Literacy education

University of Missouri-Columbia
Master of education in learning, teaching and curriculum
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Master of education

Literacy influences all subject areas — from how students comprehend history to the steps of a word problem. Without this foundation, many struggle along the K-12 pipeline and into adulthood. The University of Missouri’s (Mizzou) online master of education (M Ed) in learning, teaching and curriculum with an emphasis in literacy education prepares you to integrate reading and writing into lesson plans and help all pupils build these essential life skills.

Through a flexible curriculum, you customize your program of study based on the grade level you serve, from elementary through secondary. In the process, you explore the scientific and theoretical background of literacy. This understanding equips you to reinforce these skills through curriculum plans, relate them to content areas and improve students’ confidence.

Note: This program does not lead to initial teacher certification, but a course plan can be designed so you earn your master’s degree and Special Reading (K-12) Certificate from the state of Missouri.

About the M Ed in literacy education

Overseeing this online master’s in literacy education, Mizzou’s Department of Learning, Teaching & Curriculum strives to graduate culturally competent instructors and researchers who improve student outcomes in all environments. For teachers and curriculum developers, this program highlights multimodal literacy and research-based practices for the language arts.

Whether to give students a strong start or foster their progress in middle or high school, you will:

  • Prepare to lead literacy efforts at the classroom or school level and advocate for all learners
  • Explore the science of reading, the role of play in the language arts and instructional practices for striving readers
  • Learn to improve content-area acquisition and academic outcomes through age-appropriate reading and writing guidance
  • Enhance your own instructional and curriculum development toolkit to create engaging lesson plans and assess students’ literacy skills

Top-ranked programs

Mizzou's online master's in education programs ranked among the nation's finest in U.S. News & World Report 2024.

Quick facts

Official name

Master of education in learning, teaching and curriculum with an emphasis in literacy education

Campus

University of Missouri-Columbia

Program type

Master's degree

Academic home

College of Education & Human Development | Department of Learning, Teaching and Curriculum

Delivery mode

100% online

Accreditation

Higher Learning Commission, Teacher Education Accreditation Council

Credit hours

30

Estimated cost

$16,050.00

*This cost is for illustrative purposes only. Your hours and costs will differ, depending on your transfer hours, your course choices and your academic progress. See more about tuition and financial aid.

a female teacher holds a young student on her lap looking at a book together

Career prospects

Advance your career while deepening your understanding of literacy instruction. With consistent growth predicted for elementarymiddle and high school teachers through 2032, support your students through lesson plans that help them become discerning readers, concise writers and effective communicators. Or, broaden your impact in the school community as a literacy coach or curriculum developer.

The online M Ed in literacy education upgrades the credentials of:

  • Language arts teachers
  • Reading development instructors
  • Reading intervention teachers
  • Remedial reading instructors
  • Special education teachers
  • Title I reading instructors
Burning Glass Technologies. 2021. Salary numbers and employment growth numbers are based on models that consider advertised job posting salary, Bureau of Labor Statistics data and other proprietary and public sources of information for multiple occupations.
11.54%
Employment growth
Burning Glass Technologies. 2021. Salary numbers and employment growth numbers are based on models that consider advertised job posting salary, Bureau of Labor Statistics data and other proprietary and public sources of information for multiple occupations.
$69,000
median salary

Program structure

The online master’s in literacy education requires 30 credit hours of course work. Fifteen credit hours focus on a literacy core, and for the remainder, you select from more specialized electives. Classes are semi-sequenced and semester based.

Delivery of this program is 100% online: no campus visits are required. The typical student takes two courses per semester and earns their master’s degree in two years.

Core courses

The literacy core introduces you to:

  • The intersection of learning, teaching and curriculum in the classroom
  • Culturally responsive pedagogy to meet the needs of a diverse student body
  • Classroom research and instructional theories
  • The influence of language acquisition and development on reading and writing
  • Teaching reading to PK-12 students

Review all requirements for the online M Ed in literacy instruction.

Delivery

100% online

Calendar system

Semester-based

Typical program length

2 years

Typical course load

2 classes per semester

Accreditation

The University of Missouri is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, one of six regional institutional accreditors in the United States. The College of Education and Human Development is a member of the Teacher Education Accreditation Council.

Learn more about this program

This program is administered by the Department of Learning, Teaching and Curriculum