Quick Highlights
- Both programs point to reading specialist certification. A-State names the PRAXIS Reading Specialist test on the Ed.S. in Reading page and describes the MSE in Reading as preparing graduates for the reading specialist certification exam.
- The MSE is a master’s degree open to any licensed teacher with a bachelor’s degree. The Ed.S. is a post-master’s degree that requires an existing master’s degree for admission, so the two credentials are not parallel options for a first-time applicant.
- Both degrees list reading specialist, literacy coach and literacy specialist as outcomes. The Ed.S. adds school or district professional development provider, and A-State frames it as preparation for district literacy leadership.
If you already know you want a graduate-level reading credential, the question left on the table is which one best aligns with your professional goals. Arkansas State University (A-State) offers two programs: an online Master of Science in Education (MSE) in Reading made for teachers who want to work directly with struggling readers, and a post-master’s online Education Specialist (Ed.S.) in Reading designed for those aiming for district-level literacy leadership. Compare both in terms of cost, timeline, Praxis alignment and scope of practice, so you can choose based on the role you want, not just the letters after your name.
What Each Credential Covers
Before deciding between the two, it helps to see the baseline facts side by side. The table below breaks down cost, timeline, admission prerequisites and intended audience for A-State’s MSE and Ed.S. in Reading.
| Feature | MSE in Reading | Ed.S. in Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Degree level | Master’s degree | Post-master’s degree, between a master’s and a doctorate |
| Credit hours | 30 | 30 |
| Total tuition | $10,500 ($350 per credit hour) | $10,500 ($350 per credit hour), after already holding a master’s |
| Time to complete | As few as 12 months | As few as 12-18 months |
| Admission prerequisite | Bachelor’s degree, valid teaching certificate, 3.0 GPA and mentor commitment | Master’s degree in reading or another education field, valid teaching license, 3.0 GPA, mentor commitment and Partnership School Agreement |
| Designed for | Teachers interested in reading specialist or literacy-focused instructional roles | Reading professionals seeking advanced literacy leadership preparation |
The two programs carry identical per-credit tuition, so cost is not the deciding factor. The primary difference is the admission pathway. The MSE is a stand-alone graduate degree available to any licensed teacher. The Ed.S. is additive: A-State requires a completed master’s degree in reading or a related field before you can enroll, which means the real cost of the Ed.S. path includes whatever you already spent on that first master’s degree.
Scope of Practice: What Each Credential Qualifies You to Do
There are some overlapping career outcomes for both degrees: reading specialist, literacy coach and literacy specialist. The MSE additionally prepares graduates for roles such as adjunct instructor, adult literacy teacher, special education reading instructor and literacy or reading textbook consultant, all of which focus on direct instruction and school-level practice.
In practice, reading specialists often spend much of their time inside a single building: administering diagnostic reading assessments, pulling small groups for targeted intervention and coaching individual classroom teachers on evidence-based reading strategies one conversation at a time. The degree is built for that scope. Coursework in diagnostic assessment, intervention design and reading practicum experience trains you to work directly with struggling readers and the teachers who serve them, not to redesign a district’s literacy program from the top down.
The Ed.S. may support advancement into broader literacy leadership and professional development roles, depending on district expectations and state requirements. Beyond the school-level roles the MSE prepares you for, an Ed.S. in Reading positions you for work as a school or district professional development provider and, according to A-State’s Ed.S. requirements, for roles such as reading curriculum director and other district-level positions that a master’s degree alone typically does not reach.
Professionals in district literacy leadership positions may spend more time designing a curriculum adoption process, training coaches across multiple buildings or presenting reading data to a school board than working one-on-one with a struggling reader. A-State’s online Ed.S. requirements page notes that some districts and states recognize the Ed.S. as an advanced credential for salary classification purposes, though policies vary considerably.
Reading Specialist Certification and the Praxis Exam
Both the online MSE in Reading program and online Ed.S. in Reading program align their coursework toward the same target: the Reading Specialist Praxis exam. Coursework in literacy for diverse learners, adolescent literacy and principles of literacy cognition prepares candidates in both programs to sit for this test, and both also lead to a state dyslexia endorsement for students who complete the required course sequence and meet their state’s licensure eligibility.
Important Note
The Reading Specialist exam most often referenced in older program materials, Praxis 5301, was retired in September 2021. The current exam is Reading Specialist (5302). It covers Curriculum and Instruction (37% of the test), Assessment (23%), and Professional Leadership and Specialized Roles (15%), with constructed-response Application questions making up the remaining quarter of the score. If you are researching this credential using older sources, confirm that they reference 5302, not the retired 5301.
Because both credentials point to the same exam, the Praxis alone will not tell you which degree to choose. Assessment requirements vary by state, and candidates should verify current licensure requirements with their state education agency. According to A-State’s Ed.S. requirements page, most states require a passing Praxis score plus a master’s degree (or Ed.S.) in reading and two to three years of classroom teaching experience for reading specialist certification, regardless of which of A-State’s two reading programs you complete. Choose based on the scope of practice you want, covered above, rather than which credential you assume counts more toward certification.
Certification rules are also set at the state level, not the program level, so the same MSE or Ed.S. transcript can lead to slightly different requirements depending on where you plan to work. Some states accept the Praxis score alone once you hold the degree and required teaching experience. Others layer on additional state-specific coursework or a separate state exam. Confirm your target state’s current reading specialist licensure requirements with its department of education before assuming either A-State credential automatically satisfies every box.
Time and Format Comparison
- Both programs are 100% online.
- Courses run in 7-week terms. Both program pages note 5-week summer terms, but both published calendars currently list only fall and spring start dates, so confirm summer availability directly.
- The MSE finishes in as few as 12 months at an accelerated pace.
- The Ed.S. finishes in as few as 12 to 18 months, depending on your course load each term.
- Both programs use the same program-based tuition with no out-of-state penalty: one flat per-credit rate, all fees included, the same whether you live in Arkansas or anywhere else.
Reading Specialist vs. Literacy Coach
Reading specialist is typically a credential-based role tied to state certification and a passing Praxis score. Literacy coach is often a district-appointed role focused on teacher-facing professional development rather than direct, diagnostic work with individual students, and it does not always require the same certification as a reading specialist role.
Both degrees may support eligibility for reading specialist and literacy coach positions, depending on local hiring requirements. The Ed.S. adds broader scope, particularly for literacy coach positions that carry district-wide responsibility rather than a single-school assignment.
Some districts hire literacy coaches directly out of a master’s program, using the role as a bridge between classroom teaching and formal certification as a reading specialist. Other districts reserve the title of coach for educators who already hold reading specialist certification and prefer coaching to individual caseload work. Confirm how your target district defines the role before assuming the title tells you everything about the credential it requires.
Decision Guide: Which Should You Choose
Consider the following factors before you decide. The right approach depends on whether you’re aiming for a school-level or district-level role and which credentials you already hold:
- If you want to work directly with students as a school-level reading specialist, the MSE is the entry point. Kimberly Dickens, who earned her MSE in Reading online at A-State, chose the degree for exactly that reason: “When I was looking at the course descriptions, those were things that I knew would help me specifically with what I was trying to achieve.”
- If you want district-level leadership, supervisory or specialist coaching roles, the Ed.S. is the next step, and it requires a completed master’s degree to enroll. Lewis and Laura Hunt, who earned their Ed.S. degrees at A-State, described the pace: “It took 18 months to finish. It went by really, really quickly, and then you’ve got your degree.”
- If you are unsure, the MSE is the natural starting point and the Ed.S. is a natural continuation once you have classroom experience and a clearer sense of whether you want a school-level or district-level career. One thing to sort out before committing to that sequence: five of the Ed.S.’s ten courses also sit in the MSE curriculum, and A-State’s Ed.S. page notes that applicants from Georgia who already hold an MSE in Reading are not eligible. Ask admissions how those five courses are handled for an A-State MSE in Reading graduate, because the answer changes what the Ed.S. costs you in time.
Whichever path fits, confirm your specific state’s certification requirements directly, since reading specialist licensure rules vary by state even when the underlying A-State coursework is the same. Speak with a student engagement specialist about admission requirement to learn more about how your current credentials line up with either program’s prerequisites.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What’s the difference between a master’s in reading vs. education specialist in reading?
A: The online MSE in Reading at A-State is a 30-credit-hour master’s degree open to any licensed teacher with a bachelor’s degree. The online Ed.S. in Reading is a 30-credit-hour post-master’s degree that requires an existing master’s degree for admission and prepares graduates for district-level leadership roles that the MSE alone typically does not reach.
Q: Which programs prepare for the reading specialist Praxis exam?
A: Both point at reading specialist certification, and they share five courses. A-State names the PRAXIS Reading Specialist test (5302) on the Ed.S. page and describes the MSE as preparing graduates for the reading specialist certification exam.
Q: What’s the difference between a reading specialist and a literacy coach?
A: A reading specialist is typically a credential-based role tied to state certification and a passing Praxis score. A literacy coach is often a district-appointed role focused on teacher-facing professional development rather than direct student intervention, and it does not always require the same certification.
Q: How do I become a reading specialist, and what degree do I need?
A: Most states require a graduate degree in reading, a passing certification exam score and a period of classroom teaching experience set by that state. Either A-State’s online MSE in Reading or online Ed.S. in Reading may help satisfy academic preparation requirements for reading specialist licensure, depending on state-specific regulations.
Q: What does an education specialist degree in reading prepare you for?
A: The online Ed.S. in Reading program prepares graduates for district-level roles beyond what the online MSE typically supports, with A-State publishing reading specialist, literacy coach, literacy specialist and school or district professional development provider as its Ed.S. outcomes.
Q: How long does it take to earn a reading specialist master’s online?
A: A-State’s online MSE in Reading program can be completed in as few as 12 months, using 7-week terms. A-State’s program page also notes 5-week summer terms, though the published calendar currently lists only fall and spring, so confirm availability directly.
Key Takeaways
- The online MSE and Ed.S. in Reading programs cost the same per credit hour, but the Ed.S. requires an existing master’s degree for admission, so it is not a like-for-like alternative to the MSE.
- Both point at reading specialist certification and share five courses. A-State names the PRAXIS Reading Specialist test (5302, not the retired 5301) on the Ed.S. page, and the dyslexia endorsement is tied to graduating with five specific courses, pending state licensure eligibility.
- Both list reading specialist, literacy coach and literacy specialist as outcomes. The online Ed.S. adds school or district professional development provider and is framed for district literacy leadership.
- Both run fully online in 7-week terms, with the online MSE finishing in as few as 12 months and the Ed.S. in 12 to 18 months.
The best credential depends on your current educational background and long-term professional goals, not just which degree sounds more advanced. A school-level reading specialist role and a district-level literacy leadership role call for different training, and A-State’s two reading programs are built for exactly that distinction.
Learn more about A-State’s online MSE in Reading program and online Ed.S. in Reading program to see which credential fits the career you want next.