Dyslexia Therapy

Program Overview
Admission Requirements
Courses
Tuition & Aid

Do you want to transform the lives of people facing significant reading and language challenges? Lipscomb University’s College of Education—consistently ranked among the most effective educator preparation programs in Tennessee and the nation presents the Dyslexia Therapy program. Offered in exclusive partnership with the Hoover Learning Group, this specialized program blends comprehensive, advanced coursework with immersive clinical training to prepare you, a graduate-level educator, to become a true literacy leader and an expert interventionist with an integrated faith perspective.

Our curriculum is deeply grounded in the Science of Reading and Structured Literacy principles. Notably, Lipscomb has become the first university in Tennessee to earn accreditation from the International Dyslexia Association (IDA), cementing our position as a premier institution for evidence-based literacy education.

The need for highly skilled dyslexia therapists is critical, both across the state of Tennessee and nationwide. To meet this demand with dignity and purpose, our program centers on the highly acclaimed Take Flight dyslexia intervention, developed by the Luke Waites Center for Dyslexia at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children.

Who is this degree for?

The Lipscomb Dyslexia Therapy program aims to prepare future therapists, literacy scholars and leaders with a Christ-centered mindset to serve those with reading challenges purposefully. If you are a graduate learner seeking advanced knowledge of dyslexia characteristics across the lifespan, to master and implement evidence-based intervention and to earn your CALT certification, this program is made for your success.

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Who should apply?

Program Outcomes

In a two-year sequence, our expectation is for you, a graduate-level educator, to finish the Dyslexia Therapy curriculum with real-world, applicable skills and experience to lead in therapeutic settings with dignity and purpose.

By the end of the program, you will be able to:

Develop advanced knowledge of dyslexia characteristics across the lifespan
Build competence in supervised clinical practice
Implement the Take Flight Curriculum with Fidelity
Analyze student data to inform instructional decisions and monitor progress
Deliver therapeutic-level, Structured Literacy intervention grounded in the five pillars of reading for students with dyslexia
- Multisensory, explicit, systematic and cumulative reading intervention
Meet professional standards required for the CALT certification

Flexible Hybrid Format

Clinical & Capstone Projects

Clinical

To bridge theory with advanced practice, students will complete a comprehensive, supervised clinical experience working directly with students navigating dyslexia or reading difficulties. Throughout these placements, candidates will deliver structured literacy intervention lessons, analyze student assessment data and receive intentional coaching and feedback from qualified supervisors to demonstrate mastery of intervention techniques.

Capstone

In addition to clinical practice, students complete a rigorous action research or practitioner inquiry project that serves as the program’s capstone. This component emphasizes the deep application of evidence-based literacy practices within a real-world setting. This capstone will allow candidates to engage in structured reflection and require critical thinking and analysis skills to inform their ongoing professional practice.

Admission Requirements

Admission to the Dyslexia Therapy program requires the following:

All transcripts: You must submit an official, final transcript from every post-secondary institution you have attended. Official transcripts are accepted electronically or by paper copy. Unofficial transcripts are accepted for the initial admission review.
One Letter of Recommendation
Writing Assessment
CALT uploaded (if you currently hold one)
Interview

Learn more about the College of Education’s graduate application timeline.

Courses

M.Ed. Dyslexia Therapy

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Ed.S. Dyslexia Therapy

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Tuition & Aid

Master of Education (M.Ed.)

30 credit hours
$715 per credit hour
Total cost: $21,450

If CALT credits have previously been earned and the candidate elects to add the M.Ed., an additional 15 credit hours must be completed.

Education Specialist (Ed.S.)

33 credit hours
$715 per credit hour
Total cost: $23,595

If CALT credits have previously been earned and the candidate elects to add the Ed.S., an additional 15 credit hours must be completed.

For information on payment options, types of aid and additional resources, please visit the Graduate Financial Aid page.

Types of Aid

Student Loans

As a graduate student, you are still able to file the FAFSA—and you should! By filing the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid), you may be eligible for a number of student loans.

Federal Stafford Loan

A borrower must be enrolled or accepted for enrollment for at least six semester hours and must be working toward a degree or certificate. Loans must be actively accepted in myLipscomb in order to be applied as an expected payment to the student bill. Stafford Loans will not pay until the student has completed both Entrance Counseling and the Master Promissory Note at studentaid.gov. Loans will not be credited to accounts until 30 days after classes begin or when a student begins the sixth credit hour, whichever comes last.

Private Loans

In addition to the federal loans outlined here, you may consider private loans made by banks and other financial institutions. It is recommended that private loans only be considered in instances where funding is needed in addition to any federal loans, as interest rates may be higher. Eligibility for these loans requires a credit check and students are often required to have a cosigner to qualify.

Veteran Aid/Yellow Ribbon Program

Through an agreement with the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, Lipscomb University will guarantee some level of graduate tuition funding, applicable to all Lipscomb University graduate programs, for graduate students who qualify for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Depending on program tuition rates, the graduate tuition funding may or may not cover the total tuition cost of the program.

The Yellow Ribbon Education Enhancement Program (Yellow Ribbon Program) is a provision of the Post- 9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008. This program allows institutions of higher learning in the United States to voluntarily enter into an agreement with VA to fund tuition expenses. For eligibility requirements, go to www.benefits.va.gov/gibill/.

Any questions concerning eligibility or benefits should be directed to the VA school-certifying official located in the lower level of Bennett Campus Center, Suite 140, or visit their website.

Contact Information

Graduate and Adult Admissions, Admin

Sean Impeartrice
Graduate Recruiter
(615) 966-5207
sean.impeartrice@lipscomb.edu

A Science of Reading and Structured Literacy Focus

Lipscomb’s Dyslexia Therapy coursework and clinical experiences are grounded in the Science of Reading and evidence-based Structured Literacy practices, designed to support students with dyslexia and related reading difficulties.

Hands-on Clinical Training

Candidates will receive hands-on, supervised clinical preparation using the Take Flight curriculum while developing skills in assessment, progress monitoring, diagnostic teaching and therapeutic intervention.

CALT-Aligned Professional Preparation

The program is intentionally designed to align with professional standards for Academic Language Therapist (CALT) certification, preparing graduates for advanced literacy leadership and intervention roles.

Working Educators Focus

The program allows for a flexible coursework delivery to provide educators with the opportunity to continue working while completing graduate coursework, supervised practicum experiences and clinical observations within a supportive cohort model.

Learn in Nashville, the Nation’s Health Care Capital

With a booming health care industry, Nashville offers students an upper hand in gaining experience in clinical preparation and interactive learning through exclusive clinical partnerships and community service opportunities just minutes from campus.

Our Faculty

Leslie Cowell

Dean, College of Education

Dr. Leslie Cowell serves as the Dean and Professor for the College of Education at Lipscomb University . She has a doctorate in Elementary Education from Auburn University, a master's...
Meet Leslie Cowell

Career Paths

Dyslexia Therapist

Dyslexia therapists provide specialized, one-on-one literacy instruction to help individuals improve reading, spelling and writing skills.

Reading Specialist/Literacy Coach

Become a professional whose goal is to improve reading achievement in an assigned school or district position. Support, supplement and extend classroom instruction and work collaboratively to implement an evidence-backed, quality reading program for students.

Academic Language Therapist

Academic Language therapists (CALT) provide intensive, evidence-based instruction and programs to individuals who face dyslexia and/or other related learning difficulties. CALTs use diagnostic, multisensory structured language methods to rebuild reading, writing and spelling skills from the root to the current.