Degrees & Majors

The Georgia State University LPN to BSN Bridge Program is designed for the working licensed practical nurse or licensed vocational nurse wanting to obtain a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree. In our busy, fast-paced society, it can be challenging to balance work, school and family responsibilities. The combination of online and face-to-face classes allows flexibility and supports student success. Clinical rotations in acute care and community-based agencies allow students to build competence and clinical judgment skills in real-world settings. Graduates of the program are eligible to take the NCLEX examination for Registered Nurses. To apply for the program, students must apply and be admitted to Georgia State Perimeter College. Admission to the program is once per year in the summer.

As you work toward your Ph.D. in nursing at Georgia State, you will be setting yourself apart as a nurse scholar and a leader in research, practice and education. You also are becoming part of the solution for the national shortage of nurse researchers and educators. A doctorate designed for today’s busy healthcare professionals at all career stages:

• The program is designed for master’s and bachelor’s prepared nurses. We also invite D.N.P.-prepared nurses to apply to the Ph.D. program. (For D.N.P.-prepared nurses, course credit may be given for previous coursework.)
• The Ph.D. program is available for full-time and part-time study and with coursework primarily online.
• Students attend a few required on-campus sessions: just two days in the fall and spring semesters.
• The web-based classes are a combination of real-time (synchronous or live) and on-demand (asynchronous) classes.

Our graduates enjoy successful careers and can be found in roles such as:

• Research, clinical and administrative faculty positions in nursing schools nationwide
• Leadership and executive positions in corporate hospital systems and healthcare organizations
• Public health positions with government agencies

Is a Ph.D. or D.N.P. degree right for me? 

You can also earn a graduate certificate in one of the following areas while working on your Ph.D.:

• Public Health
• Health Literacy

The online R.N. to M.S. bridge program allows registered nurses with considerable practice experience and an associate degree or diploma from an accredited nursing program to take advantage of this streamlined approach to obtain their graduate degree. Candidates must have a minimum of one year of work experience as a registered nurse. Two years of experience is preferred. You will need to complete additional prerequisite* undergraduate coursework before taking any master’s level nursing courses. *See additional course information in the “Additional Information” tab for prerequisite information. You also will need to have a clinical site arrangement one semester before registering for one of the prerequisite courses (Caring for Families and Communities). We will work with you to plan for this and discuss the courses you need to progress toward your M.S. in nursing. Georgia State is well known for our work in student success, and that includes support at each stage of your journey through your graduate work. Once you begin your master’s level coursework, you will be heading toward a nurse practitioner specialty in one of four areas:

• Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
• Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
• Family Nurse Practitioner
• Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner

Nurse practitioners tend to earn more and are given more leadership responsibilities in their organizations. As a Georgia State student, you will be part of the only nursing college in Georgia that offers the full spectrum of nursing education from associate, bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate degrees (including D.N.P. and Ph.D.) and access to a range of healthcare organizations. Georgia State nursing faculty are committed to your success, and we want to be a convenient, affordable education partner throughout your nursing career.

The occupational therapy doctorate program prepares students to improve human lives through innovations in research, community engagement and education in occupational therapy and rehabilitation in general. The rigor and demands of the program match the need for occupational therapy services in a dynamic healthcare system that is highly technological and global. The scientific study of humans as occupational beings is a central concept of this program, a concept based on the fundamental premise that occupation is an integral part of life and a prerequisite to participation. The program embraces the American Occupational Therapy Association Vision 2025 and focuses on producing leaders who use creative and critical thinking and clinical reasoning with great effectiveness and efficiency. Unique features of the program:

• Flipped classroom teaching model throughout the curriculum. The material is first introduced outside of class in a flipped classroom – via videos, websites, reading materials, etc. Then, skills that would have been homework in the traditional learning environment are mastered in the classroom with the instructor’s assistance.
• Research partnerships with local universities and other schools at Georgia State, such as Georgia State’s School of Music, Emory and Georgia Tech.
• Community-based learning opportunities working with at-risk and underserved populations, such as refugees, homeless veterans and adults with serious mental illness.

Respiratory therapy is a health care profession dedicated to the support and management of individuals with abnormalities or deficiencies of the cardiopulmonary system. The respiratory therapist is an expert in therapeutic and diagnostic modalities associated with the pulmonary system, as well as the heart. He or she must have a working knowledge of chemistry, microbiology, and physiology as well as respiratory therapy. This background affords the therapist the ability to become proficient in working with respiratory life support systems. Under the guidance and supervision of a physician, the therapist treats by employing academic knowledge and technical skill for direct patient care. For a dedicated man or woman who finds a service field rewarding, respiratory therapy offers a career opportunity as a vital member of the health care team that is both personally and financially rewarding.

Respiratory therapists work in cooperation with physicians to care for patients with a wide range of breathing disorders including asthma, emphysema, pneumonia and lung infections, cystic fibrosis and breathing difficulties due to premature birth. Respiratory therapists may work in a variety of settings from hospitals to home health care agencies and from outpatient centers and physicians' offices to sleep disorder clinics. The Georgia State University master of science degree with a concentration in respiratory care offers the opportunity for credentialed and experienced practitioners to obtain an advanced level of knowledge in the technical area of respiratory care. The program also is intended to provide the ability, knowledge and skills for continued scholarly inquiry within the discipline of respiratory care.