Global Reach - Best Overseas Education Consultants | Study Abroad
Upcoming Events

Upcoming Events

View More

James Madison University

Harrisonburg, Virginia, United States

B.A. in Sociology

Sociologists study the causes and consequences of social inequality. They also explore the social aspects of the environment, technology, politics, health, globalization, social movements, social justice, markets, mass media/popular culture and more. Through coursework and projects, sociology majors gain hands-on experience doing sociology, which includes: immersion in the daily life of groups, interview methodology, examining recorded interaction, interpreting historical documents, analyzing large national surveys and producing sophisticated social critique.

The sociology program develops the student's ability to analyze the social world by using diverse sociological theories and research methods. It stresses the importance of social, cultural, and historical contexts for understanding relationships between and among individuals and the social structures that make up societies. Students will gain the ability to think broadly and critically about the diversity of social organization and practice locally and globally. Students will also develop the ability to take a disciplined and scholarly approach to understanding the world in which we live.

The major in sociology strongly develops skills in critical thinking, research, analysis, writing and communication. Sociology students frequently go on to post-graduate education and/or careers in both public and private employment sectors.

Intakes

  • Jan
  • June
  • Aug

Application Processing Time in Days: 30

Minimum English Language Requirements

English Level Description IELTS (1.0 -9.0) TOEFL IBT (0-120) TOEFL CBT (0-300) PTE (10-90)
Expert 9 120 297-300 86-90
Very Good 8.5 115-119 280-293 83-86
Very Good 8 110-114 270-280 79-83
Good 7.5 102-109 253-267 73-79
Good 7 94-101 240-253 65-73
Competent 6.5 79-93 213-233 58-65
Competent 6 60-78 170-210 50-58
Modest 5.5 46-59 133-210 43-50
Modest 5 35-45 107-133 36-43
Limited 4 32-34 97-103 30-36
Extremely Limited < 4 < 31 < 93 < 30

Job Opportunity Potential

Strengths that help job opportunity potential

Here are things about JMU that boost the likelihood of good job outcomes:

High “knowledge rate” / outcome tracking

  • JMU tracks where their graduates are, which shows transparency and lets them improve based on feedback.

Strong professional / licensure programs

  • For fields that require certification or licensure (nursing, teaching, speech pathology, occupational therapy etc.), JMU shows excellent performance

Internship / experiential learning

  • JMU offers internships, on-campus interview opportunities, career fairs, etc. Its University Career Center helps students access large job/internship databases and prepares them (resume / interviews) for the job market

Strong regional network and demand

  • Being in Virginia, with many government, education, health care, and non-profit institutions in and around Northern Virginia / DC / Maryland, gives graduates good potential, especially in public service, teaching, healthcare, etc. Also, shortages in some fields (like K-12 teachers, nursing) in Virginia mean more opportunity.

Alumni satisfaction, retention, and value

  • Students and alumni report high satisfaction; many programs ranked well in “undergraduate teaching” etc.

PSW Opportunity

Post-Study Work visa or permit, allowing international students on F-1 visas to work in the US after completing their studies, typically through Optional Practical Training (OPT).

Eligibility:
To be eligible for OPT, students must have been enrolled full-time in a US educational institution for at least one academic year and be seeking work related to their major.

Duration:
Students can apply for up to 12 months of OPT, either before they finish their studies (pre-completion) or after graduation (post-completion).

STEM OPT:
Students in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields can apply for an extended OPT period of up to 24 months.

Contact our PSA counselor for more information

Admission Requirement / Eligibility Criteria

Freshman Requirements (India)

In the Indian system: a minimum average of 60 on a 100 point grading scale. Or the equivalent in the U.S. system: a 'B' average or a 3.00 grade point average (GPA) on a 4.00 GPA grading scale.

English Language Requirement for Nonnative Speakers

  • Proof of English language proficiency in ONE of the following ways:
    • Minimum standardized test score:
    • Note: Please specify the JMU CEEB code (005392) on the testing form. Test scores must be sent directly from the testing agency to JMU. Student copies will not be accepted.
    • IELTS minimum score of 6.5
    • GTEC CBT minimum score of 1210
    • Duolingo English Test minimum score of 105
    • Pearson PTE Academic minimum score of 58
    • TOEFL mimimum score of 81 (internet-based test)
    • SAT minimum score of 500 on the Evidenced Based Reading and Writing Portion of SAT exam
    • Cambridge English Exam - Certificate of Advanced English (CAE) minimum score of 176, CEFR level
    • Submission of a General Certificate of Secondary Education or General Certificate of Education "O" level in English language.
    • Possession of an American associate's or bachelor's degree equivalent from an accredited institution located in a country where English is the native language.
    • Graduation from an accredited high school in a native English-speaking country where the applicant has resided for at least four years.