James Madison University
Overview
There’s nothing like seeing JMU with your own eyes. Mountains, farmland, the wide sky full of stars are what make the Shenandoah Valley, and JMU’s home in it, so unique and so beautiful.
Be the Change
Members of the extended James Madison University community are changing the world in nearly every sector of our global society. A collective desire for a stronger, better, smarter, brighter future bolts through Madison faculty, students and alumni – just about everyone within the JMU family can feel it.
Why choose James Madison University?
High graduation rates and low costs are among the factors landing JMU a place on Kiplinger’s Personal Finance’s top 100 “Best Values in Public Colleges” for 2014. JMU placed 22nd on the list of four-year public schools that combine outstanding education with economic value.
JMU is one of the top master’s-level institutions in the country in study-abroad participation, according to the Institute of International Education’s Open Doors 2013 report, which measured study abroad in 2011-12. JMU ranked second in the nation in participation in short-term programs and second in total number of students who studied abroad, with 1,071. In addition, JMU compared favorably with similar institutions in semester-long programs (7th) and programs lasting a full academic year or longer (12th).
| 2014-2015 (per semester) | |
| Undergraduate tuition & fees | |
| In-State | $4,831.00 |
| Out-of-State | $12,261.00 |
| Room & Board | $4,414.00 |
| Internet Connection Fee | $60.00 |
| Orientation Fee (one time) | $180.00 |
| Graduate tuition & fees (per credit hour) | |
| In-State | $434.00 |
| Out-of-State | $1,135.00 |
Candidates are required to meet competencies identified by the state of Virginia as well as additional competencies required by the teacher education unit at JMU. The undergraduate program 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. Candidates must complete a major, or the equivalent, in one of the arts and sciences disciplines closely associated with the desired teaching area.
The requirements for the undergraduate and graduate degrees are as follows:
| BA/Bs Undergraduate | Credit Hours |
| General Education | 41-44 |
| Discipline Major | 36-60 |
| Pre-Professional Studies in Education | 22-24 |
| MAT Degree | |
| Graduate Level Professional Studies | 35 |
| 134-163 |
Graduate admission requirements for current JMU undergraduate candidates include:
- Personal qualities and dispositions that reflect effective development as a professional educator
- An overall GPA of 2.7 or higher
- Pass the Praxis II before completing 12 hours of graduate work
To be recommended for licensure, all candidates must:
- 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 passing scores for both the Core Academic Skills for Educators assessment and the Praxis II Subject Assessment
- Meet performance and behavior standards as indicated by ratings on the program Dispositions Checklist
Current JMU undergraduate students: click HERE for a packet of information about the requirements for secondary education MAT program admission and completion.
Rankings and Recognitions
A JMU graduate in her purple and gold graduation robes.High graduation rates and low costs are among the factors landing JMU a place on Kiplinger’s Personal Finance’s top 100 “Best Values in Public Colleges” for 2013. JMU placed 20th on the list of four-year public schools that combine outstanding education with economic value.
Two students on a study abroad trip in FlorenceJMU is one of the top master’s-level institutions in the country in study-abroad participation, according to the Institute of International Education’s Open Doors 2012 report, which measured study abroad in 2010-11. JMU ranked second in the nation in participation in short-term programs and second in total number of students who studied abroad, with 1,101. In addition, JMU compared favorably with similar institutions in semester-long programs (12th) and programs lasting a full academic year or longer (15th).
The U.S. News & World Report 2013 edition of its “Best Colleges” guidebook ranks the university No. 2 on the list of top public schools in the South and includes JMU among colleges and universities that were most often cited by college presidents, provosts and admissions deans who were asked to identify up to 10 schools in their U.S. News ranking category where the faculty has a strong commitment to teaching. JMU is included in the magazine’s listing of schools where students are involved in undergraduate research and creative projects that result in original scholarly papers that can be formally presented on or off campus.
JMU Capital Marketings LabJMU’s College of Business remains in the top 5 percent of undergraduate business schools ranked annually by Bloomberg Businessweek magazine. The College of Business ranked 11th among public institutions and 29th among all business schools.
JMU ranks No. 38 on The Forbes Top 100 Best Buy Colleges 2012 special report.
JMU’s commitment to becoming a model steward of the natural world was recognized with a Governor’s Environmental Excellence Award bronze medal in April 2013. JMU’s Institute for Stewardship of the Natural World was recognized for its learning outcomes and assessment work.
JMU green roof on East CampusJMU is named one of the country’s most environmentally responsible colleges in The Princeton Review’s “Guide to 322 Green Colleges: 2013 Edition.” Factors considered in the rating system include green building certification programs, environmental literacy programs, formal sustainability committees, use of renewable energy resources and recycling and conservation programs. In 2012, JMU’s Wayland Hall became the first renovated residence hall in the country to receive the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design platinum award, the highest LEED certification status.
JMU’s “impressive balance of educational, social and extracurricular activities to enrich students’ experience” earned the school a place in The Princeton Review’s “The Best Value Colleges: 2013 Edition,” subtitled “The 150 Best Buy Colleges and What It Takes to Get In.”
JMU students on an Alternative Spring Break trip.JMU’s Alternative Break Program was the Break Away National Program of the Year for 2010. The award, which JMU also earned in 1999, recognizes the university’s commitment to active citizenship.
JMU is included in the 2014 edition of The Fiske Guide to Colleges, which features more than 300 of the country’s best and most interesting colleges and universities.
JMU earned a place on the 2013 President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll with Distinction for commitment to service and civic engagement on campus and in the nation. JMU has been on the honor roll, which is administered by the Corporation for National and Community Service, since the list was established in 2006.
