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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
Quick facts
Official name
Master of education in learning, teaching and curriculum with an emphasis in literacy educationCampus
Program type
Master's degreeAcademic home
College of Education & Human Development | Department of Learning, Teaching and CurriculumDelivery mode
100% onlineAccreditation
Higher Learning CommissionCredit hours
30Estimated cost
$16,854.00*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.
Career prospects
Advance your career while deepening your understanding of literacy instruction. With consistent growth predicted for elementary, middle 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
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% onlineCalendar system
Semester-basedTypical program length
2 yearsTypical course load
2 classes per semesterAccreditation
The University of Missouri is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, one of six regional institutional accreditors in the United States.