Africana Studies is a growing discipline. An increasing number of employers are seeking to fill positions with people who possess a cultural and historical analysis of Black people in the U.S., the African diaspora, and around the globe. As a discipline that is interdisciplinary and diasporic, African American ​Africana Studies specifically educates students in: Black political, cultural, philosophical and artistic thought and practice Black popular and mass culture Race in relation to the study of gender and sexuality Social justice through community engagement This certificate program allows master’s and doctoral students in other disciplines to amplify the Africentric analysis in their own course of study. Some may simply want to explore a specific area reflected in their course of study. Others may wish to pursue employment for which a certificate in African American Studies is deemed an advantage.

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. Africana Studies offers a master’s degree with competitive funding, which includes a tuition waiver and moderate stipend.

The Certificate in Ethnography is ideal for M.A. and Ph.D. students in a range of fields, including anthropology, sociology, community psychology, education, nursing, linguistics, communication, business and area studies. For students who plan 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. Ethnography is a field-based research method for the study of social and cultural patterns and practices. Ethnographers use participant-observation, direct observation and interaction, focus group interviews, and other qualitative and quantitative data collection techniques to uncover detailed patterns of human behavior in their cultural context. Ethnographic data analysis is especially productive in clarifying complex issues, informing policy and designing innovative, effective, data-driven solutions to organizational problems. This signature methodology of cultural anthropology has broad application in a variety of academic disciplines, creative industries, professional fields and employment settings. Ethnography encompasses basic and applied research and informs project planning and implementation. Ethnographic data are also relevant and useful in assessing community needs, addressing concerns of personnel and enhancing cross-cultural communication.

The Master of Arts (M.A.) degree program in anthropology provides rigorous training in anthropological theories, methods and skills. The program is dedicated to the investigation of a broad range of social, cultural, political-economic and biological issues, processes and problems pertaining to the human experience in its past and present dimensions. The Department of Anthropology program uses resources in metropolitan Atlanta to promote student learning, offering a concentration in Museum Anthropology and a graduate Certificate in Ethnography.

The Concentration in Museum Anthropology is an option for students enrolled in the M.A. in Anthropology program. In adopting an anthropological approach to museums, this concentration is distinct from generalized museum studies in examining curation, exhibition and museum practice from a comparative and global perspective that sees museums as dynamic institutions embedded in particular social and cultural contexts. In this concentration, students interrogate the ways in which museums not only represent but also construct notions of cultural patrimony, identity, nationalism and cultural meaning. Emphasis is on the role of museums in disseminating and producing anthropological knowledge, using anthropological theory to contextualize and critique museums' practices in diverse settings and working with a collection or exhibits to gain new knowledge. The Concentration in Museum Anthropology offers theoretical tools and professional skills related to: Obtaining critical perspectives on anthropology and museums in the past and present. Gaining practical experience in museum collections/exhibition space/curation. Developing skillsets for curation and museum exhibition creation based on the interests of the student. A highlight of the concentration is the course Museum Experience, which is tailored to the student’s interests. In Museum Experience, students critically engage in a hands-on opportunity at a museum, library, archive, lab or other institution or repository. Projects can also include principles of curation, display or analyses of  visual/virtual/material/aural culture, data collection at a museum or a museum internship. Students will develop an appreciation of how museum space is constructed, proficiency in data collection or other responsibilities as appropriate and working knowledge of museum materials, including curated and/or exhibited artifacts.

Students can save time and tuition dollars by earning bachelor's and master's degrees in Applied Linguistics 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. Applied Linguistics is an interdisciplinary field of research and instruction that integrates aspects of fields such as linguistics, English, teacher education, speech communication, psychology, sociology and anthropology into a distinct field focused on issues related to the learning and teaching of a second/foreign language, such as the teaching and learning of English as a second language (ESL). 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.

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.

The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) program in Applied Linguistics is a response to societal needs resulting from the status of English as the language of international communication. This worldwide use of English in programs and institutions of higher education has created needs in two areas: Research on an assortment of interrelated topics, including language learning by adults who will use English for academic purposes, effective teaching of adult language learners and the nature of English as an academic language. Doctoral faculty who can teach in educational programs that prepare master’s level teachers of English as a Second/Foreign Language. Ph.D. students may focus on a range of topics. Research, for example, may be related to issues in second language writing, reading, listening or speaking; analysis of academic language; assessment; teacher cognition; classroom dynamics; sociolinguistics; or the role of culture in second language acquisition.

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.

Earning an M.S. degree in biology can be a stepping stone to a career in the biosciences or in preparation for a professional degree. Georgia State's Master of Science (M.S.) in Biological Sciences is designed to offer a flexible program to suit students with a wide variety of interests in biology. In addition to the general program, concentrations are offered in Biotechnology, Bioinformatics and Research. Students may apply under a specific area/concentration, though a concentration is not required. Upon admission, a master's student is assumed to be non-thesis until acceptance into the thesis option. The non-thesis program emphasizes coursework, and a capstone paper or project is required. The capstone can either be literature-based or laboratory-based. The thesis option emphasizes research. Acceptance into the thesis option requires approval of a thesis proposal. Completion of the thesis option requires an approved thesis as well as a successful defense of the thesis. The thesis option is only recommended for students who are planning to pursue a Ph.D. For information about the M.S. in Medical Sciences in Biology program, which is designed for students who plan to apply to medical school, go to https://cas.gsu.edu/program/medical-sciences-in-biology-ms/.

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 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.

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 Organic/Medicinal 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 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 doctoral program in communication encourages students to engage in theoretically rigorous, methodologically sophisticated and ethically informed research. Our students are encouraged to undertake research that makes a difference and contributes substantively to the human understanding of how communication and media fundamentally shape and are shaped by an increasingly complex social world. The curriculum draws upon social scientific and humanities-based theories and methods to prepare a diverse group of students for a job market that expects them to be literate across multiple sub-disciplinary domains of communication, in particular, media studies, rhetoric and speech communication. Doctoral students work with graduate faculty who have gained national and international prominence across a diverse range of research areas, including: International media and politics Health communication Strategic communication Media effects and psychology Media representation and stereotypes Rhetorical studies Legal communication Journalism studies Media ethics Visual communication Environmental and critical animal studies Terrorism studies Public argument and deliberation Persuasion, public relations Interpersonal and intergroup communication Networks Ideological formations of power and resistance The intellectual and creative energies activated by this rich and interdisciplinary activity within Atlanta’s dynamic urban location make the department an ideal place for students from around the world to prepare for a career in communication.

The M.A. with a concentration in Human Communication and Social Influence fosters the advanced study of rhetoric and interpersonal communication. Our faculty in interpersonal communication are interested in media portrayals of interpersonal relationships, particularly those involving older Americans. Our faculty in rhetoric are interested in the intersection of public persuasion and issues of national identity. The Department of Communication offers a multidisciplinary program to prepare communication professionals and academicians for the demands of the 21st century. Based on theoretical perspectives from rhetoric, public argument, audience research, media studies, global communication, international communication, health communication, strategic communication and new media, the Communication Studies program explores public discourse and mass-mediated environments, and prepares students to investigate how persuasive practices are transforming culture at home and abroad.  

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.