Dr. Sue E. Spivey, Coordinator
Phone: (540) 568-6964
E-mail: spiveyse@jmu.edu
Mission
The interdisciplinary social
science major offers a program of integrated study that exposes students to
diverse methodologies, philosophies and controversies that define the social
sciences.
Goals
§ Provide students with historical and
theoretical perspectives from the social science disciplines such as
Anthropology, Economics, Geography, History, Political Science, Psychology, and
Sociology.
§ Enable students to identify and analyze
different disciplinary approaches and conceptualize the linkages among the
social science disciplines.
§ Sharpen students’ ability to think
critically, to practice sound methodological skills, and to communicate
effectively.
§ Teach students how individual, community
and national identities shape and are shaped by access to freedom, power, and
justice.
The major in interdisciplinary
social science is designed for students who desire a broad yet integrated
education in the social sciences as preparation for careers in government,
business, law, teaching or pre-professional training in one of the social
sciences. The interdisciplinary social science major incorporates the following
disciplines: Anthropology, Economics, Geography, History, Political Science,
Psychology, and Sociology. Through this major students may complete either the
B.S. or the B. A. degree.
The program includes a core of
three courses and a series of linked cognate course packages requiring either a
total of 33 or 36 hours in the major, dependent upon cognate choices. All ISS
majors complete the core sequence. From here the major has two tracks. Track I
is designed for all ISS majors; Track II is for majors who are also middle or
secondary education students and wish to qualify for teaching licensure. Track
I requires two cognates: one disciplinary and one discipline or thematic.
Students are expected to create their own theme concentrations with advice and
consent of the adviser. Track II, middle and secondary education minors only,
has two specified cognates.
Major and Degree Requirements
Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Social Science
Degree Requirements
|
General Education 1
|
41
|
|
Foreign Language classes
(Intermediate level required) 2
|
0-14
|
|
Philosophy course (In addition to
General Education courses)
|
3
|
|
University electives
|
26-43
|
|
Major requirements (listed below)
|
33-36
|
|
|
120
|
Bachelor of Science in
Interdisciplinary Social Science
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)
|
|
|
University electives
|
36-40
|
|
Major concentration courses (listed
below)
|
33-36
|
|
|
120
|
Major Requirements
Track I
Three major sets of requirements:
§
Core (required of all students)
§
Cognate #1 (students select among the social science
discipline concentration options)
§
Cognate #2 (students select a theme or discipline with
prior approval of the adviser).
ISS 300. Internship/Experiential/Service Applications is an
option for students in Track I in either Cognate #1 or Cognate #2. Courses
taken for General Education credit may not be double counted as part of the
major, excluding Math 220.
|
Core: (3 courses)
|
|
|
ISS 200. Introduction to the Social
Sciences
|
3
|
|
MATH 220. Elementary Statistics
|
3
|
|
ISS 400. Senior Seminar in Social
Science
|
3
|
|
Cognate #1: Discipline
concentration, 5 courses
|
|
|
Anthropology Cognate
|
|
|
GANTH
195. Cultural Anthropology
|
3
|
|
ANTH
196. Biological Anthropology or
|
3
|
|
ANTH 197. Archeology (Students who have completed
|
|
|
GANTH 195 for Gen Ed credit must take ANTH 196 and ANTH
197.
|
|
|
Any
200 or 300 level Anthropology course
|
6
|
|
Any
400 level Anthropology course
|
3
|
|
Economics Cognate
|
|
|
GECON
200. Introduction to Macroeconomics
|
3
|
|
ECON
201. Introduction to Microeconomics
|
3
|
|
ECON
385. Econometrics
|
3
|
|
Any
300 or 400 level Economics
|
3
|
|
Any
300 or 400 level Economics
|
3
|
|
Any
300 or 400 level Economics
|
3
|
|
Geography Cognate
|
|
|
Recommended courses
are in Bold.
|
|
|
GEOG 200. Geography: The Global Dimension, or
|
3
|
|
GEOG 280. Cultural Geography
|
|
|
GEOG 240. Natural Resource Conservation, or
|
3
|
|
GEOG 280. Cultural Geography, or
|
|
|
GEOG 210. Physical Geography
|
|
|
GEOG 230. Quantitative Methods, or
|
3
|
|
GEOG 265. Thematic Cartography, or
|
|
|
GEOG 285. Aerial Photograph Interpretation, or
|
|
|
GEOG 366. Geographic Information Systems
|
|
|
GEOG 344. Economic Development, or
|
|
|
GEOG 336. Geography North America, or
|
|
|
GEOG 337. Geography of Latin America, or
|
|
|
GEOG 349. Geography of East Asia
|
|
|
GEOG 415. Climatology, or
|
|
|
GEOG 440. Wilderness Management
|
|
|
GEOG 450. Topics in Geography, or
|
|
|
GEOG 490. Special Studies in Geography
|
|
|
History Cognate
|
|
|
GHIST 101. World Culture to 1650 or
|
3
|
|
GHIST 102. World Culture Since 1650
|
|
|
(Students must take whichever course was not taken as part of
GenEd.)
|
|
|
GHIST 225. (If student completed GHIST
225 for GenEd
|
4
|
|
credit, student must
take any other 200 level history course)
|
|
|
HIST 395. History Seminar
|
3
|
|
Approved upper-level History course
|
3
|
|
Approved upper-level History course
|
3
|
|
Political Science Cognate
|
|
|
GPOSC
225. U.S. Government
|
4
|
|
POSC
295. Research Methods
|
4
|
|
POSC
201. Introduction to Western Political Theory or
|
3
|
|
POSC 230.
International Relations or
|
|
|
POSC 240. Comparative
Politics
|
|
|
Any
300 or 400 level Political Science course
|
3
|
|
Any
300 or 400 level Political Science course
|
3
|
|
Psychology Cognate
|
|
|
GPSYC
101. General Psychology
|
3
|
|
(If GPSYC 101 was taken for General Education,
student can select a psychology course elective)
|
|
|
PSYC
210. Psychological Measurement and Statistics
|
4
|
|
PSYC
211. Experimental Psychology
|
4
|
|
Any
Social Science Psychology (Area A) course
|
3
|
|
(See Psychology major for a listing of Social Science
Psychology (Area A) classes.)
|
|
|
Any
300 level Psychology course
|
3
|
|
Sociology Cognate
|
|
|
SOCI
200. Development of Sociological Thought and Methods
|
4
|
|
Any
100 or 200 level Sociology course
|
3
|
|
SOCI
380. Critical Analysis or
|
3
|
|
SOCI
382. Interpretive Analysis or
|
|
|
SOCI 384. Naturalistic Analysis
|
|
|
Any
300 or 400 level Sociology course
|
3
|
|
Any
300 or 400 level Sociology course
|
3
|
|
Cognate #2: Discipline or
Theme concentration:, ( 3 courses)
|
|
|
After consulting
with their adviser, students can create their own theme concentration. Prior
approval of adviser must be granted for the theme.
|
|
|
Theme
concentration course work
|
3
|
|
Theme
concentration course work at the 300 or 400 level
|
3
|
|
Theme
concentration course work at the 400 level
|
3
|
|
|
33-36
|
Thematic Guidelines for Cognate #2
Some possible options include social science courses from the
following:
§ African/African American Studies
§ Human Services
§ American Studies
§ Latin American Studies
§ Asian Studies
§ Russian Studies
§ Criminal Justice
§ Urban and Regional Studies
§ Environmental Studies
§ Women’s
Studies
ISS Track II
Middle and Secondary
Education Minors Only
Social Studies Licensure
Requirements
To be licensed to teach
secondary school social studies, the student must satisfactorily complete
requirements for a baccalaureate degree in an arts and sciences discipline and
a minimum of the courses listed below in social studies or their equivalent.
Middle Education minors only: Middle Education minors who wish to enroll in
this major must get permission from the Middle Education program coordinator
prior to declaring this major.
Additional content course work
will likely be required. Courses taken for General Education credit may not be
double counted as part of the major, excluding Math 220.
Three major sets of requirements:
§ Core (required of all students)
§ Cognate #1
§ Cognate #2
Core: (3 courses)
|
ISS 200. Introduction to the Social
Sciences
|
3
|
|
MATH 220. Elementary Statistics
|
3
|
|
ISS 400. Senior Seminar in Social
Science
|
3
|
Cognate #1: Discipline concentration, 5 courses
|
GHIST
101. World Culture to 1650 or
|
|
|
GHIST 102. World Culture Since 1650
(Students must take whichever course was not taken as part of GenEd)
|
|
|
GHIST 225. U.S. History (if student completed GHIST
225 for GenEd credit, student must take another 200 level History)
|
3-4
|
|
HIST 395. History
Seminar
|
3
|
|
Any 300 or 400
level History course1
|
3
|
|
Any 400 level
History course1
|
3
|
Cognate #2: Endorsement
Requirements ( 5 courses)
|
GPOSC
225. U. S. Government
|
3
|
|
GECON 200. Macroeconomics or
ECON 201. Microeconomics
|
3
|
|
GEOG 280.
Introduction to Cultural Geography or
|
|
|
GEOG 200. The
Global Dimension
|
3
|
|
Two courses from the following, from two different disciplines. Consult
your adviser for a list of approved courses.
|
|
|
GEOG 300 or 400 level
|
|
|
POSC 300 or 400 level
|
|
|
ECON 200, 300 or 400 level
|
6
|
|
|
39-40
|
