Master of Science in Education in Reading Online
This degree program provides you with the skills and techniques to teach reading, including diverse strategies to work with the struggling reader in early childhood through secondary levels. Prepare for careers in literacy leadership such as school or district reading intervention specialist, and literacy specialist at regional education service cooperatives.
Program Overview
Why our 100% online M.S. in Education – Reading stands out
Make a meaningful impact on student literacy development with the A-State Master of Science in Education in Reading. Designed to offer educators and educators-in-training a planned program of study that focuses on the skills and techniques of teaching reading, it includes studies and practical applications of professional practice for the reading assessment and interventions. This 100% online program also provides close interaction with experienced, graduate reading faculty and practice with diagnostic tools, strategies and methods for students in kindergarten through their adolescent years, all to prepare you for literacy leadership within your school and district. Guided practicum experiences in several courses offer an important lens into classroom practice, and the program also offers a course on the writing processes for effective writing instruction.
Students in this degree program are required to complete 30 hours of coursework, which includes clinical experiences in the correction of reading difficulties using tenets from the International Dyslexia Association. All courses are aligned with the 2017 International Literacy Association standards.
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
State Program Approvals (.PDF)
This program requires Live Text.
Students in this program aligned with International Literacy Association (ILA) Standards 2017 will:
- Prepare for the reading specialist certification exam
- Learn diverse strategies to work with the struggling reader in early childhood through secondary levels
- Gain knowledge essential for roles as a school literacy coach, school or district reading intervention specialist and literacy specialist at regional education service cooperatives
- Prepare for the reading specialist certification exam
- Learn diverse strategies to work with the struggling reader in early childhood through secondary levels
- Gain knowledge essential for roles as a school literacy coach, school or district reading intervention specialist and literacy specialist at regional education service cooperatives
As a graduate of this online program, you will be equipped with the skills to succeed in various educational roles, including:
- Literacy Coach
- Reading Specialist
- Literacy Specialist
- Adjunct Instructor
- Adult Literacy Teacher
- Literacy Coach
- Reading Specialist
- Literacy Specialist
- Adjunct Instructor
- Adult Literacy Teacher
Also available:
A-State offers a variety of graduate programs in a convenient online format. Explore our full range of online graduate programs.
Accreditation
Licensure programs within A-State’s College of Education & Behavioral Science are accredited by CAEP.
Tuition
Our affordable program tuition includes fees
Our MSE in Reading online program offers the same affordable tuition to in-state and out-of-state students. All fees are included. Tuition may be subject to change on a yearly basis.
Tuition breakdown:
Calendar
Dates you need to know for this online MSE program
Our MSE in Reading online program is designed to be flexible and convenient for working professionals, with 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 2 | 3/10/25 | 2/24/25 | 2/28/25 | 3/6/25 | 3/7/25 | 5/2/25 |
| Summer 1 | 5/27/25 | 5/12/25 | 5/16/25 | 5/22/25 | 5/23/25 | 6/27/25 |
| Summer 2 | 6/30/25 | 6/16/25 | 6/20/25 | 6/26/25 | 6/27/25 | 8/1/25 |
| Fall 1 | 8/18/25 | 8/4/25 | 8/8/25 | 8/14/25 | 8/15/25 | 10/3/25 |
| Fall 2 | 10/13/25 | 9/29/25 | 10/3/25 | 10/9/25 | 10/10/25 | 12/5/25 |
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Admissions
Follow our streamlined admission requirements
A-State Online offers a streamlined admission process for both new students and transfers. Students who are interested in the MSE in Reading online program must have a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution and a valid teaching certificate. Make sure to review full admission requirements below. Applicants to the program who do not qualify for unconditional admission may qualify for conditional admission.
Admission Requirements:
- Minimum 2.75 GPA
- Bachelor's degree
- Valid, active teaching certificate
Meet one of the following degree requirements:
- Have a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution with a cumulative undergraduate grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.75 (or 3.0 on the last 60 hours) on a 4.0 scale, or
- Have a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution with a minimum cumulative undergraduate grade point average (GPA) of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale and 3.0 GPA on the last 60 hours (admission with this GPA is contingent on a letter of recommendation from the school superintendent or principal), or
- Have at least a 3.0 grade point average (GPA) from a graduate school and a minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale from an accredited university.
- A valid teaching certificate
- Commitment from a literacy coach or reading specialist, or another acceptable mentor who will function as your mentor during the program. The mentor must have reading/language arts experience. View acceptable mentors (.PDF).
Note: If you have a 2.50-2.99 GPA, you must make a grade of “B” or better during the first 9 hours of graduate work at Arkansas State University.
Application requirements
- Complete online application
- Pay the nonrefundable $30 fee
- Send official transcript(s) from the college/university attended. Official transcripts are sealed transcripts sent from the sending institution.
- Provide contact information for the supervisor who will function as your mentor
Submit all documents to:
A-State OnlineP.O. Box 2520
State University, AR 72467
Fax: 870-972-3548
Email: astateonline@astate.edu
Additional information
Unless otherwise noted, Arkansas State University has not confirmed if a program has met requirements for an out-of-state 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/certification requirements.
Please contact your state’s Professional License Department/Board to ensure that your chosen distance education program meets your state’s requirements in which you intend to practice.
Appeals process
Email a written Letter of Appeal and GRE or GMAT scores (may be unofficial) to astateonline@astate.edu
Transfer credits
Up to 9 graduate hours from A-State or other higher education institutions may be credited toward a program. No course can be older than six years by graduation time. Transfer credit will be evaluated by the Director of the Program. To request prior credit be evaluated, please complete the Graduate Transfer Credit Evaluation Form.
Courses
The degree plan for our Master of Science in Education – Reading online program
Students are required to complete 30 hours of coursework, including participation in the Arkansas Delta Writing Project model and clinical experiences in the correction of reading difficulties.
Visit the Course Registration page to view the course schedule for this degree.
*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 Sara Woolard in the Professional Education Office at swoolard@astate.edu to review and see if they can get the endorsement added.