Are you ready to graduate? Then you're ready for Senior Compass! 

What you need to do:

  1. Apply to graduate in MyMadison.
  2. Complete the Measuring the Change Assessments and The JMU Experience Survey in Canvas.
  3. Review the remaining Senior Compass modules.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Senior Compass is a non-credit Canvas course all undergraduate students must complete the semester leading up to graduation. The course provides a road map of the steps needed to graduate. Additionally, there are two assignments that students must complete to receive their diploma. 

No, all activities are housed in Canvas and completed online. There are no in-person class sessions to attend.  
JMU is committed to improving the educational experience for future JMU students who will follow. Senior Compass aids James Madison University in evaluating the strength of a JMU education. This benefits the student and the university because the results from the activities completed this semester will be used to establish the weight of a JMU degree in the eyes of prospective employers and admissions committees. 
You are automatically enrolled when you apply to graduate in MyMadison! However, the course won't show up in Canvas until the beginning of the term in whichyou actually graduate. Make sure you enable messages from the Senior Compass course in Canvas.  

Enrollment in the Senior Compass Canvas course will be placed on your account automatically and may take 1-2 business days. You will be enrolled in the Canvas course for the term you intend to graduate, so you may not see it until that semester begins. (For example, if you complete the graduation application in Fall to graduate in Spring, you won't see the Senior Compass Canvas course until the beginning of Spring semester.)

Once you apply to graduate, the Senior Compass Hold will be placed on your account automatically at the beginning of the semester in which you intend to graduate. The hold does not prevent you from registering for classes, accessing financial aid packages, graduating, or receiving your transcript. The hold does prevent you from receiving your diploma. Check out the FAQ “When is the Hold removed?” for instructions on how to remove the hold. 

Senior Compass includes two required assignments you must complete before graduation:  

  1. Measuring the Change Assessments (MTCAs): the MTCAs are the final assessments in a series which you may have participated in during your career as a JMU student; they capture your mastery of JMU’s learning outcomes prior to graduation. The results are used to inform program improvements, which in turn leads to a higher quality of education for all JMU students.  
  2. The JMU Experience Perceptions Survey: This survey aims to capture your thoughts, feelings, and experiences regarding various aspects of your college journey. Your participation will contribute to a broader understanding of the challenges, triumphs, and transformative moments that characterize the transition from student to graduate.
 
Once you complete both required assignments in the Senior Compass Canvas course (the Measuring the Change Assessments - Module 2 and The JMU Experience Perceptions Survey - Module 4), the Senior Compass Hold will be removed. Note The JMU Experience Perceptions Survey does not open until midsemester.
Graduating students who don’t complete both required assignments prior to commencement will not be able to receive their diploma. The Senior Compass Hold does not prevent you from registering for classes, accessing financial aid packages, graduating, participating in commencement, or receiving your transcripts.
No, students are not graded on the assignments but they must complete both required assignments to have the hold removed.

If you complete the assignments, the Senior Compass Hold will be removed from your account. You will not be expected to re-take the assessment or the survey during the semester you graduate; however, you may want to review the other modules in Canvas for important information related to graduation.

If you have not completed the assignments and do not intend to graduate, the Senior Compass Hold will remain in effect through the term you intend to graduate. It will not prevent you from registering for classes, accessing financial aid or applying to graduate in the future. You do not need to complete any of the course activities until the term you plan to graduate.

You should continue to follow the Registrar's procedures for graduation applications.

Your enrollment in the Senior Compass course will be carried forward to next (Fall or Spring) semester.

If you complete the assignments, the Senior Compass Hold will be removed from your account. You will not be expected to re-take the assessment or the survey during the semester you graduate; however, you may want to review the other modules in Canvas for important information related to graduation.

If you have not completed the assignments and do not intend to graduate, the Senior Compass Hold will remain in effect through the term you intend to graduate. It will not prevent you from registering for classes, accessing financial aid or applying to graduate in the future. You do not need to complete any of the course activities until the term you plan to graduate.

You should continue to follow the Registrar's procedures for graduation applications.

Your enrollment in the Senior Compass course will be carried forward to next (Fall or Spring) semester. If you have completed the assignments, the Senior Compass Hold will be removed from your account. You will not be expected to re-take the assessment or the survey during the semester you graduate; however, you may want to review the other modules in Canvas for important information related to graduation.

You should continue to follow the Registrar's procedures for graduation applications.

 

Send an email to seniorcompass@jmu.edu with as much detail as possible. 

There are two options for completing assignments on campus. With either option, students need to bring their JMU JACard, as many labs will require it in order to enter. Students should allow enough time to complete the assignments before the lab closes for the day.  

  • Check with the Assessment & Testing Center, located in the basement of Gabbin Hall for a drop-in basis within scheduled lab hours.  
  • Senior Compass requirements can also be completed in any general use lab on campus during scheduled lab hours when they are not reserved for a class. Headphones are not provided in these labs. 

Extended time: Students can take as much time as needed when taking the assessments and survey. Estimated times are only provided to help students plan how much time it might take them to complete the requirement. We encourage students to take as much as they need.    

Enlarged computer screen, alternative formats, text-to-speech or other assistive technology: For assistance with these accommodations, please contact the Office of Disability Services (ODS) by emailing disability-svcs@jmu.edu or by calling 540-568-6705. Please contact ODS at least two weeks prior to the suggested deadline to make arrangements.

The Federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974 assigns certain privacy rights regarding their educational records to students who are 18 years of age or older or enrolled in post-secondary institutions. In general, this means that students need to give their permission for the release of information about their educational record.   

Please have the student contact seniorcompass@jmu.edu for information on the Senior Compass course, hold, or other questions. 

Senior Compass is administered collaboratively among multiple units. Please use seniorcompass@jmu.edu for all inquiries.

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Senior Compass
Varner House
80 Bluestone Drive
Harrisonburg, Virginia 22807