James Madison College provides a liberal education in public affairs for undergraduates. Our curriculum cultivates in our students skills of rigorous thought, lucid prose writing, and articulate speech. Our courses draw insight from various social sciences and related fields, including political science, economics, literature, sociology, philosophy, and history. The multi-disciplinary perspective and focus on applied social science prepares students to face real world challenges with maturity, creativity, and responsibility.
After the completion of the first year curriculum, students choose at least one of the following majors to pursue:
International Relations
Comparative Cultures & Politics
Social Relations & Policy
Political Theory & Constitutional Democracy
Learn more about those majors here!
In their first year, students will take two Madison courses in the fall semester:
Following their first year in JMC, students will declare their JMC major(s), and will begin coursework in that track their second year. By graduation, about half of a student's coursework will have come from within JMC, with the other half coming through other disciplines at MSU. JMC students often supplement their JMC majors with additional majors and minors offered through other MSU departments.
A common interest for JMC students is exploring opportunities to study abroad and to seek internships. On staff at the college is a Field Experience Coordinator, whose role it is to guide students through the process of pursuing these opportunities. Getting real world experiences outside of the classroom is an important part of the development of skills, knowledge, and networks that shape how students pursue their longer term career paths.
Internships: Given the importance that JMC places on students applying their education in professional settings in the policy world, JMC students have a field experience (link to FE page) requirement. During either the junior or senior year, at least one semester is spent in an internship with an agency, organization, business, or legislative office, instead of in the classroom. JMC can even assist students in coordinating a field experience abroad (link to international internships page), allowing them to gain valuable work experience while learning how to communicate and operate in remote and international contexts. Beyond this required experience, students are encouraged to engage in additional internships throughout their time as a student.
Education Abroad: With a focus on international affairs within JMC, it is no surprise that many of our students have an interest in learning more about the world and cultures through first-hand experience. Whether it is spending a semester abroad enrolled at another institution, learning with their JMC peers and faculty in internationally-based JMC coursework, engaging in field research overseas, or gaining professional experience through an internationally-based internship, our students have support through our Field Experience Office as well as MSU’s Education Abroad Office to seek these opportunities.