Description

This is a state-approved teacher education program that is currently undergoing revision in response to a change in Florida Administrative Code (State Board of Education Rule 6A-5.066). Students enrolled in this program should remain in close contact with their adviser to keep informed of any program changes implemented to comply with new state requirements.

The College of Education offers a Master of Education degree in Reading Education. This program prepares teachers for certification as reading specialists (e.g., reading resource teacher, reading laboratory teacher, reading/language arts supervisor, primary education specialist) in grades K-12 in public schools and private reading laboratories or clinics. Diagnosis of reading disabilities, techniques of corrective reading, psychological measurement, reading in the content fields, management of reading programs, reading trends and research, and dimensions of the language arts other than reading are included with considerable emphasis on practica with disabled readers from the early childhood to adult levels. Professionals currently certified as Florida teachers are eligible to pursue a degree in the program.

Degrees Offered

Master of Education in Reading Education

Admission

For information on general UCF graduate admissions requirements that apply to all prospective students, please visit the Admissions and Registration section of the Graduate Catalog. Applicants must apply online. Please be sure to submit all requested material by the established deadline(s).

In addition to the general admission requirements, applicants must provide:

A baccalaureate degree or equivalent from a regionally accredited university, GPA of 3.0 or higher (on a 4.0 maximum) while registered as an upper-division undergraduate student (normally based on the last sixty attempted semester hours), and competitive Graduate Record Examination (GRE). In accordance with Florida Statute 1004.04 and State Board Education Rule 6A-5.066, applicants whose composite quantitative-verbal GRE score is less than 1000 must pass all four parts of the College Level Academic Skills Test or General Knowledge Test of the Florida Teacher Certification Examination for program admission.

Possess or be fully eligible for a professional teaching certificate in one or more other teacher certification specializations in Florida.

International students must demonstrate their proficiency in the English language. International students, except those who are from countries where English is the only official language or those who have earned a degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution, are required to submit a score on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) before they can be admitted to the university. A computer-based TOEFL score of 220 or 80 on the internet-based TOEFL (or equivalent score on the paper-based test) is required unless otherwise specified by the program.

Application Due Dates

All students applying for fellowships must apply by the Fall Priority deadline date.

U.S. Applicants

Program(s)	Fall Priority	Fall	Spring	Summer
Master of Education in Reading Education	Jan 15	Jul 15	Dec 1	Apr 15

 

International Applicants

Program(s)	Fall Priority	Fall	Spring	Summer
Master of Education in Reading Education	Jan 15	Jan 15	Jul 1	Nov 1

 

International Transfer Applicants

Program(s)	Fall Priority	Fall	Spring	Summer
Master of Education in Reading Education	Jan 15	Mar 1	Sep 1	Dec 15

Master of Education in Reading Education

Minimum Hours Required for M.Ed.—36 Credit Hours

The M.Ed. program requires a practicum experience. Practica are independent learning activities that take place in authentic settings in which students must apply, reflect on, and refine knowledge and skills acquired in the program.

Area A: Core—15 Credit Hours

• EDF 6432 Measurement and Evaluation in Education (3 credit hours)
• EDF 6481 Fundamentals of Graduate Research in Education (3 credit hours)
• EDF 6886 Multicultural Education (3 credit hours)

Select Option A, B, or C:

Option A: Thesis

• EDF 6401 Statistics for Educational Data (3 credit hours)
• RED 6971 Thesis (2,1 credit hours)

Option B: Research Report

• EDF 6155 Lifespan Human Development and Learning (3 credit hours)
• RED 6909 Research Report (2,1 credit hours)

Option C: Extended Specialization—6 Credit Hours

• Electives pre-approved by adviser

Area B: Specialization—21 Credit Hours

• RED 6116 Trends in Reading Education (3 credit hours)
• RED 6336 Reading in the Content Areas (3 credit hours)
• RED 6337 Reading in the Secondary School (PR: RED 6336, Basic Teacher Certification, or C.I.) (3 credit hours)
• RED 6746 Management of Reading Programs (3 credit hours)
• RED 6845 Advanced Evaluation and Instruction in Reading (3 credit hours)
• RED 6846 Reading Practicum (PR: RED 6845 or C.I.) (6 credit hours)

Prerequisites

Prescribed by College of Education to meet state certification requirements or as support for degree program.

• RED 5147 Developmental Reading (3 credit hours) OR
• RED 3012 Basic Foundations of Reading (3 credit hours)
• RED 5517 Classroom Diagnosis and Development of Reading Proficiencies (3 credit hours) OR
• RED 4519 Diagnostic and Corrective Reading Strategies (3 credit hours)
• LAE 3414 Literature for Children (3 credit hours) OR
• LAE 5415 Children’s Literature in Elementary Education (3 credit hours) OR
• LAE 4464 Survey of Adolescent Literature (3 credit hours)
• LAE 4314 Language Arts in the Elementary School (3 credit hours) OR
• LAE 4342 Teaching Language and Composition (3 credit hours)

Additional Program Graduation Requirements:

• Complete the comprehensive examination.
• Complete a portfolio according to program guidelines. This portfolio requires demonstration of professional growth, reflection, and proficiency in the 12 Florida Educator Accomplished Practices.
• Pass Reading K-12 Subject Area Exam of the Florida Teacher Certification Examination.

Financial Support

Graduate students may receive financial assistance through fellowships, assistantships, tuition support, or loans. For more information, see Financing Grad School, which describes the types of financial assistance available at UCF and provides general guidance in planning your graduate finances. The Financial Information section of the Graduate Catalog is another key resource.

Key points about financial support:

• If you are interested in financial assistance, you are strongly encouraged to apply for admission early. A complete application for admission, including all supporting documents, must be received by the priority date listed for your program under "Admissions."
• You must be admitted to a graduate program before the university can consider awarding financial assistance to you.
• If you want to be considered for loans and other need-based financial assistance, review the UCF Student Financial Assistance website at http://finaid.ucf.edu and complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) form, which is available online at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov. Apply early and allow up to six weeks for the FAFSA form to be processed.
• UCF Graduate Studies awards university graduate fellowships, with most decisions based on nominations from the colleges and programs. To be eligible for a fellowship, students must be accepted as a graduate student in a degree program and be enrolled full-time. University graduate fellowships are awarded based on academic merit and therefore are not affected by FAFSA determination of need.
• Please note that select fellowships do require students to fill out a fellowship application (either a university fellowship application, an external fellowship application, or a college or school fellowship application). For university fellowship applications, see Financing Grad School.
• For information on assistantships (including teaching, research, and general graduate assistantships) or tuition support, contact the graduate program director of your major.

Contact Info

Karri Williams, Ph.D., Associate Professor
Phone Number: 321-433-7922
kjwillia@mail.ucf.edu