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Earn your professional studies master’s in literacy education program
Enhance your professional expertise, elevate your teaching career and strengthen your leadership skills in the field of literacy education.
The professional studies master’s in literacy education program is a graduate-level program, tailored to experienced teachers looking to enhance their careers and leadership skills through an advanced degree.
We offer a flexible schedule featuring a mix of evening and summer courses all designed to meet the needs of working professionals.
Earn your degree quickly, in one year full-time or two years part-time.
Careers
Graduates of the professional studies master’s in literacy education program can anticipate:
- Higher-level teaching opportunities
- Roles in school administration or as a mentor to other educators
- A competitve advantage over teachers without master’s when applying for job
- Reading specialist in a K-12 setting
- Literacy coach
- Curriculum specialist
How to apply
Application deadlines
Applications are accepted for three different start times throughout the year:
- December 15 (Spring start)
- April 30 (Summer start)
- July 31 (Fall start)
Admission requirements
- Bachelors’s degree
- 2.80 GPA
- Licensed Tier 3 teacher
Required application documents
- Unofficial transcripts. Upload your transcripts into the application system; please do not mail your transcripts. Official transcripts are required only after you are admitted.
- Resume. Tailor your resume to focus on relevant academic and work experience.
- Personal statement. Describe your career goals and rationale for pursuing your MEd Limit: 1 page.
Transfer credits
Maximum transfer credits: 10
Credits may have been taken at UMN, or at another institution. Credits must be at the graduate level and must be approved by a faculty adviser.
- Contact the academic adviser (for contact info, see below) to arrange to work with a faculty adviser to have your courses approved
- After the faculty adviser approves your transfer courses, fill out the Academic Policy Petition.
International applicants
International applicants may also need:
- An English translation of your transcripts, if the transcript is not in English.
- A course by course evaluation may be required.
- TOEFL scores. Official TOEFL scores are required. You may qualify for an exception if you have completed 16 semester or 24 quarter credits within the past 24 months in residence as a full-time student at an accredited institution of higher learning in the United States. Please see the University of Minnesota TOEFL score requirements and submission guidelines from the Graduate School. Early application is advised to ensure timely admission.
- International students with F-1 visas may take no more than the equivalent of one completely online education class (or 3 credits per semester) and count it towards their full-time course requirement. Full-time enrollment for graduate students is 6 credits. If you are enrolled in an online program and studying in your home country, you do not need full-time enrollment status.
Tuition
Visit the 2025-26 professional graduate program costs page on the CEHD website for master’s in professional studies in literacy education (MEd) costs.
Visit OneStop for the most up-to-date tuition information and to understand the full cost of attendance.
Funding
CEHD Fellowships, scholarships, assistantships, and grants for graduate students
As a graduate student in CEHD, you may be eligible for fellowships, grants, and scholarships from the University of Minnesota, from our college, and from your academic department. Get more information on funding opportunities.
Questions about funding:
University funding opportunities:
612.625.7579 | gsfellow@umn.edu
CEHD funding opportunities:
Academic adviser: Michelle McElroy
Financial aid
Financial aid for your graduate program works a little differently than financial aid at the undergraduate level. It’s important to know the differences and explore your options.
Check out the One Stop website for more information on financial aid eligibility, required steps, and timelines. If you have questions, you should contact One Stop Student Services at 612.624.1111 or via email at onestop@umn.edu
Request information
Coursework
The professional studies master’s in literacy education is a graduate-level program, tailored for experienced Literacy teachers looking to enhance their careers and leadership skills through an advanced degree.
We offer a flexible schedule featuring a mix of evening and summer courses all designed to meet the needs of working professionals. Earn your degree quickly, in one year full-time or two years part-time.
Required coursework
This program requires a minimum of 30 semester credits of graduate-level coursework distributed across three areas
Coursework focuses on three areas:
- Core academic programming in curriculum, assessment, and technology
- Literacy-focused curriculum covering topics such as culturally diverse books for children, literacy development, and literature for adolescents
- Electives designed to align with your interests
University catalog: Literacy Education MEd program requirements.
Faculty
See the award-winning faculty with practical and research experience teaching in this area.
