Master of Science in Education, Reading with Reading Specialist Endorsement (for licensed teachers)
3101 Education Building
757-683-3284
Abha Gupta, Program Director
The program is designed to provide professional training for prospective reading specialists, literacy coaches, and elementary- and secondary-level reading teachers or a general master's degree in reading.
Extensive course offerings permit the graduate student to pursue an area of interest, such as elementary school reading, secondary school reading, college reading, literacy coaching, and reading in clinical settings. As a culminating experience, each student investigates a problem area and prepares a formal research paper or project on a topic of interest.
Candidate study may include an intensive search of the professional literature on reading or selected field experiences in public, private, or governmental reading programs that provide reading services to clients. In addition, candidates tutor children and aid in the diagnosis and remediation of reading problems. Candidates who have three years of satisfactory experience in teaching reading, completed the entire degree program, and satisfactorily completed the Reading for Virginia Educators: Reading Specialists-coded 5304 may obtain the reading specialist endorsement. The MSEd - Reading with Reading Specialist endorsement is offered online only.
Admission
Students must:
- Hold a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college/university;
- Have an teaching license prior to beginning this program. In Virginia this is called a Collegiate Professional License or a Post-Graduate Professional License. You must send a copy of your teaching license to Graduate Admissions as part of your admissions packet; or you may hold and submit a copy of the Virginia Collegiate Professional License or an equivalent license from another state;
- Have an undergraduate grade point average of 2.80 and an average of 3.00 in the major;
- Have two letters of recommendation from former professors or principals;
- Submit an essay;
- Have an interview with the graduate program director;
- Have official copies of all transcripts of undergraduate and graduate coursework and degrees sent to Graduate Admissions; and
- Submit an online application (https://www.odu.edu/admission/graduate), which includes an essay and recommendations, an official transcripts to the MSEd in Reading Education program.
Performance in classes taken as a non-degree student will not be taken into consideration in the admission process. Under certain circumstances, applicants who do not fully meet the requirements for regular admission to the program may be admitted on a provisional basis subject to conditions specified by the graduate program director for reading education.
Additional Requirements
Continuance
Students must
- complete the Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) modules during the first twelve graduate credit hours at Old Dominion University. For more information review the instructions at: https://www.odu.edu/impact/responsible-conduct-of-training;
- maintain a grade point average of 3.00 overall;, and
- maintain a grade point average of 3.00 in the major.
Exit
Students must
- have a 3.00 grade point average;
- have a 3.00 grade point average in the major;
- complete an exit survey;
- have completed all course requirements;
- submit an application for graduation; and
- The degree candidates in the Reading Specialist program must successfully pass the Virginia Reading Specialist Licensure Exam (RVE-5304). Candidates receiving the master’s degree only without the Reading Specialist endorsement are not required to take the Reading for Virginia Educators exam.
Program Requirements
A minimum of 30 semester credits is required for the Master’s Degree in Reading Education. The Reading Specialist degree candidate must successfully pass the Virginia Reading Specialist Licensure examination (RVE-5304), usually taken in the last semester of the program. Candidates receiving the master’s degree only without the Reading Specialist endorsement are not required to take the Reading for Virginia Educators exam.
Course requirements for completion of the degree program are listed below.
