Master in Education (M.Ed.)
Reading Specialist
Virginia Endorsement for Licensed Teachers
Program Highlights & Benefits
Expand your skills to support student growth and success in reading
20 month completion time, including holiday breaks
Complete practicum in own school
No weekend classes
For
This program is designed for the experienced educator who is interested in expanding their skills to support student growth and success in reading.
What You Learn
The mission of Averett University is to prepare students to serve and lead as catalysts for positive change. Averett fulfills this mission by educating students from diverse backgrounds, cultures, and nations through liberal arts-based undergraduate and graduate programs in a personal, collegial, interdisciplinary environment. In order to provide a strong theoretical base, a core of courses that examine philosophical, psychological, and research-oriented issues is required.
Through this core, the graduate program provides both theoretical and practical experiences for teachers who wish to become leaders in their profession and strengthen their understanding of the process of reading development.
How You Learn
The M.Ed. Reading Specialist program is presented online in an accelerated format allowing you to complete the program in under two years.
You’ll take classes one at a time in six-week blocks to allow intense study of each concept. No face-to-face meetings are required.
Career Outcomes
Individuals who obtain the endorsement may become a reading specialist, coach, or instructional specialist to support K-12 reading programs.
Degree Requirements
| Course | Title | Hours |
| ED 518 | Orientation to Graduate Education | 1 |
| ED 504 | Philosophy of Education | 3 |
| ED 501 | Research in Education | 3 |
| ED 540 | Survey of Reading | 3 |
| ED 502 | Child and Adolescent Psychology | 3 |
| ED 532 | Language Development | 3 |
| ED 534 | Teaching Literacy in the Content Area | 3 |
| ED 542 | Diagnoses/Prescriptions of Reading Difficulties | 3 |
| ED 544 | Practicum in Diagnoses/Prescriptions of Reading Difficulties | 3 |
| ED 508* | The Exceptional Student | 3 |
| ED 546 | Organization and Supervision of Reading Program Development | 3 |
| ED 500 | Comprehensive Exam | 0 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 31 |
*You can take ED503 – Fundamentals of Teaching ESL in lieu of ED508 – The Exceptional Student in order to prepare for the ESL praxis.
Please Note:
- This program does not lead to teacher licensure in the state of Virginia.
- Program and course requirements are subject to change.
- Students must have at least one year of experience as a primary or secondary classroom teacher and be able to submit evidence they hold a Collegiate Professional teacher license as well as evidence of passing scores on the VCLA. Passing scores for the RVE (Reading Specialist 5304) must be submitted prior to the end of your program.
- In lieu of a thesis, students will complete a Comprehensive Exam by responding online to a set of questions over the weekend.
