Program Overview
The Master of Education in reading is an accelerated 30 hour online degree program that helps novice and veteran teachers broaden their knowledge about the field of literacy with opportunities to seek Arkansas licensure as a reading specialist or dyslexia therapist. In today’s climate, all teachers need a strong understanding about how children learn to read, how to support children who find learning to read difficult, and a solid background on evidence-based strategies to support all readers. Accredited and nationally recognized by the International Literacy Association, an M.Ed. in reading from UA Little Rock will provide you with the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to meet the literacy needs of all students.
There are two degree plans that lead to the M.Ed. in reading at UA Little Rock:
- M.Ed. – Leading to Reading Specialist Licensure
- Students will complete 24 hours of Core 1A plus 6 hours of electives
- M.Ed. – Reading Generalist
- Students will complete 12 hours of Core 1B plus 18 hours of electives
Program Details
Admission Requirements
Students who wish to pursue this program must meet the following requirements:
• Hold a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution with a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.75 (or at least 3.0 for the last 60 hours of undergraduate course work), or at least a 3.0 GPA in 12 or more hours of graduate course work
All applicants are responsible for securing information related to state licensure as a reading specialist (Arkansas or other state) to ensure that they meet state licensure requirements during or after the completion of coursework toward the degree.
Conditional admission requirements and more details about the program may be found on the Graduate School program web page.
UALR Online students are not required to provide proof of two MMR vaccines to the Graduate School.
Read more about the UALR Graduate School’s admissions process here.
Graduation Requirements
The Master of Education in reading is a 30 hour online degree program.
All students must earn 3.0 or higher cumulative grade point average on their program course work. Contact your program advisor for more information about this program.
Degree plan (printer-friendly version):
Program Advisor
Dr. Kent Layton | 501.569.8691| kxlayton@ualr.edu
Reading Education Associate Professor
Accreditation
The Master of Education in Reading is nationally recognized by the International Literacy Association (ILA) and accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).
UALR is fully accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, affiliated with the Electronic Campus of the Southern Regional Education Board, and designated as “doctoral/research intensive” by the Carnegie Foundation.
Disabilities
UALR makes every effort to meet special accommodation and access needs. For information on specific accommodations for individuals with disabilities, you may contact the department sponsoring the class you wish to attend, call eLearning at 501.569.3003 or the Office of Disability Support Services at 501.569.3143. The Disability Support Services website, ualr.edu/disability/, provides information about the accommodation process and online forms to apply for services.
Required Courses (12-24 hours)
Requirements for students seeking licensure:
To meet the requirements for licensure as a Reading Specialist in the State of Arkansas, students must complete Core 1A and (a) pass the Reading Specialist – Praxis II [5301], (b) maintain and upload key assessments in Chalk & Wire from selected courses, and (c) be a certified teacher in Arkansas.
To meet the requirements for licensure for the Dyslexia Endorsement in the State of Arkansas, the following courses must be completed from the Core and Elective Courses: READ 7367, READ 7353, READ 7385, READ 7387 and (a) upload key assessments in Chalk & Wire from selected courses and (b) pass the Praxis PLT [5621 ECH, 5622 K-6, 5623 5-9, or 5624 7-12].
Completion of the Core and Elective Courses listed for the Dyslexia Endorsement licensure also qualifies students for the Dyslexia Therapist Graduate Certificate.
Out-of-state candidates seeking certification from other states should consult with their respective State Education agencies about specific licensure standards and exam requirements. All candidates are strongly advised to consult closely with a graduate advisor for details regarding their opportunities for licensure.
Core 1A- M.Ed. - Leading to Reading Specialist Licensure (Choose 24 hours)
Students may choose either READ 7370 or READ 7345
Students may choose either READ 7327 or TCED 7301
READ 7351 Foundations of Teaching Reading (3 credit hours)
READ 7367 Teaching Children with Dyslexia (3 credit hours)
READ 7354 Literacy in the Content Areas (3 credit hours)
READ 7352 Diagnosis of Reading Difficulties (3 credit hours)
READ 7385 Formative Assessment and Interventions for Children with Dyslexia (3 credit hours)
READ 7370 Advanced Practicum in Reading (3 credit hours)
READ 7345 Advanced Practicum in Intervention Models (3 credit hours)
READ 7327 Contemporary Curriculum Design (3 credit hours)
TCED 7301 Curriculum, Pedagogy, and Practice (3 credit hours)
READ 7357 Seminar in Reading (3 credit hours)
Elective Courses (6-18 hours)
The courses in the unselected core may also serve as electives.
