Bachelor of Arts in Independent Scholars

at Study Group - James Madison University USA

As a Mathematics major, students will gain an increased understanding and appreciation for math as a universal language. Students can expect to use and build on skills such as thinking critically, formulating and solving problems and communicating solutions. Students will increase their ability to prove theorems, understand complex structure, and apply mathematics and statistics in many real-world settings. The program students choose will make it possible for them to acquire strong preparation for graduate work or for professional applications in mathematics and statistics, teaching, natural and social sciences or other technical areas.

There will also be opportunities for students to experience the challenge and rewards of faculty-mentored research. Students are strongly encouraged to participate in the numerous undergraduate research opportunities as well as individual and small group projects available in the department. Opportunities exist through the Center for Mathematical Modeling, the Office of Statistical Services, honors theses, and independent studies with individual faculty mentors.

The International Year is a great choice if you'd like to improve your English language proficiency while also benefiting from a supportive environment with dedicated faculty.

• Dedicated academic support to prepare you for university - you will receive specialist support and teaching so that on completion of the International Year, you'll be ready to progress to degree study at JMU.
• Graduate in four years, similar to direct entry students - studying on the International Year will allow you to complete your degree on time. 
• Be a part of the university community from day one - JMU has a thriving community where students feel that they're part of a large, supportive family. 
• Taught at the on-campus International Study Center (ISC) - the dedicated ISC will provide a safe, supportive environment where you can work and socialise with other international students. 

Finance
As a JMU finance major, you’ll gain a strong foundation in the principles of valuation, financial statement analysis and the concepts behind sound financial decision-making, preparing you for a career in individual, corporate, governmental or international markets. This broad area tends to overlap into a number of specialized fields such as investment management, asset securitization, risk management, real estate and banking.

If you are interested in investment management, you'll learn the analysis of financial investments and the economic interaction between the financial institutions and the financial markets in which they operate. If you are interested in the international aspect of finance, you'll study asset and liability management, capital budgeting, fundraising and exchange transactions for multinational corporations.

The International Year is a great choice if you'd like to improve your English language proficiency while also benefiting from a supportive environment with dedicated faculty.

• Dedicated academic support to prepare you for university - you will receive specialist support and teaching so that on completion of the International Year, you'll be ready to progress to degree study at JMU.
• Graduate in four years, similar to direct entry students - studying on the International Year will allow you to complete your degree on time. 
• Be a part of the university community from day one - JMU has a thriving community where students feel that they're part of a large, supportive family. 
• Taught at the on-campus International Study Center (ISC) - the dedicated ISC will provide a safe, supportive environment where you can work and socialise with other international students. 

Psychology
Psychology is the major to consider if studying the area of science that explores how people and animals think, feel and act is of interest. Psychology majors complete course work that explores behavior, emotions, cognitive processes and the factors that influence them from a variety of perspectives. Psychologists study behavior at both a cellular (e.g. examining the role of the brain and the nervous system) and at a more global level (e.g. examining the influences of culture). As psychology majors students will enhance their problem-solving, critical thinking, writing and oral expression skills as they learn to use the tools available to behavioral scientists.

Students choose to major in psychology for many reasons. Psychology can be students' primary area of interest within a liberal arts education that will lead to many professional opportunities that require a bachelor's degree, or it can be a pre-professional program leading to advanced study in graduate school. Popular types of graduate programs pursued by graduates of our program have been counseling, school psychology, education, clinical psychology, psychological science, social work, forensic psychology/criminal justice, industrial/organizational psychology, behavior analysis, law school and college administration.

The International Year is a great choice if you'd like to improve your English language proficiency while also benefiting from a supportive environment with dedicated faculty.

• Dedicated academic support to prepare you for university - you will receive specialist support and teaching so that on completion of the International Year, you'll be ready to progress to degree study at JMU.
• Graduate in four years, similar to direct entry students - studying on the International Year will allow you to complete your degree on time. 
• Be a part of the university community from day one - JMU has a thriving community where students feel that they're part of a large, supportive family. 
• Taught at the on-campus International Study Center (ISC) - the dedicated ISC will provide a safe, supportive environment where you can work and socialise with other international students. 

Social Work
The social work program prepares students to become social workers who are committed to strengthening community life for diverse individuals, families and organizations while promoting social justice through advocacy and action. The social work program equips graduates with the knowledge, values and skills needed for the development of professional ethics and competence. The program prepares graduates to work effectively in a broad spectrum of social service settings that address poverty, multiple forms of oppression, social injustice and other human rights violations. The program also prepares students for graduate study in social work.

In addition to lecture and class discussion, the social work program utilizes a variety of teaching strategies, including case-based and experiential approaches to enhance learning. Students are exposed to issues and organizations at local, state, and national levels through policy forums, conferences, interviews and service-learning. All majors use the interviewing labs for case simulations and interviewing to develop their practice skills. The department offers minors in family studies, gerontology and nonprofit Studies.

The International Year is a great choice if you'd like to improve your English language proficiency while also benefiting from a supportive environment with dedicated faculty.

• Dedicated academic support to prepare you for university - you will receive specialist support and teaching so that on completion of the International Year, you'll be ready to progress to degree study at JMU.
• Graduate in four years, similar to direct entry students - studying on the International Year will allow you to complete your degree on time. 
• Be a part of the university community from day one - JMU has a thriving community where students feel that they're part of a large, supportive family. 
• Taught at the on-campus International Study Center (ISC) - the dedicated ISC will provide a safe, supportive environment where you can work and socialise with other international students. 

Communication Studies
Communication studies provides students with modern academic programs for the purpose of understanding human communication. Courses examine multiple, cross disciplinary approaches for studying messages and outcomes resulting from human interactive processes that involve the content and relationship dimensions of sources, receivers, channels and contexts. Emphasis is upon person-to-person transactions involving face-to-face and social media venues at the interpersonal, small group, organizational, and public levels. Instruction employs ways of knowing and research methodologies of social science, historical/critical analysis, and art. Our graduates have successful careers in business, education, government, conflict analysis and intervention, health, public relations, entertainment, personnel management, politics, sales, conference and event planning, hospitality industries and more.

A major in communication studies also provides valuable pre-professional preparation for graduate and professional studies in the fields of communication, counseling, law, management, ministry and military. Through traditional classroom delivery and distance learning platforms, students acquire communication skill competencies in experiential classroom activities, research projects, studies abroad and internships. Communication Studies graduates leave JMU prepared to participate effectively as citizens in the communication age.

The International Year is a great choice if you'd like to improve your English language proficiency while also benefiting from a supportive environment with dedicated faculty.

• Dedicated academic support to prepare you for university - you will receive specialist support and teaching so that on completion of the International Year, you'll be ready to progress to degree study at JMU.
• Graduate in four years, similar to direct entry students - studying on the International Year will allow you to complete your degree on time. 
• Be a part of the university community from day one - JMU has a thriving community where students feel that they're part of a large, supportive family. 
• Taught at the on-campus International Study Center (ISC) - the dedicated ISC will provide a safe, supportive environment where you can work and socialise with other international students. 

Converged Media - Concentration
We prepare students to serve as creative, reflective and highly skilled media producers and storytellers, sensitive to the personal and social impact of the messages they create and to the important role media can play in advancing the public interest.

Graduates of the School of Media Arts and Design work in media or in media-related careers. Program concentrations allow students to pursue interests in journalism, digital video and cinema, creative advertising or interactive design. The major also prepares students for graduate study in mass communication, journalism, advertising, visual communication or digital production. SMAD’s 39-credit-hour requirement allows students to pursue minors and second majors, to strengthen their knowledge about the types of stories they want to tell.

The International Year is a great choice if you'd like to improve your English language proficiency while also benefiting from a supportive environment with dedicated faculty.

• Dedicated academic support to prepare you for university - you will receive specialist support and teaching so that on completion of the International Year, you'll be ready to progress to degree study at JMU.
• Graduate in four years, similar to direct entry students - studying on the International Year will allow you to complete your degree on time. 
• Be a part of the university community from day one - JMU has a thriving community where students feel that they're part of a large, supportive family. 
• Taught at the on-campus International Study Center (ISC) - the dedicated ISC will provide a safe, supportive environment where you can work and socialise with other international students. 

Health Sciences
The Health Sciences major is designed for students interested in understanding the causes of disease, strategies for promoting wellness and behavior change, and the scientific basis and methodologies for analysis of health concerns. The major combines a broad foundation of health-related course work with a choice of preparatory courses suitable for entry into graduate programs in dentistry, medicine, occupational therapy, optometry, pharmacy, physical therapy, physician assistant, public health and veterinary medicine.

The mission of the sport and recreation program is to develop a community of learners through quality education that integrates theory, practice, and personal growth in the hospitality, sport and recreation industries.

We are dedicated to the development of future leaders in sport and management professions through a course of study that maximizes the potential of individuals and society.

Sport and recreation management is committed to providing:

• An outstanding undergraduate program based on the criteria of relevant professional associations, which will enable graduates to be successful in their professional endeavors.
• A program that builds upon the strong liberal studies background provided through General Education.
• The opportunities that challenge students to think critically, to use technology and to appreciate the global community.
• The research and development projects that push back the boundaries of knowledge and promote effective practice in sport and recreation management.

The International Year is a great choice if you'd like to improve your English language proficiency while also benefiting from a supportive environment with dedicated faculty.

• Dedicated academic support to prepare you for university - you will receive specialist support and teaching so that on completion of the International Year, you'll be ready to progress to degree study at JMU.
• Graduate in four years, similar to direct entry students - studying on the International Year will allow you to complete your degree on time. 
• Be a part of the university community from day one - JMU has a thriving community where students feel that they're part of a large, supportive family. 
• Taught at the on-campus International Study Center (ISC) - the dedicated ISC will provide a safe, supportive environment where you can work and socialise with other international students. 

Media Arts and Design
We prepare students to serve as creative, reflective and highly skilled media producers and storytellers, sensitive to the personal and social impact of the messages they create and to the important role media can play in advancing the public interest.

Graduates of the School of Media Arts and Design work in media or in media-related careers. Program concentrations allow students to pursue interests in journalism, digital video and cinema, creative advertising or interactive design. The major also prepares students for graduate study in mass communication, journalism, advertising, visual communication or digital production. SMAD’s 39-credit-hour requirement allows students to pursue minors and second majors, to strengthen their knowledge about the types of stories they want to tell.

The International Year is a great choice if you'd like to improve your English language proficiency while also benefiting from a supportive environment with dedicated faculty.

• Dedicated academic support to prepare you for university - you will receive specialist support and teaching so that on completion of the International Year, you'll be ready to progress to degree study at JMU.
• Graduate in four years, similar to direct entry students - studying on the International Year will allow you to complete your degree on time. 
• Be a part of the university community from day one - JMU has a thriving community where students feel that they're part of a large, supportive family. 
• Taught at the on-campus International Study Center (ISC) - the dedicated ISC will provide a safe, supportive environment where you can work and socialise with other international students. 

Sociology
Sociologists study the causes and consequences of social inequality. They also explore the social aspects of the environment, technology, politics, health, globalization, social movements, social justice, markets, mass media/popular culture and more. Through coursework and projects, sociology majors gain hands-on experience doing sociology, which includes: immersion in the daily life of groups, interview methodology, examining recorded interaction, interpreting historical documents, analyzing large national surveys and producing sophisticated social critique.