Degrees & Majors
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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.
Search results are alphabetized
Philosophy teaches a person how to think critically and creatively, how to write clearly and persuasively, and other skills valuable to a wide range of careers, including law, business, the sciences and education.
The Department of Philosophy has three areas of strength:
- Social, Legal, and Political Philosophy
- Philosophy of Mind, Cognitive Science, and Neurophilosophy
- The History of Philosophy
The department also offers a series of courses in applied ethics, which provides students useful skills for their careers and their lives. Courses in this area include Introduction to Ethics, Sex and Love, Race and Racism, Biomedical Ethics, Philosophy of Law, Business Ethics, and our signature experience course in which students prepare to compete in the Intercollegiate Ethics Bowl.
Philosophy, B.A., Pre-Law Concentration
The study of philosophy is excellent preparation for law school and a career in law. The critical thinking skills, clarity in writing and argumentative rigor required in philosophy provide students with the tools they need to be successful in law school and as lawyers. Philosophy majors have among the highest average scores on the LSAT and the highest admission rates to law school of any major.
The Department of Philosophy at Georgia State includes seven nationally recognized scholars in legal and political philosophy.
Students in the philosophy/pre-law track can also learn about pre-law opportunities at the university by joining the Pre-Law Society and other student groups on campus. Students can also join the pre-law GroupMe for the Center for the Advancement of Students and Alumni, which provides access to the university's centralized pre-law advising program.
Philosophy, Politics and Economics, B.I.S.
Philosophy
Georgia State's Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE) Bachelors of Interdisciplinary Studies (B.I.s.) helps students become familiar with and capable of contributing to ongoing debates about the nature of good political and economic institutions, as well as the policies and practices that are best suited for creating and sustaining them. Students will develop the intellectual skills of the social scientist, who seeks to understand how the social world operates, and the moral philosopher, who seeks to critically evaluate the social world in relation to how it ought to be.
This interdisciplinary program makes use of the analytically rigorous tools of its three disciplines to promote serious thought about practical issues, allowing students to delve deep into moral, social, political and economic issues. This program is great for pre-law students preparing for law school and a career in law.
PPE graduates contribute intelligently to public dialogue, many in positions of power in government and corporate life. The PPE program supports the Civil Discourse Forum, a student group that encourages discussion of controversial issues and is often led by PPE students.
To learn more about our program's faculty, events and related resources, go to the Philosophy, Politics, and Economics homepage.
Physics, B.S.
Physics, B.S.
Program Information
The Department of Physics and Astronomy carries out research activities in a broad area, covering the range from constituents of matter at the subatomic and nuclear levels to the formation and evolution of active galaxies. Our CHARA Array Telescope on Mt Wilson is now operational and can be remotely controlled from Atlanta. Students may pursue the general program as outlined here or pursue a concentration for more specialized knowledge. If a student elects to take a concentration, it is necessary to consult with the undergraduate advisor.
For the latest information about required courses, view the Undergraduate Catalog.
Political Science, B.A./M.A.
Political Science, B.A./M.A.
The Georgia State University 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
Are you returning to school, transferring or transitioning from Perimeter College? You may be eligible for our Online Degree Name Degree Completion Program.