Master of Education in Literacy Education, Concentration in Literacy Leadership for Diverse Schools

A reading/literacy specialist is an educational professional focused on the literacy achievement of K–12 students. Reading/literacy specialists work with students who are experiencing difficulties with reading and writing at all levels. They also have the skills, knowledge, and dispositions to effectively collaborate with general education teachers to improve literacy instruction in the classroom.

This 30-credit degree program is offered on both a full or part-time basis and can be completed in as few as 4 semesters (including fall, spring, and summer). Students complete 21 credits of literacy course work within cohorts on the same curriculum schedule. This allows for professional learning communities within each cohort. Cohorts complete 5 to 6 credits of required literacy course work each semester.

To meet students' learning preferences and needs, the program is offered in two formats:

• ONLINE: Students seeking admission in any semester (fall, spring, or summer) have the option of completing the program in a fully online, primarily asynchronous format. Elective credits are also completed online.
• BLENDED: A blended format for the program is available to students seeking admission for the fall semester. Elective credits can be taken face-to-face on Mason’s Fairfax campus or online. When there is enough demand, blended cohort options may also be available to students seeking admission in the spring or summer.
  • This format combines face-to-face class sessions with online class sessions (both synchronous and asynchronous). In the blended format, 3-credit hour courses meet face-to-face for approximately 60% of each semester and online for the other 40%, while 2-credit hour courses are completed fully online in an asynchronous format. In the fall and spring, 3-credit hour courses meet one time each week in the early evening, while summer classes meet 2 to 3 times per week. Literacy courses are offered at Mason’s Fairfax, Mason Square (Arlington), and Science and Technology (Manassas) campuses as well as other sites across Northern Virginia, allowing you to choose the cohort location that is most convenient for you.

Upon completion of this state-approved program, graduates can be eligible for the reading specialist endorsement in Virginia. Additional state licensure requirements include an initial teaching license, a satisfactory score on the reading assessment specified by the Virginia Board of Education (taken at the end of all course work), and the completion of at least three years of teaching under contract by the end of the degree program.

Some elective course work may also be applied toward a secondary graduate certificate within the College of Education and Human Development which may lead to additional licensure endorsements in areas such as Gifted Education, Special Education, or English as a Second Language PreK-12. 

Please note, this is not an initial licensure program. For more information on initial licensure options in the College, contact the Office of Teacher Preparation.

Graduates of this degree program work in a variety of settings. Some choose to remain in their classrooms and apply what they've learn to support their students’ literacy development there. Others move into literacy leadership positions, including:

• reading specialists
• literacy or instructional coaches
• reading interventionists
• reading teachers
• private literacy tutors
• providers of literacy-related professional development

George Mason University will verify completion of the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) state-approved preparation program at the graduate or undergraduate level. Such verification does not guarantee the issuance of a Virginia Collegiate Professional, Postgraduate Professional, or Pupil Personnel license from the Commonwealth of Virginia. It is solely the student's responsibility to comply with all requirements for licensure by the Commonwealth. Under Virginia law, a social security number is required for licensure.

This program has been identified by George Mason University as one that may lead to a career requiring professional licensure/certification. Federal regulations require George Mason to disclose information as to whether this program meets/does not meet the educational requirements for licensure/certification in your state, or whether such a determination has not been made. Please consult our Licensure Disclosure Tool for the disclosure statement specific to your desired state/program combination.