Program Overview

DOCTORAL, SPECIALIST AND MASTER’S IN ENGLISH EDUCATION

Highly qualified graduate students finish the Curriculum & Instruction: English Education program prepared to meet the demands of teaching in the 21st century. Whether you earn a doctorate, specialist or master’s in English Education, you’ll go on to flourish in classrooms and beyond.

As part of your advanced course work, you will have numerous opportunities to work with adolescents and their teachers. You’ll gain experience in local schools, tutor individual at-risk students, teach small groups, and plan and present lessons. As you practice planning, delivering, and managing high quality instruction, you’ll gain a rich understanding of the many print and non-print literacies that define today’s communication. For instance, you will understand and address how technology can enhance teaching and learning.

We also explore the roles English teachers assume when working with English Language Learners (ELLs). Another area of study in the program looks at the English teacher’s role in reading instruction.

We offer an online master’s in Curriculum & Instruction with a concentration in English Education designed for those who already hold a Professional Educator’s Certificate. We also offer on-campus master’s and doctoral degrees.

Please note: These are advanced programs designed for current teachers. If you are seeking teacher certification for English Education (grades 6-12), please see our English Education combined BS/MS pathway.

Admission Requirements

In order to meet minimum University admission requirements, applicants must have:

  • A bachelor’s degree with at least a 3.0 GPA – An earned bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution, or a comparable degree from an international institution, with a minimum 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) grade point average (GPA) in all coursework attempted while registered as an upper-division undergraduate student working towards a bachelor’s degree.
  • GRE test scores*. Official test results are required from the General Test of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). These scores are considered official only when they are sent directly to the Office of Admissions from the testing agency. Examinee copies are not considered official. Graduate Record Exam (GRE): http://www.ets.org/ – FSU Institution Code: 5219. The Educational Testing Service (ETS) do not retain scores longer than five years. If your test scores are older than five years, you may have to retake the test to have official scores sent directly to FSU from the testing agency. If you have the report that was mailed to your home address for older scores, then FSU will accept that report.
    • M.S. and Ed.S. applicant target scores: Verbal – 146+, Quantitative – 140+
    • Ph.D. applicant target scores: Verbal – 151+, Quantitative – 145+, Writing – 3+
    • *NOTE: The GRE admission requirements for master's and specialist programs have been waived through Fall 2026.
  • Language proficiency test (international students only)– FSU accepts scores from TOEFL (minimum 80), IELTS (minimum 6.5), MELAB (minimum 77), Cambridge C1 Advanced Level (minimum 180), Michigan Language Assessment (minimum 55), and Duolingo (minimum 120)
  • Transcripts – Applicants must submit an official transcript from each college and/or university attended. Transcripts should be sent to the Office of Graduate Admissions electronically at graduateadmissions@fsu.edu or via mail in a sealed envelope:
    • Florida State University
      Office of Graduate Admissions
      314 Westcott Building
      P.O. Box 3061410
      Tallahassee, FL 32306-1410
    • Admission to graduate study is a two-fold evaluation process. The Office of Admissions determines eligibility for admission to the University, and the academic department, program, or college determines admissibility to the degree program. University graduate admissions requirements are found at https://gradschool.fsu.edu/admissions/graduate-admissions. Academic programs have additional requirements.
    • Florida State University requires a course-by-course credential evaluation for all applicants that have degrees from a non-U.S. institution. International and domestic applicants with degrees earned from international institutions must submit their official transcripts through a NACES approved evaluator for transcripts from a non-U.S. institution. SpanTran has created a custom application for Florida State University that will make sure you select the right kind of evaluation at a discounted rate. See the “Transcript Requirement” section on The Graduate School website, https://gradschool.fsu.edu/admissions/graduate-admissions, for detailed information on University transcript requirements for graduate admission.

Applicants must upload the following REQUIRED supporting documents to the Admissions Application Portal:

  • Statement of purpose – should describe your purpose for pursuing a degree, qualifications and long-term career goals.
    • At least one (1) page for M.S. and Ed.S. applicants
    • At least two (2) pages for Ph.D. applicants
  • Letters of recommendation
    • Two (2) for M.S. and Ed.S. applicants
    • Three (3) for Ph.D. applicants
  • One page resume/curriculum vitae
  • Writing Sample – it is acceptable to submit a paper used in another class, or one that was published.
Application Deadlines

Master’s and Specialist programs:

Fall: July 1
Spring: November 1
Summer: March 1

Doctoral program:

Fall: December 1 (priority deadline); July 1 (final deadline)

If you are interested in applying, please contact STE-GradCoord@fsu.edu.

Tuition & Aid

Information about tuition and fees at Florida State is available here. You can learn more about the scholarship and aid opportunities for Anne's College students here.

Contact(s)
Career Opportunities

Curriculum choices in our master’s and specialist programs are designed to enable students to become teacher leaders, college instructors, as well as curriculum specialists, state testing specialists and textbook company representatives. Doctoral program graduates are prepared to become university professors, researchers and leaders in the field.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, job outlook for high school teachers is expected to grow 7.5%  through 2026, which equates to approximately 79,500 new jobs. The job outlook for instructional leaders/coordinators is expected to grow up to 10.5% through 2026. That translates into over 17,000 new jobs nationwide. The median national annual salary range for instructional leaders/coordinators is $64,450 per year. For university or college professors, the Bureau predicts a 9.8% increase in jobs by 2026, totaling 8,300 new jobs. The median national salary is $66,590 per year.

A career in education can be very rewarding, and a typical path offers ample opportunities for professional development and growth. Educators make a difference in the lifelong learning experience of their students, as well as, the quality and standards of the programs they teach.

Our Faculty

Click here to learn more about our English Education faculty!