Reading M.A.

Total Semester Credit Hours = 36

The School of Education offers the Master of Arts and Master of Education degrees in reading. The School also offers the Master Reading Teacher and the Reading Specialist Certification programs. The program addresses establishing, maintaining, and evaluating reading programs on a building level or system-wide basis.

Certification

The Reading Specialist (EC-12) certificate is available at the graduate level. This certification program requires two years of classroom teaching experience, a master’s degree, the completion of an appropriate course sequence, and the required TExES examination. Applicants for the Standard Reading Specialist Certificate must meet the same requirements as those for graduate degree programs in reading.

The Master Reading Teacher Certificate also is available at the graduate level. This certification program requires three years of classroom teaching experience, a valid Texas teaching certificate, the completion of an appropriate course sequence, and the required TExMaT examination. Applicants for the Standard Master Reading Teacher Certificate must meet the same requirements as those for graduate degree programs in reading.

Admission Requirements

To be admitted to the graduate program in reading education, the individual must:

1. Hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution.
2. Complete the Graduate Admissions Application form and submit it to the Office of Graduate Admissions.
3. Submit official transcripts from the undergraduate institutions attended.
4. If required, send official scores (obtained within the past five years) on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) directly to the Office of Graduate Admissions.
5. Admission is determined based on:
   1. undergraduate GPA and, if necessary, satisfactory scores on the GRE in combination with the undergraduate GPA, and
   2. one or more of the following:
      1.  the applicant’s demonstrated commitment to his or her chosen field of study, 
      2. socioeconomic background, 
      3. first generation college graduate, 
      4. multilingual proficiency, 
      5. geographic region of residence, and
      6. level of responsibility in other matters including extracurricular activities, employment, community service, and family responsibilities.