James Madison University

Freshman Advising FAQ

  1. How many credits should I sign up for?
  2. What CS classes do I take?
  3. What are my math requirements as a CS major?
  4. What General Education courses (GenEd) do I need?
  5. Do I need to take GENG101?
  6. Do I need to take GENG102?
  7. I have credit for GENG102. What are my options?
  8. I am an Honors student. What should I do?
  9. What if I fail a course?
  10. I don't want to be a CS major anymore. What now?
  11. When can I register?
  12. Can I change my schedule after I register?
  13. Where can I get a up to date Schedule of Classes?
  14. How does this telephone registration thing work?

How many credits should I sign up for?

The average credit load per semester is 15 credits. Depending on your specifc needs, your load could vary from 14-17 credits. 13 is getting light; 18 is getting heavy.

What CS classes do I take?

The CS major has three concentrations. The beginning classes are the same (roughly, the first two years). After that, they diverge somewhat. The base classes are as follow:


Fall 97 Spr 98 Fall 98 Spr 99 Fall 99
CS 138 CS 139 CS 239 CS 240 CS 350
CS 345

After the Fall 98 semester, most junior level (3xx) courses can be taken. See the specific requirements for your concentration for more information.

What are my math requirements as a CS major?

CS majors have a separate set of math requirements from the General Education cluster three requirements. You can use the same courses to fulfill both requirements. CS majors must take one of the following math sequences:

  1. GIST141B, ISAT142, ISAT241
  2. MATH205, MATH206, GIST141B
  3. MATH235, MATH236, GIST141B
  4. MATH235, MATH236, MATH285
  5. MATH235, MATH236, MATH318

The CS department recommends the first option.

What General Education courses (GenEd) do I need?

General education has 5 clusters. Cluster 1 MUST be completed by the end of your freshmen year. Cluster one is a set of three courses about Critical Skills typically including GENG102 and GCOM121. Clusters two through five must be completed before you graduate. All JMU students must complete the JMU General Education requirement regardless of major.

Do I need to take GENG101?

Not necessarily. GENG101 is a prerequisite course for GENG102. You must complete this course requirement by the end of your freshmen year. There are four ways to get credit/exemption for GENG101:

  1. Score a 540 or higher on the SAT Verbal section.
  2. Take a college equivalent credit course in HS/community college.
  3. Score a 4/5 on the English AP exam.
  4. Take GENG101 at JMU.

Do I need to take GENG102?

Not necessarily. GENG102 is part of the GenEd cluster one packages. You must complete this course requirement by the end of your freshmen year. There are four ways to get credit/exemption for GENG102:

  1. Score a 670 or higher on the SAT Verbal section.
  2. Take a college equivalent credit course in HS/community college.
  3. Score a 4/5 on the English AP exam.
  4. Take GENG102 at JMU.

I have credit for GENG102. What are my options?

If you arrived at JMU with GENG102 credit, then you have three options for completing the GenEd cluster one requirement:

  1. Take the other two courses in cluster 1, package A (GCOM121A, GPHL120A)
  2. Take the other two courses in cluster 1, package B (GCOM121B, GBUS160B)
  3. Take package C, D, E all three courses. Under this option, you CANNOT transfer in your credit for GENG102!

I am an Honors student. What should I do?

Honors students get to register at the beginning of registration. You need to go talk to the Honors Program and/or your CS advisor as soon as possible for registration advice.

What if I fail a course?

If you fail a course that is a prerequisite for another course (such as CS138), you must retake the course before you can continue in the sequence (CS139). You can retake the course using the Repeat Forgiveness option (see the JMU catalog for more information), but remeber that you are only allowed to do this twice in your JMU career.

I don't want to be a CS major anymore. What now?

If you want to change your major, you need to fill out the Change of Major form (available in many departmental offices or in Warren 504. You will get a advisor in your new department in the Spring, so for advice this semester, you'll need to make an appointment to see someone in the main office of YOUR NEW MAJOR. You will still need your old (CS) advisor's signature to register for classes.

When can I register?

In the front of the Schedule of Classes, there is a table of registration times. To see when you can register:

  1. Read the registration section of Schedule
  2. Determine how many credits you have COMPLETED and TRANSFERRED to JMU
  3. Look up your credit total and find the last four digits of your student number.
  4. Move across the row to see your registration time.

Most freshmen will begin registration on November 10th or November 11th.

Can I change my schedule after I register?

There are several "open" days at the end of registration when any student can call in and modify their existing schedule. After that, the system is shut down until the beginning of Spring semester.

Where can I get a up to date Schedule of Classes?

The most up to date schedule can be viewed on the TV screens in Warren Hall or by logging into the Raven system and typing loc class or on the web. The printed version is distributed around the campus (Warren Hall, UREC, etc.).

How does this telephone registration thing work?

The telephone registration system is how current JMU students register for their Spring classes. The Schedule of Classes has detailed information on how the system is set up and works.Basically, at your designated time, you call the system and, using your telephone registration sheet (also in the Schedule), you push a lot of buttons until you have the classes that you need.