Georgia State University

Georgia State University Summary

Georgia State University (GSU) is an urban research university in the heart of downtown Atlanta, Georgia, USA. Georgia State University was founded in 1913 as the Georgia School of Technology’s “School of Commerce”. A reorganization of the University System of Georgia in the 1930s led to the school becoming the “Atlanta Extension Center of the University System of Georgia”, and allowed night students to earn degrees from several colleges in the University System. In September 1947, the school became affiliated with the University of Georgia and was named the “Atlanta Division of the University of Georgia”. The school received its independence in 1955 and became the “Georgia State College of Business Administration”. In 1961, other programs at the school had grown large enough that the name was shortened to “Georgia State College”. It became Georgia State University in 1969. In 1995, the State Board of Regents accorded Georgia State “research university” status, joining Georgia Tech, the University of Georgia, and the Medical College of Georgia. Georgia State continued this expansion into the 1990s, with the expansion of Alumni Hall in 1991, the opening of the Natural Sciences Center in 1992, and the acquisiton of the former C&S Bank Building on Marietta Street in 1993, which is now the home of the Robinson College of Business. Until fairly recently, Georgia State was known largely as a commuter school due to the lack of housing. After the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games were held in Atlanta, Georgia State acquired the 2,000-bed Olympic Village housing complex located at the southeast corner of Centennial Olympic Park Drive (formerly Techwood Drive) and North Avenue that was used to board Olympic athletes during the Games. In the fall of 2007, Georgia State is scheduled to open a new state-of-the-art 2,000-bed complex known as University Commons at the corner of Piedmont Avenue and Ellis Street. Georgia State has six colleges and schools: There are five student-run media organizations: Georgia State University’s main cultural stage is the Rialto Center for the Performing Arts, an 833-seat performing-arts venue located in the heart of the Fairlie-Poplar district in downtown Atlanta. Housed in the Department of Communication, the Digital Arts and Entertainment Laboratory (DAEL) has received more than $2 million in funding from the Georgia Research Alliance, Georgia State, and Georgia State’s College of Arts and Sciences. Georgia State University is the Southeast’s leading urban research institution. Georgia State houses three university libraries. Georgia State’s athletic program has recently completed a feasibility study that would look at the interest and potential cost to add a Division I-AA college football team. Georgia State University is home to some fraternities and sororities: five of the North-American Interfraternity Conference (IFC), five of the National Panhellenic Conference (PC), eight of the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC), and six of the National Multicultural Greek Council (MGC).@

Summary content courtesy of Wikipedia.

Georgia State University History

Georgia State was founded in 1913. It has always held a mission of academic excellence and service to the community, being located in the heart of Atlanta, Georgia. An extended campus known as the “Alpharetta Center” exists in Alpharetta, Georgia, to serve the North Fulton area of the state.

Georgia State University defines its mission as one of “excellence in teaching, research, and service.” It characterizes itself as “a leading urban university,” and is the second largest in the state.

The University also offers study abroad programs, and has formed a partnership with universities in the former Soviet Republic of Georgia to establish and run the Caucasus School of Business.

Georgia State University Academics

The nearly 1,000 faculty members at Georgia State keep class sizes small and allow students to interact directly with faculty, maintaining the University’s emphasis on undergraduate education rather than graduate studies or research. There are over 200 fields of study, including accelerated degree programs, honors program, double majors, and independent study. Some of the most reputable programs are in business, social science, history, and computer science.

The University is composed of a number of different schools and colleges: the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, the College of Arts & Sciences, the College of Education, the College of Health & Human Sciences, the College of Law, and the J. Mack Robinson College of Business.

Bachelor’s degrees (including the Bachelor of Fine Arts) are awarded in a number of different disciplines, including many of the humanities, nursing, early childhood education, recreation, accounting, hospitality administration, economics, and urban policy studies. Undergraduate certificates are awarded in a few fields.

Master’s degrees are awarded in the humanities, health sciences, education, business, economics, and public policy, among others. A number of specialist degrees (Ed.S.) are awarded in the School of Education. An MBA, MSW, and MFA (in creative writing) are also available.

The school awards multiple doctoral degrees, in fields such as applied linguistics, creative writing, nursing, education, accounting, managerial sciences, economics, and public policy. The College of Law offers the J.D. degree and also dual degree programs.

Georgia State University Unique Programs

The Andrew Young School of Policy Studies at GSU is constantly recognized for its outstanding curriculum and national reputation in the fields of economics and public administration. Through the Center, Georgia State offers programs in health and environmental policy, nonprofit studies, fiscal research, and urban studies.

The J. Mack Robinson College of Business is more than 90 years old. Their MBA programs are consistently ranked as some of the best in the nation, and the Executive MBA program has been recognized as one of the world’s best by both BusinessWeek and Financial Times.

Graduate certificates are offered in gerontology, heritage preservation, hydrology, interpretation, Latin American studies, nursing, public health, and several programs in the College of Business and the College of Public Policy.

Georgia State University Financial Aid

The majority of scholarships at Georgia State are based on academic performance. The University offers several general scholarships, but by far the most available opportunities are offered through individual schools and colleges. Applicants are encouraged to contact these departments directly, based on their intended field of study, to explore scholarship options.

Georgia State also supports student loan programs, including the most popular Federal Direct Student Loans such as Stafford and PLUS loans. The Perkins Loan is also supported but restricted to students with outstanding financial needs. Also, Georgia State facilitates the search for alternative loans if the support from federal loans does not completely cover a student’s costs.

In-state tuition and fees for undergraduate students were $1684 per semester in 2004-2005. Students applying from out of state and graduate students will have different costs.

Financial aid is available with a combination of federal, state, and institutional grants, scholarships, loans, and work-study programs.

Georgia State University Students

The emphasis on education is very apparent when viewing student activity options at Georgia State: there are only about 100 student organizations to choose from for the 20,000 undergraduates who enroll. Other organizations, managed directly by the University (i.e. drama/theater groups, TV station, etc.) bring the total number of student-affiliated organizations to around 170.

The Georgia State University Library offers electronic catalogs and on-line databases, in additional to physical volumes stored on site or available through inter-library loan. There is a separate Law Library, and a branch library is located at the Alpharetta Center. The main library maintains special collections in southern labor, popular music, women’s collections, Georgia government documentation, the University archives, rare books, and photographs.

Georgia State University Traditions

With over 125,000 committed alumni nationwide, Georgia State enjoys a strong alumni base. The Alumni Association is very active in supporting athletics and academics equally, and provides a basis for alumni to keep in touch and involved in the University’s activities.

Georgia State University Local Community

Atlanta is a major metropolitan area with professional football, baseball, and basketball teams. There are also a multitude of arts organizations, including museums, theaters, and galleries to choose from. Students at Georgia State can visit Georgia’s capital or the offices of CNN. Jobs and internships are also plentiful, and many students have no trouble finding work upon graduation.