Online Masters in Reading and Literacy

Online Master’s Degree in Reading and Literacy

An online Master’s Degree in Reading and Literacy provides potential educators with strong fundamentals needed to create, establish, and implement solid curriculums within the educational system. The online program emphasizes importance in reading in the school system, and works establish a strong basis for all other educational pursuits.

Online Master’s Degrees in Reading and Literacy Requirements

Certain students are better-suited for online masters degree programs in reading and literacy than others. Because most students who pursue reading and literacy master’s degrees online become educators after graduation, individuals who are comfortable speaking in front of crowds and passionate about education often find great success in this field.

Most students pursuing online masters degrees in reading and literacy have graduated from specific bachelor’s degree programs, including:

  • English
  • Literature
  • Education
  • Early Childhood Education
  • Liberal Arts
  • Sociology
  • School Administration
  • Communication
  • Poetry
  • Composition

In addition to possessing compatible prior educations, online masters in reading and literacy students often come from certain vocational backgrounds as well, including educational services, administrative professions and writing professions.

Online Reading and Literacy Master’s Degree Education

Good accredited online master’s degree programs in reading and literacy typically take between 2 to 3 years to complete. The types of reading and literacy degrees offered by the best curriculum and instruction master’s programs online include:

  • Master of Science in Reading and Literacy (MS in Reading and Literacy)
  • Master of Arts in Reading and Literacy (MA in Reading and Literacy)
  • Master of Science in Education (MS in Education)
  • Master of Arts in Education (MA in Education)

Prior to pursuing online masters degrees in reading and education, students may choose to attend an accredited online bachelor’s degree program.

Information on Reading and Literacy Courses

The best accredited masters online in reading and education require all online masters in reading and literacy students to successfully complete certain courses, such as:

  • Education Fundamentals
    All students attending online master’s programs in reading and literacy must successfully complete at least one education fundamentals course, if not several. Education fundamentals courses teach students the foundational principles of education, such as lesson planning strategies, teaching methods, and grading and evaluation techniques.
  • Age-Specific Education
    Every aspiring educator pursuing a reading and literacy masters degree online must generally complete age-specific education courses for most age-groups. This qualifies students to teach any grade-level they prefer. Students who focus their reading and literacy online masters degree studies on a particular age-group, such as early childhood education, may not be required to take courses regarding other grade-levels.
  • Literature Studies
    Top online masters degree reading and literacy program students must usually complete several literature studies courses. These courses provide in-depth studies of literature from all different time-periods and genres.
  • Communication
    The best accredited online masters programs in reading and literacy require students to successfully complete a communication course. The educational career field requires educators to frequently interact with students and co-workers; therefore, students must possess stellar communication skills upon graduation to ensure a successful teaching career.
  • Lesson Planning
    An online reading and literacy masters degree lesson planning course provides an in-depth study of various lesson planning strategies and principles. Students learn about considering the objectives of every lesson they prepare, as well as each step of the planning process.

Specializations and Concentrations

Because reading and literacy is a broad field, in order to become an expert in a specific niche, some reading and literacy students will pursue specialties or concentrations in areas including:

  • Early Childhood Education
  • English
  • Contemporary Literature
  • Victorian Literature
  • Women’s Literature
  • African-American Literature
  • European Literature
  • Poetry
  • Social Science
  • Post-Secondary Education
  • Primary Education
  • Secondary Education
  • Religious Education
  • Theology

Careers in Reading and Literacy

Online master’s degrees in reading and literacy from top online schools enable graduates to pursue various careers, including:

  • Elementary School Educator
    Online master’s reading and literacy commonly pursue teaching careers as elementary school, or early childhood, educators. Instructors in this field teach students from grades kindergarten through fifth-grade. Elementary school educators focus their online master’s degree in reading and literacy studies on early childhood education. Generally, elementary school educators instruct the same classroom of children throughout the entire school year; they also typically teach every subject themselves. Elementary school educators earn $47,100 per year on average. The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, or BLS, predicts employment in the elementary school teaching field to experience a 13 percent increase from 2008 to 2018.
  • Middle School or Secondary Educator
    Middle school and secondary educators teach students in middle school and high school, respectively. These teachers often specialize in one particular subject, as students in middle school and high school generally switch classes for each individual course. The average annual wage for middle school and secondary educators is approximately $51,180 and employment in this field is expected to grow by 13 percent between 2008 and 2018.
  • Private Tutor
    Many graduates of reading and literacy masters programs online pursue careers as private tutors, often in reading. Private tutors offer one-on-one learning assistance to students struggling in class or individuals preparing for tests or courses. The tutoring field is classified in the social services industry, and the average hourly wage for this field is approximately $18.00, with employment expected to rise 40 percent between 2008 and 2018.
  • Religious Educator
    Some students who receive online master’s in reading and literacy choose to pursue careers as religious educators. These professionals typically focus their reading and literacy masters degree online studies on a specialization in religious education or theology. Religious educators teach courses on religious subjects, often within private religious institutions such as Catholic schools. Educators in the religious field earn approximately the same as educators in elementary, middle and high schools, and employment in religious education is expected to experience a comparable growth as well.
  • Self-enrichment Educator
    Another popular career field for graduates of online master degree programs in reading and literacy is in self-enrichment education These educators teach courses designed to promote self-improvement or enjoyment, such as foreign languages, liberal arts and even pottery. Self-enrichment courses generally take place in non-academic settings. The average salary for self-enrichment educators is approximately $17.17 per hour. Employment in this field is expected to rise by 32 percent between 2008 and 2018.

A masters online in reading and literacy from a good, accredited online master’s degree reading and literacy program can prepare students for fulfilling careers providing educational services in various types of institutions. Employers are often seeking highly qualified candidates with advanced knowledge and training to lead the industry.