Reynolds/JMU IdLS Academic Advising Guide
Designed for students who want to pursue licensure in Inclusive Early Childhood (birth-age 5 and pre-K-3), Elementary (pre-K-6),
Middle (6-8). See notes for specific Middle Education requirements. Interdisciplinary Liberal Studies is the required major for these
programs. It is also one of the recommended majors for Special Education (pre-K-12). This guide is a checklist of all courses required
to earn the appropriate Reynolds degree while incorporating IdLS major courses. Please note courses do not have to be taken
in the order listed below.
Associate of Science (A.S) Social Science – Teacher Preparation Specialization
Student Name: _______________________________ Student ID: _______________________________
REYNOLDS REQUIRED
COURSES
COURSE TITLE
CREDITS
SDV101
ENG111
ENG112
ENG___
ENG___
ECO201 or ECO202
Orientation to Teacher Preparation
College Composition I
College Composition
Literature
Literature
Principles of Economics IMacroeconomics or Principles of
Economics II-Microeconomics
Introduction to Teaching as a Profession
Foreign language elective
Foreign language elective
People and the Land: Introduction to
Cultural Geography
U.S. History I or History of World
Civilization I
U.S. History II or History of World
Civilization II
Concept of Personal and Community
Health or Introduction to Personal
Wellness
Introduction to Computer Applications
and Concepts or Computer Concepts
and Applications
(General Biology I or Life Science) or
(General Chemistry I or General College
Physics I) or Physical Geology
(General Biology I or Life Science) or
(General Chemistry I or General College
Physics I) or Physical Geology
Foundations in Contemporary
Mathematics or Pre-calculus
Statistics
2
3
3
3
3
3
None
WRTC100
WRTC103
ENG (see notes)
ENG (see notes)
ECON200 or
ECON201
3
4
4
3
EDUC300
See notes below
See notes below
GEOG280
3
3
HIST000 or
HIST101
HIST225 (see
notes) or HIST102
HTH100
3
None
4
ISCI173 or ISCI172
or
ISCI171
ISCI173 or ISCI172
or
ISCI171
MATH103 or
MATH155
MATH220
EDU200
FOREIGN LANGUAGE _____
FOREIGN LANGUAGE_____
GEO210
HIS121 or HIS111
HIS122 or HIS112
HLT110 or 116
ITE115 or CSC155
(BIO101 or BIO106) or
(CHM101 or PHY201) or
GOL105
(BIO101 or BIO106) or
(CHM101 or PHY201) or
GOL105
MTH170 or MTH163
MTH240
3
4
3
3
PLAN TO
TAKE
JMU EQUIVALENT
GRADE
(PLS135 or 211) or (CST100
or 110) – Approved Elective for
A.S. degree
(American National Politics or United
States Government) or (Principles of
Public Speaking or Introduction to
Speech Communication)
Developmental Psychology
3
PSY230 – Approved elective
3
for A.S. degree
Total Minimum Credits for Reynolds Social Science – Teacher Preparation A.S. DEGREE = 61
POSC225 or
SCOM122 or
SCOM121
PSYC160
Advising Notes for Interdisciplinary Liberal Studies (IdLS) - (Inclusive Early Childhood, Elementary,
Middle & Special Education)
Literature Options
 ENG 241
 ENG 242
 ENG 243
 ENG 244
 ENG 251
 ENG 252
 ENG 253
Survey of American Literature I
Survey of American Literature II
Survey of English Literature I
Survey of English Literature II
Survey of World Literature I
Survey of World Literature II
Survey of African-American Literature
Foreign Language Options
Foreign language is not required for the B.S. IdLS degree at JMU but is required at Reynolds. Please Note: JMU does not
grant credit for the introductory levels of a language that a student has studied for two or more years in high school.
 ARA101 and 102
Beginning Arabic I and II
 ASL101 and 102
American Sign Language I and II
 FRE101 and 102
Beginning French I and II
 GER101 and 102
Beginning German I and II
 SPA101 and 102
Beginning Spanish I and II
U.S. History/Government
IdLS requires both U.S. History (HIS121 and HIS122) and U.S. Government (PLS135 or 211). In order to get credit for U.S. History
(HIST225) at JMU, students must take both HIS121 and 122. Both HIS111-112 are required for early, elementary, and special
education.
Science
The IdLS major requires three science courses; students will be able to complete two as part of the associate’s degree and
can take the third science at JMU. Choose only one course per set (BIO101 or 106) or (CHM101 or PHY201) or GOL105.
Typical selections are (BIO101 or 106 and GOL105) or (BIO101 or 106 and CHM101). PHY201 requires MTH166 as
prerequisite not MTH163.
Mathematics
Reynolds requires MTH 170 or 163 and MTH240. If MTH151 or 152 + 240 are completed the MATH 207 requirement at
JMU will be fulfilled. MTH151 or 152 are not part of the A.S. Social Science – Teacher Preparation degree, however,
students who choose to take an additional math (MTH151 or 152) to fulfill Math207 at JMU should take MTH163 &
MTH240 to fulfill their associate’s degree math requirement. Students will still need to take MATH 107 and 108,
Fundamentals of Mathematics I and II at JMU.
Approved Electives – Students will need to complete remaining IdLS major courses at JMU if not completed at
Reynolds. PSY230 is required to apply to the education program at JMU.
Updated3/1/16
Students interested in Middle School Education (6th – 8th) at JMU
 HIS 111 is not required (only HIS 112).
 ECO 201 is required (not ECO 202)
 Either U.S. Government (PLS 135 or 211) or U.S. History (HIS 121 and 122) may be taken. Both are not
required.
 GEO 210 is not required for JMU.
Admission to the College of Education
Once admitted and enrolled in courses at JMU, all students must apply to teacher education and be accepted before they
can take the required education courses. Conditional admission to teacher education programs requires the completion of
ENG112 (must transfer to JMU as WRTC103), a math class, PSY 230 and EDU 200 with a grade of C or better, and a
passing scores on the Praxis Core Mathematics and the Virginia Communication Literary Assessment (VCLA) test or
passing scores on the Praxis Core Math, Reading, and Writing assessments (or minimum required SAT or ACT scores),
see http://www.jmu.edu/coe/esc/assessmentsadmission.shtml for more information. Students are strongly encouraged to
take and pass the Praxis Core Math and VCLA assessments or the Praxis Core Math, Reading, and Writing
assessments prior to transfer with an associate’s degree. Students cannot have any record of felony convictions or
misdemeanors involving children or drugs.
Other admission requirements include a cumulative JMU GPA of at least 2.5, satisfactory completion of training modules
in universal precautions and child abuse prevention, and submission of two reference forms. These requirements should
be completed by the end of a transfer student’s first semester at JMU.
Though it is not an admission requirement for acceptance into the education program at JMU it is highly recommended
that all transfer students satisfactorily complete EDU 200 at Reynolds.EDU200 is required for the A.S. Social Science –
Teacher Preparation degree
Progression in the major/education program at JMU
IdLS majors must earn at least a C- or higher in MATH 107 (taken at JMU) in order to progress to MATH 108. In
addition, students are required to test into MATH 107 through JMU’s math placement test, regardless of the math classes
completed at Reynolds.
Students in Elementary Education alternate semesters between IdLS (major) coursework and Elementary Education
(teacher education program) coursework. Students are expected to take a full semester of IdLS coursework during their
first semester at JMU, followed by a full semester of ELED coursework. Because of the alternating schedule, students
who transfer in the spring may find that they complete their required undergraduate coursework in December, but cannot
start the graduate portion of their program until the following summer session. Spring transfers should talk to their
education advisor about coursework options should this situation arise.
Students in Inclusive Early Childhood and Special Education typically take major (IdLS) and education program
coursework concurrently during all semesters of undergraduate enrollment. Due to the education program course
sequences in both programs, students may require an additional semester in order to complete the required undergraduate
education coursework. Students in these programs should take EXED 200 in their first semester at JMU.
Middle Education students take IdLS and education coursework concurrently during each semester of enrollment, and
must earn at least a B- in all required education classes at JMU in order to progress. In order to progress in the education
programs, all students must make at least a C in all required pre-professional coursework, demonstrate professional
behavior, and perform satisfactorily in practicums and key assessments.
Graduate Program
Most of JMU’s education programs require that students complete a one year Master of Arts in Teaching degree after
successful completion of the undergraduate program.
JMU Transfer Advisor - Regina Adams adamsrx@JMU.edu
Updated 3/1/16