Degrees & Majors
The information shared here is intended to provide an overview of Georgia State's offerings. For details on admissions requirements, tuition, courses and more please refer to the university catalogs.
Search results are alphabetized
The Georgia State University Bachelor of Arts in Africana Studies program provides students with the knowledge and skills necessary for the interdisciplinary study of people of African descent, connecting with the community and promoting social justice, while offering a curriculum that reflects the highest aspirations of education in an evolving society.
Our department's research focus engages the experiences of Africans and African descendants in the U.S. and globally through the lenses of ethnicity, culture, gender, sexuality and social structure. Our instruction and curriculum promotes critical thinking, research skills and proficiency in oral and written communication.
Anthropology, the study of human beings and their primate relatives, provides students with a perspective on the nature of humanity over time and in different environments.
Anthropology is concerned with biological aspects of humans and other primates in the past and present (biological anthropology), with material culture and an investigation into past lifeways (archaeology), with contemporary cultures (cultural anthropology) and with the complexities of language and communication (linguistic anthropology).
The Department of Anthropology has a strong and growing program with faculty representing all four of these subfields. Our faculty have research activities on four continents (North and South America, Europe and Africa). Several faculty members have expertise and research projects in Latin America. Undergraduate and graduate students benefit from the experience and ongoing research of faculty working there. Faculty members have taught field methods courses and supervised student research in socio-cultural anthropology, medical anthropology and archaeology.
Applied linguistics is an interdisciplinary field that integrates many perspectives on the study of human language. Studying linguistics is not a matter of learning many different languages, but rather it is the study of the nature of language in general.
Applied Linguistics is the study of language and communication in relation to real-world problems such as language acquisition and teaching, language assessment, language analysis on a large or small scale, improving intercultural communication and understanding the relationship between language and social organization or behaviors.
Students majoring in Applied Linguistics have the opportunity to earn the Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) certificate at the same time because the certificate requirements overlap with the required courses for the major.
Applied Linguistics students also have many opportunities for study abroad. The department has offered programs in Mexico and Argentina, as well as an exchange program in Turkey.
The Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies (BIS) program in Asian Studies provides students an opportunity to acquire a career-oriented range of skills and knowledge of this important and unique region of the world. Students can choose from a wide range of courses offered at Georgia State University.
Students have flexibility to craft a degree program that fits their interests and goals. Options include:
- A concentration in international business and economy.
- A minor in international business.
- A concentration in English as a Second Language (ESL) with an option to obtain a certificate in Teaching English as a Second Language (TEFL).
- Concentration in Chinese, Japanese or Indian/South Asian studies.
Political science is the study of “who gets what, when and how” in the distribution of goods and values in society and in groups. Political scientists study the forces that determine such distributions, including political parties and voters, public opinion, interest groups, bureaucracies and administrative behavior, public law, international relations, international law and organizations, national security, intergovernmental relations, political behavior, political philosophy, comparative politics, public policy and conflict.
Students may specialize in any of the five fields of the discipline:
- American politics and government
- Comparative politics
- International politics
- Political theory, or
- Public policy and administration
The department also provides specific concentrations for majors and minors in pre-law and in international affairs.
The department sponsors intercollegiate academic teams for Mock Trial, Model United Nations and Model Arab League. The department sponsors student honor societies and clubs in pre-law, international relations, and political science. The department also provides advisement for pre-law students.
Students also have the option to earn an undergraduate certificate in European Union Studies in cooperation with the University System of Georgia. Courses that count towards the certificate can also be applied to their political science major and towards the International Affairs concentration. For more information, visit European Union Studies Program. The Georgia State faculty representative for the certificate program is Dr. Jeannie Grussendorf.
Are you looking for…
- Increased Job Advancement and Marketability?
- Increased Income Potential?
- Providing a Higher Quality of Life for Yourself and Your Dependents?
- Fulfilling a Personal Milestone?
- All within a flexible online curriculum specialized for your interests and goals while maximizing previously earned college credits, with dedicated faculty and staff to support you.
Look no further than our Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies with a concentration in Arts and Sciences (BIS). A Georgia State University degree with endless opportunities.
The online BIS degree empowers you with a flexible curriculum while providing an avenue to an interdisciplinary educational experience that builds on various foundations for different career options, including graduate study.
With this program, you will further develop your skills* in:
- Critical Thinking
- Oral and Written Communication
*Key competencies that employers and graduate programs are looking for in their applicants.
Whether you are new to Georgia State or returning to complete your degree, you are closer than you think to earning your bachelor’s degree at Georgia State with the online BIS program.
What is Interdisciplinary Studies?
Interdisciplinary studies combine different areas of study to give students flexibility in choosing their coursework. Unlike a liberal arts degree, an interdisciplinary studies degree allows students to concentrate and connect their studies into several focus areas to prepare for the next steps in industry or graduate study.
What are some examples of an interdisciplinary curriculum?
One example is a student returning to complete their degree to move into a leadership role in their current position. With this career interest in mind, the student takes courses in Sociology, Philosophy and Ethics, Speech Communication, and Counseling and Psychological Services coursework to strengthen their skills to prepare them holistically for their next career move.
Another example is a student who was previously a Biology major, went into the workforce, is currently serving as a healthcare administrator and is returning to complete their degree. Utilizing previous credits in Biology, the student takes Public Health, Business Communication and Non-Profit Leadership coursework to build upon their career experiences and further broaden their knowledge, move into more advanced healthcare administration positions and complete their bachelor’s degree.
Who should consider the Bachelor of Interdisciplinary (BIS) with a concentration in Arts and Sciences?
Only some students are a good fit for the BIS with a concentration in Arts & Sciences. Many students will have clearly defined academic programs chosen, leading to a specific career path. This program supports students that have goals that require students to combine and explore various academic subjects.
This program is also a fit for students who have not been able to progress successfully in a clearly defined academic program and are looking for an avenue to earn a bachelor’s degree. The BIS with a concentration in Arts & Sciences offers the ability to maximize already-earned credits toward completing a bachelor’s degree.
Lastly, this program is also a good fit for the student who is already in a career and needs the credential or wants to make a career change and needs the flexibility of a fully online program while maximizing prior coursework taken.
Can students add a minor to this program? Pursue an undergraduate certificate?
Students can declare a minor and will be encouraged to explore one. The minor is in addition to Area G (major) requirements. Students cannot use credits satisfied in Area G towards the minor. Many students who qualify for the BIS program have already completed enough credits for a minor in a specific discipline.
Students can add an undergraduate certificate(s) to their program if they wish to. They must follow the curriculum and the process to earn an undergraduate certificate.
Refer to the University catalog for minor and undergraduate certificate offerings.
The career possibilities are endless with a Georgia State University bachelor’s degree in biology. A strong foundation in life science is a strong foundation for almost any career path.
While students can choose to stay on the General Studies track, we offer concentrations in:
- Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology
- Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology
Undergraduate students can get involved in research and two interdisciplinary areas of focus — The Molecular Basis of Disease program and The Brains and Behavior program — provide competitive fellowships, seminars and symposia to support Biology undergraduate and graduate researchers. The Department also offers students the unique opportunity to participate in community outreach through the Bio-Bus program, which sends a mobile teaching laboratory to primary and secondary schools throughout metro-Atlanta.
Chemistry deals with the nature of all substances and the changes that occur within them. Chemistry ranges from the study of the structure of atoms and molecules to that of the reactions occurring in living organisms.
The study of chemistry can provide knowledge that will give students a greater understanding and appreciation of the world in which they live. Knowledge of chemistry is a great asset in areas such as biology, physics and health-related fields. It is a logical foundation for premedical training, pre-veterinary, pre-pharmacy and other allied health professions.
Students can choose from the following concentrations:
- BSc in Chemistry (Traditional Program)
- BSc in Chemistry with Concentration in Biochemistry
- BSc in Chemistry with Concentration in Forensic Chemistry
- BSc in Chemistry with Pre-Medical Concentration
Students interested in pre-med should follow the Biochemistry concentration.
Georgia State's Chemistry Department offers undergraduate students the opportunity to gain practical experience with laboratory equipment such as rotary evaporators, IR spectrometers, NMR spectrometers, auto titrators and gas chromatography systems to name a few.
The Department of Chemistry is accredited by the American Chemical Society.
The Georgia State University B.A. in Journalism program offers three concentrations:
- Multimedia Reporting: Journalists are now sought for their multimedia skills as well as traditional writing and research skills. This program is designed to prepare journalism students to go into modern media workplaces, with a variety of experiential learning options as well as specialized reporting options.
- Public Relations: This program focuses on preparing students to work in public relations. Public relations professionals are advocates who critically analyze information to create content and campaigns for employers, employees, and clients. Students will learn about techniques and campaigns. Experiential learning is the foundation of the coursework.
- Media & Society: This program is designed with an academic focus on communication, to prepare students for graduate study. Students can choose from communication courses focusing on a variety of types and areas of communication.
Our programs are designed to meet the media industries' demand for graduates who are critical thinkers who can produce news and publicity materials efficiently across a variety of platforms.
Students can get extra support at Georgia State's Journalism Lab which provides undergraduate journalism students with rough draft reviews, grammar assistance, help with AP style writing and video production assistance.
Students can also get practical experience through Georgia State University TV (GSUTV), the university’s partnership with Georgia Public Broadcasting. As Georgia State’s media station, GSUTV provides students with training for creating broadcast content and airs special programs throughout Georgia and to a national network of PBS stations via cable, satellite, and digital platforms. GSUTV has won several Emmy and Telly Awards in recent years.
Georgia State University's B.A. in Speech Communications focuses on how people develop communication skills, how we study communication phenomena, how we critically examine communication events and how various persuasive tactics may influence members of diverse and globalized societies.
Elective courses examine such areas as nonverbal communication, media and politics, visual communication, communication disorders, health communication, mediation and conflict resolution, and communication and aging.
The concepts and skills provided by this Georgia State major in speech are useful in a wide variety of occupations and will prove useful in the world of communications.
In the heart of Atlanta, one of the world’s most vibrant media centers, the Department of Communication offers educational programs with the goal of producing productive and socially responsible citizens who understand communication theory and deploy communication skills to improve the human condition.