Mar 28, 2024  
2022-2023 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
2022-2023 Undergraduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Education: Secondary Education, B.S.


Grades Six through Twelve Licensure Program


The undergraduate major in Secondary Education provides candidates with course offerings and experiences that form the required foundation for licensure in secondary education through James Madison University. In addition to the Secondary Education major, students also complete a major in a discipline closely associated with the desired teaching area. The state-approved licensure areas in the Secondary Education concentration at JMU include: English, mathematics, biology, chemistry, physics and history/social sciences. Licensure endorsements for other teaching areas (e.g., Algebra I, Journalism and Gifted Education) are available as add-on endorsements. Students should contact the department of Middle, Secondary, and Mathematics Education for information concerning those programs.

For successful completion of the Secondary Education major, students must earn a grade of “B-” or better in all required Secondary Education courses and earn credit in all licensure area content coursework.  Satisfactory completion of both the Secondary Education major and the content area major or equivalent are necessary to receive an endorsement recommendation through JMU for a teaching license.

Students should be aware that there is a teacher education admission process that must be completed after a Secondary Education major is declared. Students must be fully admitted to Teacher Education prior to registering for MSSE 240 . Students should also note that actual teacher licensure requirements may differ from the catalog requirements listed because of changes enacted by the Virginia Department of Education or accrediting agencies after the catalog copy is approved. Therefore, it is important for students to confer regularly with their Secondary Education advisers.

Secondary Education Degree and Major Requirements


Degree Requirements


  • General Education 123 41 Credit Hours
  • Quantitative Requirement 3 Credit Hours
  • Scientific Literacy Requirement 3 Credit Hours
  • Secondary Education Major Requirements 45 Credit Hours
  • Additional Content Major Requirements 36-56 Credit Hours
    NOTE: Because many of the Additional Content Major Requirements are also counted in the totals shown above for  General Education , degree requirements and major requirements, students will take a total of 125-128 hours. See the Recommended Schedule of Classes for each content area for details.

Total: 125-128 Credit Hours


Footnotes


1 Must include PSYC 160 .

2 The General Education  program contains a set of requirements each student must fulfill. The number of credit hours necessary to fulfill these requirements may vary.

3 The number of credits taken to meet major requirements may vary if courses are double-counted for General Education  or to meet quantitative or scientific literacy requirements.

Education - Secondary Major Requirements


Secondary Education Major Tracks


Students should select one of the following tracks and complete 11 credits.

Total Education Major and Student Teaching/Internship: 45 credits


Recommended Schedule


First Year


Total: 27-33 Credit Hours


Second Year


Total: 27-36 Credit Hours


Third Year


  • Remaining General Education  8.00 Credit Hours
  • Content Major Courses 15.00 Credit Hours

Total: 33-35 Credit Hours


Fourth Year


Choose one from each set of courses below: 3-4


Total: 33-35 Credit Hours


Footnote


4 Students are responsible for transportation to field placements at local schools.

Before beginning the licensure portion of the professional program, candidates must meet all criteria for admission to teacher education (e.g., 2.5 or higher GPA, passing Praxis Entry Assessment scores). Candidates are expected to complete all admission processes early in their sophomore year. Candidates must meet all additional requirements of the program before completion. Candidates must submit passing scores on the Praxis Subject Assessment prior to beginning MSSE 475 

Total: 125-128 Credit Hours