Career Details

The sociology program develops the student's ability to analyze the social world by using diverse sociological theories and research methods. It stresses the importance of social, cultural, and historical contexts for understanding relationships between and among individuals and the social structures that make up societies. Students will gain the ability to think broadly and critically about the diversity of social organization and practice locally and globally. Students will also develop the ability to take a disciplined and scholarly approach to understanding the world in which we live.

The major in sociology strongly develops skills in critical thinking, research, analysis, writing and communication. Sociology students frequently go on to post-graduate education and/or careers in both public and private employment sectors.

The anthropology program at JMU is designed to introduce students to the breadth of the discipline illustrating the topics and issues of the modern world that are addressed by its four sub-fields: cultural anthropology, biological anthropology, archeology and linguistics. Building from a general program, students can choose to concentrate in the theory and practice of any of the subfields except linguistics.

The program is strongly practice-oriented and encourages students to participate in internships, field schools, independent studies, and special topics that allow them to broaden their anthropological awareness. All of the faculty are actively involved in significant research within their chosen areas of study. This scholarship is not only reflected in courses that are current and informed by practical experience, but also in a wide range of opportunities for students to be mentored by faculty in collaborative research projects.

As part of the nationally recognized JMU College of Business, the economics major fosters an understanding and appreciation of economic forms of explanation and their relationships to other social sciences. The major will provide students with an intellectual foundation for the appreciation and understanding of economic theory and policy that stresses the importance of imaginative thinking, free inquiry and the pursuit of life-long learning. In this way, the program prepares students with the economic literacy necessary to cope with the challenges inherent in a world of accelerating change.

Economics majors are generally educated students, who go on to develop their analytical, investigative and research skills. With this major, students will use their understanding of economics relationships and markets to work for manufacturing firms, financial services firms, consulting firms, the health care industries, government agencies and nonprofit organizations. Economists with strong statistical backgrounds conduct research, analyze data and develop forecasts. Students with a good background in this field are competitive in the job market.

The History program blends core requirements with great choice permitting students to pursue particular interests while developing a broad understanding of the historic past. Students will have the opportunity to design, in consultation with faculty advisers, approximately two-thirds of their program to suit their needs and interests. The major offers students an opportunity for independent research and to present their findings at regional or national conferences. History prepares students for a broad range of challenging careers.

History courses introduce students to the nature of history and survey the globe in a historical context. The 100- and 200-level courses are world or regional surveys, covering extensive periods of time, while the 300- and 400-level courses are focused on one theme, time period or geography. The upper-level courses require extensive analysis of sources and texts, and they include a research assignment that showcases the students' ability to develop and present their own historical interpretations.

The major requires three core courses: HIST 101, HIST 102 and HIST 395. Majors must take eight additional courses: Two on the 200 level and six on the 300 and 400 levels—with at least three of the upper division courses taken at the 400 level. In addition, majors must take one upper division course in each of the following fields: U.S., Europe and World history. For students writing a senior honors thesis, only three hours of HIST 499. Honors may be counted among the three 400-level courses required for the major.

International Affairs is an interdisciplinary program for students interested in varied aspects of the global community. The major requires classes in political science, economics, history, language, and culture. All students take a capstone course that enables them to apply knowledge and skills gained through previous coursework to a major research project in an area of interest. Students may choose to specialize in international relations or in a particular geographic area. Area specializations in the comparative study concentration include Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East.

The departmental faculty includes specialists in international security, human rights, international law, comparative public policy, international political economy and specific geographic areas. The major also draws on faculty from the departments of economics, foreign languages and literature, geography, history, justice studies, religion, sociology and anthropology. Graduates pursue careers in government and politics, intelligence, international business, international non-profit organizations, law, research and analysis, and other fields.

The Political Science program offers a strong liberal arts major for students interested in all aspects of politics and public policy. Students are required to complete a core set of courses introducing them to political theory, the global community, American politics and research methods. All students complete a writing intensive capstone course that requires them to apply knowledge and skills from previous coursework to a major research project in a chosen area of interest. The Washington Semester Program allows students to spend a semester living and working in Washington, D.C. while earning credit towards their degree. The Political Science department also hosts a non-partisan club for students interested in public affairs.

The department takes pride in preparing them to think critically and analytically and to communicate their ideas well. Graduates go on to careers in law, government, non-profit organizations, campaigns, policy analysis and with private firms affected by government policy. A dedicated faculty includes specialists in elections, media and politics, public policy, international security, international law, peace studies, political philosophy, U.S. governmental institutions, and major geographic regions (Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East).

The Geography program empowers, inspires and motivates students to become competent critical thinkers prepared for life-long learning. Students will be able to respond to intellectual challenges with interest, excitement and competence and see themselves as global citizen actively involved in the world around them.

By graduating with a degree in geography students will be confident in their abilities as a geographer, prepared for a lifetime of learning in geography and have the skills to make a professional contribution to the field. Students will be able to compete successfully in the job market, pursue a graduate degree and be highly qualified for a career in research and development—equipped for long term success as a professional in the field of geography.

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 course work 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. 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.

Each year hundreds of psychology students participate in research and service learning projects. Each year approximately 40 complete field placements and five complete honors thesis projects. Many of our students take their scholarship to a high level, participating as co-authors with faculty on professional conference presentations. See http://psyc.jmu.edu/ug/studentachievements.html for examples of student accomplishments

Management skills are broadly applicable and our graduates go on to a wide range of professions in both the public and private sector. The major is also designed to help those thinking of starting their own business or aiding a family business. Finally, many students find the broad business training of the management major a helpful foundation for future graduate study.

The anthropology program at JMU is designed to introduce students to the breadth of the discipline illustrating the topics and issues of the modern world that are addressed by its four sub-fields: cultural anthropology, biological anthropology, archeology and linguistics. Building from a general program, students can choose to concentrate in the theory and practice of any of the subfields except linguistics.

The program is strongly practice-oriented and encourages students to participate in internships, field schools, independent studies, and special topics that allow them to broaden their anthropological awareness. All of the faculty are actively involved in significant research within their chosen areas of study. This scholarship is not only reflected in courses that are current and informed by practical experience, but also in a wide range of opportunities for students to be mentored by faculty in collaborative research projects.

As part of the nationally recognized JMU College of Business, the economics major fosters an understanding and appreciation of economic forms of explanation and their relationships to other social sciences. The major will provide students with an intellectual foundation for the appreciation and understanding of economic theory and policy that stresses the importance of imaginative thinking, free inquiry and the pursuit of life-long learning. In this way, the program prepares students with the economic literacy necessary to cope with the challenges inherent in a world of accelerating change.

Economics majors are generally educated students, who go on to develop their analytical, investigative and research skills. With this major, students will use their understanding of economics relationships and markets to work for manufacturing firms, financial services firms, consulting firms, the health care industries, government agencies and nonprofit organizations. Economists with strong statistical backgrounds conduct research, analyze data and develop forecasts. Students with a good background in this field are competitive in the job market.

The sociology program develops the student's ability to analyze the social world by using diverse sociological theories and research methods. It stresses the importance of social, cultural, and historical contexts for understanding relationships between and among individuals and the social structures that make up societies. Students will gain the ability to think broadly and critically about the diversity of social organization and practice locally and globally. Students will also develop the ability to take a disciplined and scholarly approach to understanding the world in which we live.

The major in sociology strongly develops skills in critical thinking, research, analysis, writing and communication. Sociology students frequently go on to post-graduate education and/or careers in both public and private employment sectors.

The major in public administration provides students with a general foundation in the nature of public policy, the public workplace and its political, legal and managerial environments. This major prepares students for professional employment and leadership in government and nonprofit organizations. The program consists of a core of courses offering general knowledge essential for understanding and working in the public arena. This core provides students with an appreciation of the political culture and economic environment of public work, measurement techniques and a basic understanding of the policy process.

Students are offered a choice between two concentration options: public policy or public management.

In the public policy concentration students acquire knowledge of the nature, dynamics, implementation and substance of public policy and its analysis. Courses address:

• Policy processes.
• Techniques for analyzing policy options.
• The dynamics and substance of particular policy issues.

The public management concentration emphasizes management and management-related skills. Courses address:

• The legal environment of public work.
• Organization theories.
• Management theories and applications.
• Management best practices.

In addition, courses in both concentrations heighten students' critical, analytical and communication skills through case studies, exercises and the intensive writing requirement. The public policy concentration requires a senior seminar experience that seeks to bring policy theory and analytical skills to bear on a practical issue of public policy. Public management students must complete the dual capstone requirements of a public management seminar and an internship, requiring an integration of knowledge from both general studies and major studies by focusing students on specific cases and workplace applications.

Because the public administration major develops techniques and skills applicable to varied career paths in public service, students are encouraged to choose a complementary minor with a narrower, substantive focus. The minors recommended for students' consideration include criminal justice, environmental information systems, environmental management, environmental studies, family studies, gerontology, health information systems, nonprofit studies, political communication, substance abuse intervention, telecommunications, urban and regional studies, communication studies, conflict analysis and intervention, sociology, technical and scientific communication, economics, human resource development, computer science, public health and integrated science and technology.

Interested students may apply to participate in the Fifth Year Master of Public Administration degree program, which allows qualified students to earn an M.P.A. degree with one additional year of study. Students should apply for this program in their sophomore year. See the Graduate Catalog for more information.

The Intelligence Analysis (IA) major prepares students to become analysts in either the public or private sectors, with a specialization in intelligence analysis.

The IA program provides students with a multidisciplinary educational foundation and an overlay of skills development particularly in the areas of technology and analytic production.

Students learn innovative ways to structure their thinking, assess complex real-world problems and communicate those assessments to decision makers.

The Geography program empowers, inspires and motivates students to become competent critical thinkers prepared for life-long learning. Students will be able to respond to intellectual challenges with interest, excitement and competence and see themselves as global citizen actively involved in the world around them.

By graduating with a degree in geography students will be confident in their abilities as a geographer, prepared for a lifetime of learning in geography and have the skills to make a professional contribution to the field. Students will be able to compete successfully in the job market, pursue a graduate degree and be highly qualified for a career in research and development—equipped for long term success as a professional in the field of geography.

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 course work 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. 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.

Each year hundreds of psychology students participate in research and service learning projects. Each year approximately 40 complete field placements and five complete honors thesis projects. Many of our students take their scholarship to a high level, participating as co-authors with faculty on professional conference presentations. See http://psyc.jmu.edu/ug/studentachievements.html for examples of student accomplishments

The curriculum is designed for persons who seek employment in the accounting field or for those presently in accounting who wish to increase their knowledge and update their skills. Job opportunities include accounting trainee, accounting technician, junior accountant, and accountant.

This degree is excellent for those interested in the organization and reporting of financial data. Upon completion of the program, students can take an additional three courses for the Accounting Career Studies Certificate, and then are eligible to proceed to the CPA exam, if other education requirements are satisfied. Contact the Virginia Board of Accountancy for all education requirements.

The curriculum is designed for individuals who seek employment in business management or for those presently in management who are seeking promotion. Job opportunities include administrative assistant, management trainee, department head, branch manager, office manager, manager of small business, and supervisor.

This curriculum is designed for individuals who plan to seek employment in contract management positions and for those presently in contract management positions who seek career advancement. The program is designed to create opportunities for positions in contract management for both government agencies and private industry. Instruction includes both the theoretical concepts and the practical applications needed for future success in the contract management field. This will provide a greater understanding of acquisition, life cycle management, and contracting processes. Job opportunities include project manager, procurement analyst, contract administrator, contract specialist, contract negotiator, contract price analyst, and contract termination specialist.

The curriculum is designed to provide a broad foundation that will prepare students to enter any of the varied fields in criminal justice or to prepare for professional advancement. Job opportunities for students include local, state, and federal enforcement officers, police officers, private or government investigators, adult/juvenile correction officers, probation/parole officers and counselors, security directors (managers), loss prevention directors, classification managers, and personnel clearance administrators. Most of the ADJ courses in this curriculum are 'core courses' that provide a basic entry-level foundation in both criminal justice and security administration. These courses must be taken by ALL STUDENTS in this program. At several points in the curriculum, 'course options' are provided for selection by the students.

Special Curriculum Admission Requirements: Students are advised that many criminal justice and private/government security agencies require excellent moral character and a written record of conduct prior to consideration for employment.

This program prepares students for entry-level opportunities as a local, state, or federal law enforcement officer; commercial and industrial security officer; police officer; or private or government investigator, particularly in the areas of homeland security.

This program is designed for individuals who plan to transfer to a four-year institution to complete a bachelor of arts (B.A.).

This program is designed to prepare students who intend to transfer to a four-year institution to complete a bachelor's degree in international studies. This specialization will broaden the student's education to include more emphasis on other cultures and countries in recognition of the increasing interdependence of today's world.

This curriculum is designed for individuals who plan to transfer to a four-year college or university to complete a baccalaureate degree program in business administration with a major in accounting, business management, decision science and management, information systems, finance, marketing, etc.

This program is designed to prepare students to transfer to a four-year college or university to complete a baccalaureate degree program in criminal justice, criminology, or related fields.

This curriculum is designed for students who plan to transfer to a college or university for a BS or B.A. degree in psychology.

This program is a flexible associate degree. For students who plan to transfer, the degree can parallel the first two years of a four-year bachelor of science program if they choose courses that match the transfer institution's requirements. For those students who do not plan to transfer, the degree allows them to structure a program to suit their needs using accumulated credits from a variety of formal and experiential sources.

This program is designed for individuals who plan to transfer to a four-year college or university to complete a bachelor of science in one of the social sciences. It also prepares students for some teacher certification programs. Students from the A.S. program major in a wide variety of fields, including anthropology, economics, government/political science, history, mass communications, pre-law, psychology, public administration, social work, and sociology.

This curriculum prepares students to transfer to a four-year college or university teacher preparation program. It is specifically designed for students who plan to seek endorsement and licensure as teachers in PK-3, PK-6, middle school, or special education.

This degree program is designed to help students earn all of the required endorsement course hours for a teaching license in elementary education for the state of Virginia. In addition, this degree program includes many of the required endorsement courses for licensure in middle school (any subject) and high school history and social sciences. Some of these universities will guarantee admission to graduates of this program who have a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5, earn at least a 'C' in all English courses. Students are strongly encouraged to take the VCLA exam shortly after completing their 200-level English course. Students may want to take the Praxis CORE math exam after completing 9-12 hours of mathematics. The student, working directly with a NOVA Teacher Education Specialization advisor/counselor, should complete a transfer letter of agreement.

This program is designed for individuals who plan to transfer to a four-year college or university to complete a bachelor of science in a program that requires a background in American Sign Language and the Deaf community. Graduates may use their skills to work in human service fields such as daycare settings and as teacher assistants. Graduates from the program can also transfer to 4-year institutions and major in a wide variety of fields, including ASL instruction, Deaf education, linguistics, Deaf studies (e.g. history, literature, research, etc.), speech-language pathology and audiology, human services, communication sciences and disorders, and social work.

This program is designed for individuals who plan to transfer to a four-year college or university to complete a baccalaureate degree. Graduates will have the knowledge, skills, and abilities equivalent to students entering the junior level at four-year colleges and universities.

This program is designed to prepare students to transfer into baccalaureate programs in the geospatial or social sciences at a four-year institution. Students will learn theory about geospatial systems and how they are used.

This program is designed to prepare students to start and grow a successful small business by providing instruction in entrepreneurial culture, strategy, operations, financial management, marketing, and leadership.

This program is designed to help students develop both the theoretical knowledge and a practical facility with GIS. Students who already hold a baccalaureate or master's degree will acquire the requisite skills and knowledge to switch careers, or to apply spatial analysis in their present workplaces. Students will be positioned to pursue additional coursework toward an associate degree and/or transfer to a four-year institution for further study in the geospatial, environmental, or physical sciences; in civil engineering; in information technology; or in business/marketing at a four-year institution.

Preparation: Students are expected to understand fundamental computer applications and concepts before enrolling in GIS courses.

This powerful, marketable credential is a point of entry into the paralegal profession or law school. Study with the nation's leading legal experts in the nation's capital at GW's Alexandria Education Center. The B.P.S. in Paralegal Studies is an ABA-approved, 60-credit bachelor's degree completion program.

If you are transferring courses from other than Northern Virginia Community College, please contact GWCPS Admission Specialist Thanh Tran at tntran2@gwu.edu .

Students in the program can take advantage of a wide range of courses with thematic, topical, national or chronological emphases to fulfill requirements and electives. Students should consult with their advisers each semester to design a program that meets these requirements and suits their interests and career objectives.

This program also prepares students to enter law school or to pursue graduate studies in criminal justice or in several of the human services fields, usually related to justice. This program offers and encourages in-service justice employees and others to enhance their professional career development through higher education.

The management/entrepreneurship concentration empowers students to develop an entrepreneurial mindset and complementary skill set needed to provide creative solutions for new ventures and existing organizations. Students gain knowledge of entrepreneurial and design concepts useful for questioning assumptions, exploring alternatives and developing creative solutions.

The management/international management concentration allows students to pursue an interest in the global nature of today's business world. A variety of opportunities for international study within and outside the university are available. Students in the management/international management concentration are encouraged to enrich their learning experience by pursuing a minor in international studies or foreign language, studying abroad or taking approved courses outside the School of Business.

This program also prepares students to enter law school or to pursue graduate studies in criminal justice or in several of the human services fields, usually related to justice. This program offers and encourages in-service justice employees and others to enhance their professional career development through higher education.

The management/business administration concentration provides students with a broad-based study of management and other business disciplines. The course options in the curriculum give students flexibility in developing a program of study that can lead to a variety of entry-level positions in private and public organizations.