diff --git a/src/main/java/org/wise/portal/domain/project/impl/ProjectMetadataImpl.java b/src/main/java/org/wise/portal/domain/project/impl/ProjectMetadataImpl.java
index 28445b1d3..04a5efafc 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/wise/portal/domain/project/impl/ProjectMetadataImpl.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/wise/portal/domain/project/impl/ProjectMetadataImpl.java
@@ -132,7 +132,6 @@ public class ProjectMetadataImpl implements ProjectMetadata, Serializable {
   @Setter
   private String lessonPlan;
 
-  @Column(name = "standards", length = 5120000, columnDefinition = "mediumtext")
   @Getter
   @Setter
   private String standards;
@@ -204,10 +203,16 @@ public class ProjectMetadataImpl implements ProjectMetadata, Serializable {
   @Setter
   private String researchProjects;
 
+  @Getter
+  @Setter
+  private String disciplines;
+
   @Getter
   @Setter
   private String resources;
 
+  private String standardsDefault = "{\"commonCore\": [], \"ngss\": [], \"learningForJustice\": []}";
+
   @Getter
   @Setter
   private String unitType;
@@ -254,6 +259,12 @@ public void populateFromJSON(JSONObject metadataJSON) {
     }
     setResearchProjects(researchProjects.toString());
 
+    JSONArray disciplines = metadataJSON.optJSONArray("disciplines");
+    if (disciplines == null) {
+      disciplines = new JSONArray();
+    }
+    setDisciplines(disciplines.toString());
+
     JSONArray resources = metadataJSON.optJSONArray("resources");
     if (resources == null) {
       resources = new JSONArray();
@@ -332,10 +343,7 @@ public void populateFromJSON(JSONObject metadataJSON) {
     }
     setLessonPlan(lessonPlan);
 
-    String standards = metadataJSON.optString("standards", "");
-    if (standards.equals("null")) {
-      standards = "";
-    }
+    String standards = metadataJSON.optString("standards", this.standardsDefault);
     setStandards(standards);
 
     JSONObject standardsAddressed = metadataJSON.optJSONObject("standardsAddressed");
@@ -471,12 +479,17 @@ public String toJSONString() {
         metadata.put("tools", new JSONObject());
       }
 
-      String standardsAddressedString = metadata.getString("standardsAddressed");
-      if (standardsAddressedString != null && standardsAddressedString != "null") {
-        JSONObject standardsAddressedJSON = new JSONObject(standardsAddressedString);
-        metadata.put("standardsAddressed", standardsAddressedJSON);
+      String standardsString = metadata.getString("standards");
+      if (standardsString != null && standardsString != "null") {
+        JSONObject standardsJSON;
+        try {
+          standardsJSON = new JSONObject(standardsString);
+        } catch (JSONException e) {
+          standardsJSON = new JSONObject(standardsDefault);
+        }
+        metadata.put("standards", standardsJSON);
       } else {
-        metadata.put("standardsAddressed", new JSONObject());
+        metadata.put("standards", new JSONObject());
       }
 
       String parentProjectsString = metadata.getString("parentProjects");
@@ -495,6 +508,14 @@ public String toJSONString() {
         metadata.put("researchProjects", new JSONArray());
       }
 
+      String disciplinesString = metadata.getString("disciplines");
+      if (disciplinesString != null && disciplinesString != "null") {
+        JSONArray disciplinesJSON = new JSONArray(disciplinesString);
+        metadata.put("disciplines", disciplinesJSON);
+      } else {
+        metadata.put("disciplines", new JSONArray());
+      }
+
       String resourcesString = metadata.getString("resources");
       if (resourcesString != null && resourcesString != "null") {
         JSONArray resourcesJSON = new JSONArray(resourcesString);