Many courses offered within JMU’s Study Abroad programs fulfill General Education requirements! In the following sections, we've highlighted several programs that are routinely offered and incorporate courses that fulfill General Education requirements.

Please note that course offerings can vary between fall/spring semester and summer (this is usually the case for semester-long programs) and can also differ from summer to summer.

Students considering studying abroad can find a complete list of JMU programs, scholarship opportunities, answers to frequently asked questions, and more at the Center for Global Engagement's website!

Note: This page is still being updated for Academic Year 2024-25. 

Program Director: Bill Grant (grantwc@jmu.edu)

Four General Education courses (13 credits) are offered during this eight week-long program in Scotland! Students will be able to complete one course each from the following General Education areas:

• Arts and Humanities 
• The Natural World 
• American and Global Experiences
• Sociocultural and Wellness Area 

Visit the Semester in Scotland page

Program Director: Tomás Regalado López (regalatx@jmu.edu)

Location: Salamanca, Spain

Spring 2025 in Salamanca is a special term designed for first-year students and
sophomores looking to complete general education requirements. Students select 4 of the 6 Gen Ed courses offered, plus an elementary or intermediate Spanish course, and a 1-credit UNST 390 reflection course, for a total of 16 credits. Gen Ed courses are taught in English.

General Education courses offered:

• POSC 200: Global Politics (American and Global Perspectives)(3 credits)
• HUM 252: Global Cultures (Arts and Humanities)(3 credits) 
• ART 200: Art in General Culture (Arts and Humanities)(3 credits)*
• GEOL 102: Environment: Earth (The Natural World)(3 credits) 
• HTH 100: Personal Wellness (Sociocultural and Welness Area)(3 credits) 
• SOCI 140: Microsociology: the Individual in Society (Sociocultural and Welness Area)(3 credits) 

* These courses are not listed on the General Education Planner; they are only available to students for General Education credit when studying abroad through this program.

Visit the Semester in Salamanca page 

Program Directors: Charles H. Blake (blakech@jmu.edu) & Kristen McCleary (mccleakl@jmu.edu)

Location: Buenos Aires & Puerto Iguazu, Argentina

General Education course offered:

• HUM 200: Great Works: Argentine Literature (3 credits)

Visit the JMU in Argentina page

Program Director: Charles Dotas (dotascj@jmu.edu)

Location: Montréal & Quebec City, Canada

General Education courses offered:

• HUM 251: Modern Perspectives: The Culture of Montreal (3 credits)
• MUS 200M: Music in General Culture (3 credits)
• MUS 206: Introduction to Global Music (3 credits)
• ENG 222: Genres (3 credits)

Visit the Arts and Culture of Montreal page

Program Director: Dorothée Polanz (polanzdx@jmu.edu) 

Location: Nice, France

General Education course offered:

• HUM 251: Birth of the Modern in France (1880-1936): Innovation, Resistance, and Paradox (3 credits)

Visit the Art and Food on the French Rivera program page

Program Director: David Owusu-Ansah (owusuadx@jmu.edu) & Ogundipe Adebayo (ogundiaa@jmu.edu)

Location: Accra, Kumasi, Winneba, Cape Coast, Elmina, Ghana

General Education course offered:

• ART 200: Art in General Culture (3 credits)
• HUM 252: Cross Cultural Perspectives: JMU Summer in Ghana (3 credits)

Visit the JMU Summer in Ghana program page

Program Director: Beth Hinderliter (hindersb@jmu.edu) 

Location: Athens, Greece; Rome & Venice, Italy; Nice, France

General Education course offered:

• HUM 250: Foundations of Western Civilization (3 credits)

Visit the Mediterranean Marvels program page

Program Director: Jessica Stewart (stewa2jl@jmu.edu) 

Location: Florence & Rome, Italy

General Education courses offered:

• ARTH 205: Survey of World Art: Prehistoric to Renaissance (3 credits)
• HUM 250: Foundations of Western Culture: Ancient & Renaissance Italy (3 credits)

Program Director: Maria Harvey (harveymx@jmu.edu) & Cyril V. Uy II (uycv@jmu.edu)

Location: Palermo, Agrigento, Monreale, Cefalù, and & Armerina, Italy

General Education courses offered:

• ARTH 205: Survey of World Art I (3 credits)
• HUM 250: Foundations of Western Culture: Encounters in Medieval Sicily (3 credits)

Program Director: Virginia Soenksen (soenksvm@jmu.edu) & Amy Strunk (strunkal@jmu.edu)

Location: Hiroshima, Kyoto & Tokyo, Japan

General Education courses offered:

• BUS 160: Japanese Business Practices (3 credits)
• HUM 252: Japanese Humanities (3 credits)

Visit the Arts and Culture of Japan page

Program Director: Aram Shahin (shahinax@jmu.edu) & Yuho Nemoto (nemotoyx@jmu.edu)

Location: Kyoto, Osaka, Nara, Himeji, Yokohama & Tokyo, Japan

General Education course offered:

• HUM 200: Great Works: Introduction to Japanese Literature (3 credits)

Program Director: Samuel Hernandez (hernansx@jmu.edu) & Ayami Makino (makinoax@jmu.edu)

Location: Nagano & Ueda, Japan

General Education courses offered:

• HUM 252: Japanese Culture Past and Present (3 credits)

Visit the Culture of the Japanese Alps program page

Program Director: Yamillete Chacon (chaconyd@jmu.edu) 

Location: Seville, Córdoba, Granada, Spain

General Education course offered:

• SOCI 110: Social Issues in a Clobal Context (3 credits)

Visit the Sociology in Spain program page

Program Director: David Hardy (hardydl@jmu.edu) & Molly O'Donnell (odonnemc@jmu.edu)

Location: Amsterdam, The Netherlands

General Education course offered:

• HUM 251: Modern Perspectives: Dutch and Flemish Modernity in the Humanities: 17th Century-present (3 credits)

Visit the Netherlands Interdisciplinary Studies program page