Degrees & Majors

Studying world religions prepares you for economic success in professions where culturally diverse points of view are valued and to succeed personally in an international city such as Atlanta or anywhere else in the world. This Georgia State University program introduces you to ideas, practices and values you’ve never encountered.

Students can choose from two tracks - thesis and coursework intensive:

• Thesis Track: Students work with a thesis director and committee to research and write a thesis of publishable length.
  • Final project: Thesis
• Coursework Intensive Track: Students take more classes to gain more depth in their field or breadth across Religious Studies.
  • Final project: Research paper or project

Students can choose from two concentrations - Nonprofit Management and Religion and Aging:

• Concentration in Nonprofit Management: Students in this concentration earn the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies Certificate in Nonprofit Management while they complete their M.A. in Religious Studies.
  • Final project: Research paper or project that integrates work in Nonprofit Management, an internship and Religious Studies
• Concentration in Religion and Aging: Students in this concentration earn the Gerontology Institute's Graduate Certificate while they complete their M.A. in Religious Studies.
  • Final project: Research paper or project that integrates work in Gerontology, an internship and Religious Studies

Students can also choose the Graduate Pathway to Chaplaincy:
Students enrolled in the Religious Studies Master’s degree program at Georgia State University or another institution who aspire to become a chaplain can apply to the Graduate Certificate in Chaplaincy Studies during the second year of the master’s program. Through the Graduate Pathway to Chaplaincy, students complete 12 additional graduate credit hours during a third year of coursework and additional requirements by Association of Professional Chaplains for chaplaincy certification.

More information about the Pathway to Chaplaincy can be found below.

In today’s data-driven world, the Social Science Data Analytics Certificate gives students the tools to excel in analyzing and interpreting data within social science contexts. The curriculum covers essential skills in statistics, research methods and data visualization, preparing students to make data-informed decisions in various industries.

This certificate opens career pathways in public policy, market research, urban planning and more. Graduates can pursue roles as data analysts, policy researchers and social scientists, helping organizations use data to understand and solve real-world problems effectively.

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.

Our standalone M.A. program trains social researchers who do not necessarily plan to pursue a career in academia. Students in this program can receive training in social research skills that can allow them to work in industry or the non-profit sector as qualitative and quantitative researchers.

The Department and individual faculty members have consulted and engaged in research projects with many different agencies, including the National Science Foundation, U.S. Public Health Service, National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Aging, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, American Educational Research Association, U.S. Attorney’s Office, U.S. Bureau of the Census, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Georgia Department of Human Resources, Georgia Narcotics Treatment Center, Georgia Mental Health Institute, Atlanta Regional Commission, the City of Atlanta Bureau of Planning, The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Pew Charitable Trust and numerous other government agencies, as well as private concerns.

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.