The Montpelier Weekend Seminars are a unique professional development opportunity for social studies teachers and other civic educators.  Participants in a Montpelier Weekend Seminar will live and study on the grounds of James Madison's Montpelier, one of the central sites of the American constitutional founding.

Each of the Montpelier Weekend Seminars encompass a consistent core of knowledge about the principles of American constitutionalism — popular sovereignty, fundamental law, good government, full citizenship, and human liberty. They also highlight the systematic and persisting contrasts between Federalist and Antifederalist approaches to the Constitution. But each will approach these central concepts from a different angle, in order to highlight the various transformations achieved by the constitutional Founding. The tabs above link to the specific programs.

Participants will receive a collection of primary documents in advance of the seminar, specific to the content of each program, which will be the basis of most discussions. They include writings by James Madison, sections of The Federalist Papers, selections from Antifederalist writers, and other fundamental documents. Each seminar includes an intensive session on ways of reading a document of political or constitutional theory. Though certain key documents are discussed in all of the seminars, other selections will vary along with the four themes.

Seminar Dates

Who is Eligible 

Teachers of government, American history, civics, and citizenship — as well as other school professionals responsible for civic education broadly conceived — are eligible to participate.  This includes curriculum specialists, social studies coordinators, librarians, and media specialists.  Civic educators who work in other academic fields or teach in the upper elementary grades may be eligible.  If you have questions about eligibility, please contact the Center.

The Seminars cost approximately $1250 per teacher to host; however, thanks to the generosity of private donors, the Center has a limited number of scholarships available at almost no cost for teachers in Virginia, Maryland, D.C., North Carolina, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and California. Scholarships cover the cost of accommodations, meals, reading materials, teaching resources, and documentation for recertification credits.  However, the Center does require a $50 non-refundable registration fee once accepted into a seminar.  Educators who work outside this region should contact the Center about tuition rates or other regional scholarships that might be available.

What You Get

Accommodations and Meals:  You will be housed at the Constitutional Village on the grounds of Montpelier near Orange, VA. All meals will be provided.

Seminar Materials:  You will receive readings that are specially edited and assembled to reflect the theme of the Seminar.

Recertification Points:  You will receive documentation of the Seminar’s contact hours to qualify you for professional development from your local school system, according to your own school policies.  You will also have the option to request Continuing Education Units through James Madison University for a small fee.

How to Apply

Apply Online for our Montpelier Seminars and take our free online course on the Introduction to the Constitution.  

Admission will be decided for each Seminar on a rolling basis throughout the semester. Eligible applicants who cannot be included in a Seminar will be placed on a waiting list for any vacancies that may occur.  Early applicants, therefore, will have a better chance of gaining admission.  Applications received later in the season will be given full consideration as long as vacancies remain.