Reading Education - Reading Specialist Online

  • Master of Science in Education
  • Darden College of Education & Professional Studies
  • Department of Teaching & Learning

Our online master's program will prepare you with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to:

  • Teach reading,
  • Develop reading programs and curriculum,
  • Teach professional development workshops,
  • Assess individual student reading strengths and weaknesses,
  • Serve as a literacy coach,
  • And coach students in literacy at the elementary and secondary school levels. 

You will conduct research, become immersed in the latest reading issues and trends, and conduct a needs assessment for your school. 

This program also includes a supervised practicum. There you will tutor children and gain experience diagnosing and remedying reading problems. You'll engage in a field-based reading specialist/literacy coaching experience. This practicum can be completed in your local school division or school of employment.

This program is NCATE/CAEP accredited. When you graduate, you will earn a Master of Science in Education, Reading with Reading Specialist endorsement preparation. This program is intended to prepare licensed teachers in Virginia for reading specialist endorsement.

Looking for graduate studies without licensure? We also offer a non-licensure track in the Reading master's program.

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    • 30 credit hours, including a supervised practicum

    You will take eight required courses, one elective course, and complete a supervised practicum in your local school division.

    Some of these courses can also be combined into a Graduate Certificate in Literacy Coaching, which you would earn in addition to your master's degree.

  • Access course materials online from any location. Some classes will have live, regular online meeting times, while others will not. Instructors may schedule assignments and exams at specific times. This program requires a practicum or internship. All courses follow ODU's regular academic calendar.

    • Reading Teacher
    • Reading Program Developer/Leader
    • Literacy Coach

    Keep in mind that professional license requirements may vary by state.

  • In-state Virginia Residents
    $599 per credit hour*
    Out-of-state Students
    $623 per credit hour

    Rates are effective Fall 2023 and subject to change.
    * In-state rate assumes residency requirements are met.

This program is designed to prepare licensed teachers in Virginia for reading specialist endorsement.

Use these links to see if we have determined whether this program meets requirements in other states. If you live outside Virginia, we encourage you to check your state's teacher licensure and advancement requirements before applying to ODU.

You'll have a dedicated academic advisor for this program.

Contact us if you have questions about admission requirements, transferring credits, or application deadlines.

  • This program is intended for elementary and secondary teachers in Virginia. To apply, you must have: 

    • A bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution with a 3.0 GPA in the major. 
    • A renewable initial teaching license. In Virginia, this is called a Collegiate or Post-Graduate Professional License.

    GRE/MAT is not required. 

    For full details and application deadlines, please visit the department's web site.