James Madison College

Sherman W. Garnett, DEAN

 James Madison College provides a liberal education in public affairs for undergraduates. This means, among other things, that the primary activity as a faculty and staff is undergraduate teaching. The college is dedicated to the highest standards of excellence, both for the students and the faculty and staff. The curriculum and individual courses are multidisciplinary, cultivating in the students skills of rigorous thought, lucid prose writing, and articulate speech. The residential environment nurtures a collegium of scholars among students, faculty, and staff. The excellent resources of the wider university enrich the program as a whole. James Madison College established itself in 1967. Since then with an enrollment of approximately 1200 students, the College has graduated numerous Rhodes Scholars, Truman Scholars, Marshall Scholars, Fulbright Scholars, National Science Foundation Fellows, MSU’s first Mitchell Scholar, and regularly represents a high percentage of Michigan State University's Phi Beta Kappa class.

Its undergraduate program leads to a Bachelor of Arts degree in one of four majors: Comparative Cultures and Politics,  International Relations, Political Theory and Constitutional Democracy, and Social Relations and Policy. It offers a rigorous program with distinctive attention to written work, analytical writing, critical thinking, give-and-take class discussion and collaborative work. Students have an opportunity to study how public issues develop and how the varied public and private institutions of society function, in the United States and globally.

The faculty of James Madison College have been recruited from a number of inter-related fields: American studies, economics, history, sociology, political science and political theory. The college emphasizes teaching excellence,  individualized attention to students and scholarly research in public affairs. Its courses are conducted as either lecture-discussion or collaborative classes in which student participation is encouraged and often expected. A typical class focuses on such issues as how globalization affects civil society, or how theories of justice evolve into systems of laws, or how a society's cultural and social values influence its economic development. In short, the emphasis throughout the program is on the dynamics of public affairs and public decision making.

Competency in writing is strongly emphasized for all students in James Madison College. In addition to a required two semester First-year Writing Program, research papers and other writing assignments have been incorporated into the requirements for each of the fields of concentration and all James Madison College courses.

The college is an excellent choice for any students aiming at careers in government, politics, administration, business, foreign service, or considering post-Baccalaureate studies: pre-law students, students planning to pursue graduate study in one of the social science fields, business and public administration. Included in the James Madison College program is a concentrated junior or senior year Field Experience in which students work for an agency of government, a private organization, non-profit organization, journalism or a corporation. The full-time internship is intended to provide students with the opportunity to connect their education to the realm of practice. Placements are available throughout the United States and internationally.

The total enrollment in James Madison College is over 1200 students, so that the college is able to provide a small college environment on the Michigan State University campus. Faculty members devote a substantial amount of time to individual student advisement; as a result, programs of study are designed to satisfy the academic needs, intellectual curiosity, and career goals of each student.

In addition, the home of the College is Case Residence Hall, which includes not only the residence hall rooms of its on-campus students, but also faculty offices, classrooms, dining facilities, a college library, seminar rooms, and a computer laboratory. In the evenings, cultural programs, speakers, presentations and other extracurricular events are regularly scheduled. At the same time, the college's students are full members of the Michigan State University student body. They take approximately half their courses in other units of the university and enjoy all benefits of living on a large, bountiful campus.

Students admitted to Michigan State University are also admissible to James Madison College. Enrollments in the college are, however, limited. Prospective first year and transfer students should notify the Michigan State University Office of Admissions as early as possible of their desire to enroll in the college. Limited numbers of currently enrolled Michigan State University  students may also be eligible to transfer into the college; such students are encouraged to contact the Director of Admissions in the college early in the fall semester. Subject to space availability, students may transfer into the college or from the college to other programs until their junior year without delaying completion of their degrees.

ADDITIONAL MAJORS. Students who elect to pursue additional majors should notify the James Madison College Director of Academic Affairs or their advisor as early as possible in order to plan their academic program. For additional information, see the Additional Major entry in the Undergraduate Education section of this catalog.

The Specialization in Muslim Studies, administered by James Madison College, is available as an elective to students who are enrolled in bachelor’s degree programs at Michigan State University. The specialization provides students with the opportunity for sustained study of Muslim societies and Islam in a range of disciplines and topics.

With the approval of the department that administers the student’s degree program, courses that are used to satisfy the requirements of the specialization may also be used to satisfy the requirements for the bachelor’s degree.

The student’s program of study must be approved by the Muslim Studies coordinator prior to enrollment in any course.

Requirements for the Specialization in Muslim Studies

Students must complete the requirements specified below (16 to 32 credits): 

1. Completion of second-year college-level competency in Arabic or another language appropriate for Muslim Studies such as Persian, Turkish, Urdu, Bahasa Indonesia, Malay, or Swahili.
   
   Students may petition the Muslim Studies Specialization coordinator for  approval of an additional foreign language when it relates to a student’s  program of study. Students may also petition for a substitution for part  or all of the language requirement, replacing the language credits with  non-language courses from the course list below. An exception to the  language requirement may be granted to students completing a relevant study abroad experience from an approved list of programs available from  the Muslim Studies Specialization coordinator.
   
   Students with majors in the College of Social Science should consult with their academic advisor to discuss alternatives to fulfillment of the language requirement in this specialization.
2. Five courses with Muslim studies or Islamic content selected from the two categories, with at least one from each category. Not more than one IAH or ISS course may count toward the five required  courses. Students must contact the Muslim Studies Specialization coordinator for  an updated list of approved courses prior to enrollment.
   

   ARTS AND HUMANITIES
   Integrative Studies in Arts and Humanities
   IAH	211B	Area Studies and Multicultural Civilizations: Asia (I)				4
   IAH	211D	Area Studies and Multicultural Civilizations: The Middle East (I)				4
   French
   FRN	415	Introduction to French Studies I: Metropolitan France				3
   FRN	416	Introduction to French Studies II: Francophone Cultures				3
   FRN	447	Genre-Based Seminar				3
   History
   HST	201	Historical Methods and Skills				3
   HST	372	The Middle East: Islam and Empires				3
   HST	373	The Modern Middle East: From Empires to Nation States				3
   HST	450	Special Topics in African History				3
   HST	451	Special Topics in Asian History				3
   HST	487	Seminar in Comparative History (W)				3
   Religious Studies
   REL	330	Islam (D)				3
   REL	331	Islam and Gender				3
   SOCIAL SCIENCES
   Anthropology
   ANP	413	Indonesian Culture and Politics: Islam and Beyond				3
   ANP	419	Anthropology of the Middle East				3
   ANP	422	Religion and Culture				3
   ANP	429	Ethnographic Field Methods				3
   ANP	491	Topics in Anthropology				2
   Geography
   GEO	339	Geography of the Middle East and North Africa				3
   Integrative Studies in Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences
   ISS	315	Global Diversity and Interdependence (I)				4
   ISS	330B	Asia: Social Science Perspectives (I)				4
   James Madison College
   MC	320	Politics, Society and Economy in the Third World				4
   MC	324A	Regional Politics, Cooperation, and Conflict in the Middle East				4
   MC	324D	Regional Politics, Cooperation and Conflict in Asia				4
   MC	325	State and Society in Comparative Perspective				4
   MC	365	Islam and Development in Southeast Asia				4
   MC	376	Modern Political Thought in the Muslim World				4
   MC	390	Advanced Topics in Public Affairs				4
   MC	391	Selected Topics in Public Affairs				4
   MC	441	Islam and World Politics				4
   MC	492	Senior Seminar in International Relations (W)				5
   MC	497	Senior Seminar in Political Theory and Constitutional Democracy (W)				5
   Political Science
   PLS	344	Politics in the Third World				3
   PLS	351	African Politics				3
   PLS	354	Politics of Asia				3
   PLS	358	Politics of the U.S.S.R. and Its Successor States				3
   PLS	441	Islam and World Politics				4
   The following courses do not always contain content relevant to the Specialization in Muslim Studies.  Before enrolling in any of these, please consult the Muslim Studies Specialization coordinator to see if, in the semester in which a student wishes to enroll, the course counts toward the specialization: Anthropology 422, 429, and 491; French 415, 416, and 447; History 201, 450, and  451; Integrative Studies in Arts and Humanities 211B; Integrative Studies in Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences 315 and 330B; James Madison College 320, 324D, 325, 390, 391, 492, and 497; Political Science 344, 351, 354, and 358.

   
   

The Specialization in Political Economy, administered by James Madison College, is available as an elective to students who are enrolled in bachelor’s degree programs at Michigan State University. The specialization is intended to instill a fundamental understanding of political economy and to allow students a choice of policy areas for focused study.

To achieve this breadth and depth of knowledge in political economy, students must complete at least 22 credits. Students in anthropology, economics, international relations, or public resource management will find this specialization especially appealing as preparation for graduate study or public-policy positions.

Requirements for the Specialization in Political Economy

The Specialization in Science, Technology, Environment and Public Policy (STEPPS) is available as an elective to students who are enrolled in bachelor’s degree programs at Michigan State University. The specialization will expose students to policy-making processes at the local, state, national and international levels; examine historical trends and analyze social relationships; build a strong understanding of scientific principles used to formulate sound policy initiatives; and facilitate a linkage between policy-making and science, technology and the environment.

Students who are interested in this specialization must contact the coordinator for  the Specialization in Science, Technology, Environment and Public Policy in James Madison College. The student’s program of study must be approved by the STEPPS coordinator prior to enrollment in any courses counted toward the specialization. Study abroad programs or internships require prior approval of the coordinator to ensure their relevance to STEPPS’ curricular goals.

With the approval of the department and college that administer the student’s degree program, courses that are used to satisfy the requirements for the specialization may also be used to satisfy the requirements for a bachelor’s degree.

Requirements for the Specialization in Science, Technology, Environment and Public Policy

The Specialization in Western European Studies, which is administered by James Madison College, is available as an elective to students who are enrolled in bachelor's degree programs at Michigan State University. With the approval of the department and college that administer the student's degree program, the courses that are used to satisfy the requirements for the specialization may also be used to satisfy the requirements for the bachelor's degree.

The Specialization in Western European Studies provides an opportunity for students to pursue a significant and coherent body of course work in the culture, history, politics, economics, and geography of Western Europe.  Some of the courses in the specialization focus on individual countries, while other courses are comparative and cross–national. 

A Steering Committee, composed of faculty from the colleges whose courses are included in the Specialization in Western European Studies, oversees the specialization.  The student's program of study for the specialization must be approved in advance and in writing by the chairperson of the Steering Committee.

Students who elect the Specialization in Western European Studies are encouraged to complete courses that are related to Western Europe in partial fulfillment of the University Integrative Studies requirement.

Requirements for the Specialization in Western European Studies

¹    To be counted toward the requirements for the Specialization in Western European Studies, the content of this course must be specifically related to or focused on Western Europe.
²    A student may receive credit for only one of the following courses, and only one of those courses may be used to satisfy the requirements for the Specialization in Western European Studies:  History 392 or James Madison College 387.

James Madison College, in collaboration with Michigan State University/College of Law, offers an opportunity for selected JMC students to earn a baccalaureate degree after satisfactory completion of a minimum of 91 credits at Michigan State University and a minimum of 29 credits through subsequent enrollment at Michigan State University/College of Law. Only students who matriculate as first-year students at James Madison College may pursue this option. Students interested in this option should consult with their academic advisors during the first year in the college.

Admission to the Michigan State University/College of Law component of this program is limited to a small number of students who complete the specified university and college requirements and who earn a GPA and LSAT score that is acceptable for admission to Michigan State University/College of Law.

All students in this program will complete a minimum of 91 credits at Michigan State University, at least 47 of which (not to include James Madison College 400 and 401) shall be James Madison College credits. The requirements for the program are as follows:

1. Completion of the all university-level graduation requirements, including integrative studies, mathematics, and writing.
2. Completion of the all-college required courses, including  James Madison College 111, 112, 201, 202; Economics 201 and 202; and second-year competency in a foreign language.
3. Completion of the requirements for one of the Madison fields of concentration.
4. Completion of a minimum of 29 credits at Michigan State University/College of Law.

Upon satisfactory completion of the specified Michigan State University/College of Law credits, students in this program will be awarded the Bachelor of Arts degree.