Secondary Education Program

Grades Six through Twelve

The Secondary Education program is in the Middle, Secondary and Mathematics Education Department of the College of Education. The Secondary Education program is an integrated program of undergraduate (pre-professional) and graduate (professional) requirements and experiences. Successful completion of the graduate portion of the program, also referred to as the fifth year component, results in a Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) degree. Candidates for teacher licensure in secondary education must complete both the undergraduate and graduate components of the program to fulfill requirements for a recommendation from James Madison University for a Virginia teaching license. The program is approved by the Commonwealth of Virginia and accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE).

Teacher candidates are required to meet competencies that are identified by the state of Virginia as well as any additional competencies required by the teacher education unit at JMU. The undergraduate program in Secondary Education is designed to provide students with the prerequisite course offerings and experiences that form the required foundation for admission to the Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) Program. Undergraduate students who are planning to pursue licensure to teach in an academic area at the secondary school level should complete the 22 credit pre-professional program in education. Students should also complete a major or the equivalent in one of the arts and sciences disciplines closely associated with the desired teaching area. The state approved licensure areas in the secondary education program at JMU include English, foreign languages, mathematics, the natural sciences, and history and social science. Foreign language is a PreK-12 licensure area that is based in Secondary Education. Licensure programs for other teaching areas (Theatre, Journalism, Driver's Education, Algebra I, Gifted Education, and English as a second language) are available as add-on programs.

Candidates who complete the Secondary Education program will be able to:

  • Design and deliver curricula that effectively impact student learning,
  • Integrate technology in learning settings,
  • Work effectively with faculty and students of diverse backgrounds, cultures, and abilities,
  • Collaborate with colleagues, parents, and others,
  • Be reflective practitioners who continually evaluate their actions, and
  • Practice lifelong learning and engage in professional development.

To be recommended for licensure to teach, all candidates must do the following:

  • Meet all secondary education pre-professional (undergraduate) and professional (M.A.T.) program requirements
  • Meet all admission, retention, and completion criteria for teacher education, including satisfactory Praxis I & II scores
  • Meet performance and behavior standards as indicated by ratings on the program Dispositions Checklist

Degree and Major Requirements
B.S./B.A. Undergraduate Degree  
General Education1 41
Discipline Major 36-60
Pre-Professional Studies in Education 22
M.A.T. Program (Graduate) Graduate Level Professional Studies 35
  134-158

1 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.