What Makes X-Labs Courses Unique?
- Focused on a Real-World Problem to Solve: Each course at X-Labs starts with a big question or challenge. From there, we follow a special problem-solving approach called design thinking.
- Taught by Teaching Teams: Every course session is team-taught by professors from different colleges, a design-thinking facilitator, and occasionally an industry expert.
- Designed for Sophomores and above: These typically elective courses are developed to complement advanced students' academic passions and spark new interest as they pursue career goals.
- Small Class Sizes: With an average course size of 20-30 students, students benefit from guided discussions and meaningful team collaborations with students outside their discipline.
- Held in Non-Traditional Learning Spaces: Courses take place in The Lab (Lakeview Hall 1150) or The Tank (Lakeview Hall 1160), classrooms equipped with the latest technology and equipment, as well as tools to inspire collaboration and innovation.
FALL 2025 COURSES
- Course Name: Reimagining Virginia’s Fight Against Organized Retail Crime
- Course #s: CISE 480-0001, MKTG 498-0001, CIS 498-0003
- Day & Time: M, 3:25-5:55PM
- Course Challenge Statement: Students will develop solutions that help the Virginia Office of the Attorney General tackle organized retail crime across Virginia.
- Students Eligible to Enroll: This course is open to all JMU students within the prerequisites of each course number. Students with an interest in the intersection of criminal justice, political science, and technology and have competencies in data analytics, business intelligence, and networking and security are especially encouraged to enroll.
- How to Register: This course has three course numbers (CISE 480-0001, MKTG 498-0001, CIS 498-0003). Register in MyMadison using the course number closest to your area of study and follow enrollment instructions.
Teaching Team from:
- College of Arts and Letters
- College of Business
- College of Integrated Science and Engineering
Instructors:
- Adrienne Hooker, Associate Professor, Media Arts and Design
- Fadi Majdoub, Lecturer, Marketing
- John Robinson, Assistant Professor, Intelligence Analysis
- Course Name: How Does 3D Printing Help Us Tell the Story of Montpelier?
- Course #: UNST 300
- Day & Time: W, 5:00-7:30PM
- Course Challenge Statement: Students will develop solutions to real issues faced by the now physically isolated Archaeology Department Lab at James Madison’s Montpelier and its intersection with constituents and the Montpelier property.
- Students Eligible to Enroll: This course is open to all eligible UNST 300 students (45+ credits in 4-5 areas) and will satisfy the Madison Foundations Critical Thinking requirement. Students with an interest in archaeology, history, 3D printing, and early elementary social studies are encouraged to enroll.
- How to Register: Register in MyMadison and follow enrollment instructions.
Teaching Team from:
- JMU Libraries
- College of Education
- College of Integrated Science and Engineering
Instructors:
- Aaron Bodle, Associate Professor, Early, Elementary and Reading Education
- Jamie Calcagno-Roach, Director of Educational Technology Services, Libraries
- Carole Nash, Professor, Geography
- Course Name: Hacking Well-Being at JMU
- Course #: UNST 190
- Day & Time: T, 12:45–3:15PM
- Course Challenge Statement: Students will reimagine the future of Health and Well-Being at JMU.
- Students Eligible to Enroll: This course is available to all JMU students. Those with an interest in JMU community well-being and have competencies in health sciences, nursing, kinesiology, psychology, social work, health communication and advocacy, and biology are encouraged to enroll.
- How to Register: Register in MyMadison and follow enrollment instructions.
Teaching Team from:
- College of Health and Behavioral Studies
- Division of Student Affairs
Instructors:
- Stephanie Baller, Professor, Health Sciences
- Kristina Blyer, Associate Vice President for Health and Well-Being
- Jonathan Stewart, Director for Finance, IT and Assessment, Student Affairs
- Course Name: AI for Global Impact: Tackling Grand Challenges with Generative AI
- Course #: UNST 300
- Days & Time: M & W, 1:50-3:05PM
- Course Challenge Statement: DARPA’s mission is “to create technological surprise for U.S. national security.” Students will develop ambitious DARPA-style proposals using GenAI as a transformative tool to imagine radically different futures for humanity.
- Students Eligible to Enroll: This course is open to all eligible UNST 300 students (45+ credits in 4-5 areas) and will satisfy the Madison Foundations Critical Thinking requirement. Students with an interest in generative artificial intelligence, humanities, ethics, political science, entrepreneurship, and technology are encouraged to apply.
- How to Register: Register in MyMadison and follow enrollment instructions.
Teaching Team from:
- College of Arts and Letters
- College of Integrated Science and Engineering
- Ethical Reasoning in Action
Instructors:
- Christian Early, Professor, Philosophy and Religion
- Venkat Kolluri, CEO: Cidewalk company
- Raafat Zaini, Assistant Professor, Integrated Science and Technology
SPRING 2025 COURSES
Note: This course has three course numbers. Register using the course number closest to your area of study.
- Course Name: Who Cares About Small Farms Anyway?
- Course #s: CISE 480, KIN 428, UNST 190
- Day & Time: W, 3:25PM-5:55PM
- Course Challenge Statement: Students will develop solutions to real issues faced by small to mid-size family-owned and operated farms in the Shenandoah Valley.
- Students Eligible to Enroll: Students with an interest in the farming population and those with competencies in engineering, policy, law, design, biology, geology, environmental science, analysis, psychology, health and wellness, sociology, marketing, economics, or business management are encouraged to participate. Having deep knowledge of human physiological processes, kinesiology students will contribute to the interdisciplinary teams by leading research efforts and discussions regarding the ethical, legal, and practical implications of applying strategies, particularly for use with small and medium-sized farms.
- How to Register: Students interested in this course need to contact Patrice Ludwig, ludwigpm@jmu.edu, to inquire about this opportunity. Dr. Ludwig will share next steps.
Teaching Team from:
- College of Health and Behavioral Studies
- Division of Research, Economic Development and Innovation
- College of Integrated Science & Engineering
- College of Science & Mathematics
Instructors from whom to seek permission:
- KIN 428 - Doug Hochstetler, Associate Dean, College of Health and Behavioral Studies
- UNST 190 - Patrice Ludwig, Interim Assistant Vice President for Research & Innovation
- CISE 480 - Sam Morton, Professor, Engineering
- Sam Prins, Dean, College of Science & Mathematics
- Course Name: Workshop in Environmental Problem Solving
- Course #: ENVT 400
- Days & Time: TU/TH, 3:55-5:10PM
- Course Challenge Statement: Students will solve environmental and natural resource conservation challenges experienced by organizations and agencies.
- Students Eligible to Enroll: Students with an interest in environmental conservation and those with competencies in environmental management or science are encouraged to participate.
- How to Register: Students interested in this course need to contact Rob Alexander, alexanrw@jmu.edu, for a brief interview. Dr. Alexander will share next steps.
Teaching Team from:
- College of Arts & Letters
- College of Health and Behavioral Studies
- College of Visual and Performing Arts
Instructors:
- Rob Alexander, Associate Professor, Political Science
- Raihan Khan, Assistant Professor, Health Sciences
- Lisa Tubach, Professor, Art
**POSTPONED TO A LATER SEMESTER**
Note: This course has two course numbers with two course titles. Register using the course number closest to your area of study.
- Course Names & Course #s: New Models for Project Management in Live Entertainment (Course #: IART 451E) and Systems Thinking, Design Thinking, and Agile Development (Course #: CIS 498)
- Day & Time: W, 5:30-8PM
- Course Challenge Statement: Students will generate new production models for theatre to elevate creativity and collaboration practices within theatre production systems.
- Students Eligible to Enroll: Students with an interest in the performing arts and systems thinking and those with competencies in theatre, dance, business management, or computer information systems are encouraged to participate.
- How to Register: This course is open to all students. Register in MyMadison.
Teaching Team from:
- College of Business
- College of Arts & Letters
- College of Visual and Performing Arts
Instructors:
- CIS 498 - Dmytro Babik, Associate Professor, Computer Information Systems & Business Analytics
- Adrienne Hooker, Associate Professor, School of Media Arts & Design
- IART 451E - Simon Marland, Assistant Professor, Sound Design
- IART 451E - Brian Smallwood, Associate Professor of Theatre
This unique offering includes a Spring '25 prep course and a paid summer internship in 2025. Learn more about this opportunity.
- Course Name: The Reimagined Internship with Ellucian
- Course #: CISE 480
- Day & Time: Th, 3:55 PM-6:25 PM
- Course Challenge Statement: Students will gain hands-on experience in a multidisciplinary software development team and learn the entire software development lifecycle, from problem identification to solution implementation.
- Students Eligible to Apply: Ten students in the preferred areas of computer science, business, humanities, strong focus on AI, statistics, UX/UI, design thinking, cognitive psychology, marketing, communication, English, ethics, philosophy, law, graphic design, data science will be selected from the internship application.
- How to Apply: Interested students must apply for the course and internship on Handshake by Friday, November 15. Search The Reimagined Internship.
Instructors:
- Jonathan Stewart, director of IT, Finance, and Assessment, Student Affairs
- Lacey Gerard, director, Experience Design, Ellucian
- Other JMU and Ellucian mentors
FALL 2024 COURSES
Lakeview Hall, Room 1150
M/W, 3:25-4:40 PM
Instructors:
Jonathan Stewart, Director of Finance, IT and Assessment (Division of Student Affairs)
Kevin Borg, Director of Public History Program, Professor (History, WGSS)
Adrienne Hooker, Associate Professor (SMAD)
Lakeview Hall, Room 1150
T/Th, 11:10 AM-12:25 PM
Instructors:
Jamie Calcagno-Roach, Director of Educational Technology Services, Associate Professor (Libraries)
Joi Merritt, Academic Unit Head and Associate Professor (Early, Elementary & Reading Education)
Lakeview Hall, Room 1150
Th, 2:20-4:50 PM
Instructors:
Gus Hallmon, Assistant Professor (Sport and Recreation Management, Hart School)
Raifat Zaini, Assistant Professor (ISAT)
Mikey Torres, Esports Director (X-Labs)
Lakeview Hall, Room 1150
Th, 3:55-6:45 PM
Instructors:
Bill Ritchie, CSX Professor (Business Management)
SPRING 2024 COURSES
Lakeview Hall, Room 1150
M/W, 9:35-10:50 AM
Instructors:
Rob Alexander, Associate Professor (Political Science), ICAD Co-Director
Raihan Khan, Health Sciences, CHBS
Patrice Ludwig, Associate Professor (Biology), Interim Assistant Director (X-Labs)
Lakeview Hall, Room 1150
Wednesday, 5:20-7:50 PM
Instructors:
Drew Danzell, Associate Professor, Integrated Sciences & Technology
Linda Thomas, Dean of The Graduate School, Professor (ISAT)
Lakeview Hall, Room 1150
Tuesday, 2:20-4:50 PM
Instructors:
Patrice Ludwig, Assistant Interim Director, X-Labs, Research, Economic Development, and Innovation
Grover Saunders, Immersive & Digital Projects Specialist, Administrative Faculty, Libraries
JMU Instructors:
Connie Frigo, Executive Director, JMU X-Labs
Patrice Ludwig, Interim Assistant Vice President of REDI; Associate Professor of Biology
Jonathan Stewart, Director for Finance, IT and Assessment for Division of Student Affairs
Ellucian Instructors:
Lacey Gerard, Senior Manager, Experience Design
Sania Khan, Vice President, Experience Design and Innovation
Challenge Sponsors and Partners:
Ellucian
Bill Blackford, VP Global Talent Acquisition
Sania Khan, Vice President, Experience Design and Innovation
Mike Wulff, Chief Product & Technology Officer
JMU Partners
Carrie Combs, Senior Director, Corporate and Foundation Relations
Libby Westley, Director, University Career Center
Challenge Statement:
Create a methodology for institutions to utilize data in assessing their effectiveness of their educational programs. This approach should determine whether the curriculum is adequately equipping students for career readiness.
Background:
The ongoing devaluation crisis has led to students questioning the worth of degrees. Increasingly, they are opting for certifications and bootcamps, which offer quicker routes to employment. To regain the trust and attention of students, educational institutions must ensure that their programs are more closely aligned with tangible outcomes and workforce needs.
FALL 2023 COURSES
Instructors:
Patrice Ludwig, Interim Assistant Vice President of REDI, Associate Professor of Biology
Eric Major, Entrepreneur; CEO: JMU alumnus and X-Labs Trailblazer
Sean McCarthy Professor of Writing, Rhetoric and Technical Communication; Director of Cohen Center
Course Summary
Students are presenting the results of Part II of two course sequence of courses taught by JMU faculty and JMU alumnus and celebrated entrepreneur Mr. Eric Major. Students had to research, design, and prototype Class One Medical devices. Student groups pitched their ideas to venture capitalists, who were invited to the final course presentations in December 2023.
Instructors:
Jori Erdman, Architectural Design Area Coordinator; Professor of Architectural Design
Patrice Ludwig, Interim Assistant Vice President of REDI, Associate Professor of Biology
Course Summary
Teams of architecture and biology students co-designed adaptive structures for coastal resilience. They focused on the question, how might we design structures that are part of the ecological and human systems in coastal areas?
Summer 23
X-Labs International Summer 2023 Study Abroud - Responsible Futures: Innovative Responses to Climate Change in the Netherlands and Germany
Instructors:
Rob Alexander, Associate Professor of Political Science; Co-Director of Institute for Constructive Advocacy and Dialogue
Sean McCarthy Professor of Writing, Rhetoric and Technical Communication; Director of Cohen Center
Course Summary
This program brought together two JMU faculty and fourteen students to university and consultancy innovation hubs in Amsterdam and Rotterdam, The Netherlands, Hamburg, Germany, and the University of Twente. Students engaged in systems thinking, design-based problem solving, and Responsible Futuring workshops to develop the competencies necessary for a design sprint to address sustainability challenges identified on the JMU campus.
Previous Courses: 2015 - Spring 2023
Intracampus Initiatives
Innovation in Emerging Technology
*Hack – to improvise effectively; to take things apart and repurpose them to solve problems or create new products
**Wicked problem – a problem that is difficult or impossible to solve because of incomplete, contradictory and changing requirements that are often difficult to recognize.
