Degrees & Majors
Still Not Sure?
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.
Communication, Digital Media Strategies, M.A.
The M.A. in Communication with a concentration in Digital Media Strategies is a non-thesis-track program for professionals seeking to enhance their expertise and become advanced practitioners in communications.
This program is for people already working in fields such as public relations, television, cross-platform journalism and other digital media-focused fields who are looking to build their skills, develop a grounding in theory and advance their careers. It is also intended to jumpstart the career of junior and early-career media professionals by teaching practical skills, including optimal use of cross-platform production technology and creating, and evaluating persuasive messaging. Students will also build the capacity to link theory with practice.
Signature capstone experiences, media studies and applied media courses shape this cutting-edge program serving those who work in or aspire to work in Atlanta’s growing media market, which ranks 10th in the U.S.
Communication, Journalism, B.A.
The 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 a 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.
Communication, Mass Communication, M.A.
The Master of Arts degree in Mass Communication fosters the advanced research study of media culture and public communication, including international media, journalism, strategic communication and public relations, social media, media effects and audience studies. Our faculty examine elements of the mass media from qualitative and social scientific vantage points, and study media in a variety of contexts across a number of nations.
The Department of Communication offers a multidisciplinary program to prepare communication professionals and academicians for the demands of the 21st century. Based on perspectives from rhetoric, public argument, audience research, media studies, global communication, international communication, health communication, strategic communication and new media, Communication Studies explores public discourse and mass-mediated environments to prepare students to investigate how persuasive practices are transforming culture at home and abroad.
Communication, Speech, B.A.
The speech major 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 the 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.
Computer Science, B.S.
Computer Science, B.S.
Eligible for the Dual Undergraduate/Graduate Program
Program Information
Computer science is the systematic exploration of all aspects of computation. Computer science as a discipline seeks to build a scientific foundation for topics such as computer design, computer programming and software, information processing, algorithmic solutions to problems, and the algorithmic process itself. Computer science provides underpinnings for today’s applications in industry, science, government, and business and prepares the foundation for tomorrow’s applications in ubiquitous computing, medical cures for diseases, and instant access to information by everyone.
The B.S. degree program in computer science provides preparation in the fundamental principles and processes of computation and training in applying these principles in application areas in industry, science, government, and business. The student completes a basic group of required courses in the early stages and chooses courses from several concentrations in the later stages to provide for appropriate breadth and depth of knowledge in the discipline. A B.S. degree in computer science provides a good foundation for advanced studies at the M.S. or Ph.D. level as well as for careers in industry, science, government, and business. To plan the major according to particular goals, students are encouraged to consult with an adviser in the department. Majors who are interested in having a paid work experience related to their area of study should contact the university’s Office of Cooperative Education, which coordinates the university’s cooperative education programs.
For the latest information about required courses, view the Undergraduate Catalog.
For more information about the Minor in Computer Science, visit the Department of Computer Science website.
Computer Science, M.S.
The Computer Science M.S. program offers students a wide variety of research and technology areas of focus including:
- Artificial Intelligence
- Machine Learning
- Deep Learning
- Computer Architecture
- Database
- Data Mining
- Big Data
- Graphics and Visualization
- Networks
- Security and Privacy
- Parallel and Distributed Computing
- Cloud Computing
- Cyber Physical Systems
- Internet of Things (IoT)
- Programming Languages
- Algorithms
- Simulation and Software Engineering
A Bioinformatics concentration and Security & Privacy concentration are available.
Computer Science, Ph.D.
A baccalaureate or master’s degree in computer science, or its equivalent, is required for admission to the Ph.D. program. The department encourages applications from high-tech and teaching professionals and those with non-computer science but closely related degrees. Pursuing the Ph.D. program part-time is possible, so working professionals are encouraged to consider applying. Competitive financial aid is available for full-time Ph.D. students, along with tuition waivers.
Ph.D. Admission Requirements – Requirements for admission to the Ph.D. degree program
Ph.D. Degree Requirements – Requirements for completing the Ph.D. degree
Ph.D. (Bioinformatics Concentration) Degree Requirements – Requirements for completing the Ph.D. degree with a concentration in bioinformatics
For the latest information about required courses, view the Department of Computer Science website.
Creative Writing, M.F.A.
The Department offers the M.A., the M.F.A. in poetry or fiction, and the Ph.D. with concentrations in literary studies, rhetoric and composition, and creative writing. The Department also actively supports the Graduate English Association’s goals to assist graduate students by providing helpful teaching resources, professional development tips, and a sense of community.
For the latest information about required courses, view the Department of English website.
Creative Writing, Ph.D.
The Ph.D. program in English, Concentration in Creative Writing, is one of the top 15 in the U.S., as ranked by Poets & Writers. The program offers graduate students the opportunity to work closely with our award-winning faculty while living and writing in Atlanta, an international city with a vibrant literary culture.
Our students publish—recently with Random House, Algonquin Books, St Martin’s, Alice James Books, Bloomsbury, Anhinga Press and Louisiana State University Press—and win important prizes and fellowships, including the National Endowment for the Arts Creative Writing Fellowship, the Philip Levine Prize for Poetry, the Walter E. Dakin Fellowship from The Sewanee Writers’ Conference and the Georgia Author of the Year Award.
Our faculty include David Bottoms, Beth Gylys, John Holman, Sheri Joseph and Josh Russell. Visiting writers & editors enrich the program by giving readings and leading workshops and Q&As.
Students may qualify for teaching assistantships, editorial assistantships and fellowships.
Data Science and Analytics, M.S. — Concentration in Big Data and Machine Learning
The Big Data and Machine Learning (BDML) concentration of the Master of Science in Data Science and Analytics is a three-semester program designed to train professionals in the rapidly growing field of data science. Data science lies at the intersection of computer science, statistical methodologies, and a wide range of application domains. It focuses on the generation, processing, and analyzing of vast amounts of data.
The BDML concentration responds to the growing need for highly qualified professionals who can transform big data into practical and valuable insights. In general terms, data scientists create actionable and valuable insights from data. Students in this program will gain the technical and soft skills that industry increasingly expects from data scientists. The concentration targets employment for students in industries related to the Internet of Things (IoT), robotics, health and remote‐sensing data, as well as top research and development (R&D) labs.
The BDML concentration offers strong preparation in statistical analysis, machine learning, information retrieval, and the management and analysis of massive data sets. The courses in the concentration focus on topics such as reproducible data analysis, collaborative problem solving, data and knowledge visualization and communication, as well as privacy and ethical issues that arise in data science.