Middle Education

Graduate, Professional Program

The Master of Arts in Teaching in Middle School Education is designed to build on and extend the preparation candidates receive in the undergraduate program component and to lead to initial licensure. The graduate (M.A.T.) program is often referred to as the fifth year licensure program because it is designed primarily to serve candidates who have completed the appropriate prerequisite requirements in the undergraduate component of the program at JMU. Individuals who are interested in completing the licensure program in middle education but have not completed the undergraduate major in Interdisciplinary Liberal Studies (IDLS) along with the pre-professional education requirements should consult the department head or an appropriate advisor.

Candidates should note that actual requirements may differ from the catalog requirements listed because of changes enacted by the Virginia Department of Education or other accrediting agencies after the catalog copy is approved. Therefore, it is especially important for students to confer with advisers and program coordinators on a regular basis.

Admission Criteria

To be fully admitted to the Middle Education M.A.T. degree program, candidates must have:

  • Satisfied all requirements for admission to teacher education, and
  • Satisfied all requirements for admission to the Graduate School, including
    • Completed requirements for a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college/university, and
    • Received a positive recommendation from the Department Head for Middle, Secondary and Mathematics Education
    • Passing Praxis II scores in two content areas submitted to the Education Support Center prior to beginning more than 12 hours of MAT graduate course work.
    • Passing Praxis II scores for at least one content area must be submitted prior to beginning more than 6 hours of MAT graduate course work.

Candidates are encouraged to complete the graduate admission process early in their senior year so they will be able to enroll in summer and fall session graduate courses without difficulty.

Graduate Courses

The following courses are required for completion of the graduate portion of the licensure program in Middle Education.
Required Courses Credit Hours
EDUC 540. Educational Technology 3
MIED 610. Collaborative Leadership in Schools 3
MIED 656. Seminar in Middle Education 3
EXED 512. Behavior Management in the Classroom 3
MIED 620. Assessment in Middle Education 3
MSSE 630. Inquiry in the Classroom 3
Approved Elective 3
MSSE 650. Internship Seminar 3
MSSE 690. Internship 8
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A more detailed listing of program information and requirements can be accessed and downloaded as a PDF file here.