Career Details

The study of writing, rhetoric and technical communication includes two concentrations in the undergraduate major: technical and scientific communication and writing and rhetoric. The WRTC major emphasizes scholarly, humanistic and social scientific perspectives on the function and application of communication technologies, with instruction in areas such as:

• literacy studies
• rhetorical traditions
• writing pedagogy
• editing
• website theory and design
• publications management
• knowledge and information management
• writing for professional communities such as government, medical, scientific and academic

In addition to offering students the rhetorical tools with which to excel as professional communicators, the B.A. and B.S. programs also prepare graduates for academic studies in writing, rhetoric and technical communication at the master's level as well as for professional programs such as law school.

The B.A. and B.S. programs in WRTC unite three disciplines into a flexible yet historically and theoretically grounded degree program. The WRTC degree teaches students to think in ways that cross disciplinary lines and to demonstrate accomplishment in multiple genres of writing, rhetoric and technical communication.

Students work with their WRTC advisers to design a program that fits their unique educational needs and career aspirations.

Course requirements differ between the B.A. and B.S. programs and students are advised to maintain regular contact with their WRTC adviser to ensure timely graduation. Requirements and eligible courses for the B.A. and B.S. in each of the two concentrations are outlined below.

As an Individualized Study major, you will work with ADP staff, advisors, and faculty to develop a personalized Program of Study that focuses on your unique skills, interests, and career goals.

As an incoming ADP student, your first course will be IS 200: Orientation to Individualized Study. This course is a 3-credit online class that prepares you for college-level learning at James Madison and guides you through the process of building your Program of Study.

Independent scholars is a self-designed major open to students who are honors-eligible. In consultation with the IS faculty and a faculty mentor from another academic unit, each student devises a curriculum, plans research and field study, and conducts independent research. The major is aimed at students who are strongly self-motivated and research-oriented, and who cannot address their interests sufficiently within any of the existing majors or minors at JMU.

As an Individualized Study major, you will work with ADP staff, advisors, and faculty to develop a personalized Program of Study that focuses on your unique skills, interests, and career goals.

As an incoming ADP student, your first course will be IS 200: Orientation to Individualized Study. This course is a 3-credit online class that prepares you for college-level learning at James Madison and guides you through the process of building your Program of Study.

The study of writing, rhetoric and technical communication includes two concentrations in the undergraduate major: technical and scientific communication and writing and rhetoric. The WRTC major emphasizes scholarly, humanistic and social scientific perspectives on the function and application of communication technologies, with instruction in areas such as:

• literacy studies
• rhetorical traditions
• writing pedagogy
• editing
• website theory and design
• publications management
• knowledge and information management
• writing for professional communities such as government, medical, scientific and academic

In addition to offering students the rhetorical tools with which to excel as professional communicators, the B.A. and B.S. programs also prepare graduates for academic studies in writing, rhetoric and technical communication at the master's level as well as for professional programs such as law school.

The B.A. and B.S. programs in WRTC unite three disciplines into a flexible yet historically and theoretically grounded degree program. The WRTC degree teaches students to think in ways that cross disciplinary lines and to demonstrate accomplishment in multiple genres of writing, rhetoric and technical communication.

Students work with their WRTC advisers to design a program that fits their unique educational needs and career aspirations.

Course requirements differ between the B.A. and B.S. programs and students are advised to maintain regular contact with their WRTC adviser to ensure timely graduation. Requirements and eligible courses for the B.A. and B.S. in each of the two concentrations are outlined below.

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.

Academic experiences in the major, including coursework and field experiences assist students as they gain knowledge and understanding of early childhood inclusion (Birth-3rd grade) and practices that promote access, participation, and support for young children and their families.  Students completing the four-year licensure program are prepared to serve as teachers of students birth through 3rd grade with and without exceptionalities (Birth- age 5 special education and PK-3rd grade general education). 

Integrated science and technology (ISAT) students learn about a broad range of scientific, technological, and social concepts and master concrete skills that will make them leaders in solving the real human problems that confront our world. Students start with a common foundations curriculum and then progress into more specialized technical areas of their choice during the junior and senior years. Studies in ISAT combine multiple scientific areas into one hands-on, integrated program in which students learn by working directly with technology and applying it to solve real-world problems.

ISAT graduates are successful in a broad range of professions and graduate schools. The program is both technical and flexible allowing students to customize a course sequence in preparation for a diverse array of technology-related careers.

As an Individualized Study major, you will work with ADP staff, advisors, and faculty to develop a personalized Program of Study that focuses on your unique skills, interests, and career goals.

As an incoming ADP student, your first course will be IS 200: Orientation to Individualized Study. This course is a 3-credit online class that prepares you for college-level learning at James Madison and guides you through the process of building your Program of Study.

Interdisciplinary Liberal Studies (IdLS) is the undergraduate major for students pursuing teaching licensure in the following areas: inclusive early childhood (preK-3); elementary (special education birth to age 5, and classroom instruction pre K-6); middle grades (6-8) and exceptional education (K-12). IdLS offers extended breadth and integration across content areas of English and language arts, history and social sciences, mathematics, natural sciences and technology.

The IdLS major requirements support Virginia teacher licensure competencies. If students choose to declare the IdLS major, they will also declare the pre-professional education program corresponding to their teacher licensure interest.

The Associate of Arts & Sciences degree programs are designed for students who plan to transfer to a four-year college or university to complete a baccalaureate degree program. The courses in this program are specifically selected for ease of transfer to most four-year colleges and universities. Following the prescribed coursework in this program will result in graduation with the Associate of Arts & Science degree (AA&S). Students should consult with their advisors to ensure that they select general electives that best prepare them for the specific requirements of their intended transfer college or university programs of study. This degree plan is closely aligned to local universities and colleges and meets the Guaranteed Admission Agreement between Virginia Tech and the Virginia Community College System found at the following link: http://www.admiss.vt.edu/form-pdf/engineeringarticulationagreement.pdf. Please see your advisor for specific guidelines.

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.

Designed for students who have limited, if any, previous experience with interpreting for Deaf people, this degree program provides the comprehensive training in theory and practical interpreting skills necessary for employment as an educational or community interpreter. Successful completion of this program prepares the student to pursue either a Virginia Quality Assurance Screening Level, national certification through the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, or a level on the Educational Interpreter's Performance Assessment. These credentials qualify the student to interpret in either educational or community settings.

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 for students who wish to study speech communication at the college level or who wish to transfer to a four-year institution for a baccalaureate degree.

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 program is designed for students who plan to transfer to a college or university for a Bachelor of Arts in Art History.

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.

The academic foundation in this degree will allow students to continue their education by applying to a competitive program at the Medical Education Campus or prepare for entry to a variety of allied health or health sciences baccalaureate programs. Students should consult an academic advisor in selecting electives to this curriculum.

The curriculum is designed for individuals who are interested in a professional or scientific program and who plan to transfer to a four-year college or university to complete a baccalaureate degree with a major in one of the following fields: agriculture, biology, chemistry, pre-dentistry, forestry, geology, oceanography, pharmacy, physics, physical therapy, pre-medicine, science education, or mathematics.

The curriculum is designed for individuals who plan to transfer to a four-year college or university to complete a baccalaureate degree. This curriculum is designed to prepare students to major in one of the following fields: mathematics, mathematics education, statistics, operations research, applied mathematics, or computer science.

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 curriculum is designed for students seeking a solid foundation in the theories, methods, and skills in the complementary fields of public history and historic preservation.