Degrees & Majors

The Master of Science in Geosciences with a Geography concentration allow students to specialize in urban studies, geospatial technologies or physical geography/environmental studies. Thesis and capstone tracks are available.

The Department of Geosciences is distinctive because it spans the social and physical dimensions of environmental and resource issues, with a special focus on urban communities.

Our faculty have expertise in the social and environmental dimensions of water, environmental geochemistry and global climate change. We are also expanding our Geographic Information Science research and teaching to better represent and describe the complexity of social and environmental concerns.

Joining forces with our students and community partners, we tackle the interrelated environmental and social challenges of the 21st century that involve the quality, quantity and sustainable use of our natural resources.

Employers in the public sector and private industry are hungry for people who understand aquatic systems. The M.S. degree program with a Water Sciences concentration provides students with a knowledge of the quality and quantity of water in the environment and modern techniques to assess, model and remediate aquatic environmental problems. Students can choose a thesis or capstone option.

The Department of Geosciences is distinctive because it spans the social and physical dimensions of environmental and resource issues, with a special focus on urban communities.

Our faculty have expertise in the social and environmental dimensions of water, environmental geochemistry and global climate change. We are also expanding our Geographic Information Science research and teaching to better represent and describe the complexity of social and environmental concerns.

Joining forces with our students and community partners, we tackle the interrelated environmental and social challenges of the 21st century that involve the quality, quantity and sustainable use of our natural resources.

The Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies (BIS) in Gerontology offers students an opportunity to learn about aging across the life course. Gerontology courses draw from a variety of disciplines to expose students to issues, knowledge and research about aging processes, older people and the complex needs of our rapidly aging society.

Faculty members associated with the Gerontology Institute come from business, law, the social and biological sciences, and the health and human service professions. They bring a diverse, interdisciplinary perspective to our instructional programs and are engaged in a wide range of research in areas such as long-term care, assisted living, ethnicity and aging, health and health disparities, learning and memory, retirement, aging among minorities, intergenerational caregiving and marketing to seniors.

Students who major in Gerontology must select a concentration in one of two allied fields: Behavioral and Social Sciences or Health and Health Services.

The Master of Arts (M.A.) in Gerontology program is designed for students preparing for leadership positions in the field of aging and those interested in becoming gerontological researchers.

The M.A. program offers an interdisciplinary curriculum that provides in-depth exposure to issues, knowledge and research about aging processes, older people and the needs of an aging population. Our program offers an intimate, nurturing and stimulating environment in which to learn.

Students choose one of two concentrations:

• Program Administration, which includes an internship in the field and a capstone project or
• Research, which culminates in a thesis.

About one-fifth of our graduates go on to earn a Ph.D. in gerontology, sociology or other related fields.

The Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies (B.I.S.) in Global Studies prepares students to be globally aware and competent in their chosen careers.

In addition to focusing on global opportunities and pressing challenges, students develop deep regional concentration in a particular area of focus including Europe, Africa, Asia, the Middle East or Latin America.

The degree is designed so that students can take courses in political science, history, anthropology, geography, economics, linguistics, religion, sociology and international business to create their own tailored curriculum while gaining broad competencies in global issues and world languages.

The graduate certificate in Heritage Preservation offers tracks in Historic Preservation and Public History.

The certificate program is open to students enrolled in graduate degree programs at Georgia State or other graduate institutions in history, architecture, planning, anthropology, geography, urban studies, public administration and real estate.

Historians study various aspects of humanity’s recorded past. Some historians explore the rise and fall of empires, while others describe the everyday lives of men and women. They are interested in every period of the past and all parts of the world.

Historians seek to understand the forces that have structured human life and the ideas that have shaped the way people perceive and experience their worlds. History can teach us many lessons, not simply about our past but also about the paradoxes and potentials of our present.

At Georgia State, students seeking a bachelor’s degree in History can choose from several options:

• Bachelor of Arts in History — The broadest option.
• World History Concentration — An in-depth look at world history and culture
• Pre-Education Track — This track prepares aspiring teachers to enter any master’s-level certification program.
• Pre-Law Concentration — This option prepares students for law school or J.D.-Ph.D. programs.

The Department of History offers a wide range of courses in African, Asian, European, Latin American, Middle Eastern and United States history.

The Georgia State University Department of History offers a B.A. in History/Master of Heritage Preservation (M.H.P.) program that allows students to save time and tuition dollars 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.

At the bachelor’s degree level, History students can choose from several options:

• Bachelor of Arts in History — The broadest option.
• World History Concentration — An in-depth look at world history and culture
• Pre-Education Track — This track prepares aspiring teachers to enter any master’s-level certification program.
• Pre-Law Concentration — This option prepares students for law school or J.D.-Ph.D. programs.

At the graduate school level, the M.H.P. program offers compelling opportunities to pursue careers relating to the preservation and interpretation of cultural heritage. The program and its faculty emphasize the theory and practice of protecting and communicating the significance of our tangible and intangible heritage. Much of the coursework involves collaboration with community partners and cultural organizations to produce practical learning experiences outside the traditional classroom setting.

Thanks to our location in Atlanta, class projects prioritize city and regional histories by engaging with local communities to assess, preserve and interpret the tangible and intangible heritage of the South. Collaboration with community partners and cultural organizations throughout the southeastern region provide M.H.P. students with both practical learning experiences that take place outside the traditional classroom setting and professional interactions that position them to be future leaders in the field.

The M.H.P. program attracts students with a variety of backgrounds and interests, creating an eclectic and energetic academic setting. Our students use their heritage preservation educations to teach, advocate, restore, interpret and plan for the preservation of historic resources and interpretations of history to a public audience. Students can specialize in either public history or historic preservation.

The Ph.D. in History at Georgia State prepares students for a wide range of careers, both inside and outside the academy. Students develop deep expertise in the historical literature of their chosen field of study, learn to employ a diverse array of theories and methodologies including cutting-edge digital technologies for researching and disseminating historical scholarship and master the skills of communication necessary to thrive in today’s job market.

Cohorts of 10-12 students begin each fall semester and students receive individual attention and work together through the year.