well as other graduate divisions housed within accredited colleges and universities. OnlineEducation.com researches master’s programs to identify programs that are offered online and that specialize in literacy instruction, teaching reading, and/or preparing graduates to apply for state certification in reading/literacy. To be classified as an online program, all or most of a program’s didactic instruction must be delivered via distance learning technologies. Programs that require two or fewer campus visits per year are classified as online programs on OnlineEducation.com. Programs that require three or more campus-based sessions per year are considered hybrid programs and are not listed on the site.
In addition to providing focused training in teaching literacy and reading through online instruction, programs must be offered by accredited, non-profit colleges and universities. It is, however, important to note that internships, practicums, and other in-person student teaching requirements are not factored into the online classification criteria, as most programs allow online students to complete practical experiences at an approved site in their geographical area.
What Students Learn in Online Master’s in Literacy and Reading Endorsement Programs
MEd in Literacy programs provide core training in teaching reading and other foundational language arts skills in early learning environments, PK-12 elementary and secondary schools, and adult education settings. However, while literacy instruction overlaps significantly with teaching elementary, middle, and high school English, its scope is broader. Thus, training in literacy instruction extends beyond reading and writing fundamentals, encompassing deeper fluency, communication, and critical thinking proficiencies as they apply to comprehension, interpretation, and analysis in the arts, humanities, and sciences.
Students in online MEd in Literacy programs study theories of language acquisition, as well as strategies for teaching students of varying ages how to read, write, and clearly conceptualize and communicate their thoughts. They learn to evaluate individual learners, interpret scholarly research, and assess literacy curricula, as well as how to identify reading deficiencies and design interventions to meet the needs of students with learning disabilities. Subject-area literacy for reading across disciplines, digital media literacy, and sociocultural literacy are also commonly examined in graduate-level studies, and many programs include required or elective coursework in literacy coaching, advanced studies in phonics, and teaching English to non-native speakers in their curricula.
Additionally, most MEd in Literacy programs and all programs that prepare graduates to apply for state-issued endorsements, certifications, or specialist licensure in reading and literacy, incorporate practical experiences. These site-based requirements may be referred to as practicums, internships, or student-teaching placements. They provide students with the opportunity to put what they are learning into action at schools and in other settings where literacy is taught. Some programs also require students to complete a research- and/or practice-based capstone project or master’s thesis prior to earning their degree.
MEd in Literacy programs may align coursework requirements with standards outlined by the International Literacy Association (ILA) and the National Council for Teachers of English (NCTE). General programmatic accreditation for master’s programs in teaching and education is provided by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).
Common Courses in Online Master of Education in Literacy or Reading Endorsement Programs
The table below provides an overview of coursework that is typical of MEd in Literacy and Reading Endorsement programs. The courses and descriptions are drawn from actual online master’s programs offered by accredited colleges and universities in the U.S.
| Course Title | Course Description |
|---|---|
| The Role of Literacy Education | Examines the foundations of literacy instruction, its history and current issues, and the role of teacher leaders in implementing strategies to improve learning outcomes, with a broader focus on the mission and values of literacy teachers. |
| Assessment and Evaluation of Reading and Language Development | An exploration of formative and summative literacy assessments and assessments related to language development, fluency, comprehension, reading and other literacy proficiencies. |
| Designing Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment in Literacy Education | Explores learning theory and differentiation to meet the needs of diverse learners, the use of data-informed practices in curriculum, and practices that promote critical thinking skills, technology skills, and real-world application of learned concepts. |
| Instructional Techniques for Assisting Students with Reading Difficulties | Explores the use of psycholinguistic theory to create an interactive model of remedial interventions based on research into how students acquire reading skills; and students create programs to assist struggling readers and children with learning disabilities in order to improve vocabulary, comprehension, and writing proficiencies. |
| Reading and Literacy Today | Explores contemporary issues in reading and literacy education, including public policy (including the Common Core State Standards), instructional practices, diversity, and methodologies; and focuses on phonemic awareness, fluency, comprehension, and vocabulary. |
| Qualitative Methods in Educational Research for Reading and Literacy Instruction | An overview of qualitative research methodologies, including grounded theory, ethnography, surveys, observations, case studies, document analysis, case comparisons, and focus groups, with a focus on using research to improve literacy and reading education. |
| Teaching Digital Readers | Exploration of new literacy practices, including digital texts, multimodal annotation, and online comprehension, and how they are impacting teaching and program development in the field. |
| Play, Inquiry, and Project-Based Learning in Classrooms with Young Children | Explores the use of various methods for developing literacy and reading skills in early childhood education and K-3 instructional settings. |
| Social Justice and Educational Equity | Study of the American educational system, focusing on diversity, inequity, social justice, and conflict in school settings; and explores the social construction of education using historical case studies, current policies and best practices, and international comparisons. |
| The Teaching of Journalism | Focuses on the learning and teaching of middle grades through post-secondary students in journalism and mass media; and includes theories and practices of journalism curriculum, instructional strategies, and assessments. |
Admissions to Online Master of Education in Literacy and Reading Programs
Admission to an online MEd in Literacy and Reading Education program requires prior completion of a bachelor’s degree and submission of an application with official college transcripts. Programs may have additional requirements, such as a minimum GPA of 2.75, 3.0 or higher on a four-point scale and/or submission of scores from the GRE or MAT exam, although the submission of standardized test scores is no longer required by many programs and there are programs that make the submission of scores optional for students who have already taken the exam and who think their scores with strengthen their application. Finally, as part of the application process, candidates may be asked to furnish two or three letters or recommendation, a resume or CV, a personal statement, and/or answers to one or more essay questions.
It is important to note that some programs, particularly those that prepare students for a state certification or reading endorsement, require applicants to already be licensed teachers and to have one, two, or three years of teaching experience. Most Master of Education programs are designed for teachers who have already earned their teaching license or certification. Applicants looking to earn their initial license typically do so through a Master of Arts in Teaching program.
Online Master of Education – Literacy / Reading Endorsement Format Options
While all of the programs listed on this site are online programs that do not require more than two campus visits per year, there are structural variations among online programs that students should consider prior to submitting an application. These include: online instruction methods (synchronous vs. asynchronous instruction); enrollment options (full-time vs. part-time); and campus visits (fully online programs vs. online programs with a limited number of required on-campus visits). Each of these topics is addressed in more detail below.
Synchronous vs. Asynchronous Instruction: Synchronous online instruction utilizes real-time lectures and live virtual class sessions that typically meet once or twice per week, often in the early mornings or evenings (or on weekends), so they do not to conflict with traditional work hours. Asynchronous instruction encompasses learning activities that do not have a real-time component, including pre-recorded lectures and class modules that can be accessed via the internet at each student’s convenience, 24-7. While all online programs utilize elements of asynchronous instruction, such as reading materials, research projects, written assignments, and unscheduled exams, only some online programs incorporate live lectures and virtual class meetings. Students who would prefer a structured learning experience that more closely resembles campus-based, classroom instruction may prefer programs that have a synchronous instruction component. Students who want maximum scheduling flexibility and who have the self-discipline to manage their coursework without scheduled class meetings may prefer programs that only use asynchronous instruction.
Part-Time vs. Full-Time Enrollment: Online MEd programs are generally designed to accommodate working professionals, which means most programs have flexible or part-time enrollment options. Part-time master’s students can expect to spend up to 20 hours per week on coursework while taking one or two courses per term. In contrast, full-time enrollment often means committing to 40 or more hours of schoolwork per week while classes are in session. Completion time varies by program and can also depend on internship hours and other factors. However, most online master’s programs can be completed in one to two years by full-time students and in two or more years by part-time students. Programs that utilize alternative academic calendars and those that offer courses year-round may allow part-time students to graduate in less than two years and shorten the time to completion for full-time students to as few as 12 months.
Campus Visits: While most online MEd programs do not require students to attend any campus visits, some programs hold a limited number of campus-based sessions that students must attend. These campus visits, commonly referred to as immersion sessions, intensives, or residencies, are generally two to five days in length and are used for orientations, seminars, networking opportunities, and other instructional activities that benefit from face-to-face meetings. While attending campus-based activities can enrich the online learning experience, campus visits can cause scheduling conflicts and may be complicated for some students who do not live near the school offering the program. OnlineEducation.com classifies programs that require two or fewer campus visits per year as online programs. Programs that require more than two campus visits per year are classified as hybrid or blended programs and are not listed on the site.