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• Department of Early, Elementary, & Reading Education
  • Early Childhood Licensure Program
  • Elementary Education Licensure Program
  • Early Childhood MAT
  • Reading Education
• Department of Learning, Technology, & Leadership Education
  • Educational Leadership
  • Human Resource Development
• Department of Middle Education
  • Middle Education (Teaching Licensure)
  • Middle Education MAT
• Department of Secondary Education
  • Secondary Education (Teaching Licensure)
  • Secondary Education MAT
• Department of Special Education
  • Special Education (Teaching Licensure)
  • Special Education (Non teaching minor option)
• Interdisciplinary Liberal Studies

Interdisciplinary Liberal Studies (IDLS)

The major in Interdisciplinary Liberal Studies (IDLS) is the undergraduate major for students who are pursuing licensure in any of the following education programs: Early Childhood (PreK-3); Elementary (PreK-6); Middle Grades (6-8), Early Childhood Secondary Education, and Special Education (K-12). IDLS offers extended breadth and integration across the content areas of English/language arts, history/social sciences, mathematics/science/technology, and the requirements support Virginia teacher licensure competencies. Students with this major who are seeking teacher licensure must complete the education minor program corresponding to their licensure interests. The IDLS major consists of an expanded general education core (53 hours), and 21 semester hours of upper level courses in a concentration, either humanities/social sciences or mathematics/science/technology. When students complete the general education core, they will have satisfied all but six hours of JMU’s General Education requirements. Additionally, when students complete the expanded general education core, they will have completed the quantitative and scientific literacy requirements pertaining to the B.S. degree. Students who do not complete their licensure program or students who do not wish to pursue teaching licensure may complete or elect the Interdisciplinary Liberal Studies major, but they must complete an additional major in order to graduate.

When students declare the IDLS major, they also select an upper- level concentration in either mathematics/science/technology or humanities/social sciences. The concentration provides depth and integration beyond the core requirements. The specific course requirements for each concentration are listed in the IDLS check-sheet, which can be found by visiting the Cross Disciplinary Studies Web site at: http://www.jmu.edu/idls.

The IDLS major is assigned two advisers. One adviser is the adviser for the education minor who will guide the student through the licensure program requirements. The other adviser is the IDLS adviser who will guide the student through the IDLS major requirements. Students should plan on consulting both advisers regularly. Typically, the education adviser is assigned when the student meets with the head of his or her licensure programs and elects the licensure program. This may be as early as the first semester of the first year. The IDLS adviser is assigned when the first year student advising folders are transferred to the IDLS office (second semester, first year). Students are required to check with advisers regularly to ensure timely graduation.