This graduate program prepares candidates for initial teaching licensure in K-12 Special Education, Adapted Curriculum.

Graduates of this program go on to teach students who are most impacted by disability. The adapted curriculum refers to a specialized curriculum which is aligned to what students without disabilities are learning but may be reduced in breadth, depth, and complexity. These students may also be working on developing communication skills, personal and daily living skills, job/community skills, and other goals per Individualized Education Plan (IEP).

JMU participates in the Virginia Adapted Curriculum Consortium, which is a consortium of six Virginia universities that work together to offer the courses in the program. The goal of the Adapted Curriculum Consortium is to produced highly skilled teachers who work with students with moderate and severe disabilities. JMU students apply to the graduate program at JMU, and once accepted register for classes through JMU. The courses are fully online and hosted through George Mason University. These courses include students from across the Commonwealth.

This program is grant-funded, which allows us to offer scholarships to eligible students as funding permits.

This is an attractive program for working professionals and traditional graduate students.

• You can complete the program as a full-time student (9 credits/semester) or part time
  • Full time students can complete the program in as few as 5 semesters
• The courses are fully online, both synchronous and asynchronous.
• Synchronous classes start after 5:00 pm.
• Students taking the courses include
  • teachers working on provisional licenses,
  • paraprofessionals who already hold bachelor’s degrees and want to become licensed teachers,
  • and traditional graduate students.
• You do not need a bachelor’s degree in teaching to apply.
  • although you may be required to take additional prerequisite courses for teacher licensure.
• We admit students in all semesters (Fall, Spring, and Summer)

We also offer options for students who need just a few classes in order to meet their provisional licensure requirements. If you are only in need of a few courses, contact the program advisor to learn more about that separate application process.