Those taking reading classes are required to successfully complete 14 reading laboratory sessions, each of which is headed by a professional assistant/reading specialist. The purpose of the reading lab is to provide students with an opportunity to improve reading ability through practice in comprehension, vocabulary, and content area tasks using a variety of reading materials including interactive computer software, textbooks, and high-interest magazines, newspapers, and journals pertaining to students' interests and area of study. Such practice will enhance the overall understanding of reading as a critical thinking process and as a tool for academic learning.

At the beginning of the semester, students partake in an orientation on the use of the reading lab, its materials, and courseware. The professional assistant will also administer a reading pretest to determine each student's starting level. During the semester, the assistant assigns different levels of reading materials and courseware based on pretest results, input from reading class instructors, specific requests from lab students, and the progress each student is making. At the end of the semester, a post-test is administered to determine progress made during the semester. The results of both pretests and post-tests are sent to all reading class instructors for consideration in the grading process.