Master of Education with a Major in Reading, Language & Literacy Education

The Reading, Language and Literacy Education M.Ed. online program is designed to prepare certified teachers and education professionals to serve as leaders in literacy education. Tailored for the working professional, this program is offered completely online. The goal of the program is to equip educators with the knowledge and tools to advance the literacy abilities of culturally, racially and linguistically diverse K-12 students in urban and multicultural learning environments.

This online M.Ed. program requires completing 36 semester hours of coursework, an electronic portfolio, and state certification exams. Through coursework, M.Ed. students will learn the theoretical, historical and social foundations of literacy. They will also develop and implement literacy curricula, assessments and instructional strategies through supervised, online clinical experiences.

The core literacy courses for this program meet the requirements for a reading endorsement, which prepares graduates as reading teachers, who provide engaging, culturally responsive, literacy instruction to K-12 students. Additionally, M.Ed. students choose from two literacy concentration areas: (1) Literacy Specialist or (2), English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL).

Literacy Specialist Concentration
The literacy specialist concentration leads to a literacy specialist certification, which prepares certified teachers for leadership roles in the field of literacy education. Literacy specialists in our program demonstrate an expertise in honoring and advancing the literacy abilities of racially, culturally and linguistically diverse students and promoting educational excellence and social justice in urban and multicultural educational settings.

ESOL Concentration
The ESOL concentration leads to an ESOL endorsement and provides advanced teacher preparation for individuals who have an interest in teaching English to speakers of other languages in K-12 classrooms. ESOL educators from GSU use a strength-based approach to leverage the literacy abilities of culturally and linguistically diverse individuals and promote educational excellence in ESOL programs.

Education programs leading to professional licensure or certification (nursing, education, social work, counseling, accounting, allied health professions, etc.) may require additional approval from separate licensing boards, depending on the state. Students who live or plan to live outside Georgia and are considering a professional program should contact the appropriate board in their state of residency prior to beginning a course of study. To help students find the best-known contact information for the appropriate state licensing board and for a list of Georgia State program contacts, visit the Student Consumer Information website.

Admissions Requirements

Select a concentration:

• Literacy Specialist
• English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL)

When applying to the Online M.Ed. in Reading, Language, & Literacy Education, you will need to submit several documents for review

• Online Application
• Application Fee of $50
• Goals Statement (upload with the application)
• Resumé (upload with the application)
• Two Letters of Recommendation (identify recommender on application)
• Proof that you meet certification requirements in Georgia (upload teaching certificate to application)
• Official Transcript(s): undergraduate required for admission. Submit official transcripts from all colleges/universities attended either electronically to gradapplytranscripts@gsu.edu or by mailing directly to Georgia State University | Office of Graduate Admissions | P.O. Box 4018 Atlanta, GA 30302

IMPORTANT: Georgia State University is not authorized to deliver online academic programs to out-of-state students residing in Kentucky and Massachusetts. If you reside in one of these states, you may consider attending classes on-site. For more information visit oie.gsu.edu.