Undergraduate Programs
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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.
Political Science, B.A.
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.
Political Science, B.A./M.A.
Political Science, B.A./M.A.
The Department of Political Science offers a B.A./M.A. program that allows students to save time and tuition money by earning both degrees in as little as five years.
This dual degree opportunity enables qualified students to enroll in graduate courses late in their undergraduate program and apply the coursework toward both the bachelor’s and master’s programs.
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.
At the undergraduate level, 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
At the graduate level, students can choose from four concentrations:
- General Political Science
- American Politics
- International and Comparative Politics
- Public Law
Psychology, B.A. or B.S.
Psychology
Georgia State’s psychology degree introduces you to the study of the mind and behavior. Our classes will have you applying the concepts you’re studying to clinical, industrial, community and other social contexts, while increasing your understanding of behavior and the formation of relationships.
The program offers students the option of a bachelor of arts or bachelor of science degree. Both options will have you studying the theories and basic research methods in the industry and will make you a better communicator and listener. The B.S. option requires more STEM-related coursework in science and math and graduates tend to focus on the clinical applications of the degree in their jobs or graduate school attendance. The B.A. option allows you to dive into social sciences such as economics, political science or gerontology, among other topics.
Many students find that a bachelor’s degree in psychology is a good foundation for moving into graduate work in a number of fields.
Students have the following curriculum options depending on their degree choices:
- General Program in Psychology (B.A., B.S.)
- Concentration in Community Psychology (B.A., B.S.)
- Concentration in Pre-Medicine (B.S. Only)
The psychology undergraduate program has an active Honors Program and Presidential Assistants Program for exceptional students interested in advanced training in behavioral and psychological research, along with a large Psi Chi club for majors and minors. Applied and research practica are available in a variety of areas for advanced students taking in-person classes at the Atlanta Campus.
*Complete Your Degree Online
This program allows new students with the equivalent of two years of credits toward a psychology bachelor's degree to complete the final two years online.
Religious Studies, B.A.
Religious Studies is an interdisciplinary area of study that prepares students to navigate multicultural environments successfully, to lead teams effectively in collaborative settings and to interpret and marshal various types of information and data while advancing a large project.
Graduates with religious studies degrees advance in a wide range of careers and hold positions at nonprofit, in healthcare, academia and other public and private settings. Studying religion puts you on the cutting edge of global politics, business, health care, education and the media.
Course offerings in religious studies, all of which are taught from a non-sectarian perspective, include comparative courses on such topics as world religions, religious thought, religious ethics, mysticism, and women and religion, as well as a host of courses on specific religious traditions, including Buddhism, Christianity, Confucianism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, Shinto and Taoism.
Religious Studies, B.A./M.A.
Religious Studies, B.A./M.A.
Students can save time and tuition money by earning bachelor's and master's degrees in religious studies in as little as five years.
Graduates of our interdisciplinary program develop the skills needed to work in today's diverse, multicultural workplaces. Our recent graduates have moved ahead by pursuing careers in education, non-profit management, law and business, as well as by returning to established careers with a better understanding of religion and culture.
The program also prepares students who aim to pursue a Ph.D. or who want to go on to a professionally oriented graduate program in areas such as public health or law.
Social Justice Certificate
Increasing inequality, political polarization and the value of diversity in growing numbers of organizations have increased demand for Social Justice professionals in non-governmental organizations (NGOs), non-profit institutions, grassroots activist collectives and corporate departments whose work involves subjects like multiculturalism, community outreach and equity.
To provide the skills necessary for such work, the Department of Sociology offers a multi-disciplinary Certificate in Social Justice. This certificate provides specialized curricula to strengthen the candidacy of graduates for post-graduate professional activities concerned with social justice, provides opportunities to apply course material via experience-based learning activities and forms a comprehensive and interdisciplinary field of social justice from relevant courses in various university departments.
Sociology, B.A.
Sociology is the study of society, including identities, cultures, and institutions, and particularly the power dynamics that animate societal structures and social interactions.
Sociology uses data and theory to analyze the causes, processes, and consequences of social ideologies, social behaviors, institutional discourses, and institutional practices. Undergraduate students in our courses critically explore topics like race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, urbanization, health, illness, wealth, deviance, social problems, inequality and activism.
Specialty Areas:
- Health & Life Course
- Gerontology
- Gender & Sexuality
- Race & Urban
Sociology, Dual B.A./M.A.
Sociology, Dual B.A./M.A.
The B.A. /M.A. Program is appropriate for qualified Georgia State University undergraduate students who have completed two years as a Sociology major with a GPA of 3.5. Students may pursue a dual Bachelor of Arts in sociology and either a Master of Arts in Sociology or Master of Arts in Gerontology.
Dual undergraduate/graduate programs enable admitted undergraduate students to begin taking specified graduate courses during their senior year (or earlier in some cases) and count the coursework toward both the undergraduate and graduate degrees. Students in dual programs are enrolled in each degree program either concurrently or in close succession. Dual degrees may, therefore, be awarded at the same time, or one degree may be awarded prior to the second.
Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL), Undergraduate Certificate
Applied Linguistics & English as a Second Language
The certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) equips students with skills that will enable them to teach English as a Foreign Language abroad. The TEFL certificate is designed as a credential for those who plan short-term stays overseas and is open to Georgia State University students in any undergraduate major.
The program requires students to complete a series of five undergraduate courses offered by the Department of Applied Linguistics & English as a Second Language.
Students who are likely to be interested in the certificate program include:
- Those in disciplines where an extended stay abroad would enhance their skills, employment or graduate school admission possibilities upon their return.
- People who are simply interested in the adventure of living in another culture and of gaining knowledge of the world.
- Individuals with a bachelor's degree who are interested in working abroad but do not want to make the long term professional commitment involved in earning a graduate degree.
- Majors in Language Studies interested in further graduate study in applied linguistics. For these students, earning the certificate as part of their undergraduate degree requirements can enhance their graduate school potential.
Find out more about applying for a College of Arts and Sciences Undergraduate Certificate.
Georgia State also offers a graduate certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL). This certificate is likely a better choice for students interested in continuing on to earn an MA. For more information about the graduate certificate, go to the TESOL program page.
Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies, B.A.
Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies (WGSS) is an interdisciplinary field of study focusing on gender, sex, sexuality, feminism and womanism. WGSS offers a cutting-edge academic program focusing on three areas:
• Globalization
• Sexuality Studies
• Social Change
The Institute is a collective of core and affiliate faculty, undergraduate and graduate students, staff, alumni and community partners that collaborate to create meaningful research and practice. Through our multifaceted work, we examine social constructions and intersections of race, class and gender. We evaluate political and social equality, posit the creative power of art and artists, and reinforce commitment to advance human rights.