Masters Degree in Reading & Literacy Education Online

What is a Masters Degree in Reading & Literacy Education Online?

Online masters in reading and literacy programs could help you continue your education without compromising on your career. Studying in an online program, you could earn the credential you’re looking for from the comfort of your own home, on your own schedule. You might learn important strategies for helping your students become better readers and writers, as well as build your own fluency in literacy research, techniques and policy. Earning a masters degree in reading and literacy online could even support a variety of top potential career paths, whether you want to work one-on-one, as a classroom teacher, or even move in a new direction. Sound like the best option for you? Browse the sponsored listings to find your online programs, or continue reading to learn more.

Why Choose an Online Masters in Reading and Literacy?

Studying an online masters in reading and literacy programs could be a unique experience, especially if it’s your first time studying online. One reason for that is the inherent flexibility. Especially if you work in education, flexibility could be an important asset for your success as both a teacher and a student. A program that fits into your life and schedule could allow you to be there for your students and succeed in your career while getting the education you want. That means you could have increased freedom to make your education work for you. What’s more, without being tied to a physical campus, you may not have to worry about things like how far away your school is, making it possible for you to choose a great program that may not otherwise have been an option.

How to Search for Online Masters in Reading and Literacy Programs

Figuring out which online masters degree in reading and literacy programs you might like to attend is a big step in your continuing education. Earning your degree online means you might consider programs from across the country, which makes that decision even bigger. In fact, that’s one of the advantages of studying online: the wide pool of potential programs you may have at your disposal. Whether you’re more interested in online reading specialist programs or online literacy programs, you may have a variety of potential schools to consider. That way, you could choose one that supports your current teaching role and future potential roles, while still fitting it all into your busy schedule.

Here are a few questions to ask yourself as you get started:

• What Do I Want To Do? – In other words, consider your goals. Are you trying to position yourself for a new position—say, as a reading specialist, an instructional coordinator, or in administration? Or are you more interested working as a classroom teacher? Different programs may support your career in different ways, so identifying a specific goal may be a useful way to narrow down your options.
• What Do I Need To Learn? – Think about your strengths and weaknesses, or even the needs of your students. If you have specific things you want to work on—for example, learning new techniques to help English Language Learners increase their reading and writing skills, teaching diverse classrooms, or becoming more familiar with current literacy research—that could inform which programs may be a good fit for you.
• Who Would Be Teaching Me? – One detail to be aware of is that, if your online program is associated with a campus program, the faculty you learn from may not be exactly the same. While often the same professors teach the online classes as the campus ones, that’s not always the case. Make yourself familiar with the people you’ll be learning from, to ensure that their experience supports your educational and career goals.
• What Support Is Offered? – While you may not be associated with a physical campus in an online program, you could still have access to a variety of similar services. This can include library services like online research databases, tutoring, academic and career counseling, and more. But the specific things that might be offered could vary from school to school, so make sure you are familiar with what is being offered.
• What Does My State Require? – If you’re looking for programs that help you complete certification requirements or that confer teaching endorsements, make sure you are aware of the requirements for those credentials in the state where you’ll work. Since online programs may not be limited to ones in your area, you might need to double check that the programs you’re looking at will be compatible with your needs.

Feel free to add any other preferences or concerns to the above list when making your selections. By considering these and other things, you could narrow down your list of potential online schools to the ones that might help you succeed most effectively.

What is a Masters in Literacy vs. Masters in Reading Education?

In many contexts, the terms “literacy” and “reading,” might be used interchangeably. So how do you tell the difference between potential masters programs? Literacy and reading masters programs may have a variety of elements in common. Both focus on helping students become better readers and writers. Both might support roles in the classroom or coaching students individually.

But there may be a few differences, as well. In general, reading education or reading specialist masters programs may focus on honing your skills to work directly with students, either as a classroom teacher or as push in/pull out support to help struggling students succeed. Literacy masters programs, meanwhile, might encompass a somewhat broader spectrum. While some online masters in literacy programs may focus on working as a teacher or coaching individual students who need extra help, other programs might take a different approach. For example, while earning your masters degree in literacy education, you might learn about developing a curriculum to support literacy throughout a school, provide teacher education and training regarding student literacy, or even make and apply educational policy decisions at the district or state level.

Of course, keep in mind that these distinctions may vary from case to case. Follow up for more details with the programs you’re considering to make sure they suit your needs.

Find Your Online Masters in Reading and Literacy Today!

If you’re ready to begin your search, start browsing the sponsored listings for online reading masters programs and online literacy programs now! If you think you might be interested in a program, click on it to read more, and reach out to them to answer any questions. Then submit your application. It’s that simple! Don’t wait too long to get the online masters in reading and literacy You’ve been looking for.

GradSchools.com offers 25 Graduate Schools with Online Reading & Literacy Graduate Masters Programs