Academic Advising and Career Development

Wilson Hall, Room 301, MSC 1016

Phone: (540) 568-6555

Web site: http://www.jmu.edu/career

Academic Advising and Career Development coordinates academic advising for all freshmen, undeclared, and at risk students; assists students in choosing a major and deciding upon a career direction; and provides a variety of job search programs and services. The services are available to JMU students and alumni.

Academic Advising

Academic advising is vital to student success. The adviser assists students in shaping their educational experience to meet specific intellectual, personal and career goals. Advisers do not decide the student’s goals or program, but help students learn how to develop appropriate goals, make good choices that enhance learning and personal growth, and succeed in and out of the classroom.

During summer orientation, all new students are assigned to faculty or professional advisers who discusses with them the university’s various programs of study, academic policies and procedures, advanced placement/exemption testing, and registration procedures. At that time, students plan their course of study and register for fall semester classes. Advisers continue to work with freshmen until midway through the spring semester, at which time freshmen that have declared a major are assigned to advisers in their academic unit. Students remaining undeclared are assigned to a professional adviser in Academic Advising and Career Development until they select a major.

JMU students are responsible for the educational choices they make, both short and long term, but they can make those choices in a supportive environment. Effective academic advising is a relationship between student and adviser. Students must be aware of their own interests, values and goals; knowledgeable about relevant policies and requirements; and willing to take the initiative to seek assistance when it is needed. Advisers should respond to the student as an individual, be aware of student progress, and help the student make connections between academic choices and career possibilities.

Career Advising and Decision-Making

Academic Advising and Career Development assists students at various stages of the decision-making process for choosing a major and career. Examples of programs and services include:

Career and Life Planning Course (IS 202)

The career and life planning course is for freshmen and sophomores who want to explore the relationship between academic majors and career fields, identify their major and career interests, and learn effective decision-making strategies for choosing a major and a career.

Major and Career Decision Program

The Major and Career Decisions Program is a series of workshops designed to help students pick a major, decide on a career direction, assess career information, and resolve personal issues interfering with their ability to make career plans. Topics covered include career assessment, values, interests, abilities and career information.

Academic and Career Resource Center

The resource center provides resources for choosing a major, career planning, internship/summer jobs, employer directories, job search tools and career trend information. Resources include books, printed materials, handouts, databases, career software and Web-based information via the resource center computer lab. Information is organized on a self-help basis so that students and faculty may browse at their leisure. Staff members are available to answer questions and help students use resource materials.

Employment and Job Search Services

On-Campus Interviewing

Business, industry, government and educational employers come to JMU throughout the year to conduct job interviews with graduating seniors and students seeking internships. Information about the interview program, participating employers and interview sign-ups are available on the Academic Advising and Career Development Web site. To interview, students must attend an Introduction to On-Campus Interviewing workshop and obtain a Web password from the on-campus interviewing coordinator in Sonner Hall. To help students                                         prepare for these interviews, mock interview sessions with employer participants are held at the beginning of each semester.

Resume Development

A Web-based resume development program is available which allows students to prepare their resumes online. Students must obtain a Web password from the on-campus interviewing coordinator in Sonner Hall. Resume writing workshops and resume critique sessions with a staff member are available throughout the year.

Career Fairs

The office sponsors a number of career fair events each year to provide students with the opportunity to interact with employers and obtain employment-related information.

Job Vacancies

A number of national job vacancy publications are available in the resource center, which provides information about job opportunities in a variety of career fields. Web-based job vacancy listings are also available.

Academic Honors Program

Phone: (540) 568-6953

Fax: (540) 568-8079

Web site: http://www.jmu.edu/honorsprog/

The Honors Program seeks to meet the educational needs of talented, highly motivated students by offering increased opportunities for an enriched and demanding curriculum. It is administered by the director of the Honors Program and the Honors Committee. Under the guidance of recognized teacher-scholars, this program offers students the opportunity to cultivate the habits of critical thinking, independent analysis and creative expression through small classes and independent study. The program also offers a setting in which students who share a similar enthusiasm for learning are brought together in intellectual fellowship and provides public recognition for superior academic achievement. Information concerning the Honors Program can be obtained from the director of the Honors Program. The program consists of various modes of study, which are briefly described below.

Honors Scholars

Approximately 180 entering freshmen who graduated from high school with an unweighted grade point average of 3.5 or above or who attained a Scholastic Aptitude Test score totaling 1300 or above or American College Test assessment scores totaling 30 or above are invited to enter the Honors Program as honors scholars. Applicants must submit a high school transcript, an essay (or goal statement) and two letters of recommendation (at least one from a teacher) attesting to their ability to participate in a rigorous academic program. Honors scholars complete a total of 30 hours in honors, including

§         Nine hours of required honors courses in General Education

§         Nine hours of electives in courses designated “Honors” or honors options

§         Six hours in interdisciplinary honors seminars or colloquia

§         Six hours of independent study – the senior honors project

Honors scholars are expected to maintain at least a 3.25 grade point average. Designation as an honors scholar and graduation with distinction will appear on the student’s record after completing the program.

Subject-area Honors

Candidates for subject-area honors complete at least 24 credit hours, including a six-hour senior honors project and at least 18 credit hours in honors courses. Students may receive honors credit for work in honors sections of regular courses, independent honors option work with the permission and under the guidance of a cooperating teacher and/or honors seminars. Subject-area honors students are required to take two honors seminars. These offer a unique opportunity for interdisciplinary study. The program is flexible and affords an opportunity for students, regardless of major, to participate in honors work.

The Subject-area Honors Program is open to first- and second-year students with at least a 3.25 grade point average. Students must also submit an essay in which they give their reason for wanting to participate in the Honors Program. Students who complete the program will graduate as subject-area honors students and graduation with distinction will appear on the students’ records. Specific titles of the current courses offered in both honors programs are listed in the Registration and Student Record Services Handbook. A current list of honors seminars includes the following:

HON 200B. Evolution of the Brain and Intelligence

HON 200F. Paris at the Turn of the Century

HON 200G. Multicultural Awareness

HON 300C. Democracy and Its Discontents

HON 300E. Modern Art in Its Social Context

HON 300M. Living Female in America

HON 300R. Computer Applications in Business

HON 300T. Mythologies of Crime and Violence

Senior Honors Project

Departments and schools offer eligible students a special opportunity in the senior year to pursue an independent research topic or creative project in their major field. Successful completion of this project results in the awarding of the degree with distinction at commencement. Students are invited to apply through their department head or school director during their junior year. Admission to the Senior Honors Project Program is limited to juniors with at least a 3.25 average who give sufficient evidence of initiative, originality and intellectual maturity to warrant the expectation of distinction in the program. Acceptance for participation is determined by the director of the Honors Program and the Honors Committee.

Each year awards for the outstanding honors project are given by the Shenandoah Association of Phi Beta Kappa and the JMU Chapter of Phi Kappa Phi.

Honors Courses

The university offers honors sections in different departments and schools that set the criteria for admission to and the requirements for these honors sections. Information concerning these courses can be obtained from individual departments, schools or the Honors Program.

Honorary Societies

The following honorary and professional societies recognized by the Association of College Honor Societies maintain active chapters on the JMU campus:

Alpha Epsilon Delta (pre-medicine)

Golden Key National Honor Society

Kappa Delta Pi (education)

Omicron Delta Epsilon (economics)

Omicron Delta Kappa (scholarship and leadership)

Percy H. Warren Chapter of Mortar Board Honor Society

Phi Alpha Theta (history)

Phi Kappa Phi National Honor Society

Phi Sigma Tau (philosophy)

Pi Sigma Alpha (political science)

Psi Chi (psychology)

Sigma Pi Sigma (physics)

Sigma Tau Delta (English)

Other honorary and professional societies at JMU include

Alpha Epsilon Rho (broadcasting)

Alpha Kappa Psi (professional business society)

American Production and Inventory Control Society (resource management)

Beta Alpha Psi (accounting)

Beta Beta Beta (biology)

Beta Gamma Sigma (business)

Data Processing Management Association (information systems)

Delta Sigma Pi (professional business society)

Dobro Slovo (Russian studies)

Epsilon Chi Omicron (international business)

Eta Sigma Delta (hospitality and tourism management)

Eta Sigma Gamma (honorary)

Financial Management Association (finance)

Institute of Management Accountants (accounting)

Kappa Delta Pi (education)

Kappa Pi (art)

Mu Kappa Tau (marketing)

National Association of Social Workers Program Unit

Order of Omega (Greek leadership)

Phi Alpha National Social Work Honor Society

Phi Beta Lambda (business)

Phi Chi Theta (business and economics)

Phi Epsilon Kappa (honorary)

Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia (music)

Pi Mu Epsilon (mathematics)

Pi Sigma Epsilon (marketing)

Rotaract (business)

SIGGRAPH(digital media production)

Sigma Alpha Iota (music)

Sigma Phi Lambda (honorary)

Society for Collegiate Journalists

Society of Human Resources Management

Society of Professional Journalists

Tau Beta Sigma (band)

 

JMU Libraries

Carrier Library

Carrier Library Circulation

Phone: (540) 568-6150                            

Web site: http://www.lib.jmu.edu

Carrier Library Reference Desk Phone: (540) 568-6267

Music Library

Web site: http://www.lib.jmu.edu/music

Phone: (540) 568-6041

CISAT Library Services

Phone: (540) 568-2731

Web site: http://www.lib.jmu.edu/cisat/

JMU Libraries, consisting of Carrier Library, the Music Library and CISAT Library Services, support research, study and instruction in the use of information resources at JMU. The Libraries house more than 700,000 titles, including books, government documents, periodicals and audiovisual materials, and nearly a million microform pieces. As an authorized U.S. Government Document Depository, Carrier Library receives thousands of selected documents on a regular basis throughout the year. Along with subscriptions to more than 5,400 periodicals, full text articles from thousands of periodicals are provided online through networked computers as a result of membership in VIVA, the Virtual Library of Virginia. In addition, the Libraries provide delivery of additional journal titles through a document delivery service. Items not available within the Libraries or through online resources can be retrieved through borrowing arrangements with virtually any academic library in the country.

The library Web site, http://www.lib.jmu.edu, serves as a gateway to the services and collections of the JMU Libraries, as well as local and worldwide information resources. The Web site provides access to the online catalog (LEO ), more than 200 electronic databases, and subject guides which list and describe the most important print and electronic sources in each field of study. Services such as electronic reference and Interlibrary Loan are also made available via the library Web site. More than 100 personal computers are provided in the public areas of the Libraries. Most of the resources made available on the library Web site are accessible from any computer on campus, and many are accessible from remote locations.

One of the Libraries’ principal goals is to educate users, especially students, by providing them with lifelong learning skills that will enable them to find, use and evaluate information in all formats. Self-instruction modules, entitled “Go for the Gold,” are available on the library Web and supplement instruction sessions offered in library classrooms. Reference librarians are available, on a walkup basis or by appointment, to answer questions and assist students with research.

The liaison program links a librarian to each academic unit. Liaison librarians provide a wide variety of services, including library instruction for course-related activities, collection development and consultation with individual faculty members and students.

The Music Library serves the students and faculty members of the School of Music, as well as offering its specialized resources to the greater university community. CISAT Library Services serves the needs of students and faculty on the east campus primarily through electronic resources, reference service and document delivery.

Computer Literacy

JMU is committed to providing an educational environment that is consistent with current technology in an information society. The university provides all students with the opportunity to have some experience with computers.

The General Education program requires all students to pass a basic computer proficiency test in their first semester at JMU, while the Computer Science Program and the Department of Computer Information Systems/Operations Management offer introductory courses designed to build or enhance computer literacy. Other departments and schools also offer courses emphasizing computer applications for individual disciplines.

Computer Ownership

JMU strongly supports and encourages student use of computers. At some point in each student’s college career, he or she will need to purchase a computer in order to meet the curricular expectations of a particular program. If a program requires a student to purchase a computer, this requirement will be stipulated in the catalog as a part of the description of that department, school or program of study. Recommended computer configurations for use in specific departments and majors can be found online at www.jmu.edu/computing/computerpurchase/depreq.shtml.                                     

Media Resources

Phone: (540) 568-6610

Web site: http://www.lib.jmu.edu/media/

Media Resources provides teaching and learning support to faculty, staff and students through hardware and software available to users of classrooms and other learning facilities. Technical services staff coordinate the development and perform the installation and maintenance of technology systems in general classrooms and many special facilities. They also consult on instructional technology projects and purchases undertaken by other units. Portable equipment is provided for loan and use in locations without technology. The staff offer training support for users of all installed and portable equipment, as well as repair services for non-computer media technology owned by the campus.

The Media Center in Carrier Library acquires and houses commercial educational media in video, audio and computer software formats for instruction and study by faculty, staff and students. Faculty and staff can also use the center’s media rental service for items not in its collections, and its reference service to locate these software resources. The center also facilitates the scheduling and taping of satellite programming, and distributes selected campus-wide software such as Microsoft Office, SPSS and other applications in coordination with IT Computing Support.

International Programs

1077 South Main Street, MSC 5731

Phone: (540) 568-6419

Fax: (540) 568-3310

Web site: http://www.jmu.edu/international/

Semester Abroad Programs

Recognizing its responsibility to encourage international perspectives for JMU students, the university sponsors semesters abroad in Antwerp, Florence, London, Martinique and Salamanca (Spain). JMU students experience life in a different culture and gain direct access to the historical, artistic, and literary riches of the environment while pursuing an approved course of study toward the bachelor’s degree.

The programs are open to all students in good academic standing. Applicants should have at least a 2.8 grade point average. Special entrance requirements are as follows. For Antwerp, there is no language requirement but applicants must be COB majors. For Florence, at least one semester of Italian is strongly recommended but not required. Students must have completed FR 320, Advanced Grammar, before going to Martinique. Students applying for the Salamanca program, where courses are taught in Spanish, are expected to have completed SPAN 231-232 or the equivalent of intermediate Spanish. Students are required to take six hours of Italian or Spanish (respectively) during their semester abroad. The Antwerp Program is offered during the fall and spring semesters. The Florence, London and Salamanca Programs are offered during the fall, spring and summer semesters. The Semester in Martinique Program is offered only during the summer. Students should participate prior to the final semester of their JMU career.

Students should select a minimum of 15 credit hours (at least three courses in addition to the six-credit language instruction in Florence and in Salamanca) and may enroll in a maximum of 18 credit hours. Course offerings vary from semester to semester. The curriculum in each program addresses a broad spectrum of academic interests but is centered around a core appropriate to the special cultural resources of the city or country.

Courses are generally taught twice weekly - one day in the classroom and another day “on site.” Classes promote individual cognitive and affective learning through experiential methods, such as studying drama by reading and attending plays, art history by viewing and discussing original works of art in museums and galleries, and political science by observing parliament in action. These instructional activities are covered by the program’s fees if the students are registered for academic credit in the courses.

Courses meet the requirements of the corresponding departments and schools and may satisfy some general education requirements at JMU. A student may also arrange an independent study project under the supervision of a JMU instructor. Independent study projects also must be approved by the program director who can judge the topic’s appropriateness to the city and the student’s language level.

The programs’ costs differ but all programs include tuition, housing, a basic food allowance, all course- related travel (including extended weekend trips), instructional events, such as theater, concerts, historical tours, and guest lectures, and some social activities. All programs exclude the costs of students’ travel to and from the program site. Loans and scholarships apply, and semester abroad scholarships and assistantships are available. Students live in a central, convenient part of each city and have ready access to the faculty member in residence or the on-site coordinator if any health problems or emergencies arise. Current insurance coverage should be reviewed for its applicability outside the United States. JMU retains a readily available consulting physician or provides a medical care plan in each city. Students interested in studying with one of the semester abroad programs should apply for summer, fall or spring of the next academic year by November 15 for early admission or by February 1 for regular admission. Interested students can get information about study abroad programs from the Office of International Programs in 1077 South Main Street.

International Exchange Programs

The university is committed to increasing the opportunities for students’ global awareness. Numerous exchange programs with schools and universities abroad are available. Students interested in the culture of the Pacific Rim may study independently at Nanzan University in Nagoya, Japan, or Yonsei University in Seoul, Korea. Students interested in the culture of Spain may study independently at the University of Salamanca. Students interested in business areas may study at the European Business School near Frankfurt, Germany or in Universidad Argentina de la Empresa in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Language requirements and curricula vary.

Students should consult the Office of International Programs for further information. Applications for exchange programs with foreign universities are due February 1 for the following academic year.

International Short-term Study Abroad Courses

During the summer, many international courses and travel study classes are offered. Specific course offerings and departments and schools vary from year to year. A typical summer schedule might include classes in Austria, Belgium, England, France, Ghana, Honduras, Ireland, Italy, Malta and Scotland. Information regarding courses to be offered each summer can be obtained in the Office of International Programs.

International Internships

In an effort to add a different sort of international dimension to higher education in Virginia, JMU has established an International Internship Program for Virginia students. Students from all Virginia institutions and Virginia residents enrolled at schools elsewhere may participate.

The program is designed primarily for juniors and seniors, recent graduates, and graduate students. Freshmen and sophomores are encouraged to begin planning their credit requirements and arranging finances so that they will be able to take advantage of this opportunity to work abroad for a semester. The internship positions are, for the most part, unpaid, though some sponsors are offering some slight compensation to help offset living costs. Students are responsible for transportation, lodging, food, medical insurance, and other personal expenses.

Interested students should contact the international internship director, 1077 South Main Street, for application materials and descriptions of the internships. Complete information is also available at www.jmu.edu/international/internships.

Non-JMU Study Abroad Programs

Students may participate in other approved study abroad programs. The university will accept credits earned abroad at approved institutions in accordance with its policy of accepting transfer credits. Approval of proposed study programs should be obtained from the assistant director of international programs and the head of the department or director of the school in which the transfer credit will be awarded. A Permission to Take Courses for Transfer Credit Form should be submitted to the registrar’s office. Semester abroad guides, brochures and transfer credit forms are available in the Office of International Programs.

Programs for Improving Academic Skills

The university provides professional staff for students interested in improving academic skills that influence their ability to do satisfactory work in their course assignments. Any student who wants to take advantage of these services may do so. Students may also be referred to a laboratory on a voluntary basis by any faculty member, academic adviser or the Counseling and Student Development Center. There is no charge for these services. Attendance is always voluntary.

Communication Studies Resource Center

Wilson Hall, Rooms 416

Phone: (540) 568-1683

Web site: http://www.jmu.edu/csrc/

The Communication Studies Resource Center provides resources and assistance with oral communication projects in any major program of study and the university’s General Education curriculum, and strives to equip students to be more effective communicators during and after college. The Center assists students in the areas of oral presentation, small group problem solving, interpersonal communication and other communication areas. In addition, the Center’s staff works with and provides resources to those students who encounter difficulty in preparing and presenting speeches or in any of the communication contexts above.

Reading and Writing Resource Center

Wilson Hall, Rooms 411-418, MSC 1007

Phone: (540) 568-3651

Web site: http://www.jmu.edu/acadaffairs/rwsupp.shtml

To support the university’s efforts to help students succeed academically and professionally, the Reading and Writing Resource center offers individualized help to any students who want to improve their reading and writing skills. Instruction is coordinated with class work to meet each student’s specific needs. Freshmen may seek assistance in meeting the reading and writing requirements of any course.

Upperclassmen may use these labs to increase reading speed and comprehension, improve writing and grammar skills, prepare for teacher licensure exams and receive help in writing applications and letters. Specialized assistance is also available for students whose second language is English.

Science and Mathematics Learning Center

Wilson Hall, Room 102, MSC 1008

Phone: (540) 568-3379

Web site: http://www.math.jmu.edu/tutoring-center/

The College of Science and Mathematics has established a Learning Center for Science and Mathematics located in the first floor of Wilson Hall. The center, which is a part of the JMU Student Success Center, provides extra help with math and science for students in general education and beginning science courses. The center is staffed by a full-time director and carefully selected upper level science and math majors.

Supplemental Instruction

Wilson Hall, Room 414

Phone: (540) 568-2507

Web site: http://www.jmu.edu/supinstruct/index.htm

Supplemental Instruction (SI) is an academic assistance program that strives to improve university retention rates and student achievement. SI features students helping students successfully complete selected historically challenging courses. In regularly scheduled out-of-class sessions, students, aided by peer leaders, work together to master course content and develop their organizational, study and learning skills. SI is free, voluntary and open to the entire student population of each selected course. The program focuses on aiding all students in a class, regardless of their knowledge or ability level.

Internships

Internships are available with the federal government, other governmental agencies, non-profit organizations and private entities. Students interested in internships should contact Academic Advising and Career Development or the appropriate department or school office to obtain additional information. Credit must be arranged in advance with the appropriate department head or school director and the Office of the Registrar.