Dr. Sharon Lovell, Primary Contact Person

 Phone: (540) 568-6572

 E-mail: lovellse@jmu.edu

The major in Interdisciplinary Liberal Studies (IDLS) provides students in the pre-professional education programs (PreK - 8 regular and special education) extended breadth and integration across the content areas of English/Language Arts, History/Social Sciences, Mathematics and the Natural Sciences. The major is strongly recommended for all students completing initial teacher education licensure or pre-professional programs in Early Childhood Education, Elementary Education, Middle Education and Special Education. Students with this major who are seeking teacher licensure must complete the pre-professional education minor program as well.

Students who do not desire teaching licensure may also elect the Interdisciplinary Liberal Studies major. For those students, this major is considered a second major, requiring that a student complete a double major.

The major consists of the 53 semester hour IDLS Core (a number of the IDLS core courses may be completed as part of the General Education program) and at least 21 semester hours of upper level courses. These courses extend the depth and integration of study of two of the four content areas. The major satisfies the B.S. degree requirements.

Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Liberal Studies

Degree Requirements

General Education courses 1	41
Mathematics course (in addition to General Education courses) 2	3
Social science or natural science course 3	3-4
(in addition to General Education courses)
Major concentration courses and electives 4	72-73
	120

 

1 The General Education program contains a set of requirements each student must fulfill. The number of credit hours necessary to fulfill these requirements may vary.

2 Students are strongly encouraged to complete one of the following sequences: GISAT 141B –ISAT 142, MATH 107-108, MATH 135-235, MATH 155-220, MATH 156-220, MATH 205-206 or MATH 235-236.

3 Social science to be chosen from courses in economics, geography, political science, sociology or anthropology.

4 Would include education courses leading to licensure in teacher education.

 

Core Requirements

English/Language Arts	Credit Hours
Written Communication	3
GWRIT 103. Critical Reading and Writing 1
Oral Communication	3
Choose one of the following:
GCOM 121. Fundamental Human Communication: Principles and Practices
GCOM 122. Fundamental Human Communication: Individual Presentations
GCOM 123. Fundamental Human Communication: Group Presentations
Literature (Choose one of the following areas)	3
British
GENG 235. Survey of English Literature: Restoration through the Romantic Era or
GENG 236. Victorian Era through the 20th Century
American
GENG 247. Survey of American Literature: From the Beginning to the Civil War or
GENG 248. Survey of American Literature: From the Civil War to the Modern Period
World
GENG 239. Studies in World Literature
Ethnic/Minority
GENG 260. Survey of African-American Literature
History/Social Sciences
World History	6
GHIST 101. World Culture to 1650
GHIST 102. World Culture Since 1650
US History	4
GHIST 225. United States History
Civics	4
GPOSC 225. American Political System
Economics (Choose one of the following)	3
GECON 200. Introduction to Macroeconomics
ECON 201. Principles of Economics (Micro)
Geography (Choose one of the following)	3
GEOG 280. Introduction to Cultural Geography
GANTH 195. Cultural Anthropology
Social, Cultural, Individual Processes	6
GPSYC 160. Life Span Human Development
GKIN 100. Lifetime Fitness and Wellness -or-
GHTH 100. Personal Wellness
Mathematics
MATH 107-108. Fundamentals of Mathematics I-II	6
Math 207. Mathematical Problem Solving	3
Natural Sciences
Choose one of the following course sequences:
Physical	3
GSCI 101. Physics, Chemistry and the Human Experience
Earth (Choose one of the following)	3
GSCI 102. Environment: Earth or
GISAT 112. Environmental Issues in Science and Technology
Life (Choose one of the following)	3
GSCI 103. Discovering Life or
GISAT 113 Issues in Science and Technology: Living Systems
OR
GSCI 161. Science Process	1
GSCI 162. The Science of the Planets	2
GSCI 163. The Matter of Matter	1
GSCI 164. How Things Work	2
GSCI 165. The Way Life Works	1
GSCI 166. Environment in Context	2

 

1 Students may substitute GWRIT 102 or equivalent with permission of the adviser.

Upper Level Course Work

The upper level course work, consisting of a minimum of 21 semester hours, is designed to extend the depth and integration of study in either the Humanities and Social Sciences (i.e., English/Language Arts, History, and Social Sciences) or the Sciences (i.e., Mathematics, the Natural Sciences, and Integrated Science and Technology).

Upon declaration of the major, each student will be assigned two advisers - one representing the concentration of choice (i.e., Humanities and Social Sciences or Sciences) and one representing the pre-professional education program or second major. The student and advisers will define the specific upper level courses based on the listing of courses/tracks approved by the participating academic content units.