About JMU Online and Distance Learning

Mission Statement

James Madison University is committed to academic excellence as a primary attribute of all its online courses and programs. The university’s online efforts are focused on three primary areas: providing online courses to meet the needs of JMU students who are generally not in residence during the summer, developing and sustaining distinctive online programs for adult learners and other students whose learning needs are best served via these technologies, and encouraging innovation in hybrid and online learning environments to support student learning broadly. The university supports faculty who teach online by providing training, guidance, quality indicators and other support that enable them to design or transform their own courses for an online environment. Students have access to support services and resources to facilitate success in the online environment. The university supports collaboration and innovation in the future growth of online courses and programs, where appropriate.

A Collaborative Effort

Online and blended learning at JMU is made possible through the collaborations of several offices and people from all over our campus — only a few of which are mentioned here. Most of our online programs are managed by James Madison University's School of Professional and Continuing Education. Faculty development and support, and support for our learning management system is provided by our Libraries. Additional faculty development and other support is provided by our Center for Faculty Innovation. The Online Learning Strategy area in University Studies ensures that policies, procedures, contracts and other elements of organizational infrastructure are in place to enable all online and blended learning efforts and the services that support them.