Education Specialist in Reading Online
Two tracks available: The Professional Practice track is designed for students interested in pursuing a post-graduate degree and who want to become a reading specialist. The Advanced Perspective is designed for students who are already a reading specialist or hold a master's in reading, literacy or a related degree and wish to become an advocate for literacy at the community or university level.
Program Overview
Consider the Ed.S. in Reading degree program
The Education Specialist in Reading degree program at Arkansas State University is an accelerated, flexible degree program for those interested in advancing their career goals in reading and literacy.
As licensure requirements may change without notice, it is the responsibility of the student to confirm the requirements for licensure in his/her state as it applies to the participation in an out-of-state degree program.
Additional documents
This program requires Live Text.
State Program Approvals (.PDF)
Two tracks are available: Advanced Perspective and Professional Practice. Each candidate’s experience is assessed at the point of admission and based on the previous master’s degree completed.
Advanced perspective track
Designed for students who hold a master’s in reading, literacy or a related degree and want to take an in-depth look at classroom practices through research, applying reading knowledge to classroom practice, school systems and community.
In this program track, you will:
- Expand knowledge regarding complexities of school systems and legislatures
- Understand and delve into research foundations of literacy, historical studies, seminal studies, literacy and how it influences society
- Explore competing views of how literacy starts
Career opportunities include:
- District Literacy Leader
- Adjunct University Professor
- Literacy Advocate
Designed for students who hold a master’s in reading, literacy or a related degree and want to take an in-depth look at classroom practices through research, applying reading knowledge to classroom practice, school systems and community.
In this program track, you will:
- Expand knowledge regarding complexities of school systems and legislatures
- Understand and delve into research foundations of literacy, historical studies, seminal studies, literacy and how it influences society
- Explore competing views of how literacy starts
Career opportunities include:
- District Literacy Leader
- Adjunct University Professor
- Literacy Advocate
Professional practice track
Designed for students interested in pursuing a post-graduate degree in reading as a content specialist.
In this program track, you will:
- Examine literacy issues in the context of multicultural education and culturally responsive pedagogy with a focus on the differentiation of literacy needs among various student cultures and special needs students
- Focus on the development of literacy skills
- Explore current research on literacy cognition, reading disorders, and research-based methodologies for reading instruction
Career opportunities include:
- Reading Specialist
- District Literacy Leader
Designed for students interested in pursuing a post-graduate degree in reading as a content specialist.
In this program track, you will:
- Examine literacy issues in the context of multicultural education and culturally responsive pedagogy with a focus on the differentiation of literacy needs among various student cultures and special needs students
- Focus on the development of literacy skills
- Explore current research on literacy cognition, reading disorders, and research-based methodologies for reading instruction
Career opportunities include:
- Reading Specialist
- District Literacy Leader
Also available:
A-State offers a variety of post-graduate programs in a convenient online format. Explore our full range of online post-graduate programs.
Accreditation
Accredited by CAEP
Tuition
Our budget-friendly tuition can be paid as you go
Our Ed.S. in Reading online program offers the same affordable tuition to all U.S. residents. All fees are included.
Tuition breakdown:
Calendar
Know when to apply, when classes start, and when tuition is due
Our Ed.S. in Reading online program is designed to be flexible and convenient for working professionals, featuring accelerated coursework and multiple start dates a year.
Please note Summer 1 and Summer 2 terms are 5 weeks in duration for this program.
| Term | Program Start Date | Application Deadline | Document Deadline | Registration Deadline | Payment Due | Last Class Day |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring 1 | 1/8/24 | 12/15/23 | 12/19/23 | 1/4/24 | 1/5/24 | 2/23/24 |
| Spring 2 | 3/4/24 | 2/19/24 | 2/23/24 | 2/29/24 | 3/1/24 | 4/26/24 |
| Summer 1 | 5/28/24 | 5/14/24 | 5/17/24 | 5/23/24 | 5/24/24 | 6/27/24 |
| Summer 2 | 7/2/24 | 6/18/24 | 6/21/24 | 6/27/24 | 6/28/24 | 8/1/24 |
Now enrolling:
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Admissions
See the requirements for the online education specialist program
Students who are interested in our Ed.S. in Reading online program must have a master’s degree in reading or other field in education from an accredited institution. Review full admission requirements below.
Admission Requirements:
- Minimum 3.25 GPA
- Master's degree
- Valid teaching certificate
Admission requirements
- Master’s degree in reading or other field in education from an accredited institution with at least 3.25 cumulative GPA on a 4.0 scale
- A valid teaching certificate
- Commitment from a literacy coach or reading specialist, or other acceptable mentor who will function as your mentor during the program. The mentor must have reading/language arts experience. View acceptable mentors (PDF)
Application submission requirements
- Complete online application, including the mentor form
- Pay the nonrefundable $30 fee
- Send official transcript(s) from the college/university attended. Official transcripts are sealed transcripts sent from the granting institution. For this program, we will only need an official transcript that shows your conferred master's degree.
Submit all documents to:
A-State OnlineP.O. Box 2520
State University, AR 72467
Fax: 870-972-3548
Email: [email protected]
Additional information
Unless otherwise noted, Arkansas State University has not confirmed if a program has met requirements for an out-of-state licensure and it is up to the Student to confirm if the program will meet the needs for licensure. Please refer to the Program Approval Map to determine which programs are eligible to be offered in States and to find relevant State Agency contact information. Eligibility to offer in a State does not guarantee the program will meet State licensure requirements.
Appeals process
- Email a written Letter of Appeal and GRE or GMAT scores (may be unofficial) to [email protected]
Transfer credits
Up to 9 graduate hours from A-State or other higher education institutions may be credited toward a program subject to department approval. No course can be older than six years by graduation time. The course must have been taken at the level of the program you are seeking. To request prior credit be evaluated, please complete the Graduate Transfer Credit Evaluation Form.
Courses
Discover what you will learn in our online education specialist classes
Students pursuing this Ed.S. program must complete a total of 30 credit hours, including five core courses (15 credit hours) and five courses (15 credit hours) specific to either the Advanced Perspective track or the Professional Practice track.
You must take the following courses. ELFN 6773, or an equivalent course, must be taken as a prerequisite for RDNG 7613; this does not count toward total hours needed for degree completion.
All students in the Professional Practice track must take the following courses.
Note: All students graduating from the MSE Reading program since July 2018 and the EdS Reading Professional track, who took RDNG 6333, RDNG 6513, RDNG 6533, RDNG 6553 AND RDNG 6563 are eligible for the Dyslexia endorsement. Students should check their licensure to determine if they are eligible. The Professional Education department automatically submits the paperwork for the certification. After reviewing their licensure and if they meet the other criteria above they can contact Tiffany Mosely in the Professional Education Office at [email protected] to review and see if they can get the endorsement added.