This is the preliminary (or launch) version of the 2024-2025 VCU Bulletin. We may add courses that expose our students to cutting-edge content and transformative learning. We may also add content to the general education program that focuses on racial literacy and a racial literacy graduation requirement, and may receive notification of additional program approvals after the launch. The final edition and full PDF version will include these updates and will be available in August prior to the beginning of the fall semester.

Program goals

The interdisciplinary mathematics and science leadership concentration in the M.I.S. program is designed for in-service teachers of mathematics for kindergarten through eighth grades. In designing their individual programs, students, in conjunction with their advisers, may select courses offered by VCU mathematics, science and education departments and courses offered by other collaborating Virginia colleges and universities. The Graduate School, the College of Humanities and Sciences, the School of Education and the departments of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics and Teaching and Learning administer the program.

Student learning outcomes

  1. Students will understand and apply mathematical concepts and procedures in the following content strands: number systems and number theory, geometry and measurement, statistics and probability, and functions and algebra.

  2. Students will understand the connections among various mathematics concepts and procedures, the structures within and between different content strands, and children’s learning trajectories.

  3. Students will apply, at different levels of complexity, the five fundamental mathematical process standards: becoming mathematical problem-solvers, reasoning mathematically, communicating mathematically, making mathematical connections and using mathematical models and representations.

  4. Students will understand and apply the appropriate technologies for teaching and learning mathematics including graphing utilities, dynamic software, spreadsheets and virtual manipulatives.

  5. Students will analyze and develop rich mathematical tasks for children and adults.

  6. Students will analyze, synthesize and apply mathematics education literature, including national and state standards, journals and other publications, to (a) understand trends in mathematics and pedagogy, (b) adapt and evaluate instructional materials, assessment materials and other resources, and (c) organize and develop high-quality, equitable and engaging programs for children, including diverse learners.

  7. Students will study and implement effective models of mathematics coaching and mentoring of teachers.

  8. Students will study and implement effective models of professional development for K-8 schools and districts.

  9. Students will develop and apply strategies to teach mathematics to diverse learners.

  10. Students will study and apply strategies and models for managing, assessing and monitoring children’s learning, including diagnosing student errors.

  11. Students will develop and apply the leadership skills necessary to design and implement mathematics programs at the school and division levels to improve mathematics teaching and learning.

  12. Students will develop and apply effective oral and written communication skills to gather, plan, organize and present ideas related to mathematics content and pedagogy to various stakeholders.

VCU Graduate Bulletin, VCU Graduate School and general academic policies and regulations for all graduate students in all graduate programs

The VCU Graduate Bulletin website documents the official admission and academic rules and regulations that govern graduate education for all graduate programs at the university. These policies are established by the graduate faculty of the university through their elected representatives to the University Graduate Council.

It is the responsibility of all graduate students, both on- and off-campus, to be familiar with the VCU Graduate Bulletin as well as the Graduate School website and academic regulations in individual school and department publications and on program websites. However, in all cases, the official policies and procedures of the University Graduate Council, as published on the VCU Graduate Bulletin and Graduate School websites, take precedence over individual program policies and guidelines.

Visit the academic regulations section for additional information on academic regulations for graduate students.

Degree candidacy requirements

A graduate student admitted to a program or concentration requiring a final research project, work of art, thesis or dissertation, must qualify for continuing master’s or doctoral status according to the degree candidacy requirements of the student’s graduate program. Admission to degree candidacy, if applicable, is a formal statement by the graduate student’s faculty regarding the student’s academic achievements and the student’s readiness to proceed to the final research phase of the degree program.

Graduate students and program directors should refer to the following degree candidacy policy as published in the VCU Graduate Bulletin for complete information and instructions.

Visit the academic regulations section for additional information on degree candidacy requirements.

Graduation requirements

As graduate students approach the end of their academic programs and the final semester of matriculation, they must make formal application to graduate. No degrees will be conferred until the application to graduate has been finalized.

Graduate students and program directors should refer to the following graduation requirements as published in the Graduate Bulletin for a complete list of instructions and a graduation checklist.

Visit the academic regulations section for additional information on graduation requirements.