Social, cultural and economic progress depends in part on the work and dedication of well-educated scholars, scientists and societal leaders. As a public research university, one of the primary functions of the Atlanta campus of Georgia State is to provide talented and motivated individuals with the knowledge and skills necessary to take on important roles. This is best done through high-quality graduate and professional programs that are well supported and target the areas of greatest projected need.

2011 Initiative 1: Expand support for doctoral programs.

The university will leverage its success in receiving external research funding to expand our graduate enrollments. We will adopt programs to aid progression and graduation for our graduate students. We will emphasize training grants, student fellowships and graduate student support on research grants. Given the increasing role of industry in conducting and funding research, the university will seek to expand university-industry partnerships.

An Office of Graduate Studies was established, and an Associate Provost for Graduate Studies was appointed in 2014 to increase focus on doctoral- and master’s-level programming, recruitment and retention. Professional development workshops for graduate students addressing a range of topics occur monthly, and the first campus-wide Graduate Student Orientation was held in fall 2015, with more than 400 new students attending.

The University Fellows Program was started in 2011 as a university-funded program to increase the quantity and quality of doctoral students enrolled at Georgia State by providing assistantships for the best students in strategic areas. The program has supported more than 170 doctoral students since 2011, with a budget of $2.2 million annually. The Office of Graduate Studies’ Final Year Fellowship Program targets students’ progression to degree completion by providing a monthly stipend to support doctoral students completing dissertations. A fellowship adviser assists graduate students applying for prestigious awards from foundations such as Fulbright, Ford and Mellon and federal agencies, such as the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation. Supplemental funding for the university’s Dissertation Grant Program resulted in an increase in the maximum award amount from $1,000 to $2,000 per award.

2016 Initiative 1: Grow and enhance graduate programs to the level where they are commensurate with top tier research universities.

The university will leverage its success in receiving external research funding to expand our graduate enrollments. We will adopt programs to aid progression and graduation for our graduate students. We will emphasize training grants, student fellowships and graduate student support on research grants. Given the increasing role of industry in conducting and funding research, the university will seek to expand university-industry partnerships.

2011 Initiative 2: Leverage our national reputation in professional degree programs for the development of societal leaders.

Interdisciplinary and professional degree offerings have been implemented and include the Doctorate in Education, Doctorate in Nursing Practice, M.S. in Analytics, Dual MPH/JD, Master’s in Law, Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies in Health IT and a new Entrepreneurship minor that can be completed as part of any undergraduate degree at the university.

Several specialized programs designed to develop leadership and professional skills have been initiated or expanded.

• The Women Lead Program provides undergraduate female students access to community partners, leadership training, networking and strategic career development to encourage them to strive for top leadership positions across various sectors upon graduation. The program engages young women through learning in the classroom, developing mentoring relationships, and organizing and leading programs on campus.
• The Panthers on Wall Street (PWS) Program immerses promising students in the heart of America’s financial district. It includes 20 undergraduate and master’s students who are competitively selected and travel to Wall Street to visit with top firms. Since the program’s inception, 25 percent of PWS participants now work in New York City. The program is self-sustaining as donations from PWS alumni provide the funds necessary to run each year’s program.
• In the heart of Atlanta’s financial district, Georgia State’s Buckhead Executive Education Center is the primary location for students studying in the graduate or executive programs offered by the J. Mack Robinson College of Business. Opened in 2005 as the location for Robinson’s Executive MBA Program, the Center serves thousands of students participating in more than 20 different degree-programs, including the new MS in Analytics, and in non-degree programs. The center features technically advanced lecture-style classrooms, flexible classrooms, numerous conference and group study breakout rooms.

2016 Initiative 2: Create innovative and flexible graduate and professional programs that respond to evolving market and society needs.

The university will develop programs that meet the needs of employers in the Atlanta region. These programs will enable graduate and professional students to receive a world-class education, using modern technology and pedagogy, whether they seek to enhance their skills through noncredit executive education programs and certificates or to earn full degrees. Entrepreneurship will be emphasized where appropriate. Programs will be evaluated on an on-going basis for responsiveness to student needs and market demands.

2016 Initiative 3: Become a national model for creating a pipeline into graduate school and professional programs to increase the diversity of strong leaders in academic and professional careers.

Our university’s accomplishments in undergraduate student success give us the responsibility to carry these achievements forward into providing our graduates with significant advisement towards academic and professional post-graduate programs and careers. By creating and strengthening pathways to recruit and support graduate students, we will bolster the pipeline of highly qualified students from underrepresented groups and diverse backgrounds into the academic, business, creative, nonprofit and government sectors.