

Online Master’s in Reading Education
Video Transcript
In the 21st century, we acknowledge that things like literacy and teaching diverse students are 21st century themes. The importance of literacy in all content areas, and as a school-wide initiative, I think is pretty dominant in our current era. And C&I has decided to use these new strands as emphases within our online programs.
We've really have tried to build our program around relevant 21st century themes. So these include teaching diverse learners, so our students at KU will experience coursework that not just focuses on diverse learners, but focuses on diverse learners within all of the courses. So instead of kind of isolating these themes, we've chosen to see them as integral to each course.
According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), literacy “improves lives by expanding capabilities which in turn reduces poverty, increases participation in the labor market and has positive effects on health and sustainable development.”
Additionally, students who can read and communicate clearly from a young age are more likely to become engaged in their classes, avoid truancy, score well on tests, and stay in school. Disruptions to the development of these skills can have long-term consequences.Alarmingly, already declining national literacy rates in the U.S. have plummeted even more sharply in recent years, as "fallout" from the COVID-19 pandemic affects student reading outcomes. Therefore, improving literacy outcomes has become a school-wide initiative in all content areas; literacy is no longer the domain of a single classroom.
If you want to make literacy your focus or better understand how to teach reading and writing outside of language arts—or if you are an administrator seeking knowledge to build a school-wide literacy plan—a master’s in reading education* from the University of Kansas School of Education and Human Sciences can prepare you with the strategies you need.
Transition to a career as a reading specialist, or elevate your teaching skills.
The KU School of Education and Human Sciences offers two tracks for the online master's in reading education, as well as a reading specialist licensure endorsement-only track. These programs help build an understanding of literacy at all levels, including assessment of literacy development from the beginning stages in pre-kindergarten through adolescence and adulthood. A master’s in reading education will help you explore the intersection of diversity and literacy and will teach you to support populations with different reading challenges.
Like all programs from the KU School of Education and Human Sciences, the online master’s in reading education is taught by well-respected faculty who balance their highly regarded academic research with firsthand experience in the classroom. While obtaining a master’s in reading education, you'll study pedagogical theory and learn how to put it into practice in your own teaching. Online coursework will be supplemented by the Reading Room, a virtual space that tracks progress and makes it easier for you to share projects with other classmates.
Earn your degree in as few as two years
Program Details
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Reading Specialist Licensure Track (M.S.E.)
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Reading Non-Licensure Track (M.S.E.)
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Reading Specialist Licensure Endorsement Track
By enrolling in the reading specialist licensure track of the online reading master’s* program, you'll set yourself on a path toward becoming a reading specialist, which can expand your career possibilities as a teacher, a reading coach or a program developer. To give you hands-on preparation for a career in this field, you'll complete a practicum experience, a case study that lets you put into practice what you've learned by developing and analyzing a program and tutoring striving readers in either a clinical setting or a public school setting.
Program Details
- 11 courses, 8 weeks per course, 33 credit hours
- Complete in as few as 2 years
- Opportunity to apply practical approaches grounded in pedagogical theory through interactions with children and youth in your own community
- Learn from renowned faculty with extensively published research and diverse real-world experience
- Curriculum based on the Standards for Reading Professionals of the International Literacy Association
- Complete your coursework anytime, anywhere, through our innovative online format
- Track your research and share with classmates in the online Reading Room
- No GRE required for admission
- Accredited under NCATE/CAEP standards
- Required case study practicum
What You'll Learn
In this track, you will build a strong understanding of the foundations of literacy. You'll explore the intersection of multicultural education and literacy, and you'll learn how to connect with striving readers through assessment and effective instruction from pre-kindergarten through individuals, including individuals with reading disabilities. Your studies will prepare you for a hands-on practicum experience and a culminating master's project that reflects your successful achievement of the program’s four key outcomes: Teaching All Students, Knowing and Using Research, Pedagogical Content Knowledge, and Foundational Knowledge.
For more detailed information on the topics covered in this program, view the course listings.
Career Outcomes
After completing the reading specialist licensure track of the online master's in reading education, you may choose to pursue a number of literacy-related careers. You'll be prepared to become a reading specialist at the elementary, middle or high school level, and you may also find success as a PK–12 literacy coach. Other potential career paths include becoming an adult literacy teacher, teaching in higher education or consulting for a publisher of reading textbooks.
*This program is an online Master of Science in Education (M.S.E.) degree in curriculum and instruction with an emphasis in reading education.
*The reading specialist licensure track of the online reading master’s program meets the educational requirements for licensure in the state of Kansas. If you plan to obtain a license or certification in a state other than Kansas or a US territory after completion of your program, it is highly recommended you first seek guidance from the appropriate licensing agency BEFORE beginning the academic program to ensure you can obtain a license of certification in your home state or territory. The website https://nc-sara.org/professional-licensure-directory provides resources for licensure and certification boards outside of Kansas.
The non-licensure track of the online master's in reading education* program is meant for educators who already have their teaching and/or reading specialist license or for administrators who wish to develop literacy programs at their schools. You'll build on your existing experience in the field of education, focusing on how to cultivate literacy skills in a range of striving readers, especially English language learners, and you'll gain a deeper understanding of literacy at all age levels.
Program Details
- 10 courses, 8 weeks per course, 30 credit hours
- Complete in as few as 2 years
- Opportunity to apply practical approaches grounded in pedagogical theory through interactions with children and youth in your own community
- Learn from renowned faculty with extensively published research and diverse real-world experience
- Curriculum based on the Standards for Reading Professionals of the International Literacy Association
- Complete your coursework anytime, anywhere, through our innovative online format
- Track your research and share with classmates in the online Reading Room
- No GRE required for admission
What You’ll Learn
In this track of the online master’s in reading education, you will build a strong understanding of the foundations of reading and literacy. You'll explore the intersection of multicultural education and literacy, including a focus on English language learners, and you'll develop your ability to connect with striving readers from pre-kindergarten through adults, including adults with reading disabilities. Your studies will prepare you for a culminating master's project that reflects your successful achievement of the four program outcomes:
- Teaching All Students
- Knowing and Using Research
- Pedagogical Content Knowledge
- Foundational Knowledge
For more detailed information on the topics covered in this program, view the course listings.
Career Outcomes
With the non-licensure track online master's in reading education, you may choose to pursue a number of literacy-related careers. You'll be prepared to provide reading expertise at the elementary, middle or high school level; you may also find success as a PK–12 literacy coach. Other potential career paths include becoming an adult literacy teacher, teaching in higher education or consulting for a publisher of reading textbooks.
*This program is an online Master of Science in Education (M.S.E.) degree in curriculum and instruction with an emphasis in reading education. It does not lead to initial nor advanced licensure in the state of Kansas.
What You’ll Learn
In the reading specialist licensure endorsement track, you will build a strong understanding of the foundations of reading and literacy. You'll explore how to connect with striving readers from pre-kindergarten through individuals, including individuals with reading disabilities. Your studies will prepare you to complete two practicum experiences, one an early intervention program for younger students and one a case study with older students. You'll also explore what it means to be a reading program coordinator or supervisor at the school level.
For more detailed information on the topics covered in this program, view the course listings.
Career Outcomes
This program prepares you to pursue a career as a reading specialist, which entails one-on-one tutoring with struggling readers, collaborating with fellow teachers at the PK–12 level to help support their students in literacy development, and consulting with administrators about literacy programs at the school or district level.
*This online academic program satisfies the requirements for the reading specialist licensure endorsement in Kansas, but does not fulfill the requirements needed to complete a master's degree. In order to enroll in this program, both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree are required.
*The online reading specialist licensure endorsement track program meets the educational requirements for licensure in the state of Kansas. If you plan to obtain a license or certification in a state other than Kansas or a US territory after completion of your program, it is highly recommended you first seek guidance from the appropriate licensing agency BEFORE beginning the academic program to ensure you can obtain a license of certification in your home state or territory. The website https://nc-sara.org/professional-licensure-directory provides resources for licensure and certification boards outside of Kansas.
Note: In order to enroll in any of these programs, a bachelor's degree is required. No program can guarantee reading specialist licensure for every state, so it is each student’s responsibility to determine the licensure requirements in his or her state and to apply for the licenses or endorsements necessary to his or her career goals. Our department staff and licensure officer can provide individual support during the application process to help you understand your state’s requirements.
Master’s in Reading Education Course Descriptions
Reading and literacy are some of the most important skills one learns within a classroom. With a Master of Science in Education (M.S.E.) in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in Reading Education, you will learn strategies needed to develop literacy in students in today’s diverse and technology-enabled classrooms. All courses listed are worth 3 credits.
Please note: Course list and sequence are subject to change.
Master's: Reading Specialist Licensure Track
C&T 709 - FOUNDATIONS OF CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION
C&T 740 – FOUNDATIONS OF READING: PROCESS, THEORY, AND INSTRUCTION
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EPSY 715 – UNDERSTANDING RESEARCH IN EDUCATION
C&T 741 – COMPREHENSION AND STUDY STRATEGIES FOR USE WITH MULTIPLE TEXTS
View Full Description
C&T 807 - MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION
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C&T 840 – EMERGENT LITERACY AND BEGINNING READING
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C&T 841 – EARLY INTERVENTION IN READING PRACTICUM
C&T 842 – SUPPORTING STRIVING READERS: ADOLESCENT THROUGH ADULT
C&T 843 – SUPPORTING STRIVING READERS: PRACTICUM
C&T 844 – THE READING PROGRAM COORDINATION AND SUPERVISION
C&T 898 - MASTER’S PROJECT
Master's: Reading Non-Licensure Track
C&T 709 - FOUNDATIONS OF CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION
C&T 740 – FOUNDATIONS OF READING: PROCESS, THEORY, AND INSTRUCTION
View Full Description
EPSY 715 – UNDERSTANDING RESEARCH IN EDUCATION
C&T 741 – COMPREHENSION AND STUDY STRATEGIES FOR USE WITH MULTIPLE TEXTS
View Full Description
C&T 807 - MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION
View Full Description
C&T 840 – EMERGENT LITERACY AND BEGINNING READING
View Full Description
C&T 842 – SUPPORTING STRIVING READERS: ADOLESCENT THROUGH ADULT
C&T 743 – WRITING AND SPELLING DEVELOPMENT AND INSTRUCTION
C&T 745 – READING AND THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNER
C&T 898 - MASTER’S PROJECT
The Reading Specialist Licensure Endorsement Track
C&T 740 – FOUNDATIONS OF READING: PROCESS, THEORY, AND INSTRUCTION
View Full Description
C&T 741 – COMPREHENSION AND STUDY STRATEGIES FOR USE WITH MULTIPLE TEXTS
View Full Description
C&T 840 – EMERGENT LITERACY AND BEGINNING READING
View Full Description
C&T 841 – EARLY INTERVENTION IN READING PRACTICUM
C&T 842 – SUPPORTING STRIVING READERS: ADOLESCENT THROUGH ADULT
C&T 843 – SUPPORTING STRIVING READERS: PRACTICUM
C&T 844 – THE READING PROGRAM COORDINATION AND SUPERVISION
Please note: The course list and sequence are subject to change.
- Retrieved on November 30, 2023, from unesco.org/en/literacy/need-know
- Retrieved on November 30, 2023, from nytimes.com/2022/03/08/us/pandemic-schools-reading-crisis.html