MEd Reading Specialist
(Thesis option not available)
Degree Requirements
Available only to teachers already holding a Professional Educator License (PEL), this program offers teachers a reading specialist endorsement.
Note: All coursework must be completed with a grade of “C” or above.
The MAT Reading Specialist track at Rockford University adheres to the Illinois State Board of Education guidelines and has four parts:
- Cornerstone courses in reading methods, literature for children and adolescents, and reading in content areas
- Clinical sequence courses consisting of reading diagnosis, clinical reading methods, and clinical experience in reading
- Capstone courses in leadership, curriculum, and research applications
- Foundations courses
Cornerstone Courses
| EDRD 502 | Literacy Methods and Beginning Reading: Primary | 3 |
| EDRD 523 | Content Area Literacy Instruction | 3 |
| EDSL 574 | Multicultural Children's Literature | 3 |
Clinical Courses
The above courses fulfill the course requirements for the Reading Teacher Endorsement.
Capstone Courses
| EDRD 631 | Leadership Roles of the Reading Specialist | 3 |
| EDRD 632 | Reading Curriculum Design & Implementation | 3 |
| EDRD 633 | Research Applications in the Reading Program | 3 |
Reading Electives
Foundations
| EDUC 605 | Philosophical Foundations of Education | 3 |
| EDUC 615 | Introduction to Research | 3 |
| EDUC 620 | Psychological Foundations of Education | 3 |
Note: Reading Teacher endorsement requires 18 credits in Reading and a passing score on the Reading Teacher Exam (222) or Reading Specialist exam (221). Reading Specialist endorsement requires completion of an approved Reading Specialist program, two years’ teaching experience, a Master’s Degree, and a passing score on the Reading Specialist Content Exam (221).