Download the Checklist (PDF)

After you have accepted your offer of admission, it is recommended that you complete the following:

  • Set up your "dukes" email account.
    • Check your email regularly or set it up to forward to an account you check regularly.
    • Official JMU correspondence regarding your student record will be sent to your Dukes account, not to your personal email or to a staff account.
  • Complete Tests and Trainings Required of All Graduate Students
    • The Honor Code Test – The test is required of all students, even if you’ve completed it for a previous degree you earned at JMU. Visit the Honor Code Test page for due dates and more information on completing the test.
    • Everfi Programs for Graduate Students - You will receive an email with an invitation to the training. Visit the Everfi Programs for Graduate Students for due dates and more information.
  • Familiarize yourself with the Graduate Catalog: 
    • You are responsible for abiding by policies as listed in the graduate catalog and for following the degree requirements outlined in the graduate catalog in effect when you begin your program.
  • Work with your Advisor to Plan your Program of Study
    • Communicate with your advisor to make sure you understand your program of study requirements before or during your first semester. If your program of study will deviate from your catalog requirements, talk to your advisor about what paperwork you all need to submit.
      • Go to Graduate School Catalog, select degrees offered on the left navigation, and select your degree. This will list the course requirements needed to graduate with your degree. (Make sure you are referring to the catalog from the year you began your program)
      • Fill out the Program of Study Template based on the course requirements for your degree and catalog year.
  • Check-In and Enroll through MyMadison.jmu.edu
    • Enroll in courses by the appropriate deadlines. If your program handles enrollment on your behalf, it is still your responsibility to verify your enrollment is correct and adhere to enrollment related deadlines.
  • Transfer Graduate Level Credits Taken Prior to Admission (if applicable)
    • Graduate level courses that you have taken at another institution or at JMU prior to your admission into your current program (as an undergraduate, certificate or non-degree seeking student), may need to be transferred to count toward your new program’s degree requirements. Courses that count as prerequisites to your program or undergraduate level courses will not transfer.
    • The Approval of Transfer Credit Form must be approved by your graduate program and submitted to The Graduate School by the end of your first semester. Forms are available at the Graduate School Forms page.
  • Complete Any Conditions of Your Admission (outlined on your admission letter)
    • Submit official transcripts from other institutions by the end of your first semester. We do not require submission of transcripts from JMU. See more information at https://www.jmu.edu/grad/prospective/apply-faq.shtml#official-transcripts
    • If your graduate program assigned additional conditions in your admission letter, complete those conditions as soon as possible.
  • Additional Checklist Items for Students Fully or Partly on Campus:
    • Submit your immunization and health history to the University Health Center: https://www.jmu.edu/healthcenter/incoming-students/index.shtml#Set-1-A.
    • Obtain your JACard at Card Services (2nd floor, Student Success Center) - JACard gives you access to classrooms, computer labs, services, events, purchased meal plans, and declining balance accounts you may choose to use (Dining Dollars, Dining Dollars Gold, and FLEX).
    • Visit the Parking and Transit Services website to purchase a student parking permit and find information about parking on campus.
  • Additional Checklist Items for International Students: 

Still have questions? Please contact the Graduate School or other JMU offices at one of the numbers or email addresses listed below.

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The Graduate School
MSC 6702
Harrisonburg, Virginia 22807
Hours: 
Mon - Fri:
8 a.m. - 12 p.m. &
1 p.m. - 5 p.m.
Closed 12 p.m. - 1 p.m. for lunch