Mar 28, 2024  
2016-2017 Graduate Catalog 
    
2016-2017 Graduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Education, Secondary Education (Grades 6-12) Concentration, M.A.T.


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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.

Undergraduate Prerequisites


Minimum requirement is 120 credit hours.

  • General Education 41-44 Credit Hours
  • Major field of study 36-60 Credit Hours
  • Undergraduate pre-professional studies 23 Credit Hours

Total: 100-127 Credit Hours


Undergraduate Prerequisites – First and/or Second Year


  • PSYC 160. Life Span Human Development 3 Credit Hours
  • MSSE 101. Introduction to the Profession 1 Credit Hours
  • EDUC 300. Foundations of American Education 3 Credit Hours (must be completed with a grade of “B-” or higher) 3 Credit Hours

Total: 7 Credit Hours


Undergraduate Prerequisites – Third and Fourth Years


The following courses must be completed with grades of “B-” or higher:

  • EDUC 310. Teaching in a Diverse Society 3 Credit Hours
  • MSSE 370. General Instructional Methods for Grades 6-12 3 Credit Hours
  • MSSE 371. Clinical Experience in Adolescent Education 1 Credit Hours
    (EDUC 310, MSSE 370, and MSSE 371 are corequisites)
     
  • MSSE 470. Content Methods for the Middle School 3 Credit Hours
  • MSSE 471. Field Experience in the Middle School 3 Credit Hours
  • READ 440. Literacy-Based Learning in Secondary Education 3 Credit Hours
    (MSSE 470, MSSE 471 and READ 440 are corequisites)

Total: 16 Credit Hours


Graduate Course Requirements


The following courses must be completed with grades of “B-” or higher:

Total: 35 Credit Hours


The Post-Baccalaureate Entry Option


This program is for candidates who hold a bachelor’s and/or master’s degree in an appropriate academic content area and wish to be licensed to teach in that area.

Additional Admission Criteria


Candidates admitted to this program of study are expected to have completed an arts and sciences undergraduate major from an accredited college or university with a 2.7 grade-point average or above (on a 4.0 scale). Candidates are required to provide transcript evidence that they have completed liberal studies and specialty area courses comparable in content and total hours to those expected of an undergraduate major. Those applicants not having such course work will be required to complete any specifically required undergraduate-level general education and/or subject matter content courses under terms of provisional admission to graduate study as a nondegree-seeking candidate. Candidates must also apply to and be admitted to teacher education at JMU. Candidates must initiate their application by contacting the Department of Middle, Secondary and Mathematics Education. Criteria for admission to Teacher Education are described in the undergraduate catalog, available online.

Candidates must also take the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) and meet all requirements of admission to The Graduate School. Candidates must submit passing Praxis Subject Assessment scores to the Education Support Center and complete undergraduate secondary education and content area prerequisite course work prior to enrolling in MAT graduate course work.

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