Reading Education (M.Ed.)

M.Ed. Reading Education

The reading program prepares certified teachers to enhance the language and literacy development of all students in diverse educational settings.
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Program Overview

The online program prepares certified teachers to meet standards established by the International Literacy Association to become reading specialists, literacy coaches or reading administrators. After graduation, students who pass the state-issued exam and have at least two years of teaching experience can qualify for the professional reading specialist certificate.

Course Work

Most students enter the program to pursue a Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Reading Education while preparing to pass the Texas Examinations of Educator Standards (TExES) to receive a reading specialist certificate. The program requires 30 credit hours of course work in reading, including courses in language and literacy development, reading theory and research, teaching literacy from early childhood through grade 16, teaching with literature for children/young adults, teaching reading and writing in a multilingual/multicultural environment and literacy assessment. The program also requires a two-course internship to complete a research and professional development project, as well as a
six-hour cognate that is designed in consultation with program advisors.

DegreeCertificationHoursThesis OptionMinor Option
Degree
M.Ed.
Certification
EC-12 Reading Specialist
Hours
30
Thesis Option
Non-Thesis
Minor Option
No minor
Degree
M.Ed.
Certification
No certification
Hours
30
Thesis Option
Non-Thesis
Minor Option
No minor

What Our Alumni Say

“In addition to providing me with unparalleled knowledge in the field, this program gave me the confidence and ability to do what is best for my students.”

— Danya Gardner, M.Ed. ’13, 6th Grade Technology Applications Teacher, Cele Middle School

Program Details

Students are scholars and teachers working alongside faculty to investigate tools to strengthen literacy, create innovative curricula, refine instruction, conduct research and learn ways to make their work public.

Program Mission

The reading education program takes its mission statement of "a community of equity-minded literacy professionals" seriously, as evidenced by faculty research interests and their work with master's students, in and out of the classroom. Students can expect a rigorous, research-based learning experience in multiple areas of language and literacy development. Course work deepens teachers' understanding of theory, research, assessment, and practice within culturally and linguistically diverse settings. Faculty regularly present at conferences and publish with students engaged in classroom research. The program's goal is to strengthen the pedagogical practice of our students and to actively serve the Pre-K-12 students of Texas and beyond.

Career Options

Career options for reading specialists:

  • classroom or intervention teacher
  • reading specialist for public or private schools
  • district-level director of literacy education
  • literacy instructor for universities, community colleges, or adult education programs 
  • reading tutor for students K-16
  • curricula developer
  • director of a reading clinic and/or tutoring company
  • reading consultant for a variety of public/private organizations/publishing companies

Program Faculty

Faculty are scholars and teachers who work in schools, staying current with today’s classrooms and teachers. Literacy is both a passion and a mission. The M.Ed. courses are taught by full-time, tenured, or tenure-track faculty who are experts in their field and former classroom teachers. Faculty are active scholars who have published in journals such as The Reading Teacher, Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, Bilingual Research Journal, Research in the Teaching of English, Language and Education, Language Arts, and Voices from the Middle.

Contact The Graduate College for general questions about getting started with your application, funding your degree, and more. If you have program-specific questions after reviewing the program details, we encourage you to contact the following individuals.

Graduate Advisor
Dr. Carol Delaney
cd21@txstate.edu
512.557.0443
Education Building (ED), Room 3022

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Application Deadlines

DeadlinesU.S. CitizenInternational
Deadlines
Fall - Priority
U.S. Citizen
February 1
International
February 1
Deadlines
Fall - Standard
U.S. Citizen
June 15 (*Flexible)
International
June 1
Deadlines
Spring
U.S. Citizen
October 15 (*Flexible)
International
October 1
Deadlines
Summer I
U.S. Citizen
April 15 (*Flexible)
International
March 15
Deadlines
Summer II
U.S. Citizen
June 1 (*Flexible)
International
No Admission

*This program’s deadline is flexible for those not requiring an F/J visa. A flexible deadline means applications received after the standard deadline may be reviewed on a first-come, first-served basis with no guarantees for admission consideration.

The M.Ed. with no certification does not offer admission in Summer I or Summer II.

Funding Information
Applications must be complete by the priority deadline to be considered for certain types of funding.

The priority deadline is geared toward funding opportunities for full-time students. As most students in the program attend part-time, the standard deadline remains the most important deadline for the reading education program since the timeline part-time funding opportunities varies. The reading program will continue to admit students as long as space is available.

Decision Timeline
This program reviews applications on a rolling basis after the priority deadline has passed.

Admission Requirements

The items required for admission consideration are listed below. Additional information for applicants with international credentials can be found on our international web pages.

  • Review important information about the online application.

  • M.Ed. with EC-12 Reading Specialist Certification

    • $35 nonrefundable Texas Education Agency technology fee (if offered admission to the master's certification program)
      and either
    • $55 nonrefundable application fee
      OR
    • $90 nonrefundable application fee for applications with international credentials

    M.Ed. with no certification

    • $55 nonrefundable application fee
      OR
    • $90 nonrefundable application fee for applications with international credentials

    Review important information about application fees.

    • baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited university (Non-U.S. degrees must be equivalent to a four-year U.S. Bachelor’s degree. In most cases, three-year degrees are not considered. Visit our International FAQs for more information.)
    • a copy of an official transcript from each institution where course credit was granted 
    • minimum 2.75 GPA in your last 60 hours of undergraduate course work (plus any completed graduate courses)

    Effective Fall 2024

    • baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited university (Non-U.S. degrees must be equivalent to a four-year U.S. Bachelor’s degree. In most cases, three-year degrees are not considered. Visit our International FAQs for more information.)
    • a copy of an official transcript from each institution where course credit was granted
    • a 2.75 overall GPA or a 2.75 GPA in your last 60 hours of undergraduate course work (plus any completed graduate courses)

    Review important information about transcripts. Official transcripts, sent directly from your institution, will be required if admission is granted.

  • GRE

    • GRE not required

    Approved English Proficiency Exam Scores

    TOEFL Scores for all certification applicants:

    Applicants are required to submit TOEFL scores that meet the minimum program requirements below unless they have earned a bachelor’s degree or higher from a regionally accredited U.S. institution.

    • official TOEFL iBT scores with minimum individual scores of
      • 22 listening
      • 22 reading
      • 24 speaking
      • 21 writing

    Approved English proficiency exam scores for non-certification applicants:

    Applicants are required to submit an approved English proficiency exam score that meets the minimum program requirements below unless they have earned a bachelor’s degree or higher from a regionally accredited U.S. institution or the equivalent from a country on our exempt countries list.

    • official TOEFL iBT scores required with a 78 overall
    • official PTE scores required with a 52 overall
    • official IELTS (academic) scores required with a 6.5 overall and
      • minimum individual module scores of 6.0
    • official Duolingo scores required with a 110 overall
    • official TOEFL Essentials scores required with an 8.5 overall

    This program does not offer admission if the scores above are not met.

    Review important information about official test scores.

  • M.Ed. with EC-12 Reading Specialist Certification

    • statement of purpose (3–5 pages, double-spaced) describing current teaching of literacy, objectives in enrolling in the program, and goals for improving literacy instruction
    • copy of official teaching certificate (and preferably at least one year of teaching experience) Note: Texas requires at least two years of teaching experience before teachers are eligible to take the Reading Specialist certification exam.

    M.Ed. with no certification

    • statement of purpose (3–5 pages, double-spaced) describing current teaching of literacy, objectives in enrolling in the program, and goals for improving literacy instruction

    Review important information about documents.

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