Literacy Leadership Programs

Both programs, the M.A.Ed. in Curriculum & Instruction - Literacy Leadership and the Post-Professional Certificate - Reading Specialist, are delivered fully online in convenient seven-week terms, allowing educators to continue working full time while earning their degree or endorsement. Grounded in the latest research on literacy development and evidence-based instructional practices, both programs prepare educators to provide effective interventions for struggling readers and writers, coach teachers in research-supported literacy practices and lead literacy initiatives that improve teaching and learning across schools and districts.

In addition to completing our certificate or M.A.Ed., students must have three years of classroom teaching experience and must successfully pass the Reading Specialist Praxis in order to be licensed as a reading specialist in Virginia.

Because our students remain active in their schools throughout the program, every course connects directly to professional practice. Educators apply new instructional strategies with students, analyze literacy data, design interventions and develop coaching and professional learning experiences within their own schools.

Throughout the program, students strengthen their leadership through authentic projects that bridge research and practice. A signature feature of the curriculum is the Literacy Lowdowns series, in which students create concise professional learning presentations on evidence-based literacy practices. By graduation, each student has developed a portfolio of ready-to-use resources that can support colleagues and school-wide literacy initiatives.

Application materials include your unofficial transcript(s), personal statements, a resume/CV and two recommendations for the M.A.Ed. or one recommendation for the certificate.

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, however, and we limit the size of our cohorts. We encourage prospective students to begin an application, as the portal provides a clear overview of all application requirements, including the personal statement prompt.

Looking for the application deadline? See our Deadlines & Decisions page.

Both the M.A.Ed. in Curriculum & Instruction - Literacy Leadership and the Post-Professional Certificate - Reading Specialist programs are eligible for the Virginia educator discount for qualified applicants. Full-time educators, currently working in a public or private PreK-12 institution in Virginia may be eligible for a 25% discount. Participants must be Virginia Residents, can only take up to six credit hours per semester, and must be employed full-time in a Virginia PK-12 school.