Academic Programs Catalog

Cameron G. Thies, DEAN

Established in 1967, James Madison College is a residential learning community dedicated to innovative and inclusive undergraduate teaching, research and engagement in public affairs. 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 our students’ skills of rigorous thought, lucid prose writing and articulate speech. The residential environment nurtures a living-learning environment that promotes exchange and collaboration between students, faculty, staff and the broader MSU community. 

The College has graduated numerous Rhodes Scholars, Truman Scholars, Marshall Scholars, Fulbright Scholars, National Science Foundation Fellows, Mitchell Scholars 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. This rigorous program features serious attention to written work, analytical writing, critical thinking, lively and respectful class discussion, and collaborative work. Competency in writing is strongly emphasized for all students in James Madison College, and research papers and other writing assignments have been incorporated into the requirements for each of the majors and all the College courses.

The faculty of James Madison College have been recruited from several academic disciplines, such as American studies, economics, history, sociology, political science and political theory. The college emphasizes teaching excellence, individualized attention to students and scholarly research in public and international affairs. 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. 

The College’s courses are conducted as either lecture-discussion or collaborative classes in which student participation is encouraged and often expected. A typical class might focus 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 and international affairs and public decision making.

Included in the James Madison College program is a concentrated junior or senior year field experience where students work for an agency of government, private enterprise, non-profit and community organizations, media, and many other institutions. 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 college is an excellent choice for students pursuing careers in government, politics, administration, non-governmental organizations, community service organizations, business and foreign service. It is also appropriate for those considering post-Baccalaureate studies in law, social sciences, business, public administration and many other fields.

The total enrollment in James Madison College is approximately 1200 students, so that the college can provide a small college environment at Michigan State University. In addition, the College is housed in Case Hall, which includes not only the residence hall rooms of its on-campus students, but also faculty offices, classrooms, dining facilities and seminar rooms.

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, beautiful 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 Office of Admissions as early as possible of their desire to enroll in the college. Limited numbers of currently enrolled MSU students may also be eligible to transfer into the college; such students are encouraged to contact the Recruitment Coordinator in the college early in the fall semester. Subject to space availability, students may transfer into the college 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 Assistant Dean 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.
 

1. The University requirements for bachelor's degrees as described in the Undergraduate Education section of this catalog; 120 credits, including general elective credits, are required for the Bachelor of Arts degree in James Madison College.
   
   The completion of the Freshman Writing Program (James Madison College 111 or 112) referenced in requirement 2. a. below satisfies the University's Tier I writing requirement. 
   
   The University's Tier II writing requirements for the James Madison College majors are met by completing courses as specified below:
   
   Comparative Cultures and Politics: James Madison College 493 and any two of the following courses: James Madison College 320, 325, 361, 366, 372, 377, 385, 386, 387, 390, or 395. Those courses are referenced in item 1. in the statement on Comparative Cultures and Politics below.
   
   International Relations:  James Madison College 492 and any of the two elective courses required in International Relations.  Those courses are referenced in items 1.a. and  1. c. in the statement on International Relations below.
   
   Political Theory and Constitutional Democracy:  James Madison College 370, 371, and 497.  Those courses are referenced in item 1. a. in the statement on the Political Theory and Constitutional Democracy below.
   
   Social Relations and Policy:  James Madison College 380 and 498 and any two of the following courses:  James Madison College 375, 381, 382, 383, 384, 385, 386, 387, 390.  Those courses are referenced in items 1. a. and 1. b. in the statement on Social Relations and Policy below.
   
   The completion of the introductory public affairs course sequence (James Madison College 201 and 202) referenced in requirement 2. a. below satisfies the University's Integrative Studies requirement in the Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences. The completion of James Madison College 201 and 202 also satisfies the requirements specified in item 2. under the heading Integrative Studies in the Undergraduate Education section of the catalog. James Madison College 201 emphasizes both national diversity and international and multicultural diversity, and James Madison College 202 emphasizes international and multicultural diversity.
2. The following requirements of James Madison College for the Bachelor of Arts degree. All of the courses that are used to satisfy University and College requirements must be graded on the numerical or Pass–No Grade system with the following exception:  first–year courses in Russian, Japanese, or Chinese or in an African language may be graded on the Credit–No Credit system.

   a.	Required Courses:
   	MC	111	Identity and Community:  An Approach to Writing I						4
   	MC	112	Identity and Community:  An Approach to Writing II						4
   	MC	201	Introduction to the Study of Public Affairs I						4
   	MC	202	Introduction to the Study of Public Affairs II						4
   	EC	201	Introduction to Microeconomics						3
   	EC	202	Introduction to Macroeconomics						3
   	The James Madison College courses listed above serve as a foundation for the College's curriculum.  Students should complete these courses during the first year of study.
   	Economics 201 and 202 provide a foundation for study in the major. Students should complete these courses during the first two years of study.
   	Students who are admitted to James Madison College with fewer than 4 credits that count toward the University's Integrative Studies requirement in the Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences must complete James Madison College 201 and 202.  Students who are admitted to James Madison College with at least 4, but fewer than 8, credits that count toward the University's Integrative Studies requirement in the Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences must complete either James Madison College 201 or 202.
   b.	Language Requirement.  Second year competency in a foreign language.  This requirement may be satisfied by placing into a 300–level foreign language course based on a MSU placement test.  Students are encouraged to complete a third year of study in the same language that is used to satisfy this requirement.
   c.	Field Experience.  Students meet this requirement by completing James Madison College 400 (5 to 9 credits) and 401 (3 credits).  With the approval of the College, this requirement may be met by completing an alternative option.
   d.	Major. One of the four approved majors described below.  Each major combines courses in James Madison College and other units of the University.   Students' programs of study must be approved by their academic advisors.
   e.	James Madison College credit requirement:  A minimum of 51 credits in James Madison College courses is required for students who enroll in the College as first–semester freshmen.  A minimum of 41 credits in James Madison College courses is required for all other students; i.e., students who enroll in the College as transfer students from other colleges and universities, or who enroll in the College after having been enrolled in other programs at MSU. Students who have been admitted to the teacher certification program are required to complete a minimum of 41 credits in James Madison College courses.
   f.	Students may elect to complete a cognate in business. The requirements for the cognate are met by completing:
   	MC	341	Politics and Markets						4
   	Four of the following courses (12 credits):
   	ACC	230	Survey of Accounting Concepts						3
   	FI	320	Introduction to Finance						3
   	GBL	323	Introduction to Business Law						3
   	MGT	325	Management Skills and Processes						3
   	MKT	327	Introduction to Marketing						3
   	Students may substitute Accounting 201 and 202 for Accounting 230.

The Minor 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 minor 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 minor 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 Minor 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 Minor 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 Minor 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 minor.
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 Minor 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				3
   REL	430	The Qur'an and Its Interpreters (W)				3
   REL	432	Modern Muslim Thought (W)				3
   SOCIAL SCIENCES
   Anthropology
   ANP	419	Anthropology of the Middle East				3
   ANP	422	Religion and Culture				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	325	State and Society in Comparative Perspective				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 of Developing Areas				3
   PLS	351	African Politics				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 Minor in Muslim Studies.  Before enrolling in any of these, please consult the Muslim Studies Minor coordinator to see if, in the semester in which a student wishes to enroll, the course counts toward the minor: Anthropology 422, 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, 325, 390, 391, 492, and 497; Political Science 344, 351, and 358.

The Minor 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 minor 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 Minor in Political Economy

The Minor in Science, Technology, Environment and Public Policy (STEPP) is available as an elective to students who are enrolled in bachelor’s degree programs at Michigan State University. The minor 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 minor must contact the coordinator for  the Minor in Science, Technology, Environment and Public Policy in James Madison College. The student’s program of study must be approved by the STEPP coordinator prior to enrollment in any courses counted toward the minor. Study abroad programs or internships require prior approval of the coordinator to ensure their relevance to the STEPP 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 minor may also be used to satisfy the requirements for a bachelor’s degree.

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

The Minor in 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 minor may also be used to satisfy the requirements for the bachelor's degree.

The Minor in 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 Europe.  Some of the courses in the minor 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 Minor in European Studies, oversees the minor.  The student's program of study for the minor must be approved in advance and in writing by the chairperson of the Steering Committee.

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

Requirements for the Minor in European Studies

The student must meet the requirements specified below:

The following disciplinary majors leading to the Bachelor of Arts degree in James Madison College are available for teacher certification:  comparative cultures and politics, international relations, political theory and constitutional democracy, and social relations and policy.  Students who complete the requirements for one of these disciplinary majors and the requirements for teacher certification are recommended for a teaching certificate in social studies. Persons with teacher certification in social studies are qualified to teach history, political science, geography, and economics.

The James Madison College Social Studies certification, based on one of the four approved James Madison College majors, is available for secondary certification. This is a comprehensive teaching major, requiring 50 or more credits and does not require completion of a teaching minor for secondary certification. Optional teaching minors can be completed in addition to the comprehensive Social Studies major and can include credits already applied to the Social Studies teaching major. James Madison College students pursuing a teaching major in Social Studies, who are interested in earning elementary certification, must complete an additional major or dual degree in Education in order to fulfill the elementary program requirements.

Students with a disciplinary major in Comparative Cultures and Politics; International Relations; Political Theory and Constitutional Democracy; and Social Relations and Policy must complete the following additional disciplinary courses:

Students who elect one of the disciplinary majors referenced above must contact the James Madison College Director of Academic and Student Affairs.

For additional information, refer to the statements on the disciplinary majors referenced above and to the statement on TEACHER CERTIFICATION in the Department of Teacher Education section of this catalog.

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.