ALL PROGRAMS | College of Education & Human Development Programs

What does it cost?

Check out our cost calculator or visit student financial services for information on estimated costs.

How long will it take?

Minimum of 36 semester hours

Where will I take classes?
Online

All required classes to earn a degree can be completed online.

Application Deadlines View Admissions Requirements

  • Fall: June 15
  • Spring: October 15
  • Summer: April 1

Literacy Education Online, M.Ed.

Talk to an enrollment coach
LaToya & Moisés
Enrollment Coach
404-413-4393
online@gsu.edu

Contact the Department
MiddleSecondaryEd@gsu.edu
404-413-8060

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.

VIEW CATALOG INFORMATION
Program Details

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.

The coursework for the Online M.Ed. in Reading, Language and Literacy Education requires a minimum of 36 credit hours. The 13 courses in the program include a 0-credit-hour orientation, three professional studies courses, three literacy core courses, three literacy concentration courses and three literacy electives.

The professional studies courses equip candidates with foundational knowledge in educational research, psychology and sociology.

The literacy core courses prepare candidates with the theoretical and practical knowledge to teach literacy to P-12 learners.

Additionally, candidates may choose from the ESOL or literacy specialist concentrations.

The ESOL concentration courses prepare candidates to teach ESOL in P-12 settings.

The literacy specialist concentration prepares candidates to provide literacy instructional coaching to educators.

Candidates may choose three literacy electives or an additional concentration area to complete the degree.

Funding Your Graduate Education

Cost of attendance and funding opportunities are integral to your decision to attend graduate school. Georgia State University is proud to offer a variety of funding opportunities, from assistantships to fellowships.

Awards and Assistantships

Various awards, assistantships and fellowships are available to new and current graduate students. We encourage you to contact your department, college, school or institute of interest to get more information about the assistantships and fellowships that they offer their students.

The Scholarship Resource Center offers guidance and support to students seeking financial assistance through scholarship opportunities, including this scholarship library.

Fellowships

The Office of Graduate Programs’ Fellowship Advisor works with students interested in applying for nationally prestigious and competitive fellowships. The Office of Graduate Programs also coordinates the application process for students applying to the Second Century Initiative, the Provost’s Dissertation Fellowship and the Dissertation Library Travel Awards.

Cost Calculator

Our calculator can help you get an idea of the costs associated with attending the university.

Exit Requirements

This non-thesis M.Ed. program requires completing an electronic portfolio and GACE certification exams.

Portfolio

Each required course will include a different component of the exit portfolio that demonstrates mastery of professional standards from the International Literacy Association. Candidates will submit each portfolio requirement to Portfolium, an academic portfolio network. Portfolium not only serves as an assessment tool, but it is also an online platform for candidates to share their projects, work samples, skills, activities and accomplishments with future employers. For more information on Portfolium visit: https://success.students.gsu.edu/portfolium/

GACE Exams

Candidates who are applying for a literacy specialist certificate will take the GACE Reading 117 and 118 Exams and the Georgia Ethics Assessment. For a certification upgrade in the fall, candidates must take GACE exams during their final spring semester. For information on GACE exams, visit: https://gace.ets.org/

Candidates will develop and implement literacy curricula, assessments and instructional strategies. Candidates pursuing literacy specialist certification will also coach teachers through supervised, online clinical experiences. During these clinical experiences, candidates will work closely with young scholars and teachers at the Urban Literacy Collaborative and Clinic (ULCC). For more details about the ULCC, visit https://literacyclinic.education.gsu.edu/

Download our program flyer.

Description

Careers

The core literacy courses for this program prepares graduates as reading teachers, who provide literacy instruction to K-12 students. The ESOL concentration prepares ESOL teachers to provide effective, literacy instruction to K-12 speakers of other languages. The Literacy Specialist concentration prepares graduates for successful careers as literacy coaches, consultants and diagnosticians, who apply their knowledge and expertise to implement literacy programs for school districts, reading clinics, non-profit organizations and publishing companies.

Because U.S. schools are placing a greater emphasis on improving literacy outcomes, the need for reading teachers and literacy specialists is steadily increasing. Reading teachers provide focused literacy instruction to K-12 students to advance their reading, writing and critical thinking abilities. Literacy specialists develop curricula, facilitate professional learning opportunities for teachers, and promote instruction that improves student learning outcomes.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the annual median salary for a reading or ESOL teacher is $58,600. The annual median salary for a literacy specialist is $64,450.

Contacts

Online Programs

LaToya and Moisés
Enrollment Coaches
404-413-4393
online@gsu.edu

VISIT GEORGIA STATE ONLINE

Admissions and Curriculum Inquiries

Program Coordinator
Charity Gordon
cgordon21@gsu.edu

Middle and Secondary Education
TeacherprepMSE@gsu.edu
404-413-8060

Mailing Address & Office Location
Middle and Secondary Education
College of Education & Human Development, 6th Floor
30 Pryor St. SW
Atlanta, GA 30303

30 Pryor Street SW
Atlanta, GA 30303

The information shared here provides an overview of Georgia State’s offerings. For official details on admissions requirements, tuition, courses and more, refer to the university catalogs.