Degrees & Majors

The Ernest G. Welch School of Arts & Design and The College of the Arts offer a dual undergraduate/graduate degree program in Art History. The program provides students with the opportunity to complete a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in as short a period as five years. Acceptance into the dual-degree program does not constitute admission to the graduate-degree program. Admission to the graduate program occurs in the senior year and is contingent upon 1) earning a bachelor’s degree, 2) maintaining the required program grade-point average, 3) performing in the graduate-level courses taken during the bachelor’s degree program and 4) meeting the other admission requirements of the specific program.

Dual-degree opportunities enable 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. That can mean saving a year or more in time and tuition dollars. Students must be formally accepted into the dual-degree program by the department and College of Arts and Sciences to be able to take graduate courses as an undergraduate. Acceptance into the dual program does not constitute admission to the master’s program. Students must fulfill regular graduate admissions requirements and apply for the master’s program following college processes. Information about the dual program, including application instructions and program requirements, can be found in the Dual Degree section of the CAS website.

The Chemistry Department offers a combined bachelor of science and master of science degree in chemistry, allowing students to save a year of time and tuition compared to pursuing the degrees separately. The dual-degree opportunity enables qualified students to enroll in graduate courses late in their undergraduate program and count the coursework toward both the bachelor’s and master’s programs. Students must be formally accepted into the dual-degree program by the department and College of Arts and Sciences to be able to take graduate courses as an undergraduate. Students must fulfill regular graduate admissions requirements and apply for the master’s program following college processes.

Students can fast-track their education and save money on tuition by earning bachelor's and master's degrees in geosciences in as little as five years. Students can choose from a B.A. or B.S. program, enrolling in graduate courses late in their undergraduate program that count toward both the bachelor’s and M.S. in Geosciences degree. Students in the 4+1 "Dual Degree" program can choose from a wide range of areas of study to match their interests and career goals: Bachelor of Arts concentrations are offered in geography and urban studies. Bachelor of Sciences concentrations are offered in geology, environmental geosciences, geography and urban studies. The Master of Science program offers concentrations in geography, geology and water sciences. The Department of Geosciences includes a diverse faculty of scholars from the disciplines of geography, geology and hydrology. Research clusters in the department investigate pressing urban environmental issues, including water, from water governance to water quality and quantity, climate change and quantity, geochemical processes, and geographical information systems and informatics.

The 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 School of Music offers a dual Bachelor of Music and Master of Music program for all Performance concentrations, Jazz Studies, Composition and Piano Pedagogy. The 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. The program is designed to take five years to complete. Students must be formally accepted into the dual-degree program by the school and the College of the Arts to be able to take graduate courses as an undergraduate. Acceptance into the dual program does not constitute admission to the master’s program. Students must fulfill regular graduate admissions requirements and apply for the master’s program following college processes. Through the dual-degree programs, highly talented and qualified students will have the opportunity to complete both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in as little as five years. If determined to be qualified by typical admission measures, students can begin taking coursework toward the designated master’s degree program while still completing their final year of bachelor’s work. Admission to the graduate program is provisional, contingent upon successful completion of the bachelor’s degree, maintenance of the required 3.5 GPA and performance in the graduate-level courses taken during the bachelor’s degree.

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.

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.

Georgia State’s Urban Education Endorsement provides specialized preparation for teaching in urban settings. Teachers pursuing it may be enrolled as non-degree students or may be enrolled in specific programs. This endorsement is offered through the Department of Early Childhood and Elementary Education, the Department of Middle and Secondary Education and the Department of Educational Policy Studies. The undergraduate-level endorsement can be added by undergraduates who have been admitted to a teacher education program, have a 2.5 undergraduate GPA and hold a pre-service teacher certificate. View the Admissions Requirements tab below and listing in the undergraduate catalog for the requirements. The graduate-level endorsement is offered to certified teachers or those admitted to a Georgia State initial teacher preparation program and hold a pre-service certificate. For more information, view the Admissions Requirements tab below and the listing in the graduate catalog for the requirements.