$3.1 Million Grant for Reading Science Doctoral Program
Mount St. Joseph University has been awarded a $3.1 million grant over the next four years to support its nationally recognized doctoral program in reading science. The grant is the largest private contribution ever received by the University’s School of Education and it is in addition to the $2.1 million grant awarded in 2022.
In response to troubling national data indicating that only 33% of fourth graders read proficiently, this grant invests in the preparation of literacy leaders and education professors who will transform how reading is taught in the United States.
As a result of the grant, students in the reading science doctoral program beginning in May 2025 will receive scholarship aid covering 80% of tuition expenses. Additional funds will be available to bring 5 students per cohort to 100% scholarship, beginning with the 2025 cohort. To cultivate the pipeline of future doctoral applicants, twenty full tuition scholarships (5 courses) per year will be available for students who choose to enroll in the Reading Science Certificate program in 2024-25 and 2025-26.
“Our program was already uniquely designed for working professionals. Now, with grant funds, we can dramatically reduce financial barriers for prospective students,” shared Dr. Amy Murdoch, Assistant Dean of Reading Science. “This will help us attract the diverse group of brilliant and passionate future leaders that we need in this field.”
The multiyear grant from the Hollyhock Foundation recognizes the national reputation of Mount St. Joseph’s Reading Science Program, the overwhelming early success of the doctoral program, and the need to develop educator preparation faculty who have deep knowledge of the science of reading. In addition to student scholarships, grant funds will support student experiences such as attendance at leading national conferences and engagement with expert guest lecturers.
About our Reading Science Doctoral Program
Built on the success of the Reading Science Program’s fully online, IDA accredited graduate programs, the reading science doctoral program aims to prepare the next generation of educator preparation faculty in literacy. The program’s mission is to prepare leaders in the science of reading to effect social justice through impacting educational systems, enabling these systems to provide effective, research-based literacy instruction for all. Designed for the working professional, the Mount’s doctoral program is convenient to an educator’s schedule, available online during the academic year with on-campus summer institutes.
About our Reading Science Programs
Reading science graduate programs have been successful since their start 15 years ago at Mount St. Joseph University. Programs include the Reading Science Certificate, Ohio Reading Endorsement, Dyslexia Certificate, Master of Arts (M.A.) degree, and Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) degree. Programs are recognized at the Accredited Plus level by the International Dyslexia Association (IDA). Programs are fully online and designed for working educators. Coursework utilizes a scientifically based reading research model and includes an Orton-Gillingham Structured Literacy practicum. Through our programs, students learn instructional approaches to teach reading, writing, and spelling using an explicit, sequential, structured language approach.
About The School of Education
Mount St. Joseph University’s School of Education prepares future educators to change lives, impact communities, and transform the world. The school does this by ensuring that all future educators are trained according to research-based teaching strategies from the fields of education and cognitive science. For more than 100 years, the School of Education has been the institution of choice for many current and prospective educators. Both becoming a teacher and advancing one’s teaching credentials at the Mount are engaging processes of high-quality coursework, practical experience, and personalized attention from faculty and staff dedicated to student success.
About Mount St. Joseph University
Grounded in the vision of its founders, the Sisters of Charity, an MSJ education is based on interdisciplinary liberal arts and professional curricula emphasizing values, integrity, and social responsibility. We consistently live a culture of ethics and service in everything we do, and we are here to help serve our students’ personal journeys in an interconnected world. Nestled atop one of Cincinnati’s iconic seven hills just 15 minutes from downtown and offering 30+ undergraduate programs, Mount St. Joseph University delivers high-quality academics, hands-on experiential learning, and personalized attention from faculty and staff dedicated to student success in transforming knowledge into action.