1st Year Enrollment Worksheet

This worksheet is a planning tool and enrollment guide for use when you enroll for your first semester.

How to Use this Worksheet:

  1. Review the recommended courses for your major and Madison Foundations GenEd requirements for your first semester. Build your schedule around recommended courses first.
  2. There may be courses that are required for your major, but are optional for the first semester. These appear in a green section. If you do not enroll in the optional courses your first semester, you will do so in a later semester.
  3. Use the GenEd Planner to identify additional courses to add to your schedule to create a full schedule.

Save and/or print this worksheet to use as a guide when you enroll in classes. 
When printing this worksheet, only selected courses will display.

Biotechnology -  BS

Departmental Recommendations:

  1. Enroll in 13-16 credit hours your first semester.
  2. Enroll in BIO 140 and BIO 140L.
  3. Enroll in Chemistry OR Math. Do not enroll in both your first semester. Your individualized selection will be based upon your ALEKS math assessment score. If your ALEKS score is 56 or higher, enroll in CHEM 131 and CHEM 131L (lab). If your ALEKS score is lower than 56, enroll in a MATH course based on your score. See details below.
  4. Enroll in either a Human Communications OR Critical Thinking Madison Foundations course.
  5. Add one additional General Education course from the GenEd Planner section below to create a full schedule of 13-16 credit hours. WRTC 103 is highly recommended for students who do not have credit for it.
  6. It is strongly recommended that you enroll in ISAT 203 or BIO 203 (Viral Discovery), a discovery-based laboratory course.
  7. If you are interested in Pre-professional Health Preparation, refer to the information in Module 4 under Special Student Categories for information on selecting General Education courses.
Placement Exams:

Your placement exam scores identify the appropriate course level based on your current skills. Video Tutorial: Locating your JMU scores

ALEKS Math Assessment Score: You need to know your math assessment score to determine your math placement for the 1st-semester or a future semester. After completion of the math assessment, enter your score in the field below so you have this information available if you are required to take a math course your 1st-semester. If a math course is required in the 1st-semester, it will be identified in the major recommendations section below. If math is not listed, you will take math in a future semester. The MyMadison system will not allow you to enroll in a course other than your placement recommendation.

My ALEKS Score:

Foreign Language Placement Score: You also need to know your JMUFL foreign language placement score to determine the appropriate placement level. The MyMadison system will not allow you to enroll in a course other than your placement recommendation.

My JMUFL Score:

Major Recommendations for the 1st Semester

Major Requirement:

Biology:
Enroll in BIO 140 and BIO 140L. These courses are co-requisites. Add both the lecture and the lab to your cart and then complete the enrollment process. Track I Honors Scholars should enroll in BIO 140H courses.

  • BIO 140: Foundations in Biology I - Fulfills Major & GenEd requirement
  • BIO 140: Foundations in Biology I Lab - Fulfills Major & GenEd requirement

Chemistry OR Math: Do NOT enroll in Both

Major Cognate Requirement: The major cognate course you enroll in is dependent on your ALEKS Score. If your scores permit, enroll in Chemistry.

Chemistry: 
Enroll in both CHEM 131 and CHEM 131L if your ALEKS score is 56 or higher. If your ALEKS score falls below this threshold, hold off taking chemistry until the spring semester. Take math instead.

  • CHEM 131: General Chemistry I - Fulfills Major & GenEd requirement
  • CHEM 131L: General Chemistry I Lab - Fulfills Major & GenEd requirement

OR 

Mathematics: 
If your ALEKS scores is below 56 or you already have credit for CHEM 131 and CHEM 131L, enroll in ONE of these math course options. Make your choice based upon your ALEKS score. The system will not allow you to enroll in a math course higher than your score recommends.

  • MATH 235: Calculus I - 4 credit hours (Waitlist Available)
  • MATH 231: Calculus with Functions - 3 credit hours (Waitlist Available)
  • MATH 231 + MATH 199: Calculus with Functions ** - 4 credit hours (Waitlist Available)
  • MATH 155: College Algebra* - 3 credit hours (Waitlist Available)
ALEKS Score Course
>= 81 MATH 235
66 - 80 MATH 231
56 - 65 MATH 231 + MATH 199**
<56 MATH 155*

*MATH 155 is a prep course for calculus. This class does not fulfill your GenEd or major math requirement.

**MATH 199 is a gateway co-requisite designed to assist students who want to start calculus but need to review fundamental mathematics to be successful in MATH 205. Students will be registered for a total of 4 credit hours. The course is self-study-based and the only required meetings are drop-in proctored test-taking on Friday evenings. Grades are completely determined by the number of semester weeks that pass before the student successfully completes all of the exams. Once the exams are passed the student is no longer required to attend on Friday evenings. Students whose schedules prevent them from attending Friday sessions need to register for MATH 155.

1st Semester Madison Foundations Requirement:

Select ONE course from EITHER the Critical Thinking section OR the Human Communications section for your 1st-semester. You will take a course from the other area in your second semester. The MyMadison system will not allow you to enroll in both a Human Communications and a Critical Thinking course in the 1st-semester.

Critical Thinking: (select one)

Students should take Critical Thinking in a discipline different from their major to experience alternative ways of analyzing evidence, making arguments, and solving problems. Critical Thinking courses are not introductions to the major: for example, BUS 160 is not a Business major class. It is for majors in other fields such as History and Music.

  • BUS 160: Business Decision-Making in a Modern Society
  • EDUC 102: Critical Questions in Education
  • HIST 150: Critical Issues in Recent Global History
  • ISAT 160: Problem-Solving Approaches in Science and Technology
  • PHIL 120: Critical Thinking
  • PHIL 150: Ethical Reasoning
  • SMAD 150: Mediated Communication: Issues and Skills

Human Communications: (select one)

  • SCOM 121: Human Communication - Presentations
  • SCOM 122: Human Communication - Individual Presentations
  • SCOM 123: Human Communication - Group Presentations
Optional 1st Semester Courses:

Below are optional courses for the 1st-semester. If these courses are not available and/or you do not meet the requirements, you will take these classes in a future semester.

ISAT 203 or BIO 203 - Viral Discovery:

Strongly Recommended. An exploratory laboratory experience, designed for incoming freshmen. Students will learn about the life cycle and ecology of viruses infecting bacteria. Soil samples will be collected, and techniques for isolation and purification of the viruses will be performed by the students. Isolated viruses will be visualized using electron mircoscopy. The genomic material will be isolated and prepared for nucleic acid sequencing.

General Education Courses

Complete the schedule planning process by using the General Education Planner below to identify courses to add to your schedule to create a full schedule of 14 - 17 credit hours. The number of GenEd courses you need to add from the list below is major dependent. Based on the required courses above, some majors will only need to add one GenEd course from the list below while others may need to add three GenEd courses to create a full schedule.

Notes:

  • Madison Foundations - Writing: If you do not have AP, IB, CIE or dual enrollment credit for WRTC 103, we encourage you enroll your 1st-semester. If a WRTC 103 course is not available, you will enroll in the following semester.
  • The Natural World: Math courses are restricted to students in majors that require a math class in the 1st-semester. If your major requires math in the 1st-semester, it will be indicated above in the major recomendations area of this worksheet. If a math course is not identified above, your advisor will discuss your math placement score and math recommendation for your major when you meet during Orientation.
  • American & Global Perspectives: This is an area where many students have earned credit through AP, IB, CIE or dual enrollment courses taken in high school. If you are waiting on test or grade results, we recommend you enroll in a GenEd course from a different area until you receive your results.
  • Sociocultural & Wellness Area: If you are waiting on test or grade results through AP, IB, CIE or dual enrollment courses taken in high school, we recommend you enroll in a GenEd course from a different area until you receive your results.

Modified GenEd Planner for 1st-Semester Use

Madison Foundations

Select ONE course from EITHER the Critical Thinking section OR the Human Communications section for your 1st-semester.

Critical Thinking
See the required section of this worksheet.

Human Communication
See the required section of this worksheet.

Writing (3 credit hours)
If you are waiting for test or grade results for writing through AP, IB, CIE or dual enrollment, wait for your results.

  • WRTC 103: Rhetorical Reading and Writing
Sociocultural & Wellness Area

Wellness Domain (3 credit hours)
You may enroll in one of these classes, if available.

  • HTH 100: Personal Wellness
    15-hour physical activity requirement of your choice for the semester.
  • KIN 100: Lifetime Fitness and Wellness
    Lecture and a specific physical activity per course section. Read the TOPIC section of the class when enrolling to identify the fitness activity. Swim conditioning assumes students can already swim.

Sociocultural Domain (3 credit hours)
You may enroll in one of these classes, if available.

  • EDUC 175E: Learning, Behavior and Engagement in Context
  • PSYC 101: General Psychology
  • PSYC 160: Life Span Human Development
  • SOCI 140: Microsociology: The Individual in Society
  • WGSS 200: Introduction to Women and Gender Studies
Arts and Humanities

Human Questions and Contexts (3 credit hours)
You may enroll in one of these classes, if available.

  • AMST 200: Introduction to American Studies
  • ANTH 205: Buried Cities and Lost Tribes
  • HIST 101: World History to 1500
  • HIST 102: World History since 1500
  • HUM 250: Foundations of Western Culture
  • HUM 251: Modern Perspectives
  • HUM 252: Global Cultures
  • LAXC 252: Intro to Latin American, Latinx and Carribean Studies
  • PHIL 101: Intro to Philosophy
  • REL 101: Religions of the World
  • REL 102: Religion, Spirituality, and the Meaning of Life

Visual and Performing Arts (3 credit hours)
You may enroll in one of these classes, if available.

  • ART 200: Art in General Culture
  • ART 204E: Art, Power and Society
  • ARTH 205: Survey of World Art I: Prehistoric to Renaissance
  • ARTH 206: Survey of World Art II: Renaissance to Modern
  • DANC 215: The Dance Experience
  • MUS 200: Music in General Culture
  • MUS 203: Music in America
  • MUS 206: Introduction to Global Music
  • THEA 210: Introduction to Theatre

Literature (3 credit hours)
You may enroll in one of these classes, if available.

  • ENG 221: Literature/Culture/Ideas
  • ENG 222: Genre(s)
  • ENG 235: Survey of English Literature: From Beowulf to the 18th Century
  • ENG 236: Survey of English Literature: 18th Century to Modern
  • ENG 239: Studies in World Literature
  • ENG 247: Survey of American Literature: From the Beginning to the Civil War
  • ENG 248: Survey of American Literature: From the Civil War to the Modern Period
  • ENG 260: Survey of African-American Literature
  • HUM 200: Great Works of Literature
The Natural World

Quantitative Reasoning
If a math course is required for your 1st-semester, it will be indicated above in the major recommendations section. Otherwise, math is not required for your major the 1st-semester.  You will enroll in a math class in a later semester based on your ALEKS score. Talk with your advisor about your ALEKS score during Orientation.

Physical Principles (3 credit hours, unless indicated)
This area fulfilled by major requirements. You do not need to enroll in anything special to fulfill this requirement.

Natural Systems (3 credit hours, unless indicated)
Fulfilled by BIO 140 in the major requirements section above.

Lab Experience (1 credit hour, unless indicated)
Fulfilled by BIO 140L in the major requirements section above.

American & Global Perspectives

The American Experience (4 credit hours)
If you are waiting for AP, IB, CIE or dual enrollment credit for history or government, do not enroll until you have received your results.

The Global Experience (3 credit hours)
You may enroll in one of these classes, if available.

  • AAAD 200: Introduction to African American and Diaspora Studies
  • ANTH 195: Cultural Anthropology
  • ECON 200: Introduction to Macroeconomics
  • GEOG 200: Geography: The Global Dimension
  • HM 225E: Tourism in a Global Context
  • POSC 200*: Global Politics
  • SOCI 110: Social Issues in a Global Context

*POSC 200 and POSC 225 cannot both be used to satisfy this area.

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