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 Middle Education M.A.T. degree program, candidates must have:
- Satisfied all requirements for admission to teacher education.
- Submitted passing Praxis Subject Assessment scores for at least one content area to the JMU Education Support Center prior to beginning more than six hours of M.A.T. graduate coursework;
- Submitted passing Praxis Subject Assessment scores in two content areas to the JMU Education Support Center prior to beginning more than 12 hours of M.A.T. 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:
- Completion of a baccalaureate degree in IDLS from JMU or its equivalent
- An undergraduate cumulative GPA of 2.7 or higher (on a 4.0 scale)
- 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.
All candidates in the middle school education M.A.T. program must have an undergraduate major or its equivalent in interdisciplinary liberal studies (IDLS) from JMU. The IDLS program, with its expanded approach to the general education core, and its dual concentrations in English, social sciences, the natural sciences or mathematics, meets the licensure requirements for a two-subject endorsement for teachers licensed in middle school education.
Program Mission and Outcomes
The mission of the middle school education M.A.T. program is to prepare highly qualified professionals for educational roles in middle schools through advanced coursework and field experiences.
These school professionals will:
- design and deliver curricula that effectively impact student learning;
- integrate technology in learning settings;
- value diversity of faculty and students in the school;
- collaborate with colleagues, parents and others;
- be reflective practitioners who continually evaluate their actions; and
- value lifelong learning, engage in professional development and conduct educational research.
The Master of Arts in Teaching in middle school education is designed to lead to initial teacher licensure with endorsements in two content areas. The fifth-year format forms the last phase of the five-year teacher licensure programs. This format is designed to serve candidates who have completed the appropriate prerequisite requirements in an undergraduate education program at JMU. Candidates should check with their adviser frequently to be apprised of changes in the offerings and requirements listed that may affect them.
Degree Requirements
As undergraduates, candidates must first complete 37 credit hours of middle education pre-professional course work along with the IDLS major. All middle education pre-professional course work must be completed with grades of “B-” or better with the exception of PSYC 160 which must be completed with a grade of “C” or better. Candidates must apply to and be admitted to graduate school for the Middle Education M.A.T. program (see Admission Criteria). Finally, candidates must complete 32 hours of graduate course work which includes student teaching and a final research project.
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