James Madison University is a public university in Harrisonburg , Virginia . James Madison University ( also known as JMU , Madison , or James Madison ) is a public coeducational research university located in Harrisonburg , Virginia , U.S. Founded in 1908 as the State Normal and Industrial School for Women at Harrisonburg , the university has undergone four name changes before settling with James Madison University . The university is situated in the Shenandoah Valley , with the campus quadrangle located on South Main Street in Harrisonburg .