Reading Education – Certificate and MEd

Are you a current teacher who wants to better support all readers in your classroom?

The School of Education offers a high-quality, online program that leads to certification as a Reading Specialist (PreK-12) from the Pennsylvania Department of Education. At Pitt, you can earn a standalone Reading Specialist Certificate (24 credits) or combine it with a Master of Education in Reading Education for an additional six credits (30 credits total).

Designed with working educators in mind, this fully online program offers the flexibility to accommodate demanding schedules and professional responsibilities. Candidates engage in coursework that builds specialized knowledge, supports principled practice in supervised settings, and prepares them for literacy leadership roles in schools and districts—all with the convenience of an online program.

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Program Facts

Degree Types

Reading Specialist Certificate
Master of Education in Reading Education

Credit Hours

24 (certificate only)
30 (certificate and master's)

Format

Online

Time Commitment

Full-time or Part-Time

Duration

2-3 years (part-time)

Term of Enrollment

Fall, Spring, and Summer

Application Deadline

Rolling admissions (no deadline)

Admissions Requirements

Must be licensed teacher
No GRE required

Upcoming Info Sessions

General Info Session (Virtual)

November 17, 2025 | Noon - 1 p.m.

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General Info Session (Virtual)

December 15, 2025 | Noon – 1 p.m.

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General Info Session (Virtual)

January 26, 2026 | Noon - 1 p.m.

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Program Overview

Two Pathways

At Pitt, you can earn a standalone Reading Specialist Certificate (24 credits) or combine it with a Master of Education in Reading Education for an additional six credits (30 credits total).

Learning Objectives

The program is aligned with the latest International Literacy Association Standards for the Preparation of Literacy Professionals. Areas of study include:

Foundational Knowledge
Curriculum and Instruction
Assessment and Evaluation
Diversity
Literate Environment
Professional Learning and Leadership

Online Format

Coursework is completed in a fully online format that offers maximum flexibility and convenience for working teachers—allowing them to balance professional responsibilities with graduate study, access materials anytime, and participate from anywhere without commuting or disrupting their teaching schedules.

State Certification

Upon completion of the program and a passing score on the Praxis exam, candidates are eligible to earn the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) Reading Specialist Certificate. This program provides candidates with the PDE-required 24 post-baccalaureate credits to earn the Level II teaching certificate.

"I can say without a doubt that the Reading Specialist program has equipped me with the most current research and techniques available to best help students learn to read."
Monica Devlin

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Prerequisites

Students must take the following courses as prerequisites:

Teaching of Reading OR Language Arts (3 credits)
Human Development OR Educational Psychology (3 credits)
Children’s or Adolescent Literature (3 credits)
Teaching English Language Learners (3 credits)
Foundations of Special Education (3 credits)
Students with Disabilities in the Classroom – Elementary or Secondary (3 credits)
Literacy Assessment and Instruction for Children with Disabilities in Inclusive Settings (3 credits)

From the list above, the following courses may be taken as electives throughout the course of the program if they have not been taken as prerequisites:

Teaching of English Language Learners (3 credits)
Foundations of Special Education (3 credits)
Students with Disabilities – Elementary or Secondary (3 credits)
Literacy Assessment and Instruction (3 credits)

Admission Requirements

Program requirements include:

Bachelor’s degree with a minimum GPA of 3.0
Valid teaching certificate

Additionally, applicants must complete the School of Education online admissions application that will include:

Resume or curriculum vitae (CV)
Goal statement
Contact information for three professional references
Academic transcript

View full admissions requirements

Curriculum

Certificate-Only

This 24-credit program provides the Reading Specialist graduate Certificate from the University of Pittsburgh School of Education.

The curriculum is fully aligned with the standards of the Pennsylvania Department of Education for the PreK-12 Reading Specialist certification.

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MEd and Certificate

This 30-credit program provides students with two advanced credentials: a Master of Education (MEd) in Reading Education and the Reading Specialist Certificate of Advanced Study (PreK-12).

The curriculum is fully aligned with the standards of the Pennsylvania Department of Education for the PreK-12 Reading Specialist certification.

Additionally, there is a 3-credit sequence of research courses that allow students to study their own practice as educators and advance their knowledge in the field of reading education.

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