Education, Concentration in K-8 Mathematics Specialization, M.Ed.

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.

M.Ed. with a Concentration in K-8 Mathematics Specialization

The K-8 mathematics specialist concentration at James Madison University leads to a Masters of Education (M.Ed.) with a concentration in K-8 Mathematics Specialization and allows candidates to meet the competencies required for the K-8 Mathematics Specialists endorsement through the Virginia Department of Education. The program consists of 36 hours: 15 hours of course work in mathematics, 15 hours of course work in mathematics education and 6 hours of an externship.

The Mathematics Specialist concentration at James Madison University is a cohort program. We will accept 25 students into the program. Those interested in applying should complete the graduate admission application provided by The Graduate School (http://www.applyweb.com/apply/jmug). This program is offered jointly by the Department of Mathematics and Statistics and the Department of Middle, Secondary and Mathematics Education.

Admission Criteria

All criteria are considered when reviewing the candidates for admission to this Master of Education degree program. Criteria include:

Satisfaction of all requirements for admission to The Graduate School.
A minimum of three years of classroom teaching experience where mathematics instruction was a responsibility.
Completion of a minimum of six hours of mathematics courses (graduate and/or undergraduate).
Completion of the Praxis Subject Assessment for Middle School Math (code 5169; register athttp://www.ets.org).
Two letters of recommendation.
A two- to three-page personal statement indicating the reasons for enrolling in the concentration.
Applicants may also be asked to complete an interview with the mathematics education faculty.

Degree Requirements

Course Requirements

Total: 36 Credit Hours

Master of Education in Mathematics Degree

For information on the Master of Education in mathematics, see Mathematics.

Graduation

All requirements for the degree must be completed by the course work completion deadline in the semester in which the degree is conferred to receive a diploma dated the day of graduation. Applications for graduation should be completed early in the term in which the candidate plans to graduate. Candidates who will satisfy all degree requirements in the summer may participate in the spring commencement ceremony if they have completed an Application for Graduation form signed by their adviser and program coordinator, and they must be pre-registered for summer classes prior to the May commencement ceremony. Candidates must be enrolled during the semester in which the degree is to be conferred. It should be noted that applicants actually graduate and receive their degrees only when all requirements are satisfied. Candidates who do not satisfy all requirements for graduation will be notified of deficiencies and must re-apply for a later graduation date.