International Year Program (3-Semester) - Bachelor of Arts in Earth Science

at Study Group - James Madison University USA

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 Sciences and Disorders
The communication sciences and disorders major is designed to provide students with pre-professional preparation essential to pursuing graduate work in speech-language pathology or audiology. Graduate degrees at the masters or doctoral level are necessary to work as speech-language pathologists or audiologists. These individuals work as professionals to assist people who have communication disorders; teachers, clinical supervisors and/or researchers in universities; administrators and leaders in healthcare or educational settings.

Research is essential in order to understand more about how humans communicate and the problems that can interfere with their communication. The major encourages students to become involved in research, provides them with opportunities to pursue honors projects and honors theses, and encourages students to attend and present their research work with the student's faculty mentor at regional and national conferences.

There is a nationwide shortage of speech-language pathologists and audiologists, so they are in strong demand for jobs. Communication sciences and disorders provides an excellent background for students who want to pursue careers in related areas such as special education, deaf education, medicine, or dentistry and offers an exciting and fascinating course of study for students who simply wish to study the area as a major.

We prepare graduates to meet a rapidly changing world. Students who choose to concentrate in philosophy will study ancient and contemporary philosophers as they engage in rigorous debate, ask the big questions and sharpen their critical thinking skills. Students who choose to concentrate in religion are introduced to the academic study of the world's religions. They dive into the sacred texts, rituals, histories and ethics of different cultures while learning to communicate effectively with those who think differently from themselves. The interdisciplinary philosophy and interdisciplinary religion concentrations allow students to craft their own majors by counting up to nine credits from outside of the department toward the major.

Students majoring in Philosophy and Religion may choose one of four concentrations: either philosophy, religion, interdisciplinary philosophy or interdisciplinary religion.

The philosophy concentration focuses on major figures such as Plato, Aristotle, Descartes, Locke, Berkeley, Hume and Kant. Students will study problems arising in contemporary movements such as analytic philosophy, existentialism and American philosophy; students will be introduced to the major subdivisions of philosophy, including logic, ethics, aesthetics, philosophy and law, philosophy of science and philosophy of religion.

The religion concentration focuses on the major religious traditions of the world––Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam––as well as their expression in diverse cultures and contexts. Topic areas in the study of religion include eastern religions, western religions, Biblical studies, ethics, religion and society, and religious thought and theology. Religion majors make connections between religion and other areas of knowledge, such as literature, politics, medicine, history, and the arts. Students will assess the role religion plays in contemporary social and political contexts, American and global.

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. 

Art History
The Art History major is intended for students who wish to study the history of the visual arts, including the cultural and social context in which they were created. It is the mission of the art history program to educate students with a global perspective on the arts.

Western art history is emphasized, coupled with opportunities to study the art of select non-Western traditions. Students majoring in art history will develop a general knowledge of the principle monuments and artists of all major historical art periods. Students also will:

• Become acquainted with the art history of non-Western cultures.
• Locate unfamiliar works within major style periods and cultures.
• Describe, analyze and interpret the form and content of individual works of art in relation to the cultures from which they originate.
• Recognize major art media.
• Understand at least three major historical periods of art in detail.
• Become familiar with art history theory and methods of analysis and criticism.
• Research and write about significant artists, artistic events, periods and artistic concepts.

The art history program encourages majors and minors to participate in internship opportunities at museums, galleries and other art related settings, and it provides up-to-date information about jobs and graduate programs in art history and related fields. Visiting scholars, campus art exhibitions, trips to major museums and the JMU Study Abroad program provide students with opportunities to study and apply their art history knowledge outside the classroom. Upon completion of the art history major, students will have been exposed to a broad background and knowledge of the opportunities for graduate school and employment. The art history program also advocates cross disciplinary education and actively supports students who double major with other disciplines.

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. 

Earth Science
The Earth Science major is designed to integrate all the Earth sciences in a systems approach to understanding the Earth. This includes incorporating and integrating subjects such as oceanography, meteorology and astronomy. The emphasis is on the preparation of individuals to work in a wide range of professional public sector service careers where preparation in Earth science and communication of science to non-scientific audiences is a requirement or an asset. This includes the preparation of Earth science teachers.

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. 

Mathematics
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. 

Integrated Science and Technology  
Integrated science and technology (ISAT) students learn about a broad range of scientific, technological, and social concepts and master concrete skills that will make them leaders in solving the real human problems that confront our world. Students start with a common foundations curriculum and then progress into more specialized technical areas of their choice during the junior and senior years. Studies in ISAT combine multiple scientific areas into one hands-on, integrated program in which students learn by working directly with technology and applying it to solve real-world problems.

ISAT graduates are successful in a broad range of professions and graduate schools. The program is both technical and flexible allowing students to customize a course sequence in preparation for a diverse array of technology-related careers.

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. 

Statistics
The Statistics major is designed for students who have an interest in the mathematics of statistics or plan to go to graduate school in statistics. Students choose one of two tracks: applied statistics and mathematical statistics. This major emphasizes probability and the theory of statistics and provides opportunities for additional study in applied and theoretical statistics as well as mathematics. Students are encouraged to take elective courses offered by the department that will prepare them for graduate studies.

If students are interested in the applications of statistics and they are planning to seek employment upon graduation as a practicing statistician, they are advised to choose the applied statistics track. Emphasis in this track is on the applications of statistics to various fields of study. Students will take courses on the design and analysis of experiments, regression analysis and sample surveys, as well as other courses in applied and theoretical statistics, probability and mathematics. Students who choose the applied statistics track are encouraged to take as many elective courses as possible in applied fields of their choice.

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. 

Physics
Physics is the study of the laws of nature that describe the universe we see around us and the relationship of energy and matter. This includes the study of nature on every scale from the smallest subatomic particles to the evolution of the universe itself. The study of physics is more than the pursuit of basic scientific knowledge. It is the development of a way of thinking about problems whether learning what is inside a proton or how to use knowledge from biology, chemistry or geology to solve an interesting practical problem.

In this major, students will be immersed in a program that integrates a comprehensive classroom curriculum with extensive hands-on experience working in research laboratories with our faculty. Students have opportunities to work both on campus and at national and international facilities to conduct research in nuclear physics and astronomy, and use state-of-the-art equipment on campus in materials, computational physics and non-linear dynamics.

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. 

Biophysical Chemistry
The major is a part of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, an academic unit within the College of Science and Mathematics.

This rigorous major allows the exceptional student to focus on a solid foundation in chemistry with a study of biological systems, emphasizing hands-on learning, and leading to a career in biochemistry, chemistry, medicine, and interfaces with other areas such as materials science and engineering. Students take foundational lecture and laboratory courses in all sub-disciplines of chemistry: analytical, biochemistry, inorganic, organic, and physical: as well as biology, calculus and physics. The department also offers a major in chemistry and minors in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and Materials Science.