Degrees & Majors

The Ph.D. in Criminal Justice and Criminology program is designed to train researchers and teacher-scholars in criminal justice and criminology. The program provides intensive one-on-one mentorship, a flexible curriculum, and core teaching and research skills that enable graduates to excel in university settings as well as research think tanks. Current and former doctoral students are involved in presenting their research at regional and national conferences. Faculty members in the department have involved doctoral students in their research projects, resulting in numerous publications with students. In addition, graduate students help plan and attend research colloquia and participate in student governance.

Designed by award winning faculty in criminal justice and criminology research, the Georgia State online Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice degree will help you advance in your career. The program offers two academic concentrations: Crime and Justice or Legal Studies. The Crime and Justice concentration provides a blend of traditional criminal justice curriculum and forward thinking emphasis on digital criminology, while the Legal Studies concentration is designed for criminal justice majors desiring more intensive exposure to law often in preparation for law school. Students may also elect to pursue a minor in Digital Criminology along with the Bachelor of Science. Why our program works Fair and open dialogue: Our faculty have designed a program that stresses an integrated view of the criminal justice system, highlighting relationships among the many different institutions involved and the need for cooperation and humane practices across: law enforcement, the courts, corrections, and the juvenile justice system. Theoretical framework combined with current events: You will study how our criminal justice system was designed and examine the parts of the system, including the roles of victims and offenders. Paired with an examination of the causes and consequences of traditional and digital crime, you will receive a comprehensive criminal justice education to prepare you for a career that is relevant to the critical issues facing justice agencies of today and tomorrow. Your success matters: You will work with the undergraduate advisement center throughout your time at Georgia State to make sure you are enrolling in the correct courses. Because a bachelor’s degree at Georgia State also requires general education classes, you will find yourself speaking more clearly and effectively, thinking more analytically and critically evaluating the materials you read by the time you graduate.

An undergraduate degree in economics prepares students with the quantitative and qualitative skills to think critically and learn how to make optimal decisions. Students will learn by doing with a curriculum taught by nationally acclaimed economists and faculty. The BA program has a qualitative focus with a foreign language requirement.

With internationally renowned faculty and research centers, our master of economics degree program takes a pioneering approach to economics that emphasizes public policy and empirical evaluation. The director of the MA program in Economics is Jim Marton. As a student in our innovative program, you’ll learn the fundamentals of economic theories as they apply to the environment, education, economic development, healthcare, public finance, social welfare and other pressing public issues. Our broad and customizable curriculum combines the latest theoretical advances with the analytical skills and practical experience you’ll need to tackle the complex problems facing analysts and economists today. Our program has received STEM designation putting it on par with other STEM fields. This designation recognizes the rigorous instruction students receive. It also benefits international students who can, upon graduation, apply for a STEM Optional Practical Training (OPT) visa extension that allows them to work in the United States for up to 29 months rather than one year.

The certificate program in Nonprofit Management and Social Enterprise has two focuses. First, it will cover the skills in management, economic decision-making, marketing, fundraising and financial management that graduates can use (but which they are unlikely to get on the job) in any part of the nonprofit sector: social service provision, education, health, the arts, the environment, international relief or religion. Second, while most nonprofit management certificates have an exclusively practitioner focus, the Andrew Young School program will prepare students interested in pursuing nonprofit studies in graduate programs in public administration, policy analysis or economics. This certificate will serve two main groups of professionals: those in the nonprofit sector who want to acquire new skills or need a credential to advance professionally, and those outside the sector wishing to enter.

Since its founding in 1982, the College of Law has emphasized training attorneys to work for the public good. From offering legal services to rural residents to advising municipalities on policy implementation, Georgia State Law graduates are engaged in every aspect of civic life. The J.D./M.P.A. (Master of Public Administration) dual-degree program is offered by the College of Law and the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies. It is designed for individuals who want to use their legal education to serve in the government and nonprofit sectors. With an innovative legal curriculum, robust pro bono program, study abroad opportunities and an ideal downtown Atlanta location, Georgia State Law is poised to prepare the next generation of practitioners.

The Master of Interdisciplinary Studies program in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE) prepares students for a range of careers in government, public service, entrepreneurship and the corporate world. Georgia State's program 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 best suited for creating and sustaining them. Students develop the intellectual skills of the social scientist who seeks to understand how social, political and economic institutions operate and are interrelated, and the moral philosopher who seeks to critically evaluate these institutions and the social world more generally, in relation to how they ought to operate. Historically, philosophy, political science and economics were deeply connected.  The intellectual father of modern economics, Adam Smith, was a philosopher concerned with moral and political philosophy.  PPE, as a contemporary academic field of study, began at Oxford University in 1920 and has spread across the English-speaking world. LEARN ABOUT PPE AT GEORGIA STATE

The Master of Public Administration (MPA) is the degree of choice for individuals with an interest in public affairs and professional management in the public and nonprofit sectors. Whether you’re seeking a first job in government or with a nonprofit organization, or are interested in advancing in an existing career, Georgia State's MPA program provides the skills and knowledge government and nonprofit agencies seek. Join us as we explore new ideas and perspectives on public and nonprofit administration, policy and governance in the 21st century. Our MPA program is fully accredited by the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration (NASPAA). Read the NASPAA Code of Good Practice. The college is also a member of the Association for Public Policy Analysis & Management. Recent national studies have ranked our overall public affairs curriculum among the top 21 programs nationwide, and among the top 10 for public finance and budgeting, urban policy, nonprofit management and local government management. Our Department of Public Management and Policy provides access to a community of research and teaching scholars with national and international reputations for their expertise and contributions to knowledge and practice across a broad range of administrative processes and policy concerns. For answers to frequently asked questions about the MPP program (and its sibling MPA program), check here.

The planning and economic development minor prepares students to work in both the public and private sectors addressing issues facing urban communities. This minor is appropriate for students who want to pursue careers or further study in the planning, development and management of communities. Courses introduce students to forces shaping the development of urban regions. Special attention is paid to planning for economic development, environmental quality, housing, land use, neighborhood revitalization, and transportation.   During their studies, students learn about the variety of policies and strategies that citizens and planners can use to influence development. For information on program requirements, visit the Andrew Young School of Public Policy website.