PhD in Literacy, Language and Culture
Earn your PhD in Literacy, Language, and Culture in as little as four years, learning from renowned faculty. A minimum of 72 hours of coursework is required. Some courses from a master's may apply. Enjoy the convenience of a hyflex option* or attend in person. Explore literacies, languages and leadership.
Transforming literacy education toward equity ...
/prod01/twu-cdn-pxl/media/images/literacy-learning/PhDReadingVertical.jpg)
The PhD in Literacy, Language, and Culture supports educators who want to become literacy leaders in school districts or policy contexts, teacher educators or literacy researchers. Our program will help you develop strategies and techniques to help preservice and inservice teachers develop literacy expertise, create and implement comprehensive literacy programs, and research literacy.
Focus on socially and culturally responsive education at TWU. Through reflective practice and with an innovative spirit, we create responsive programs and partnerships with schools and communities. We transform teaching and learning toward greater equity for people who have been marginalized. To this work, we apply specialized expertise in:
- Early childhood education: This includes growth and development of the whole child in multiple social contexts
- Early literacy intervention: Texas Woman's is home to one of only two post-doctoral programs in the United States to train Reading Recovery trainers and the only university training center in the world that offers training in Descubriendo la Lectura (Reading Recovery in Spanish)
- Elementary, adolescent and adult literacy, and literacy leadership including diverse linguistic, cultural and social literacies
The PhD in Literacy, Language, and Culture program supports educators in achieving their literacy leadership goals. Enjoy flexible and supportive program features:
/prod01/twu-cdn-pxl/media/images/literacy-learning/PhDReading1.jpg)
- Summer course offerings, including a summer semester start date
- Attend classes on the Denton campus or online through synchronous hyflex* instruction
- Coursework tailored to full-time working individuals
- Cohort model
- Small class sizes
- Personal interaction with professors who have extensive expertise
*The hyflex format allows all students to attend class together using synchronous instruction. Students attend online or in-person, depending on their selected program delivery mode. Students also have the option to attend a week-long intensive summer session with instruction and social activities on the Denton campus.
Faculty expertise and areas of study
Our faculty are internationally renowned for literacy education and intervention. Doctoral students will have the opportunity to study the following topics with faculty:
/prod01/twu-cdn-pxl/media/images/literacy-learning/PhDReading2.jpg)
- Bilingual/ESL
- Critical literacy
- Early literacy
- Early literacy intervention
- Adolescent literacy
- Digital literacy and multimodality
- Diversity
- Writing
Admission Requirements
Contact Information

Amy Burke, PhD
Associate Professor
MCL 901-C
aburke_@twu.edu
940-898-2234
Page last updated 1:22 PM, March 21, 2025