Information analysis major created
Posted on January 17, 2008
Since Sept. 11, national security has reigned supreme as one of the nation’s greatest issues of debate.
Students in colleges across the country have staged demonstrations, recruiters have worked to enlist soldiers and flying in an airplane will never be the same. JMU has dealt with the aftermath in a different way — creating a major that will train students to protect themselves, their country or their corporation through information analysis.
The information analysis major was created in the fall of 2007 and teaches students how to employ an information-centric approach to problem solving by looking at data and using technology. Classes prepare students for jobs within and outside of the government, as graduates will be trained to work in one of the country’s 16 intelligence agencies like the CIA, the FBI, the NSA and the DIA, or a major corporation.
“Essentially you will be prepared to find the answer to some urgent, real work question by gathering information, analyzing with technology and creating realistic inferences from it using reasoning,” said Noel Hendrickson, advisor for the major.
While the information analysis major is new to JMU, it’s been in the works for three years. Advisers spent a lot of time meeting with specialists and designing a curriculum that would benefit students.
“As our committee worked at developing this program, we worked with representatives from various agencies, including the FBI,” said Kenneth Newbold, director of research development.
Hendrickson said there were many benefits to working so closely with these agencies.
“We want to make sure we’re doing what [intelligence agencies] want, but of course we try to put our own JMU spin on things,” he said. “We believe we got a really special spin by taking on the new cutting edge techniques and making them available to undergraduates.”
The major, which has yet to be advertised extensively, has pulled in 15 students so far, each of whom can choose to concentrate in either national security or competitive intelligence. The program can take up to three years to complete, so anyone planning to attend JMU for the allotted time may apply.
Those interested in applying must have a 3.0 grade point average and be in good standing with the JMU Honor Code. As the major is small and open to a limited number of students, all applicants must also talk to Hendrickson before becoming involved.
Sophomore Andrykl Villhauer started taking classes for the major this fall and is very excited so far.
“The thing that really peaked my interest is that I’ve always loved to think through stuff,” he said. “(Informational analysis classes) are some of the only classes I’ve taken that teach me how to think.”
Like the students, Hendrickson is excited about the major and the benefit it could have on their careers.
He said, “I have faith in the JMU students that they also will perform well and, at the end of the day, that will be the most compelling argument of all.”
