Health Sciences is a launching point to a wide variety of professionally rewarding careers that make a real difference to your community. The Health Sciences major is designed for students interested in understanding the causes of disease, strategies for promoting wellness and behavior change, and the scientific basis and methodologies for analysis of health concerns for both individuals and populations. The major combines a broad foundation of health-related course work that allows the graduate to work in many health-related entry-level positions. Further, with a tailored choice of preparatory courses and the addition of a Pre-Professional Health Minor the graduate is suitable for entry into professional programs in dentistry, medicine, occupational therapy, optometry, pharmacy, physical therapy, physician assistant, public health and veterinary medicine.

General Psychology is the major to consider if studying the area of science that explores how people and animals think, feel and act is of interest. General Psychology majors complete coursework that explores behavior, emotions, cognitive processes, and the factors that influence them from a variety of perspectives. Psychologists study behavior at both a cellular (e.g. examining the role of the brain and the nervous system) and at a more global level (e.g. examining the influences of culture). As general psychology majors, students will enhance their problem-solving, critical thinking, writing, and oral expression skills as they learn to use the tools available to behavioral scientists. Students choose to major in general psychology for many reasons. General Psychology can be students' primary area of interest within a liberal arts education that will lead to many professional opportunities that require a bachelor's degree, or it can be a pre-professional program leading to advanced study in graduate school. Popular types of graduate programs pursued by graduates of our program have been counseling, school psychology, education, clinical psychology, psychological science, social work, forensic psychology/criminal justice, industrial/organizational psychology, behavior analysis, law school and college administration.

We engage students, faculty and communities through dynamic and innovative nursing education, practice and scholarship to influence health in our world. Our pre-licensure BSN program graduates 226 students per year incorporating patient care simulation, be it with high-fidelity mannequins or standardized patients (trained live actors), into clinical courses. Our senior-level transition to practice course includes a review of critical skills and preparation for the NCLEX (RN certification and licensure exam). Seniors enjoy an expanded 7-week "capstone" practicum their final semester, working full-time with a preceptor in a hospital or other clinical agency.

Public Administration majors at JMU graduate with powerful skills for understanding their community, country, and the world. Students majoring in public administration take courses in U.S. politics and policy, public and nonprofit management, economics, and research methodology. Interested students may apply in their sophomore year to participate in the Fifth-Year Master of Public Administration degree program, which allows qualified students to earn an MPA degree with one additional year of study. Our vast network of alumni helps students transition to careers in government, consulting, policy advocacy, communications, and the non-profit sector. We seek to enhance the quality of public policy and civic life at home and abroad by teaching students, conducting research, and collaborating with people inside and outside of the JMU community.

The program will prepare students for graduate studies in speech-language pathology and audiology. There is a nationwide shortage of speech-language pathologists and audiologists so they are in strong demand for jobs. The undergraduate major can be pursued as a Bachelor of Science (B.S.).

JMU School of Media Arts and Design graduates tell the best stories. We prepare students to serve as creative, reflective and highly skilled media producers and storytellers, sensitive to the personal and social impact of the messages they create and to the important role media can play in advancing the public interest. Graduates of the School of Media Arts and Design work in media or in media-related careers. Program concentrations allow students to pursue interests in journalism, digital video and cinema, creative advertising or interactive design. The major also prepares students for graduate study in mass communication, journalism, advertising, visual communication or digital production. SMAD’s 39-credit-hour requirement allows students to pursue minors and second majors, to strengthen their knowledge about the types of stories they want to tell.

JMU’s Writing, Rhetoric, and Technical Communication major occupies rarefied air. The School of Writing, Rhetoric and Technical Communication is a community of exceptional faculty, dedicated staff, talented students, and energetic alumni in one of the only stand-alone programs in the U.S. dedicated to writing across a variety of modes and genres. WRTC offers an expansive curriculum and a wide variety of opportunities for hands-on learning. Students learn the kinds of research, analytical and technical skills that allow them to become successful professional communicators as well as competitive candidates for a wide variety of graduate programs. Our faculty is comprised of practitioners and scholars from fields including rhetoric and writing, scientific and technical communication, creative nonfiction, professional communication, digital media, feminist studies, the rhetoric of health and medicine, and science studies.

Intelligence Analysis at JMU provides a multi-disciplinary education for students who seek careers as analysts with a specialization in intelligence analysis. Our degree integrates knowledge from a variety of disciplines such as philosophy, history, economics, political science, technology and business. Students learn how to be analysts with courses emphasizing research, reading, thinking, writing, and speaking – and the use of technologies to facilitate that. Topics addressed in our courses cover subjects related to security (such as terrorism or cyber-crime) from any of the eight intelligence domains: national security, military, homeland security, law enforcement, business, private sector security, geospatial, and cyber.

Earth Science is an all-embracing term for the multiple sciences related to the planet Earth. The B.A. degree in Geology with a major in Earth Science is designed to integrate all the Earth sciences in a systems approach to understanding the Earth. This includes incorporating and integrating subjects such as oceanography, meteorology and astronomy. The emphasis is on the preparation of individuals to work in a wide range of professional public sector service careers where preparation in Earth science and communication of science to non-scientific audiences is a requirement or an asset. This includes the preparation of Earth science teachers.

Become a 21st-century artist and scholar through our comprehensive Music major. At JMU, you enjoy a conservatory-level education with a Bachelor of Music degree while taking advantage of the opportunities of a large liberal arts-based university program. As a Music major, you can choose from one of six specialized concentrations: performance, composition, music industry, music education, jazz studies or music theatre. School of Music graduates are equipped with all the tools they need to transform the power of their knowledge into action. That action - teaching, performing, leading, researching, creating - makes a direct impact on the world every day.

Biotechnology is the use of biological components and/or processes to tackle human problems. Most often, biotechnological solutions come in the form of products or tools. The Biotechnology Degree Program at JMU leverages the strengths of three founding departments—Biology, Chemistry, and Biochemistry—and Integrated Science and Technology. It also incorporates two colleges—Science and Mathematics and Integrated Science and Engineering—to provide a unique program with both scientific and technical depth and cross-disciplinary breadth. Students undertake a rigorous curriculum, rich with three critically important areas: hands-on laboratory experiences; critical analyses of both the how and the why of biotechnological solutions; and the development of transferable skills to keep up in a rapidly changing field.

The social work program equips graduates with the knowledge, values, and skills needed for the development of professional ethics and practice competence. The program prepares graduates to work effectively in a broad spectrum of social service settings that address poverty, multiple forms of oppression, social injustice, and other human rights violations. The department seeks to be a brave space for students with multiple and diverse identities, striving for inclusive excellence in teaching, scholarship, and service. The program also prepares students for graduate study in social work and other related professions including law, counseling, and public policy. In addition to lecture and class discussion, the social work program utilizes a variety of teaching strategies, including case-based and experiential approaches to enhance learning. Students are exposed to issues and organizations at local, state, and national levels through policy forums, conferences, interviews, and service learning. All majors use the interviewing labs for case simulations and interviewing to develop their practice skills. The department offers minors in family studies (with a focus in gerontology or family ecology) and Nonprofit Studies.

The Art degrees offered by the School of Art, Design, and Art History prepare students to pursue the professional production and exhibition of their own art or more in-depth study at the graduate school level. The art major allows students to develop a visual vocabulary, foster a deeper understanding of the formal visual relationships present in the art and design process, enhance their aesthetic awareness of art forms, and to promote the competency to independently seek further professional growth. The Art major requires 120 credit hours of undergraduate course work, including 78 credit hours in art, art history, and art-related courses. The art faculty is made up of practicing artists who work closely with the students, and students also work closely with each other as they develop their studio practice. Visiting artists and scholars, workshops, field trips and frequent on-campus exhibitions of professional artwork enhance student engagement with contemporary art. Additionally, students have opportunities to exhibit and present their artwork, assist in running on-campus galleries and studio art labs, and to partake in other hands-on art experiences.

As a JMU computer science major, you’ll understand and analyze problems across a wide range of applications. You'll develop solutions that can be computationally implemented, strive for the best solutions, and use resources effectively. You'll be part of a collaborative and inclusive community in which you are set up for success in your studies, your career, and your life. The major puts students in the middle of the exploding information revolution where they study technological advances such as object-oriented software, communication networks, multimedia systems, information security and artificial intelligence. Students will learn about computing technologies used by today’s professionals and how to use these technologies to solve real-world problems. Students will learn to analyze problems, design solutions, implement solutions using multiple computing technologies, test and install those solutions, and communicate those solutions to others in written and verbal presentations.

Our international business major is designed to equip you with both strong business skills and the ability to work comfortably in more than one corner of the global marketplace. The requirements of the major are designed to allow you to choose an optional concentration in finance or marketing. Some international business majors also declare a second major, such as a foreign language or another business area. To ensure success, competency in a second language and thorough exposure to a chosen second culture through study abroad or a one-semester international internship are graduation requirements. As a business, governmental and nonprofit entities operate in an increasingly global environment, their success demands trained professionals who understand events and cultures outside their own.