Geographic Science BA

Geographic Science - BA This worksheet is a planning tool and enrollment guide for use when you enroll in classes for your first semester. The purple area identifies the required major related courses and Cluster One GenEd courses to select from for your first semester. The green area contains courses that are required for your major but are optional for the first semester. If you do not enroll in the optional courses your first semester you will do so in a later semester. Use the GenEd section to identify additional classes to add to your schedule to create a full schedule.
Departmental Recommendations: Enroll in either GEOG 215, 216 OR 280. Enroll in MATH 105 if your ALEKS score is <46. If you placed into MATH 220, you may take it next semester at JMU. Alternatively, you can take ISAT 251 during your sophomore year. Enroll in one course from the Cluster One Critical Thinking OR Human Communications requirement section. This degree requires a foreign language. You may want to consider enrolling in a foreign language course your first semester. Select from the General Education courses to create a schedule of 14 - 16 credit hours.
Placement Exams: Your placement exam scores identify the appropriate course level based upon your current skills. ALEKS Math Assessment Score: You need to know your ALEKS math assessment score to determine your math placement for the 1st-semester or a future semester. After completion of the ALEKS 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 the 1st-semester, it will be identified in the purple 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. 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. ALEKS Score JMUFL Score Tutorial on locating your JMU assessment scores
Major Requirement(s) for the 1st Semester
	Course Subject Code / Course Number / Course Name	Fulfills
Major Requirement: Geography: Enroll in ONE of these Geography courses.	GEOG 215 - Intro to Geographic Science & Cartography GEOG 216 - Earth Observation & GPS GEOG 280 - Human Geography: The Cultural Landscape	Major requirement
MATH: If your ALEKS score is <46, enroll in MATH 105 to stay on track.	MATH 105 - Quantative Literacy and Reasoning	Cluster Three requirement
Cluster One Requirement: Select ONE course from EITHER the Human Communications section OR the Critical Thinking courses 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 critical thinking and a human communications course in the 1st- Semester. Click here for a list of GenEd course descriptions	Human Communications course options: SCOM 121 - Human Communication: Presentations SCOM 122 - Human Communication: Individual Presentations SCOM 123 - Human Communication: Group Presentations Critical Thinking course options: BUS 160 - Business Decision Making in a Modern Society HIST 150 - Critical Issues in Recent Global History ISAT 160 - Problem Solving Approaches in Science and Technology SMAD 150 - Mediated Communication: Issues and Skills PHIL 120 - Critical Thinking PHIL 150 - Ethical Reasoning	Cluster One requirement
1st-Semester Course Options 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.
	Course Subject Code / Course Number / Course Name	Fulfills
Foreign Language Requirement: How to find your JMUFL score Placement matrix for Spanish, Russian, French, and German	The BA degree has a foreign language requirement. To enroll in a new language you have never studied, enroll in the 101 level of the course. To continue studying in French, German, Russian, or Spanish, enroll based on your JMUFL score. To continue studying in all other languages, enroll in the 231 level of the language. You will confirm or adjust your course level in August when you meet with the coordinator for the language. To determine your placement course for French, German, Russian, or Spanish, see the Placement Matrix. The MyMadison system will not allow you to enroll in a course in which you did not place. - 3 credit hour	BA requirement

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 - 16 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:

Cluster One - 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.

Cluster Three - Quantitative Reasoning: 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 purple Required area of this worksheet. If a math course is not identified in the purple Required section above, your advisor will discuss your math placement score and math recommendation for your major when you meet in the summer.

Cluster Four - American Experience: 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 cluster or cluster area until you receive your results.

Cluster Five - Sociocultural Domain: If you are waiting on test or grade results for Psychology 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 different cluster or cluster area until you receive your results.

Modified GenEd Planner for 1st-Semester Use

Click here for a list of GenEd course descriptions

Cluster One - Skills for the 21st Century

Cluster Four – Social and Cultural Processes

Critical Thinking

See the required section of this worksheet.

Human Communication

See the required section of this worksheet.

You will enroll in either a critical thinking OR human communications course for your 1st-semester.

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. 4 credit hours.

HIST 225: U.S. History
JUST 225: Justice and American Society
POSC 225: U.S. Government

The Global Experience 3 credit hours

You may enroll in one of these classes, if available. Do NOT enroll in POSC 220 if you have credit for POSC 225 or are planning to take POSC 225.

AAAD 200: Introduction to African, African American and Diaspora Studies
ANTH 195: Cultural Anthropology
GEOG 200: Geography: The Global Dimension
POSC 200: Global Politics
SOCI 110: Social Issues in a Global Context

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