| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 66.71 |
| Liaison | Christie-Joy Hartman |
| Submission Date | Sept. 13, 2024 |
James Madison University
AC-4: Graduate Program
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
3.00 / 3.00 |
Essa
Paterson Program Coordinator ISNW |
Does the institution offer at least one sustainability-focused major, degree program, or the equivalent for graduate students?:
Name of the sustainability-focused graduate-level degree program:
A brief description of the graduate-level degree program:
The Master of Science degree in Integrated Science and Technology (M.S. in ISAT) is a 33-credit accelerated program offering a concentration in Environmental Management and Sustainability that prepares graduates to be leaders that drive innovation and commerce while positively impacting the well-being and sustainability of our planet and its people. Our graduates share a holistic understanding of sustainability and the environment and bring a systems-based, problem-solving approach to their work in private companies, government agencies and non-profit organizations.
The Environmental Management and Sustainability concentration is a dual-degree, international master’s program with the University of Malta.
During the accelerated 12-month program, students will receive one semester of instruction at James Madison University (JMU) in Harrisonburg, VA (fall) and one semester of instruction at the University of Malta campus in Msida, Malta (spring), providing unique opportunities to learn, explore and compare experiences in different geographic, environmental and social contexts. Both JMU and the University of Malta faculty contribute equally to instruction and project supervision. Students who successfully complete the degree requirements are awarded both:
- A Master of Science degree in Integrated Science and Technology (M.S. in ISAT) from James Madison University, and
- A Master of Science degree in Environmental Management and Sustainability (MSc in EMS) from the University of Malta
The program is designed to build holistic thinking and problem-solving skills using systems perspectives directed to environmental and sustainability challenges. The curriculum explores principles of sustainability science, incorporating perspectives from Earth systems, natural resources management, ethics, policy and law, and social sciences, among others. It also builds a suite of analytical methods and competencies including GIS, data science, cross-cultural project management, field techniques, statistics and data science. Elective coursework allows students to develop a specialization by opting for either of two pathways:
- Sustainable Technological Systems, or
- Food Systems and Biodiversity
All students will complete a 6-credit capstone project at a location of their choosing. The capstone project allows students to continue to build specialized knowledge through research on the topic of their choice. Exceptional students may opt to complete a master’s research thesis. This option requires approval from the program’s Board of Studies.
Website URL for the graduate-level degree program:
Name of the sustainability-focused, graduate-level degree program (2nd program):
A brief description of the graduate degree program (2nd program):
Website URL for the graduate degree program (2nd program):
Name of the sustainability-focused, graduate-level degree program (3rd program):
A brief description of the graduate degree program (3rd program):
Website URL for the graduate degree program (3rd program):
The name and website URLs of all other sustainability-focused graduate-level degree programs:
Does the institution offer one or more graduate-level sustainability-focused minors, concentrations or certificates?:
Name of the graduate-level sustainability-focused minor, concentration or certificate:
A brief description of the graduate minor, concentration or certificate:
As part of their requirements for an M.A. degree in Communication and Advocacy, students will select a concentrated area of study: Health Communication, Environmental Communication or Strategic Communication. In each concentration, research, theory and practical application are combined to help students develop and refine knowledge and skills essential to becoming effective communication advocates, research investigators and communication research consumers.
Graduate students interested in specializing in environmental communication will complete course work focusing on the multifaceted nature of environmental advocacy, key forums through which competing local to international interests are identified, contested and managed, as well as how various levels of risk are framed, challenged and negotiated. Students graduating with a concentration in environmental communication will be prepared to work in a variety of nonprofit, government and corporate settings constructing and evaluating environmental campaigns, facilitating organizational and group decision making about issues related to environmental practices, communicating effectively with varied stakeholders with conflicting interests, and educating and motivating diverse audiences regarding environmental interests.
Website URL for the graduate minor, concentration or certificate:
Name of the graduate-level sustainability-focused minor, concentration or certificate (2nd program):
A brief description of the graduate minor, concentration or certificate (2nd program):
Website URL for the graduate minor, concentration or certificate (2nd program):
Name of the graduate-level sustainability-focused minor, concentration or certificate (3rd program):
A brief description of the graduate minor, concentration or certificate (3rd program):
Website URL for the graduate minor, concentration or certificate (3rd program):
The name and website URLs of all other graduate-level, sustainability-focused minors, concentrations and certificates:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
Information was obtained from the JMU Graduate Catalog 2024-2025 to meet the criteria of current information at the time of submission. https://catalog.jmu.edu/index.php?catoid=61
The M.S. ISAT sustainability-focused graduate-level degree program had been on hold for years while being redesigned, and thus was not reported in our last submission.
Completed by Essa Paterson, ISNW.
The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.