Reading Specialist (K-12) Certificate

**This program is not accepting new students. Please consider our many other areas of study, such as our MEd in Curriculum and Instruction. For questions, contact our admissions team at soeinfo@pitt.edu.**

Are you a classroom teacher who desires to learn more about how to support all readers?  The Reading Specialist Certificate of Advanced Study (K-12) is designed to provide candidates with opportunities to build specialized knowledge, engage in principled practice in supervised settings, and prepare for leadership roles in schools and school districts. The program is offered in an online blended format that is convenient for working professionals. 

Quick Facts

• Program Duration: 1 year (full-time), 2-3 years (part-time)  
• Time Commitment: Full and Part-time options  
• Term of Enrollment: Rolling 
• Course Requirements: 24 credits  
• Application Deadline: Rolling  
• Admissions Requirements: GRE Exam Not Required

Program Details

Coursework is completed in a blended format of on-campus and online study. 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. 

Candidates have the option to participate in a year-long internship in a local school district that provides participants with a tax-free tuition stipend.     

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Degree Requirements

Candidates participate in two practicum courses (elementary and adolescent literacy).  

Certifications 

The Reading Specialist of Advanced Study prepares you to earn the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) Reading Specialist Certificate.

1. All applicants must have a current teaching certificate. 

Prerequisites

1. All applicants must have a current teaching certificate. 

2. 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, Foundations of Special Education, Students with Disabilities (Elementary OR Secondary), and Literacy Assessment and Instruction. 

• 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