Choosing JMU & Choosing a Major

If you are a prospective JMU student who would like to talk with somebody from our department during a campus visit to JMU, please make that request in advance at posc@jmu.edu.

We offer undergraduate majors in political science, in public administration, and in international affairs.

Click below to hear three alumni reflect on the value of their experiences as majors in our department as they prepared for their careers:

• Kirk Cox, former Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates
  • Class of 1979 political science major
    
    
• Jamie Jones Miller, fomer Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense
  • Class of 1999 international affairs major
    
    
• Levar Stoney, Mayor of Richmond, Virginia
  • Class of 2004 public administration and political science double major

The Political Science, International Affairs, and Public Administration majors are available to any student in good standing at the university. To declare one of these majors (or to declare a minor), go to the Student Center component of MyMadison on the STUDENT tab.  JMU's Office of the Registrar provides a step-by-step video tutorial with instructions on adding, dropping, and/or changing majors and minors.

For a discussion of related undergraduate minor programs offered in our department or by some of our faculty in conjunction with other departments, you can visit our Minors in Public Affairs page.

U.S. military veterans (as well as other applicants potentially covered by the Post-9/11 GI Bill) may be eligible for financial benefits.  JMU's Registrar has links to further sources of information: https://www.jmu.edu/registrar/veterans/ 

If you have further questions feel free to contact us.