Mission
The mission of the James Madison University professional education unit is to prepare caring, knowledgeable, skilled and reflective educators who believe that all students can learn and succeed. Our candidates and faculty are committed to lifelong learning and aspire to meet educational needs in a changing, pluralistic and democratic society. The personal and professional development of candidates is accomplished by emphasizing excellence and continuous innovation in quality undergraduate, graduate and professional programs. James Madison University’s College of Education is distinguished through faculty and candidate achievements, academic rigor, excellence in teaching, candidate and faculty interactions and relationships, technological innovations, and national recognitions. The college maintains relevance through active and growing interactions with other colleges within the university and with local, state, regional, national and international communities.
The college is committed to providing:
- Graduate programs that emphasize advanced knowledge in a specialty area and the development of effective leadership and professional skills for addressing the needs of a changing society.
- Continuing professional development and service programs in cooperation with public and private schools and agencies, other colleges, institutions, and businesses.
The undergraduate and graduate teacher education programs are accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation and approved by the Virginia State Board of Education.
The basic philosophy of the college is reflected in the following goals:
- To educate men and women for the multiple professions included in the college at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, not merely by developing skills and knowledge but by stimulating creativity, developing cognitive abilities, and encouraging the testing of hypotheses and reinterpretation of the human experience.
- To encourage a balanced faculty orientation toward teaching, research, scholarship, community service and professionalism that recognizes individual strengths and preferences of the college’s faculty.
- To create an environment that fosters an atmosphere of open communication among candidates, faculty members and community.
- To anticipate societal needs and provide necessary resources for implementing effective on- and off-campus programs now and in the future.
Admission Criteria
To be considered for admission to the secondary education M.A.T. degree program, candidates must have:
- Satisfied all requirements for admission to teacher education.
- Submitted passing Praxis Subject Assessment scores to the JMU Education Support Center prior to beginning more than 12 hours of MAT graduate course work.
- Exhibited and demonstrated personal qualities and dispositions that reflect effective development as a professional educator.
- Satisfied all requirements for admission to The Graduate School, including:
- Completed requirements for a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college/university,
- Achieved an undergraduate cumulative GPA of 2.7 or higher (on a 4.0 scale), and
- Taken the Graduate Record Examination and scored at the 25th percentile or above. Exception: Students who complete their undergraduate degree and the appropriate teacher education pre-professional programs (majors and minors) at JMU are not required to take the Graduate Record Exam for admission to the M.A.T. program.
This program is intended for JMU candidates continuing from the undergraduate pre-professional secondary education program. The secondary education Master of Arts in Teaching degree is designed to enable candidates to develop a strong professional education on a foundation of undergraduate preparation in General Education, an appropriate major and introductory professional education experiences.
Program Mission
The secondary education Master of Arts in Teaching degree emphasizes the preparation of effective and reflective teachers who are knowledgeable in the content they are preparing to teach and cognizant of the characteristics of adolescents, ages 12-18. The licensure areas for which individuals are prepared include English, mathematics, natural sciences (biology, chemistry, earth and space science, physics), and history and social sciences (includes licensure to teach history, economics, geography and political science).
Undergraduate candidates and post-baccalaureate candidates planning to teach at the secondary level (grades 6-12) should consult with a secondary education adviser to ensure completion of the required prerequisites. Candidates should visit the departmental office in 3200 Memorial Hall to be assigned a secondary education adviser. A specific arts and sciences major or equivalent course work and experiences may be required for admission to some programs of the M.A.T. and for licensure to teach in certain disciplines and grade levels. Candidates should check with their adviser frequently to be apprised of changes in the offerings and requirements listed that may affect them.
The fifth-year licensure programs build on the extensive foundational course work and experiences candidates have completed in their undergraduate programs. Candidates will have completed the prescribed course work to develop the knowledge, skills, attitudes and behaviors needed for successful completion of the M.A.T. Candidates interested in the requirements for the M.A.T. program in physical and health education (PreK-12) should refer to the description for that program in the Department of Kinesiology. Candidates interested in the requirements for the secondary licensure program in foreign languages should refer to the description for that program in Department of Foreign Languages, Literatures and Cultures in the undergraduate catalog.
Degree Requirements
Although individual candidate’s programs of study will vary depending upon major and licensure area, the following represents the breakdown of the required credits in a typical program of study. The program of study for secondary education is as follows.
Undergraduate Requirements
Undergraduate candidates in the secondary education pre-professional program must complete an arts and sciences major or equivalent in a specific discipline related to the teacher licensure area of intent. Majors related to approved licensure areas at JMU include biology, chemistry, English, foreign languages, geology, history or political science, mathematics and physics. Candidates with majors in history or political science must also complete course work in the interdisciplinary social science minor. Students must earn grades of “C-” or better in all academic major content courses.