MA in Literacy

Program Now Only 30 Credits!

Literacy Program Overview

Our CAEP-accredited online Master of Arts in Literacy is designed for individuals who want to strengthen their understanding of literacy, effectively serve a broader spectrum of students, and prepare reading specialists for teaching, diagnosis, instructional leadership, and staff development.

This affordable 30-credit online program can be completed in less than two years and will equip you with the specialized skills and knowledge you need to:

  • Collaborate with educators, psychologists, and parents to develop and implement needs-based reading programs for students.
  • Assess reading strengths, identify deficiencies, and create intervention plans and strategies for at-risk students.
  • Provide recommendations to district administration on improving the instruction of reading and language arts.

Click here to read program testimonials from literacy alumni.

Reading Specialist Certification

State of Texas Students

This program is aligned with the Texas Education Agency (TEA)’s reading specialist certification. The requirements for reading specialist certification in Texas are provided below:

  • Master’s degree from an accredited university
  • Valid classroom teaching certificate in the state of Texas
  • Two years of classroom teaching experience in an accredited PK-12 school
  • Successful completion of an approved educator preparation program
  • Successful completion of the required exam

Out of State Students

If you are outside of Texas and would like to be certified as a reading specialist, check with your state agency for requirements to obtain certification in your state and to determine if this program meets your state’s eligibility requirements. You may also contact Dr. Wilson for questions about certification outside of the state of Texas.

Meet Our Esteemed Faculty

TEACH Grant

The Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant provides up to $4,000 per year to students who are completing coursework needed to begin a career in a high-need teaching field. UT Permian Basin participates in the TEACH Grant program.

To be eligible to receive a TEACH Grant, you must meet basic eligibility criteria for federal student aid programs, complete the FAFSA, be enrolled at a school that participates in the TEACH Grant program, maintain a minimum GPA of 3.25, receive TEACH Grant counseling for each year you receive the grant, and sign a TEACH Grant agreement. For more information about the TEACH Grant and its service requirements post-graduation, please click here.

Accreditation and Awards

  • Nationally recognized Reading/Literacy Specialist Preparation Program by the International Literacy Association (ILA)
  • Nationally accredited by the prestigious Council for Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP)
  • Texas Education Agency - State approved/accredited Accountability System for Educator Preparation (TEA/ASEP)

Program Contact

If you have any program-specific questions, please email us directly at mastersinreading@utpb.edu.

Career Options

The University of Texas Permian Basin's Master of Arts in Literacy provides a solid foundation for you to excel in the education industry in many roles, including:

Courses

30 Credits. Select EDRD 6319 or EDRD 6317; EDRD 6321 or EDRD 6324; EDRD 6322 or EDRD 6392; EDRD 6323 or EDRD 6315. Please consult with your faculty advisor regarding courses.

Courses
Duration
Credits
EDUC 6329 - Language Development and Acquisition
8 weeks
3
Theories of psycholinguistics and sociolinguistics applied to the acquisition of one or more languages in early childhood and school learning.
Prerequisites: N/A
Semesters Offered: Summer B 2024 Spring A 2025 Summer B 2025 Spring A 2026
EDRD 6318 - Analysis and Selection of Literature
8 weeks
3
This course emphasizes literature-based reading instruction focusing on the selection of literature which enhances interdisciplinary instruction.
Prerequisites: N/A
Semesters Offered: Spring A 2025 Spring A 2026
EDRD 6319 - Content Area Literacy
8 weeks
3
This course offers participants the opportunity to identify and discuss important problems, trends, and issues related to content area literacy in the diverse classroom. Students explore content area literacy, methodology, study the reading and writing process, become familiar with available resources in content area literacy, and discover the connection between learning and teaching content area literacy. There is a field tutorial component.
Prerequisites: N/A
Semesters Offered: Summer B 2024 Fall B 2024 Summer B 2025 Fall B 2025
EDRD 6317 - Materials, Methods and Media in Reading
8 weeks
3
Students examine concepts of learning as a social process to construct meaning in oral and written language. By combining theory and practice, students implement current reading strategies in an integrated approach to using materials, methods, and media in the classroom. An online presentation component is included.
Prerequisites: N/A
Semesters Offered: Spring B 2024 Summer B 2024 Spring B 2025 Summer B 2025 Fall A 2025 Spring B 2026
EDRD 6320 - Vocabulary and Spelling Practicum
16 weeks
3
Graduate students apply their knowledge of vocabulary and spelling by assessing a student’s spelling and vocabulary needs. Through interventions and gathered data, the student’s growth is assessed and compiled into a final analysis in a practicum approach. Graduate students also study how reading, spelling, and vocabulary interrelate and then construct a literacy project to share with area schools.
Prerequisites: N/A
Semesters Offered: Whole Spring 2025
EDRD 6321 - Reading Diagnosis Practicum
16 weeks
3
This course focuses on identifying literacy needs of struggling readers. Graduate students diagnose, evaluate, and remediate students by analyzing collected data. Students administer and score formal and informal reading tests and apply knowledge of rubrics for spelling and writing. Intervention strategies and tutorials are included in this practicum approach coursework as well as ongoing assessments.
Prerequisites: N/A
Semesters Offered: Whole Fall 2024
EDRD 6324 - Leadership in Literacy
16 weeks
3
Leadership in Literacy is a practicum course that focuses on how to disseminate literacy research effectively to educational stakeholders (i.e. campus/district administrators, teachers, parents). Some of the techniques addressed are instructional coaching, mentoring, and collaborating with colleagues. Students will spend 55 hours in the field.
Prerequisites: N/A
Semesters Offered: Whole Fall 2025
EDRD 6322 - Problems in Literacy
8 weeks
3
This course offers in-depth analysis and synthesis of contemporary research in problems, theories and issues in literacy education including representation in literature. Students participate in written responses and oral discussions to demonstrate understanding. Class is conducted in a seminar style where the professor and students jointly investigate the topic of representation in literature and build an appreciation for process writing. What is critical literacy? Who is included in the literature? Who is excluded? How will the educators better assist students to become critically literate? How can educators use theory to guide their practices?
Prerequisites: N/A
Semesters Offered: Summer A 2024 Summer A 2025
EDRD 6392 - Practicum in Reading
16 weeks
3
This course offers supervised practical application of previously studied reading theory. Students are expected to meet regularly with their University supervisor to ensure continued growth throughout their practicum experience. This course is offered as needed.
Prerequisites: EDRD 6317 - Materials, Methods and Media in Reading EDRD 6319 - Content Area Literacy EDRD 6320 - Vocabulary and Spelling Practicum EDRD 6323 - Advanced Problems in Reading
Semesters Offered:
EDRD 6323 - Advanced Problems in Reading
8 weeks
3
Students explore psychological, cognitive, and methodological issues in reading currently discussed and researched in scholarly journals, professional books, and TEA publications. Topics may include phonemic awareness, phonics, comprehensive literacy, adult literacy, and intervention strategies to build comprehension in struggling readers.
Prerequisites: EDRD 6318 - Analysis and Selection of Literature
Semesters Offered: Fall B 2025
EDRD 6315 - Foundations of Literacy
8 weeks
3
This course is focused on building background knowledge in teaching literacy in the elementary and middle school grades for the post-bac student seeking a teaching certificate or a Master of Arts in Reading. Students explore the foundations of teaching literacy by investigating constructive education methodology in the elementary and middle school classroom. Such topics as phonemic awareness, phonics, scaffolding, differentiating instruction, spelling approaches, vocabulary building, reading comprehension, and other timely issues will be addressed.
Prerequisites: N/A
Semesters Offered: Summer A 2024 Fall A 2024 Summer A 2025
EDRD 6333 - Clinical and Remedial Reading Practicum
16 weeks
3
This is the third course in a continuum of courses on assessment and intervention for school-age children and adults who struggle in areas of literacy. Individual assessment and tutoring of a student will be directed by the instructor in a practicum setting. The reading assignments are interrelated and designed to provide a scaffolding approach to introducing strategies to struggling readers.
Prerequisites: N/A
Semesters Offered: Whole Spring 2024 Whole Spring 2026
EDRD 6305 - Research Design in Reading
8 weeks
3
This course is designed to acquaint students with how research is conducted in the fields of education and the social sciences. Students will select and evaluate research findings within their specific fields, and learn how to plan their own research studies.
Prerequisites: N/A
Semesters Offered: Whole Summer 2024 Fall A 2024 Spring A 2025 Whole Summer 2025 Fall A 2025 Spring A 2026
EDRD 6397 - Research in Literacy
16 weeks
3
Graduate students choose between writing a thesis or researching three questions that are provided by their committee. The thesis and the questions each reflect a current issue in literacy that requires an in-depth investigation of scholarly research.
Prerequisites: N/A
Semesters Offered: Summer A 2024 Fall B 2024 Spring B 2025 Summer A 2025 Fall B 2025 Spring B 2026

Admission Requirements

Regular Admission Requirements

  • A bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution 
  • GPA of at least 3.0 in the last 60 credit hours leading towards a bachelor’s degree
  • Essay that answers the following prompt:
    • What is your vision of why you want to become a reading specialist?
  • Official transcripts 

Conditional Admission Requirements

If you do not meet the GPA requirements for this program, you may qualify for conditional admission with the following requirements:

  • A bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution
  • GPA between 2.5 and 3.0 in the last 60 credit hours leading towards a bachelor’s degree
  • Essay that answers the following prompt (see below for additional details about the essay):
    • What is your vision of why you want to become a reading specialist?
  • Other evidence (at least one of the following):
    • Minimum GRE score of 282 (verbal and quantitative combined)
    • May also consider cultural components including, but not limited to, English as a second language, weak academic preparation that can be remediated, student motivation and desire to succeed, evidence of success in career field (e.g., teaching or service awards), and/or candidate’s diverse experiences and perspectives. (This is submitted in the form of a low GPA document explaining the reasons surrounding the lower GPA and evidence of ability to succeed in graduate study.) 
  • Official transcripts               

Essay

The essay prompt is: What is your vision of why you want to become a reading specialist? An acceptable essay will clearly state your purpose in pursuing an MA in literacy. To support your commitment to becoming a literacy educator, include specific examples detailing your understanding of the role of reading specialist and how your prior experiences have informed and motivated your pursuit of an MA and your future goals in the classroom. Your essay should be at least one page in length, but no more than three pages, and written in an academic tone. It should be clear, concise, and well organized. This essay will demonstrate your capability to take on graduate studies.

Official Transcripts

Official copies of transcripts must come directly from the school in a sealed envelope and should be mailed to:

UT Permian Basin
Graduate Studies Office
4901 E. University Blvd.
Odessa, TX 79762

Official transcripts in electronic format can be sent to gradstudies@utpb.edu

Supporting Documents

All supporting documents related to a graduate program, such as letters of recommendation, essays, statements of interest, resumes, professional work experience, and awards should be sent to the Graduate Studies Office:

UT Permian Basin
Graduate Studies
4901 E. University Blvd.
Odessa, TX 79762-0001

Electronic versions of supporting documents may be emailed to gradstudies@utpb.edu. 

Application Fee

The application fee is $40.
Veterans and Active Duty Military: Your application fee is waived for this program. Get details now.

If you have any questions regarding the admission requirements, please email gradstudies@utpb.edu.

Literacy Program Coordinator
Associate Professor
College of Education
wilson_t@utpb.edu

Dr. Wilson teaches literacy courses for undergraduate and graduate students and is the literacy program coordinator at UT Permian Basin. Prior to working in higher education, she taught in Texas public education for 11 years, first as a kindergarten teacher and later as a literacy specialist. She received her Doctorate of Education in literacy from Sam Houston State University, publishes in literacy and early childhood journals, and presents at the local, state, regional, national, and international levels.

Click here to read more about Dr. Wilson and her experience with UT Permian Basin's literacy program.

Assistant Professor
College of Education
landreth_s@utpb.edu

Dr. Landreth is an assistant professor of literacy at UT Permian Basin. Prior to joining the University, she spent 23 years as a teacher, librarian, and administrator in Texas public schools. Dr. Landreth is passionate about sharing her knowledge about and enthusiasm for literacy with pre-service and in-service teachers to prepare them for the challenge of classroom teaching. Her research interests include developing fluency in struggling adolescent readers, effective vocabulary instruction, and motivating adolescents to read.

Click here to read more about Dr. Landreth and her experience with UT Permian Basin's literacy program.

We’re pleased to offer program admission on a rolling basis.

Rolling admission refers to our process of accepting and evaluating applications as we receive them and moving any applications that miss the deadline to the next semester. However, if you want to enroll in courses for a specific semester, you will need to make note of the application deadlines found below. If you don’t complete your application and submit the required materials by the deadline, your application will be rolled over to the next semester. 

LengthApplication DeadlineDocument DeadlinePayment DeadlineCourses BeginCourses End
Whole Spring1/2/241/8/241/12/241/16/245/2/24
Spring A1/2/241/8/241/12/241/16/243/8/24
Spring B3/4/243/11/243/15/243/18/245/10/24
SemesterApplication DeadlineDocument DeadlinePayment DeadlineCourses BeginCourses End
Summer A4/29/245/6/245/10/245/13/246/28/24
Summer B6/17/246/24/246/28/247/1/248/15/24
LengthApplication DeadlineDocument DeadlinePayment DeadlineCourses BeginCourses End
Fall A8/12/248/19/248/23/248/26/2410/18/24
Fall B10/7/2410/14/2410/18/2410/21/2412/13/24
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