Master of Science in Education with a Concentration in Reading and Literacy with Endorsement Online

Prepare for new career opportunities including Reading Specialist, Literacy Coach, or Reading Consultant by earning your Reading Intervention Endorsement.

12/23/24 Next Application Due Date
1/6/25 Start Classes
Apply Now Request Information

Program Overview

See what our MSEd in Reading and Literacy with Endorsement can do for you

$18,081* Total Tuition
As few as 12 months Program Duration
49 Credit Hours

Give your career a boost while learning how to help students overcome their reading difficulties with the Master of Science in Education with a Concentration in Reading and Literacy with Endorsement online program from Southern Oregon University. This in-demand program features a practicum (which requires a teaching license for enrollment) and preparation for the Oregon Reading Intervention Endorsement. (Teachers licensed outside Oregon should inquire of their state licensing agency to learn about requirements for adding the endorsement to their teaching license.)

This program will enable you to gain competence in teaching the interactive processes of reading, writing, listening, speaking, viewing, and thinking across the curriculum. Increase your understanding of issues related to reading instruction and assessment with research-validated strategies and assessment tools that will help you meet the needs of individual learners.

Along with the 100 percent online coursework, apply your knowledge with real-life, on-the-job training.

Traditional Education settings for those with a teaching license:

  • District-Level Reading and Language Arts Coordinator
  • Reading Interventionist
  • English Teacher
  • Director of Literacy Programs
  • Adolescent Literacy Specialist

Graduates of this reading and literacy with endorsement online program will be able to:

  • acquire a deeper understanding of literacy theories and research,
  • learn methods for using emerging technologies to support students’ reading and writing development,
  • develop and lead the curriculum, instruction, and assessment of a literacy/reading program that supports all students, including those who primarily speak a language other than English, and
  • gain real-life experience through the practicum as you earn your endorsement.

Alternative Educational settings for those without a teaching license:

  • Literacy Coach
  • Reading & Literacy Consultant
  • Literacy Specialist
  • Literacy Professional Developer
  • Literacy Instructional Coordinator

SOU is #1 in the “Best Colleges for K-12 Education Degree Programs” rankings in the U.S. by Schools.com, 2020.

Also available online:

SOU offers online graduate-level education programs in a variety of concentration areas, including an MSEd in Reading and Literacy. Explore all of our online education programs.

$18,081* Total Tuition
As few as 12 months Program Duration
49 Credit Hours
Request Info Apply Now

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Call 800-490-7974

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Tuition

Learn more about our pay-by-the-course tuition

Our MSEd with a Concentration in Reading and Literacy with Endorsement online program features the same affordable, pay-as-you-go tuition for all in-state and out-of-state students.

Tuition breakdown:

$18,081* Total Tuition
$369 Per Credit Hour

Tuition breakdown:

$18,081* Total Tuition
$369 Per Credit Hour

Calendar

When to apply, when classes start, when tuition Is due

The MSEd in Reading and Literacy with Endorsement online program is designed to be flexible for busy professionals. With seven-week courses and multiple start dates each year, you can earn your degree conveniently in as few as 16 months.

Now enrolling:

12/23/24 Apply Date
1/6/25 Class Starts
TermStart DateApp DeadlineRegistration DeadlineTuition Deadline
Fall9/30/249/16/249/25/2410/4/24
Winter1/6/2512/23/241/1/251/10/25

Now enrolling:

12/23/24 Apply Date
1/6/25 Class Starts

Have questions or need more information about our online programs?

Ready to take the rewarding path toward earning your degree online?

Admissions

What you need to know before applying to SOU

The admission process for our MSEd with a Concentration in Reading and Literacy with Endorsement online is simple and streamlined so you can get started right away. Requirements for admission include:

Admission Requirements:

  • Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution
  • 3.0 GPA cumulative on undergraduate coursework
  • No GRE or teaching license required for admission

MSEd with a Concentration in Reading and Literacy with Endorsement Online Admission Requirements

  • Applicants with a bachelor's degree in any discipline from an accredited institution and transcripts verifying a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale are granted admission status into the MSEd online degree program.
  • We encourage you to apply with a GPA below 3.0 if you have work or life experience that would contribute to your success in our program. Applications with GPAs under 3.0 are reviewed on a case-by-case basis and additional information may be requested. You may be asked to provide:
    • An additional explanation of your intentions in pursuing the degree and a description of your readiness to succeed in an accelerated online degree program, or
    • Two or three letters of recommendation speaking to your ability to succeed in an accelerated online degree program, or
    • GRE scores of at least 145 Verbal, 145 Quantitative, and 3.5 Analytical Writing.
  • Applicants must submit official transcripts from all previous educational institutions attended.
  • No GRE or teaching license is required to enter the program. A preliminary or professional teaching license for Oregon is required prior to enrolling in READ 509 Practicum.
  • International student applicants interested in enrolling in the SOU online MSEd program should contact the Office of International Programs for information related to international admissions and visa restrictions. Contact the Office of International Programs by emailing [email protected].

Southern Oregon University considers you an international student if you are NOT a:

  • U.S. citizen or national;
  • U.S. permanent resident or other eligible noncitizen.

Graduate Admission Requirements for International Students:

  • Applicants must have a bachelor's degree equivalent to a four-year U.S. bachelor's degree from a recognized university in that country.
  • Transcripts from all colleges and universities attended; documents must be official and include an English translation. Applicants are required to have documents mailed to SOU in a sealed envelope from the school, which has not been opened. SOU will not accept scans, faxes, photocopies, or already opened documents.
  • If English is not your native language, you will need to submit a TOEFL or IELTS score.
  • You do not need to submit a score if you earned a bachelor's or master's degree from a U.S. college/university or completed your education in a native English-speaking country.

If you need to submit official documents by mail, send them to:

SOU Admissions Department
1250 Siskiyou Blvd.
Ashland, OR 97520

Have a question? Call us at 800-490-7974800-490-7974.

Courses

Curious about the classes for your online master’s in reading and literacy with endorsement program?

The master’s in reading and literacy with endorsement online curriculum is comprised of 12 courses (49 credit hours), including 25 credit hours of core courses and 24 credit hours of concentration courses.

You must take the following courses.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 5
Explores issues in education and the context in which they exist. Examines, analyzes and applies concepts in professional ethics and policies, foundational philosophies, research, leadership, and contemporary issues within their focused area of education. Learners will engage in a comprehensive review of research materials available for advanced studies in education. The intent of this course is to guide graduate learners in exploring the purpose of research, to answer questions and acquire new knowledge, thereby making important and valuable contributions to the various fields within the discipline of education.

By the end of this course, students will be prepared to:

  • Explain the ideas, complexities, and stakeholders that shape policy
  • Conduct research and make professional policy and practice recommendations on a contemporary issue
  • Investigate and analyze contemporary educational issues at a local, state, national and international level
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 5
Equips learners with the necessary skills to become critical consumers of research related to their work. Learners will be introduced to a variety of research approaches common to the field of education. Learners will be able to evaluate, and interpret qualitative, quantitative, mixed methods and action research.

By the end of this course, students will be prepared to:

  • Evaluate the quality of quantitative, qualitative, mixed methods and action research
  • Interpret the findings of quantitative, qualitative, mixed methods and action research
  • Describe the strengths and weaknesses of quantitative, qualitative, mixed methods and action research
  • Assess for the most common flaws in quantitative, qualitative, mixed methods and action research
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 5
Focuses on the development of culturally responsive discourse and practices in the workplace. Explores how cultural perspectives, experiences and histories shape individuals who work and learn together as members of groups. Diversity in the work environment promotes acceptance, respect, and teamwork despite differences in race, identity, gender, age, ability, class, language, religion, or communication styles. Students will develop the self-awareness and cross-cultural competence to promote positive and productive relationships in diverse contexts. They will learn to lead and collaborate effectively, to interact thoughtfully, to address barriers of bias, discrimination, and inequity, and to champion inclusive strategies that engage and integrate people of different identities, backgrounds, and worldviews.

By the end of this course, students will be prepared to:

  • Determine how beliefs, values, and attitudes about diversity developed and can be examined and revised
  • Apply terms, concepts, theories, and practices used in diversity literature and discourse to knowledge, attitudes and skills
  • Analyze individual and institutional systems of power and privilege as they pertain to equity, access, and opportunity for diverse populations
  • Synthesize historical and contemporary conditions and challenges experienced by diverse populations and explain why they are perpetuated and how they can be changed
  • Create a plan of action to foster responsive cultural communication across differences in order to establish and maintain positive and productive work environments
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 5
Translate learning theory, innovative curricular design and 21st century skills into instructional decisions and practice. Engages learners in applying 21st century knowledge and skills to instructional decisions and practices. Introduces learners to learning theory and innovative curricular design. Challenges learners to perform a comprehensive examination of the processes, content, and assessments related to the spectrum of curriculum areas to their professional arena.

By the end of this course, students will be prepared to:

  • Apply the 21st-century curriculum approaches, theories and learning models to instructional decisions and practices
  • Analyze the emerging policies, trends and practices that influence educational design and student learning
  • Incorporate systematic thinking and instructional design models to their personal practice of curriculum design
  • Participate in a professional learning community of educational designers
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 5
Students are guided through the development of a professional project design. Provides students the opportunities to practice research and professional writing skills specific to their area of concentration.

Course learning objectives:

  • Identify a problem in their specific professional area through a needs assessment and propose an informed solution that ethically addresses the issue
  • Conduct a literature review providing a broader theoretical and contextual framework for the project
  • Develop a systematic and ethical process for the design, implementation, and evaluation that incorporates appropriate theories, concepts, and strategies for achieving the project’s purpose and goals
  • Develop and present a professional project report in APA format
You must take six of the following courses for a total of 24 credit hours. One must be a choice between ED 544A and ED 545A.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 4
Introduces teachers to the foundations of literacy. Examines the factors that influence literacy learning and analyzes core understandings about the nature of reading. Emphasizes consensus research findings and explores how these are translated into best practices in the classroom.

Course learning objectives:

  • Summarize the five foundational pillars needed for successful reading processes
  • Describe the phonological process of reading including phonics, or alphabetic principle
  • Analyze the benefits of becoming a fluent reader
  • Examine the effectiveness of comprehension strategies in reading instruction and assessment
  • Evaluate strategies for accurate spelling instruction and assessment
  • Examine multicultural perspectives in providing effective reading instruction and alternative assessments for diverse learners
  • Develop an inclusive philosophy of reading pedagogy with focus on providing an equitable, welcoming learning environment
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 4
Develops competence in teaching the interactive processes of reading, writing, listening, speaking, viewing, and thinking across the curriculum. Focuses on strategies for teaching students of varied backgrounds and abilities (Grades 3-12). For students in grades 3-12 to be successful in the content areas they must be able to read and comprehend various informational texts and write for different purposes and audiences. This course provides teachers with the tools to improve student achievement in the content areas through the developmental appropriate integration of literacy strategies.

Course learning objectives:

  • Students demonstrate the principles of discipline specific literacy practices for relevant content area(s)
  • Students construct strategies for literacy instruction in their content area
  • Students integrate literacy instruction strategies to meet the needs of diverse learners
  • Students construct strategies to investigate and synthesize current literacy practices of their students into classroom literacy practices
  • Students analyze classroom texts for students and professional texts for practitioners that support discipline literacies of diverse learners
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 4
Provides teachers an understanding of issues related to reading instruction and assessment. Practicing educators are provided research-validated strategies and assessment tools to inform instruction, meet the needs of individual learners, and develop an understanding of the issues related to effective reading instruction. Focuses on the integral relationship between informal classroom assessments and effective instructional strategies within the context of a balanced reading approach.

Course learning objectives:

  • Analyze types of reading assessments and their purposes, strengths, and limitations
  • Develop appropriate and varied instructional approaches, including those that develop word recognition, language comprehension, strategic knowledge, and reading– writing connections
  • Apply a wide range of reading assessment tools and practices (that range from individual and standardized group tests to informal, individual, and group classroom assessment strategies) to plan and evaluate instruction
  • Explore issues in literacy that impact our mindset and assessment practices
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 4
Explores the role of the reading specialist as a teacher and school literacy leader; how curriculum is developed; the role of coach, supervisor, and professional developer; and the role of a reading advocate for all students. (Many assignments are designed to be implemented in your school setting. If you are not currently teaching, you will need to find a school that will allow you to talk with the reading specialist and a few classroom teachers.)
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 4
Carried out in schools and/or districts and consists of candidates working directly with students, other faculty, administrators, and the school community to fulfill various roles of the reading specialist. Explores reading teaching; literacy testing; curriculum development for various groups of readers including ELL, struggling readers, average and gifted readers; assessing and making recommendations for a school's reading program; and developing literacy-focused professional development sessions for faculty, administrators, instructional assistants, and parents. Typically, the practicum is the final capstone course of the reading endorsement course of study. Prerequisite(s): Minimum 18 credits of reading endorsement coursework required. A person must have a teaching license prior to enrolling in the READ 509 practicum.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 4
Equips teachers with a range of effective instructional methodologies for facilitating ELL students' learning. Examines innovative materials for developing culturally appropriate learning experiences. Presents approaches to instruction in specific content areas (reading, writing, mathematics, science, and social studies). Examines and integrates the use of current technology to enhance instruction for ELLs.

Course learning objectives:

  • Culture: Candidates know and understand the major concepts, principles, theories, and research related to the nature and role of culture and cultural groups to construct learning environments that support ELL students’ cultural identities, language and literacy development, and content area achievement
  • Planning, Implementing, and Managing Instruction: Candidates know and understand the use of standards-based practices and strategies related to planning, implementing, and managing ELD and content instruction; including classroom organization, teaching strategies for developing and integrating language skills and choosing and adapting classroom resources
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 4
Explores theories on how first and second languages are learned and acquired. Considers the importance of the early development of a first language and the relationship of this development to the acquisition of other languages promoting academic literacy. Investigates the relationship of the four domains of language to cognitive and cultural development for all learners. Focuses on how culture manifests itself in school settings and provides a foundation for understanding methods and strategies to ensure that each student's own cultural experiences are reflected and validated in classroom learning experiences.

Course learning objectives:

  • Students will summarize the social, historical, political, and philosophical perspectives of culture and language
  • Students will summarize the stages of language and how it is acquired and learned from infancy to adult
  • Students will analyze perspectives of “self” and the “other” in order to challenge traditional norms that perpetuate the status quo in schools and society
  • Construct how language theorists have influenced acquiring language

*Tuition and fees are subject to change.

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