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.

Physics -  BA

Departmental Recommendations:

  1. Enroll in 14-16 credit hours your first semester.
  2. All Physics majors should enroll in PHYS 105 (any section).
  3. Your ALEKS math assessment score determines which, if any, PHYS course you enroll in for the fall semester. Enroll in the mathematics course, and PHYS course if indicated, based upon your ALEKS score.

ALEKS Score => 81

Enroll in both courses:

  • MATH 235
  • PHYS 240 (Section 0005) AND PHYS 240 L Any Section

These courses are corequisites and must be enrolled in together.

ALEKS Score below 81

Enroll in the Math course based upon your ALEKS score. If your ALEKS score is < 56 you will take PHYS in a future semester.

ALEKS Score: Course:
66-80 MATH 231
56-65 MATH 231 + 199**
< 56 MATH 155

Already have credit for MATH 235?

  • MATH: If you have AP, IB, CIE, or dual enrollment credit, use the table below to determine your math course.
MATH Credit: Enroll In:
MATH 235 MATH 236
MATH 236 MATH 237
  •  PHYS 240 (Section 0003) AND any PHYS 240L section

  1. Enrollment in CHEM for the first semester is dependent on your ALEKS score. Enroll in CHEM 131 and CHEM 131L IF your ALEKS score is 75 or higher. If you do not meet these score requirements, enroll in additonal GenEd courses to create a schedule of 14-16 credit hours.
  2. Enroll in a Madison Foundations Human Communications OR Critical Thinking course.
  3. The BA degree has a foreign language requirement. Consider enrolling in a foreign language for your first semester.
  4. Enroll in General Education courses to create a 14-16 credit hour schedule.
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 Requirements:

Physics: All students need to enroll in PHYS 105 (any section):

  • PHYS 105: Foundations of Physics - Fulfills Major & GenEd requirement

Chemistry: (ALEKS Score dependent)
IF your ALEKS score is 75 or higher, enroll in both CHEM 131 and CHEM 131L:

  • CHEM 131: General Chemistry I (3 credit hours) Fulfills Major & GenEd requirement
  • CHEM 131L: General Chemistry Lab (1 credit hour) Fulfills Major & GenEd requirement

Math: Enroll in the following courses based on your ALEKS Score:

ALEKS Score is =>81:
If your ALEKS score is 81 or higher, enroll in MATH 235, PHYS 240 and PHYS 240L. Fulfulls Major & GenEd Requirement

  • MATH 235: Calculus I (4 credit hours) (Waitlist Available)
  • PHYS 240: University Physics  - Section 005 (3 credit hours)
  • PHYS 240L: General Physics Lab - Any Section (1 credit hour)

ALEKS Score is between 56 - 80:
Enroll in MATH 231 and Chemistry 131 and 131L. Fulfulls Major & GenEd Requirement

  • MATH 231: Calculus with Functions (3 credit hours) (Waitlist Available)
  • MATH 231 + MATH 199: Calculus with Functions** (4 credit hours) (Waitlist Available)

ALEKS Score <56:
Take MATH 155. Fulfulls Major Requirement

  • MATH 155: College Algebra* (3 credit hours) (Waitlist Available)

Have credit for MATH 235?
If you have AP, IB, CIE, or dual enrollment credit, use the table to the right to determine your math course.

  • MATH 236: Calculus II (4 credit hours)
  • MATH 237: Calculus III (4 credit hours)

 

Math Credit Enroll in:
MATH 235 MATH 236
MATH 236 MATH 237

*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.

Foreign Language Requirement:
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. 

  • Foreign Language (3 credit hours)
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 is fulfilled by a major requirement.

Natural Systems (3 credit hours, unless indicated)
This area is fulfilled by a major requirement.

Lab Experience (1 credit hour, unless indicated)
This area is fulfilled by a major requirement.

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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