Master's of Education (MED)
Reading/Literacy Specialization
Program Highlights & Benefits
Hybrid or online program
2 year or less completion time, including holiday breaks
No GRE or admission tests
No weekend classes
What You Learn
Based on the standards of the International Literacy Association (ILA) for Reading Professionals, current standards for English Language Arts Literacy (ELAL), and the New Jersey Professional Standards for Teachers (NJPST), the program builds expertise through courses in the theories and processes of reading and writing, diagnosis and remediation, assessment, best practice literacy instruction strategies, program evaluation, coaching techniques, and a practicum. These provide experiences for candidates to work with a variety of approaches and strategies and design, select, and use standard and alternate instruction, assessment, and coaching techniques that fit the needs of diverse students and educators.
All courses include a keystone assessment/artifact that demonstrates the accomplishment of course goals and the integration of acquired knowledge and skills. As candidates progress toward program completion, their course artifacts are archived in an electronic or e-portfolio and monitored by program faculty to ensure compliance with the New Jersey Department of Education’s standards for novice Reading Specialists. By the end of the program, candidates have amassed a substantial body of evidence that they have met Georgian Court’s and the state’s standards for novice Reading Specialists.
How You Learn
This is a cohort program. The entire program is laid out in advance. Students finish 1, 3-credit course every 7.5 weeks. Cohort courses run during the fall, spring, and summer semesters. Online activities may include assignments, materials, discussion threads, assessments, and group activities done electronically.
Career Outcomes
Upon completion of this program, students will have earned an M.Ed. with Reading/Literacy Specialization Certification. Program completers with two years full time teaching experience will also be eligible for NJ educational services certification as a Reading Specialist.
Reading Specialist Certificate Option:
If you already hold a Masters degree, we may have the option for you to take the remaining coursework you need to obtain a Reading Specialist Certificate. While we do not offer a state approved Reading Specialist program, our coursework is state approved. Coursework will vary based on what you have already completed. To find out what courses you need, obtain an evaluation with the NJ Department of Education. Contact the Office of Evaluation at 609-376-3974 or Educatorevaluation@doe.nj.gov, or Licensing Office at RLicensing.Requests@doe.nj.gov or 609-292-2070. Once you obtain an evaluation with the state, we can work with you to determine when you can take those courses with GCU.
Degree Requirements
| Course | Title | Hours |
| EDC 5201 | Nature of the Reading Process | 3 |
| EDC 5202 | Literature for Children & Youth | 3 |
| EDC 5203 | Reading and Writing in the Content Areas | 3 |
| EDC 5034 | Introduction to Learning Disabilities | 3 |
| EDC 5204 | Articulation, Supervision & Evaluation of Reading Programs | 3 |
| EDC 5027 | Literacy for Second Language Learners | 3 |
| EDC 6201 | Assessment and Diagnosis of Reading Problems | 3 |
| EDC 6202 | Research Based Techniques for the Correction of Reading Problems | 3 |
| EDC 6084 | Reading Practicum (completed over an entire semester) | 3 |
| EDC 5001 | Philosophical & Psychological Foundations of Inclusive Education | 3 |
| EDC 5014 | Methods of Research for Leaders in Inclusive Schools | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 33 |
Please Note:
Program and course requirements are subject to change to comply with university policy and updates to NJDOE certification regulations.
Program completers who meet the requirements for NJ Department of Education NJ Reading Specialist Certificate apply through GCU’s School of Education. This application requires documentation of HIB training and the completion of a GCU School of Education form by a school administrator to verify at least two years of full time classroom teaching experience.
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