Degrees & Majors

Graduate students who want to engage in the interdisciplinary study of Black people in the United States, Africa and in the African diaspora will work closely with our faculty in this program. Our faculty have expertise in the domestic and global study of race and Blackness in the traditional disciplines of African-American Studies, Anthropology, Art History, History, Interdisciplinary Studies, Social Work and Public Health. There are few departments or programs that match our strengths in:

• Scholar-activism
• Diasporic studies in Black popular and mass culture
• Culturally relevant pedagogy
• Community empowerment
• Gender, sexuality and social relationships

While we have particular emphasis on Social Justice and Community Responsibility in the United States, we support and encourage the study and liberation of Black people everywhere in the world. African-American Studies offers a master’s degree with competitive funding, which includes a tuition waiver and moderate stipend.

The certificate in ethnography program, the only program of its kind in metro Atlanta, provides specialized knowledge and skills training in ethnographic research, focusing on research design, data collection and analysis, communication of results for diverse audiences, and policy analysis and writing. For students who wish to pursue careers in academia, private business or the public sector, the certificate offers applied and marketable skills in culture- and people-focused knowledge production and communication. The program is also ideal for M.A. and Ph.D. students in such fields as sociology, community psychology, education, nursing, linguistics, communication, business and area studies who pursue qualitative research.

We are a multifaceted applied linguistics department that focuses on post-secondary/adult language learning, teaching and use. Our faculty specialize in a number of sub-disciplines, including second language (L2) acquisition, L2 writing, sociolinguistics, language assessment, corpus linguistics, educational technology and L2 teacher education.

Astronomers at Georgia State are involved in four main areas of research: Black Holes and Active Galaxies:  Monster black holes, with masses that are a million to a billion times more than our Sun, live at the centers of most galaxies. We specialize in observational studies of these massive compact monsters to measure their masses, study the accretion process and understand their effects on their host galaxy. Stars and Extrasolar Planets:  Stars are the beacons of the universe, and it is around stars that planets are formed and that life may exist. Using ground and space-based facilities, we are creating the most detailed maps to date of the distances, distribution and space motions of stars nearby, and in our galaxy.  We use the Center for High Angular Resolution Astronomy (CHARA) Array to measure the properties of stars in exquisite detail and test the predictions of how stars evolve.  We are also leading searches for exoplanets around young and nearby stars. Solar Physics:  The solar wind consists of charged particles streaming away from the surface of the Sun at high velocities. Occasionally, energetic events release million-degree plasma into space in a process called a solar flare. The solar wind and solar flares are the key influence on space weather, and ultimately space climate and Earth.  We are developing data-mining techniques to predict solar flares and solar eruptions, and developing computational models of coronal loops and magnetic reconnection. We develop simulations of the plasma flows deep inside of stars that ultimately produce their magnetic fields via the dynamo mechanism. We test theoretical models of the Sun’s interior by observing oscillation of its surface, an area called helioseismology. High Angular Resolution Imaging:  Georgia State owns and operates the CHARA Array, the world’s highest resolution optical interferometer.  This facility is able to image the surfaces of stars, revealing for the first time temperature variations across their surface caused by star spots and rapid rotation.  We develop techniques for image restoration/reconstruction when observed with interferometric techniques, and for ultra high-resolution imaging done through strong turbulence in the atmosphere.

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.

A graduate degree in biology can open doors to many rewarding careers. The Biology Department’s Ph.D. program prepares graduates for a range of positions in private industry, public agencies and academia, among others. Potential job titles include principal scientist, research associate, microbiologist, research biologist, field application scientist and analytical staff scientist. There are many benefits to getting a graduate degree. It makes you a more competitive candidate whether you are seeking a job or admission to another professional school. A graduate degree can also increase your earning potential and help you develop a professional network.

The Department of Chemistry has research programs in each of the five traditional areas of chemistry, with a bioinformatics option available in each:

• Analytical
• Biochemistry
• Biophysical
• Chemical Education
• Geology
• Organic/Medicinal
• Nutritional Sciences

Our students have the opportunity to conduct research at the interface of chemistry and biology under the guidance of our dynamic research faculty, many of whom are distinguished and noted scholars. The department’s goal is to deliver high-quality instructional programs at the graduate level to prepare students for productive careers in academia, industry and government. The emphasis of the graduate program is the training of scientists.

The M.A. in Communication with a concentration in Digital Media Strategies is a non-thesis-track program for professionals seeking to enhance their expertise and become advanced practitioners in communications. This program is for people already working in fields such as public relations, television, cross-platform journalism and other digital media-focused fields who are looking to build their skills, develop a grounding in theory and advance their careers. It is also intended to jumpstart the career of junior and early-career media professionals by teaching practical skills, including optimal use of cross-platform production technology and creating, and evaluating persuasive messaging. Students will also build the capacity to link theory with practice. Signature capstone experiences, media studies and applied media courses shape this cutting-edge program serving those who work in or aspire to work in Atlanta’s growing media market, which ranks 10th in the U.S.