Bachelor of Arts [B.A] [Social Relations and Policy] From Michigan State University

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.