Reading Specialist Certification
The Texas Reading Specialist Certification is designed for applicants desiring to work as an all-level Reading Specialist in Texas. Students must successful complete a departmentally approved action research project before taking the Reading Specialist Exam.
This certification is also offered in coordination with the M.Ed. in Reading/Language Arts.
To be regularly admitted to the graduate school, applicants must submit to the Office of Graduate Admissions:
- Graduate Application
- Application fee
- Apply to the Reading Specialist Preparation Program if seeking Texas Reading Specialist certification (Instructions)
- Pay the $55 Texas Education Accountability System for Educator Preparation Programs Fee(paid to the TEA as required by TAC 229.9.7) if seeking Texas Reading Specialist certification
- Official transcript from the baccalaureate degree granting institution
- Two letters of recommendations with recommendation checklists
- A copy of applicant’s teaching certificate
- A teacher service record with at least two years of successful teaching experience
- Interview with writing sample
- Official GRE or MAT scores, if GPA in last 60 hours is below a 3.0
- An official service record for each year of classroom service
For information regarding the recommendation checklists, interview, and writing sample, please contact the Department of Language, Literacy and Special Populations at (936) 294-4045.
Applicants with completed files are reviewed for regular admission by graduate faculty in each program area and are selected by faculty based on information in the completed file.
The Texas Reading Specialist Certification requires the completion of 36 credit hours and is designed for those holding a valid Elementary or Secondary teaching certificate. The candidate must have two years successful teaching experience and successfully complete a departmentally approved action research project before taking the Reading Specialist Exam. Candidates must be enrolled in coursework during the semester they submit their action research project. The certification program originates in the Department of Language, Literacy, and Special Populations.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Reading Specialist Certification | ||
| Specified Courses | ||
| READ 5306 | Survey Of Reading | 3 |
| READ 5307 | Prac-Lit Assmt/Instr Stratgy I (50 hours of field experience in a TEA school) 2 | 3 |
| READ 5308 | Prac-Lit Assmt/Instr Strat II (50 hours of field experience in a TEA school) 3 | 3 |
| READ 5312 | Second Language Literacy (10 hours of field experience in a TEA school) | 3 |
| READ 5315 | Language Arts: Theory & Instr | 3 |
| READ 5317 | Politics of Literacy | 3 |
| READ 5319 | Digital Literacies | 3 |
| READ 5325 | Imprvmt In Sec Sch/Adult Pop (10 hours of field experience in a TEA school) | 3 |
| READ 5330 | Lit & Instr Mat In Rdg Progs | 3 |
| READ 5335 | Cognition & Emergent Literacy | 3 |
| READ 6310 | Admin/Suprvsn Of Literacy Prog (10 hours of field experience in a TEA school) 1 | 3 |
| READ 6320 | Research and Literacy Leadership (50 hours of field experience in a TEA school) 4 | 3 |
| Total Hours | 36 | |
| 1 | Prerequisite: READ 5308; Co-requisite: READ 6320 |
| 2 | co-requisite: READ 5312; Prerequisites: READ 5306;READ 5335; READ 5315; READ 5330 |
| 3 | Prerequisite: Enroll concurrently with READ 5307 |
| 4 | Prerequisite: READ 5306, READ 5307, READ 5308 Co-requisite: READ 6310 |
