ACADEMICS
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Undergraduate
Undergraduate Degrees | Atlanta Campus
Geosciences, B.S.
- Environmental Geosciences
- Geology
- Geography
- Urban Studies
Geosciences, B.A.
- Geography
- Urban Studies
Environmental Science, B.I.S.
Biology, B.S.
- Ecology, Evolution, Organismal Biology
- General Biology Studies
Undergraduate Degrees | Perimeter Campus
Geology Pathway, A.S.
Undergraduate Certificates
Sustainability Certificate*
The certificate in sustainability offers an interdisciplinary approach to sustainability as a concept, area of study, social practice, organizational goal, and policy objective that concerns the effects and durability of relationships and interactions between social and biophysical systems. The certificate requires at least two credit hours of internship experience (students must secure their own internship), and four courses selected from options in different groups. All internships must be approved through the Undergraduate Director before they can be applied to this certificate.
Water Science Certificate
A strong demand exists in the public and private sectors for understanding aquatic systems, hydrological processes, and water resources. The undergraduate certificate in water sciences is designed to provide students with a working knowledge of the quality, quantity, storage, and flow of water in diverse environments; techniques to assess, model, and remediate aquatic environmental problems; and paradigms for understanding the social contexts and implications of water governance.
Geographic Information Science Professional Certificate
With the Georgia State GIS graduate certificate, you will be able to start or advance your career in:
- Urban and regional planning
- Environmental resource management
- Surveying, cartography and mapping
- Geospatial data analytics
The faculty and staff in the Georgia State University Department of Geosciences are well networked in GIS-related industries and firms in the Atlanta area and beyond. Through applied projects, students will gain real-world experience in utilizing mapping and geospatial technologies to address pressing social and environmental concerns.
Our faculty have expertise in GIS, geography and geology, and we specialize in the social and environmental dimensions of water, environmental geochemistry, global climate change and solving urban environmental problems.
Undergraduate Courses
Accounting
Anthropology
Biology
BIOL 4045K – General Ecology
BIOL 4451 – Aquatic Pollution and Toxicology
BIOL 3020 – Introduction to Marine Biology
BIOL 6055/GEOG 4055 – Experimental Methods in Environmental Science*
BIOL 4050/GEOG 4050 – Natural Environments of Georgia
BIOL 4930 – Study Abroad: Tropical Island Ecology
Business Administration
BUSA 2106 – The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business
Economics
ECON 4220 – Environmental Economics and Policy
Environmental Science
ENVS 1402/K –Plant Resources in the Environment
European Studies
Geography
GEOG 4020 – Urban Environments*
GEOG 4644 – Environmental Conservation
GEOG 4800 – Environmental Justice
GEOG 4050 – Natural Environments of Georgia
GEOG 4055 – Experimental Methods in Environmental Science
GEOG 4784 – Global Cimate Change
GEOG 4776 – Geography of Food and Eating
GEOG 1125 – Resources, Society and the Environment
GEOG 4646 – Water REsources
GEOG 4538 – Urban Health
Geology
GEOL 4017 – Environmental Geology
GEOL 2002 – Environmental Hazards and Natural Disasters
GEOL 4075 – Fundamental s of Soils
GEOL 2001 – Geologic Resources and Environment
GEOL 4097 Bahamas, Maymester – The Past, Present and Future of Marine Ecosystems
History
Hospitality Administration
Honors College
HON 3260 –
International Business
IB 4050 – Strategic Issues in International Business
Journalism
Legal Studies
Management
MGT 4700 – Operations Management
MGT 4610 – Corporate Social REsponsibility
Perspectives
Nursing
Urban Studies
URB 3010 – Contemporary U.S. Cities
Philosophy
Public Health
PHPH 3030 – Fundamentals of Environmental Health
Public Management and Policy
PMAP 3411 – Contemporary Planning
PMAP 3100 – Introduction to Social Entrepreneurship
Speech Communications
Sociology
Georgia State Undergraduate Research Conference (GSURC)
Sponsored by the Honors College, the Georgia State Undergraduate Research Conference (GSURC) allows undergraduate students to showcase and highlight research they have conducted. Every year, the interdisciplinary conference gives undergraduate students the opportunity to submit their projects and present them as posters, orally, creatively, or artistically.
2024 Sustainability Award Winners
- “Antibiotic-Resistant Escherichia coli in Atlanta’s Rivers and Streams,” by Madison Gordon
- “Variation in E. Coli contamination in the Gwinnett County streams before, during and after the Covid pandemic,” by Gabriele Griciute
- “Environmental Justice and Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Justice within U.S. Env NGOs,” by Diana Harden
- “Are Latinx Communities Vulnerable to Toxic Releases in Atlanta, GA?” by Aaron Pacheco
- “Sustainability in the Fizz: An Analysis of Coca-Cola’s Business Perspective & Sustainability Approach,” by Isabella Rodriquez
- “Messi in Miami: Unravelling the Environmental and Socio-Economic Impacts of a Football Icon’s Transatlantic Journey,” by Avishek Sengupta
- “River Herring Project,” by Josseirys Valentin Rivera
GSURC Testimonials:
“[GSURC] showed me that it feels really good to have people able to understand your research and then be like ‘I want to be a part of that. I want to be involved. What can I do?’ It makes you feel really good. That you’re doing something that actually matters and can make a difference.” – Alejandra Tapia Batres, Winner of Sustainability Award 2023
2023 Sustainability Award Winners
- “’It’s getting hot in here’: Understanding the mechanisms of calcification in Astrangia poculata and its responses to heat stress,” by Alejandra Tapia Batres
- “[Re]imagining Ourselves in Urban Ecological Systems,” by Em Stacey
- “Recycling Today,” by Sahar Mirzad
- “Wastewater in Quintana Roo: How Inequitable Development Affects Sustainability,” by Kelsi Broderick
- “Synkhlorum: An Algae-Bacteria Co-Culture for Efficient Biofuel Production,” by Elizabeth Plumart, Aaliyah Bujung, Chloe Marie Benjamin, and Xucheng Zhang
- “Terrestrial Gastropods of Atlanta: Snails and Slugs Across the Old Growth Forest Network,” by Ashley Edwards, Carly Russo, and Elle Shira
“Environmental response to keystone species reintroduction: Analysis of soil nutrients and microbial biomass from American Bison (Bison bison) fecal addition” by Milo Vasquez (Link to the blogpost: https://sustainability.gsu.edu/2024/02/08/gsurc-award-spotlight-delving-into-climate-changes-effects-on-coral-habitats-and-warming-oceans/)
2022 Sustainability Award Winners
- “Re-Imagine Atlanta: The Car-Free City,” – Claire Smith
- “Natural Community Types and Native and Non-Native Terrestrial Gastropods in the Piedmont Region in GA,” Raquel Gonzalez
- “Development without Displacement: A Buford Highway Corridor Community Center,” by Kaysel Weiner-Huice
- “The HIVE: Sustainable LGBTIA+ Community Center,” by Mark Degner
- “Antibiotic-Resistance Bacteria in Atlanta’s Urban Waterways,” by Rella Madeline Arena
- “Georgia Audubon: Project Safe Flight,” by Alejandra Tapia Batres, Raquel Gonzalez, and Ricardo Hernandez
2021 Sustainability Award Winners
- “Impacts of Beaver Dam Analogs on Total Suspended Solids in a Highly Incised Urban Stream Channel,” by Donata Borsos
- “Rebuilding the Coral Reefs Through Synthetic Biology: A Review of Current Methods and Future Implications,” by Chiara Brust, Yilin Lu, and Asma Khimani
- “Quarantine Quilt,” by Kinley Davis
- “Refuge,” by Jacklynn Lollar
- “Park Mobility Project,” by James Ly and Carden Wycoff
- “Comparing Biodiversity of Land snails and Slugs Across Cities in Georgia,” by Megan Rich, Susan Smith, and Jann Vendetti
- “The Role of Judeo-Christian Values on Environmental Behaviors in the United States,” by Alice Riviere
2020 Sustainability Award Winners
- “Synbiodinium: A Synthetic Biology Approach to Coral Bleaching,” by Rehmat Babar, Zexi “Alun” Guo, Zeshi “Curry” Wang, Taylor Sperry, Yilin “Louis” Lu, Jiayi “Jayee” Lan and Jiansong “Jayce” Huang.
- “View Finder,” by Sarah Chin
- “How desiccation tolerance affects fitness of Amborella trichopoda seeds for storage in liquid nitrogen using microCT scans,” by Danielle Davis
- “City Harvest: A Growing Community,” by Petra Goettel
- “Comparing the Efficacy of Commerical Water Filters with Homemade Filters using Atomic Emission Spectroscopy,” by Andrea Green
- “Uncovering Phylogenetic Relationships within the Euglossine Bee Pollinated Orchid Genus, Stanhopea,” by Chazz Jordan
- “Stormwater Runoff Quality from Green Roofs in Atlanta, Georgia,” by Scout Morgan
2019 Sustainability Award Winners
- “Elohi,” by Liv Fallon
- “A Post-Hurricane Assessment of Acropora palmata Colonies in Salt Pond Bay, St. John, USVI,” by Madison Floyd
- “Quantifying the Survival and Recovery of Elkhorn Coral (Acropora palmata) in the Eastern Portion of Salt Pond Bay, St. John, USVI,” by Gillian Gilbert-Wason
- “Evolutionary Relationships in the Euglossine Bee-Pollinated Orchid Genus, Stanhopea,” by Chazz Jordan
- “The Poisoned Generation: Lead Exposure in Children,” by Franka Riviere
- “A Mobile and Low-Cost Spectrophotometry-Based Water-Quality Monitoring System Using Off-the-Shelf Cameras,” by Nishant Sinha
- “Coral Bay Watershed Management Project: Coral Harbor Marine Inventory Project,” by December Weir
Graduate
Graduate Degrees
Geosciences, M.S.
Public Health, M.P.H.
- Environmental Epidemiology Concentration
- Environmental Health Concentration
Public Policy, M.P.P*
- Environmental Policy Concentration
Public Policy, Ph.D.
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 (e.g. transportation, housing) play in creating the environments and communities we desire? Students can also choose to focus on such substantive policy areas as health, education, economic development, social policy, and disaster management.
Urban Studies, M.I.S.*
Interdisciplinary urban theory and knowledge: Graduates of the MIS in Urban Studies will be competent urbanists. They will be capable of interpreting and analyzing urban issues from multiple perspectives while recognizing the strengths and limitations of these approaches.
Analytical skills: Graduates will be critical thinkers with demonstrable competencies across a range of quantitative and qualitative methods.
Application of knowledge within the field: Graduates will be competent communicators, able to apply and communicate their urban knowledge to diverse stakeholder communities.
Principles of inclusive and equity urban development: Graduates will demonstrate an orientation towards inclusive, equitable, and sustainable urban development informed by USI’s approach to urban studies.
Urban Studies, Ph.D.*
Graduate Certificates
Geographic Information Science Graduate Certificate
Public Health Certificate
The Graduate Certificate in Public Health will offer strong foundations in public health theory, research, and practice, for example:
- Community Health Practice and Research
- Program Planning, Management, and Evaluation
- Human Communication
- Health Promotion and Education
- Environmental Health
- Health and Human Rights
- Health Policies
Nonprofit Management and Social Enterprise Graduate Certificate
This certificate is designed to serve the needs of several different groups of professionals:
- Those already in the nonprofit sector who seek to improve skills in areas not addressed in on-the-job training, such as strategic management, leadership, and managerial economics.
- Those who are moving from government or the private sector into the nonprofit organizations who need the skills and credentials appropriate for such a switch.
- Those who are pursuing non-AYSPS graduate degrees, but who desire training in nonprofit management skills.
Planning and Economic Development Graduate Certificate
Graduate Courses
Anthropology
ANTH 6200 Urban Anthropology
ANTH 6490 Globalization
*ANTH 2020 is a prerequisite requirement for all ANTH courses.
Biology
BIOL 6045K – General Ecology
BIOL 7020 – Introduction to Mari Biology
BIOL 6055K – Experimental Methods in Environmental Science
BIOL 6451 – Aquatic Pollution and Toxicology
Economics
Geosciences
GEOS 6017 – Ennironmental Geology
GEOS 8007 – Urban Political Ecology and Enviromental Justice
GEOS 6012 – Sustainable Development: Practice and Policies*
GEOS 6644 –Environmental Conservation*
GEOS 6018 – Introduction to Environmental Health and Safety
GEOS 6075 – Fundamentals of Soils
GEOS 6784 – Global Climate Change
GEOS 6776 – Geography of Food and Eating
GEOS 6646 – Water Resources
GEOS 6017 – Environmental Geology
GEOS 6050 – The Natural Environment of Georgia
GEOS 6800 – Environmental Justice
GEOS 6515 Qualitative Methods in Geography
GEOS 6532 GIS
GEOS 8538 Urban Health GIS (4)
History
Hospitality Administration
International Business
Management
Public Health
PHPH 7155 Air Quality and the Environment
PHPH 7293 Environmental Health Toxicology
PHPB 9010 Doctoral Seminar: Urban Health, Diversity, and Cultural Competency
PHPH 7280 Infectious Disease Epidemiology
PHPH 7296 Climate Change and Public Health
PHPH 7299 Sampling of the Environment
Public Management and Policy
PMAP 8331 Urban Development and Sustainable Cities*
PMAP 8899 Causal Inference and Evidence-based Policy
PMAP 8010 Social Policy
PMAP 8531 Policy Analysis
Urban Studies
URB 8690 Sustainability Transformations *
URB 9011 Seminar in Urban Environmental Sustainability*
URB 8030 Urban Statistics and Social Justice
URB 8660 Urban Environments
Graduate Conferenc
Hosted by the Graduate School, the Graduate Conference for Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activityprovides graduate students an opportunity to showcase their research. Annually, the conference gives graduate students a platform to promote and present their work through artist talks, artistic and creative presentations, film, musical performances, oral presentations, or poster presentations.
Beginning with the 2nd Annual Graduate Research Conference, Sustainability Initiatives started presenting Sustainability Awards to recognize students who are addressing sustainability topics through their research.
3rd Annual Research Conference – Will occur on Feb. 5, 2025
2nd Annual Research Conference – Fall 2023: Sustainability Winners
- “Key to Sustainable Clean Up of the Environment: Functional Characterization of Effective Anaerobic Plastic Degradation by Geotalea daltonii” by Christina Kiessling
- “Black Women’s Resistance to Land Domination: Emancipation to Cop City” by Safiya Miller
- “Identification of Underground Radon Hotspots and Forecast to Future Scenarios through Space-Time Pattern Analysis” by Sumya Tasnim
- “Analysis of Methane Emissions at Three Rivers Solid Waste Authority Landfill” by Andrews Dwumoh
- “Air Pollution and Time Use: Evidence from India” by Jafar Jafarov
- “Atlanta Road and Waterway Litter: Waterway Risk Determined by Interstate and Highway Litter Data” by Kelly Cronin
- “Democratizing Electric Cooperatives for Environmental Justice” by Logan Johnston
Law Certificates
Environmental & Land Use Law Certificate
Law Courses
Courses
LAW 7320- Land Use Laws
LAW 7494- Urban Fellows Program
LAW 7018- The Endangered Species Act
LAW 7064- Animal Law
LAW 7164- Seminar on Corporate Governance
LAW 7201- International Environmental Law
LAW 7203- Natural Resources and Water Law
LAW 7204- Urban Environmental Law Seminar
LAW 7238- Hazardous Waste
LAW 7242- Advanced Land Use Law Seminar
LAW 7244- Public Health Law
LAW 7273- International Law
LAW 7277- International Human Rights
LAW 7319- Wildlife Law
LAW 7355- Law and Emerging Technologies
LAW 7363- History of the Common Law in England and America
LAW 7397- International Perspective on Urban Law and Policy
LAW 7500- Water Rights
LAW 7614- Urban Economics and Environmental Sustainability: Law, Policy, and Culture
LAW 7201- International Environmental Law
LAW 7207- Environmental Health Law & Policy: Comparative Perspectives
LAW 7206- Comparative Environmental Law: Urban Issues
LAW 7202- Selected Topics in Environmental Litigation
LAW 7630- Doing Business and Environmental Protection
LAW 7654- Ecosystem Management Law
LAW 7251- Law and Social Welfare
LAW 7192- Eminent Domain and Taking Seminar
Faculty
Research Centers
Georgia State University (GSU) boasts a diverse array of labs, research centers, and working groups, each dedicated to advancing knowledge and innovation across multiple disciplines. Among these, several are specifically focused on sustainability, tackling critical issues such as environmental conservation, sustainable urban development, and renewable energy solutions. These centers not only contribute to scholarly research but also collaborate on initiatives that support sustainable practices within and beyond the GSU community. If you are interested in sustainability and looking to explore cutting-edge research, check out these dedicated centers at Georgia State University that are leading the way in fostering a sustainable future.
Center for Law, Health and Society
The broad field of ‘health law’ is divided into six interconnected, interdisciplinary areas—Bioethics, Health Care Regulation and Financing, Health Sciences and Technology, Social Justice and Human Rights, Global Health, and Public Health—with Public Health focusing on laws related to emergency preparedness, disease control, sanitation, food and drug regulation, and environmental health, while Social Justice and Human Rights address legal frameworks for reducing health disparities in underserved and urban populations.
https://law.gsu.edu/faculty-centers/center-for-law-health-society/
Research Area:
- Bioethics
- Health Care Regulation & Financin
- Health Sciences & Technology
- Public Health
- Social Justice & Human Rights
- Global Health
Center for Neighborhoods and Communities
The ongoing mission of the center is to support faculty and graduate student research and sponsored programs to better understand the challenges and opportunities of Atlanta’s neighborhoods, communities and people, including their social justice activities and recognize that national and international urban processes affect local populations.
Center for Sport and Urban Policy
CSUP studies examine how urban sports stadiums and organizational initiatives are used to catalyze environmentally sustainable development in the cities and regions in which they are located. In addition to evaluating how decisions are made to incorporate sustainable designs in sports stadiums, researchers will seek to examine the extent to which teams and stadiums impact urban environmental quality, stimulate pro-environmental behavior by other businesses and government, and induce behavioral change among residents. The Green Sports Alliance named the College of Education & Human Development’s Center for Sport and Urban Policy one of its 2019 Environmental Innovators of the Year.
https://education.gsu.edu/kh/khresearchoutreach/center-for-sport-and-urban-policy/
Center for the Comparative Study of Metropolitan Growth
The Center for the Comparative Study of Metropolitain Growth gives GSU law students the opportunity to research and propose solutions for problems impacting urban areas, including sustainable development. Through the center, law students can also earn a certificate in Environmental & Land Law use.
https://law.gsu.edu/faculty-centers/center-for-the-comparative-study-of-metropolitan-growth/
Center for Urban Transformations
The Center for Urban Transformations aims to foster the transdisciplinary capacities needed to co-produce innovative research agendas that advance sustainability transformations. Fellows engage in co-producing research ideas and questions across disciplines and the academic-practice divide in close collaboration with community partners to make tangible, real-world impacts in our communities. Each of the program’s activities is informed by experience with metro-Atlanta-based urban sustainability projects to: foster inclusive relationships with community partners; develop capacities for collaborative research; develop knowledge on the theory and practice of urban sustainability; and encourage fellows to generate transformative inter- and transdisciplinary research.
Community-Soil-Air-Water (CSAW)
The Department of Geosciences introduced CSAW as a research initiative to confront one of the most pressing challenges of the 21st century: fostering healthy and sustainable cities that are home to thriving and resourceful communities. CSAW’s mission is to bring together scholars and community partners to address the multifaceted relationship between urban communities and their environment by advancing an integrated physical- and social-scientific approach profoundly shaped and informed by the values, visions, and knowledges of our partner communities.
Environmental Humanities Working Group
The purpose of the Environmental Humanities Working Group is to bring together faculty and staff from a wide range of disciplines to brainstorm on events and programming related to the environmental humanities. They also have sought to develop partnerships and construct a network with whom to share and publicize events.
Humanities Research Center
The Humanities Research Center is an interdisciplinary center that explores how individuals interpret and explain human experience across a variety of topics, including environmental humanities. Faculty from this research center manage the Environmental Humanities Working Group.
Micromobility Lab
The Micromobility Lab is an interdisciplinary research hub for critically examining micro-scale transportation policy interventions in metropolitan regions. We facilitate community dialogue around the social, economic, and legal implications of micromobility. Our research explores how technological, and policy innovations can transform urban transportation and improve accessibility, sustainability, safety, and equity
Sustainability Future Labs
The Sustainable Futures Lab integrates research, practice, and community engagement to explore positive urban futures. Our goal is to collectively analyze, visualize and transition toward more resilient cities. Through transdisciplinary approaches, we aim to explore possible futures, the underlying premises they depend on, and the transformations needed to bring them about. Our grand challenge is to reimagine the relationship between humans and the environment.
Community of Practice
Center for Urban Transformations
The Center for Urban Transformations aims to foster the transdisciplinary capacities needed to co-produce innovative research agendas that advance sustainability transformations. Fellows engage in co-producing research ideas and questions across disciplines and the academic-practice divide in close collaboration with community partners to make tangible, real-world impacts in our communities. Each of the program’s activities is informed by experience with metro-Atlanta-based urban sustainability projects to: encourage inclusive relationships with community partners; develop capacities for collaborative research; develop knowledge on the theory and practice of urban sustainability; and foster transformative, transdisciplinary research.
Community-Soil-Air-Water (CSAW)
The Community-Soil-Air-Water (CSAW) learning ecosystem aims to integrate justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion principles and programming with community collaborations to solve socio-environmental problems. Such an integration to diversify both practitioners and practices in the Geosciences can catalyze a profound transformation in both who does geoscience and what geosciences does for communities. CSAW’s mission is to bring together scholars and community partners to address the multifaceted relationship between urban communities and their environment by advancing an integrated physical- and social-scientific approach profoundly shaped and informed by the values, visions and knowledge of our partner communities.
Sustainability Across the Curriculum
We are part of the AASHE Sustainability Across the Curriculum Support Group 2024 and planning for Spring 2025 Sustainability Across the Curriculum workshop for GSU faculty, much like the previous one we did for 40 GSU faculty with Peggy Barlett with funding from the Ray C. Anderson Foundation in 2013.
Environmental Humanities Working Group
The purpose of the Environmental Humanities Working Group is to bring together faculty and staff from a wide range of disciplines to brainstorm on events and programming related to the environmental humanities. They also have sought to develop partnerships and construct a network with whom to share and publicize events.
Applied Learning
South River Watershed Water Quality Monitoring
Since 2019, Sarah Ledford collaborating with South River Watershed Alliance to monitor E. coli at 20 sites with 4 undergraduate interns per semester who learn through active field and laboratory methods and regulatory context and environmental advocacy. The learning outcome is to conduct field stream monitoring, bacterial assessment lab methods, regulatory policy, community-engaged environmental research and advocacy.
Atlanta Transformative Leadership
Fellows of the Center for Urban Transformations conduct one year externships and multi-modal mentorship and training with regional sustainability leaders. The learning outcomes include sustainability capacities including transformative leadership, anticipatory, normative, systems, and transdisciplinary practice.
Project Safeflight @ GSU
Interns and volunteers have been systematically monitoring bird collisions with buildings on the Atlanta campus. Their goals are to identify the campus buildings that pose the greatest threat to birds and implement solutions like bird-safe window films to reduce the number of bird-building collisions. Looking to further sustainability capacities including community-based research and advocacy; improved building and land-use practices; urban wildlife conservation; field research and data analysis