Frequently Asked Questions

Complete your application online at explore.msu.edu/apply and select James Madison College as your major (or one of JMC's five majors if you've already decided). Find helpful information on the application process via the Office of Admissions.

Completing your application as "Early Action" by Nov. 1 ensures that you will receive an admissions decision by Jan. 15 and maximum scholarship consideration. Early Action is non-binding, which means students applying this way are not required to attend MSU if they are admitted.

All applicants selecting Regular Decision or those whose applications are received after Nov. 1 will be considered Regular Decision Applicants. These applications will be considered on a rolling basis. Applications completed with all required materials and submitted by Feb. 1 will be guaranteed an initial admission decision by March 31. All applications received between Feb. 1 and April 1 will be considered on a rolling basis.

No. interested students should apply to Michigan State University and indicate James Madison College as their preferred major. 

Yes. As a James Madison College student you are first and foremost a Michigan State University Student. You will have access to all of MSU's resources and will take classes both inside of JMC and through the greater university as well.

No, it is not too late to indicate an interest in James Madison College. Students who have applied to MSU can change their major by logging into the MSU Admissions portal, and clicking on the “Change Major” link. Once you have submitted your request, the major change process usually takes 3-5 business days. Once the major change has been completed, James Madison College will be listed as your major on the portal. In the event that JMC has reached our enrollment limit and your major change request cannot be processed, please send an email requesting the change of major to jmcadmin@msu.edu. Include your name and date of birth, and you will be placed on a waiting list for consideration in subsequent semesters.

If you have been admitted to MSU and your major is listed as “James Madison” when you log into the MSU Admissions portal, then you have been admitted to James Madison College.

All first-year James Madison College students enter the college with “James Madison – No Preference” as their major. At the end of the first year, students will select from one of the five majors offered at James Madison College.

Yes. Selecting a second major is a very popular option for students at Michigan State University. You will be required to select a primary major within James Madison College. Once you're a JMC student, your academic advisor can assist you with adding a second major. While there is no limit to the combinations students will select, we frequently work with students who select an additional major in a world language, journalism, secondary education, psychology, economics, history, or business.

Approximately half of a student’s credits will come from James Madison College and the rest will be satisfied by taking classes throughout the University. Each semester will vary, but typically half of a student's schedule will consist of JMC courses.

Yes! Michigan State University has the largest Education Abroad program of any public university in the US. This means that as a James Madison Student at MSU you have access to 275 different programs in 60 countries around the world. Study Abroad trips range from a few weeks to an entire year. MSU even offers you the opportunity to study abroad during the summer between your senior year of high school and your first semester at MSU. In addition to university level programs, JMC offers its own education abroad opportunities that students can connect with their JMC studies and use toward their major requirements.

While we have one of the highest retention rates on campus, it is true that from time to time students find that their interests lie in another major. Students are encouraged to work with their academic advisor before making this important decision. The first-year courses that students complete as James Madison students will then transfer with them as university requirements in social science and writing, should they decide to switch majors.

No. However, the Honors College at Michigan State University happens to be one of the most distinctive and extensive honors programs in the country. Students may combine their participation in the Honors College with any degree program at MSU, including the majors offered at JMC. Typically around 15% of Madison students are a part of the Honors College.

James Madison College is one of Michigan State University’s degree-granting residential colleges. At MSU, a residential college is housed inside a residence hall where many of their students reside while on campus. These buildings feature classrooms, computer labs, help rooms, dining halls, faculty and advising offices, and much more.

Within the residential college setting, there is a sense of community shared between students, faculty, and staff. Many students say that attending a residential college at MSU gave them a small college experience without sacrificing the amazing opportunities that come from studying at a world class public research institution like Michigan State University.

All first-year James Madison College students living on campus are required to live in Case Hall, which is based in MSU's South Neighborhood. MSU students are required to live on campus for two years, though JMC students will have options outside of Case Hall in their second year.

Gender Inclusive Housing is available in South Neighborhood, and students can work directly with the Housing Assignments Office on placement in those spaces. For more information, please visit liveon.msu.edu.

All living-learning community students (LLC) are required to have roommates from their LLC. First-year students in James Madison College are required to reside in Case Hall with another James Madison student.

Room and roommate assignment notifications will be sent by early August by the Housing Assignments Office.

James Madison College staff do not have access to housing assignment information.

Gender-Inclusive Housing is available in South Neighborhood, and students can work directly with the Housing Assignments Office on placement in those spaces.

For more information, please visit liveon.msu.edu.

James Madison College is a multidisciplinary program that prepares students for decision-making positions in government and politics, in business and non-profit organizations, and in a variety of professional and private enterprises. Madison graduates work in a variety of law and professional positions in Michigan, Washington, D.C., and major metropolitan areas around the nation and throughout the world. You can check out some examples from MSU's Career Services Network career outcomes data.

James Madison is a rigorous program that develops a student’s ability to think critically, write analytically, and argue persuasively. Our students have traditionally done very well on their LSAT and have attended top law schools like Harvard, Duke, and the University of Michigan. While James Madison does not offer a specific “pre-law” major, you can attend law schools with an undergraduate major offered at James Madison College. Many JMC alumni now have very successful careers in law.