Degrees & Majors
Choose from dozens of nationally ranked and recognized programs and more than 250 majors, minors and pathways at the university offering the widest variety of fields of study in Georgia.
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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.
Psychology, Ph.D., Clinical/Community Psychology
Training in the joint Clinical/Community Psychology concentration is informed by the traditions of prevention and social justice in community psychology and by the focus on assessment and individualized mental health interventions in clinical psychology. This dual-enrollment program provides a strengths-based, culturally competent approach to mental health and healthy development that emphasizes theory, research and practice at multiple levels of analysis – psychological, sociopolitical and ecological. Upon graduation, students will have completed predoctoral requirements for clinical licensure in most states and will have solid preparation for American Board of Professional Psychology certification in their areas of specialty. For more information about professional licensure, download our Professional Licensure Sheet PDF document. In addition, CLC students receive training in a range of indirect services necessary for interventions at the institutional and community levels: Consultation Program development and evaluation Social policy Action research The CLC concentration is jointly administered by the Community and Clinical program areas. Students participate in both the Clinical Psychology and Community Psychology program areas. Faculty in areas serve as primary advisers. A secondary adviser is assigned in most cases to ensure appropriate training in both areas. We offer three clinical training concentrations: General Clinical Psychology, Clinical Neuropsychology and Clinical/Community Psychology. Each prepares students for distinctive paths within psychology. Welcome from the Directors of Graduate Studies FAQs for Graduate Program Applicants Faculty Accepting Students for Fall 2022
Psychology, Ph.D., Cognitive & Affective Neuroscience
The Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience (CAN) concentration focuses on the neural bases for cognitive and affective processes in humans, and typically uses a combination of psychological experimental methods and non-invasive imaging techniques in healthy populations. Our program is unique in that some faculty also focus on clinical populations or the translational components of noninvasive nonhuman primate-based research. The focus of this work is on its direct or translational value to human cognition and emotional systems. Graduate students earn a master’s degree en route to the Ph.D. degree. The CAN Ph.D. concentration does not provide clinical training nor is the primary work in behavioral neuroscience. Students interested in neuropsychology and clinical licensure should apply to the Clinical Neuropsychology (CLN) concentration. Students interested in behavioral neuroscience and/or research on basic model organisms should apply to the Neuroscience Institute. The CAN and other faculty with neuroimaging research interests are involved in the Center for Translational Research in Neuroimaging and Data Science (TReNDS) with regular presentations and speaker series, collaborative projects and research initiatives. Georgia State has a rich neuroscience community that fosters collaboration among our colleagues in the Neuroscience Institute and the Georgia State/Georgia Tech Center for Advanced Brain Imaging. Welcome from the Directors of Graduate Studies FAQs for Graduate Program Applicants Faculty Accepting Students for Fall 2022
Psychology, Ph.D., Cognitive Sciences
College of Arts & Sciences
The Cognitive Sciences concentration encompasses interdisciplinary interests in experimental psychology, neuroscience, philosophy, computer science and translational science. With cognition as its unifying thread, the program provides opportunities to specialize in research and training in basic or applied cognitive psychology, cognitive neuroscience, social cognition, language and cognitive development, psycholinguistics and comparative cognition. Research methods include noninvasive behavioral and cognitive testing with children, adults and non-human primates, as well as electroencephalography, magnetic resonance imaging, transcranial magnetic stimulation, diffusion tensor imaging, eye-tracking, virtual reality/virtual environment testing, neurogenomics and cognitive neuroinformatics. We accept students with wide-ranging interests across the cognitive sciences for this terminal Ph.D. program. Students shape their own programs of research in consultation with their advisers. Prospective applicants should contact faculty for more information about individual research programs. Specific faculty interests include learning and memory; language acquisition and use, including the roles of experience, gesture and specific brain structures and processes; economic decision-making; attention and executive functioning (such as metacognition, planning, cognitive control); false memories and eyewitness accuracy; decision-making, including speeded judgments, economic decision-making and reasoning; inequity perception and response; comparative cognition; individual and group differences (such as species, race, gender, diagnostic category, age); cooperation and prosocial behavior; and brain-behavior relations that underlie various cognitive competencies. Welcome from the Directors of Graduate Studies FAQs for Graduate Program Applicants Faculty Accepting Students for Fall 2022
Psychology, Ph.D., Community Psychology
Ph.D. students in the Community Psychology concentration receive training that will enable them to conduct research and collaborate with communities to improve the well-being of individuals and social settings. Community psychologists: Seek to expand "helping" beyond traditional psychotherapy to promote wellness. Engage in action-oriented research to develop, implement and evaluate programs. Base their work on a scientific foundation to better understand the multiple influences of the social environment on health and wellness. Build collaborative relationships with community members, groups and organizations to solve social problems. Consult with and provide tools to organizations to build capacity to address social problems such as exploitation and victimization. Analyze government, civic life and workplace settings to understand and improve fair and diverse participation. Fight oppression, seek to reduce social inequalities and work with marginalized people toward their empowerment. The department also offers a joint concentration in community-clinical psychology and a dual program in public health and community psychology. Students in the Clinical-Community (CLC) concentration seek training in clinical and community psychology and aim to be eligible for clinical licensure following graduation. Dual enrollment provides a strengths-based, culturally competent approach to mental health and healthy development that emphasizes theory, research and practice at multiple levels of analysis — psychological, sociopolitical and ecological. The dual M.P.H.-Ph.D. program in Public Health and Community Psychology provides professional and graduate students with a solid and well-rounded background across two disciplines. Successful candidates will earn a master of public health degree upon completion of the graduate health behavior and promotion concentration or the epidemiology concentration offered by the School of Public Health and a Doctor of Philosophy degree (Ph.D.) upon completion of the community psychology concentration. Our faculty share a common perspective as researchers rooted in psychology and informed by related disciplines, such as education, public health, sociology and women’s studies. We share an emphasis on changing resources, social norms and public policies that affect individuals and the contexts surrounding people’s lives (for example, social institutions, neighborhoods, families). We are involved at the local, state, national and international levels and work with community and governmental organizations to design, implement and investigate the efficacy of social interventions using a variety of research methods ranging from rigorous experimental designs to qualitative case studies. We collaborate with community partners to evaluate and improve existing programs. Welcome from the Directors of Graduate Studies FAQs for Graduate Program Applicants Faculty Accepting Students for Fall 2022
Public Administration, M.P.A.
Andrew Young School of Policy Studies
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.
Public Administration/Juris Doctor, M.P.A./J.D.
Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, College of Law
The College of Law and the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies offer a joint Master of Public Administration/Juris Doctor degree. This joint program provides an opportunity to pursue studies in law and public affairs and public management concurrently. Students in the program use credit hours earned in one program to satisfy some or all of the elective course requirements for the other program, earning both degrees one to two terms earlier than would be required to earn each separately.
Public Health, B.S.
School of Public Health
The School of Public Health is proud to offer a new bachelor of science (B.S.) degree program that puts a special emphasis on urban and global health issues. Our bachelor of science curriculum includes elements of the life and biological sciences, social sciences, and humanities to provide students with an understanding of public health from a broad spectrum of approaches. Students will build the knowledge and skills needed to excel in a wide array of public health professions, or to continue on to graduate school in any number of medical, science, social science, or public health fields.
Public Health, DrPH
The Doctor of Public Health — or DrPH — is a graduate degree designed to prepare professionals for positions in leadership, applied research, and other practice-based roles. This program will allow professionals to complete their degree while maintaining full-time employment. With a local and national shortage of highly-trained public health professionals, now is the time to pursue your DrPH. Visit publichealth.gsu.edu/academics-student-life/degrees-programs/drph/ for more information.
Public Health, Graduate Certificate
The Graduate Certificate in Public Health is a 16-credit hour program of study. The content is nearly the same as the core courses taught in the Master of Public Health degree program. The graduate certificate program is offered in flexible formats that are convenient for busy professionals: online, in-person or a mix of both. You’ll gain the foundational knowledge to maintain, upgrade or advance your public health knowledge and skills or further your career. The program is specifically designed for students working in public health or professionals coming from a variety of backgrounds, including physicians, nurses, health educators, clinical research professionals, policy experts and more. Note that applicants must possess at least a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution to be considered for admission.
Public Health, Ph.D.
Georgia State offers students who seek a career in research or academia the only public doctoral program in metro Atlanta, one of the world’s great global cities and home to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Depending on the interest area, graduates of a Ph.D. in Public Health program often teach in universities, lead research laboratories, or direct research projects at the federal, state, or local level. At Georgia State, Ph.D. candidates find unique opportunities to engage in cutting-edge research on public health issues impacting urban areas, ties to the community that offer real-world experience to complement the required 62 credit hours of coursework, and the flexibility of a part-time option to suit working public health professionals. For the latest information about required courses, view the School of Public Health website.
Public Management and Policy: Non-Profit Leadership, Minor
Public Management and Policy: Non-Profit Leadership, Minor
Andrew Young School of Policy Studies
The nonprofit leadership minor allows students to learn about the important role of nonprofit organizations in addressing social issues and interests in a democratic society and participating in the formulation and implementation of public policy. Through this minor, students will become aware of the many and diverse career opportunities in the nonprofit sector, in areas such as the arts, social services, education, health care, the environment, policy advocacy, and international relief and development, and they will learn the skills, knowledge and challenges of leadership in this sector. This minor will prepare students for entry level jobs in nonprofit management and for graduate study in nonprofit organizations, philanthropy, and related fields. For information on program requirements, visit the Andrew Young School of Public Policy website.
Public Management and Policy: Planning and Economic Development, Minor
Andrew Young School of Policy Studies
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.
Public Policy, B.S.
Andrew Young School of Policy Studies
By pursuing a degree in Public Management and Policy students will acquire skills in professional writing, evidence-based critical thinking and policy analysis in the policy core coursework and in elective concentrations. Students can choose from three distinct concentrations: Nonprofit Leadership, Planning and Economics Development, and Public Management and Governance. Students also will gain valuable skills during the internship course portion of their program. This program prepares students for a leadership or management career in public services.
Public Policy, M.P.P.
Andrew Young School of Policy Studies
The Master of Public Policy (M.P.P.) is an interdisciplinary degree program that prepares students for work in the analysis, development and evaluation of public policies. In all levels of government and on a global scale, public needs and limited resources require public policy choices that are economically efficient, socially and technically effective, and politically responsive. Such choices confront policymakers in a broad range of critical issues, including health, education, economic development, public finance, social policy, nonprofit policy and disaster policy. The Andrew Young School is a member of the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management, the principal professional organization for scholars and practitioners in the field of public policy. Our public policy and public affairs programs were recently ranked #19 among all 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 in the arena of public service. For answers to frequently asked questions about the MPP program (and its sibling MPA program), check here.
Public Policy, P.h.D.
Andrew Young School of Policy Studies
Societal needs—for economic growth, better health care, environmental protection, etc.—and resource limitations challenge policymakers to make difficult public policy choices. The doctoral program in public policy prepares its graduates to conduct original research to help scholars and policymakers understand the trade-offs involved in such choices across a broad range of critical issues. Students can focus on: Policy analysis and program evaluation: How can we predict the consequences of our policy choices? What values should drive those choices? How can we determine which government and nonprofit programs work – producing benefits that exceed their costs? Public budgeting and finance: How can governments raise the funds necessary to provide public services in as equitable a manner as possible without impeding economic growth? How should and do governments decide which services and programs to fund? How can taxes achieve socially desirable goals? Public and nonprofit management: How should functions be divided among the governmental, nonprofit and for-profit sectors? How should managers allocate financial and human resources to meet public needs? How should managers balance equity and efficiency claims? Urban and regional planning and development: How can we assess and evaluate the complex and dynamic context and forces that shape the growth of cities, communities and regions? What strategies can be employed to promote equitable and sustainable development? What roles do systems (for example, transportation, housing) play in creating the environments and communities we desire?
Public Policy, P.h.D. (Joint with Georgia Tech)
Andrew Young School of Policy Studies
The joint doctoral program in public policy combines the strengths of Georgia State's Andrew Young School of Policy Studies and the Georgia Institute of Technology’s School of Public Policy. The Andrew Young School ranked 19th overall among graduate programs in public affairs in a recent U.S. News & World Report ranking, as well as No. 8 in local government management, No. 5 in public finance and budgeting, No. 4 in urban policy, No. 8 in nonprofit management, No. 16 in public management and leadership, and No. 17 in public policy analysis. Our faculty was the 5th most prolific in public administration journals over the past decade. U.S. News & World Report has ranked Georgia Tech’s School of Public Policy No. 4 in information and technology management and No. 11 in environmental policy and management.
Qualitative Research in Education, Graduate Certificate
If you’re enrolled in a doctoral program at Georgia State, you’re eligible to study for a graduate certificate in Qualitative Research in Education. The program is for those interested in conducting research or gaining expertise in qualitative research. To earn the certificate, you must complete a minimum of eight 3-credit-hour doctoral-level qualitative research methods courses with a collective GPA of 3.5 or higher in those courses, with no grade lower than a B in any course to be counted toward the certificate.
Quantitative Research in Education, Graduate Certificate
If you're enrolled in a doctoral program at Georgia State, you're eligible to study for a graduate certificate in Quantitative Research in Education. The program is for those interested in conducting research or gaining expertise in quantitative research. To earn the certificate, you must complete a minimum of eight 3-credit-hour doctoral-level quantitative research methods courses with a collective GPA of 3.5 or higher in those courses, with no grade lower than a B in any course to be counted toward the certificate.