MA in reading education: Reading specialist
Advance your teaching career and make a lasting impact on student literacy with Rowan’s reading specialist certification program.
Why choose Rowan’s reading specialist program?
In just 11 courses, Rowan University’s Master of Arts (MA) in reading education: reading specialist degree program gives you the ability to expand your impact—whether that means supporting individual students who are struggling to read, leading school-wide literacy initiatives or teaching reading strategies to other educators.
The program’s hybrid design, with mostly online courses, makes it possible to balance graduate study with your current teaching responsibilities, and it leads to reading specialist certification.
Even though most of the program is online, you’ll gain in-person experience tutoring students and collaborating with peers at Rowan’s Reading Clinic. This opportunity, and others like it, ensure you can apply your learning in real time and graduate with practical expertise. This combination of clinical and academic preparation makes you eligible for reading specialist certification and positions you to lead reading education in schools and districts.
Key considerations
Quick Facts
Semesters To Complete
Credits
Application Deadlines
Spring Entry Term
Studying reading education at Rowan
What You'll Learn
If you’re a current teacher seeking to deepen your expertise in literacy instruction, Rowan’s reading specialist program offers a flexible path forward. This 31-credit program is designed to fit your teaching schedule with an accelerated hybrid format, in which most classes are fully online and three take place on our Glassboro campus. You can complete the degree in five to six consecutive semesters, and upon graduation, you’ll be eligible for New Jersey Reading Specialist certification.
The curriculum combines five core reading education classes with six classes in the reading specialist concentration. You’ll study the reading process in depth, learn how to design and evaluate school-wide literacy programs and explore strategies for working with all learners across grade levels to enhance reading development. Beyond coursework, the program emphasizes applied practice through Rowan’s Reading Clinic and supervised internship opportunities.
Learn more about Rowan's MA in reading education: reading practitioner degree program.
Reading education key courses
- Corrections of Reading and Writing Difficulties
- Diagnosis of Reading and Writing Difficulties
- Literacy Foundations: Theory, Equity and Practice
- Literacy Leadership in P-12 Schools
- Researching Classroom Practice
- Teaching Literacy to Students with Disabilities
- Using Multicultural Literature in the K-12 Literacy Classroom
Note: The course information above is not official and is subject to change. For an official list of available courses, please review the Rowan University Academic Catalog.
Accreditation and licensure information
The Master of Arts in reading education degree program is nationally accredited by the National Council for Accreditation in Teacher Education in conjunction with the International Literacy Association.
The New Jersey Department of Education (NJ DOE), not Rowan University, grants certifications based on requirements set by the state. While coursework for this program meets the academic requirements for NJ DOE certification, it is the student’s responsibility to ensure that all other certification requirements are met, including, but not limited to, appropriate type and level of license and years of experience.
NJ DOE certification requirements are subject to change. Certification applications are evaluated by NJ DOE based on the most current state requirements. Review current NJ DOE licensure information.
How You'll Learn
Admission Requirements
Deepen your expertise in literacy and earn your reading specialist certification by taking the following steps to apply. Additionally, teachers in the state of New Jersey may apply to the reading education program through the New Jersey Teacher Outreach Program (NJTOP®).
- Completed application
- $65 nonrefundable application fee
- Bachelor’s degree (or its equivalent) from an accredited institution of higher learning
- Minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75 (on a 4.0 scale)
- Official transcripts from all colleges attended (regardless of number of credits earned)
- Current professional résumé that clearly indicates the number of years you have been teaching
- One letter of recommendation
- Certificate Program Acknowledgement
- Typewritten essay that includes a statement of professional objectives
- Copy of NJ teaching certificate (Standard or CEAS only)
- An interview may be required with the Faculty Admissions Committee
- If an interview is required, the Faculty Admissions Committee will contact you directly. The interview can be in person or via telephone.
- Proof of appropriate certification, as well as a letter of employment confirming the specific dates (not just years) during which you have taught or served the educational community under the appropriate certificate
Once you complete your application, someone from the Rowan University Office of Admissions will contact you to confirm your status or request any missing items. There may be additional actions or materials required for admission to the program.
Note: The NJ Reading Specialist certificate requires two years of full-time teaching experience with a valid teaching certificate; however, you may enter the program with less than two years of experience.
Tuition and Aid
Rowan is committed to keeping graduate education accessible for current and aspiring teachers. Explore graduate financial assistance at Rowan.
Careers and outcomes
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