Nov 21, 2024  
2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog

1352 Academic Recognitions


Return to: 1300 University Academic Regulations  


President’s List: Degree-seeking students with a minimum Georgia State University cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.00 who complete at least nine semester hours of academic credit in fall or spring term (or six semester hours in summer term) with no Incompletes for the semester and who earn a 4.00 GPA will be placed on the President’s List for the semester.

Dean’s List: Degree-seeking students with a minimum Georgia State cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.00 who complete at least nine semester hours of academic credit in fall or spring term (or six semester hours in summer term) with no Incompletes for the semester and who earn a GPA of at least 3.50 shall be placed on the appropriate Dean’s List for the semester.

President’s and Dean’s Lists are posted on the university website three to four weeks in the subsequent semester.

1352.20 Signature Experiences

A signature experience course makes learning comes alive and encourages students to be active in their own education. Specifically, in a signature experience course, students:

  1. Apply what they are learning in the classroom to the experience
  2. Engage in an experience over a sustained period of time
  3. Learn through experiences that are not typically encountered in the standard classroom and
  4. Produce a final product that is evaluated by a faculty member.

The central learning outcome of a signature experience is the ability to apply knowledge/skills outside of a standard classroom context. Several areas of knowledge or skills are commonly addressed in Signature Experience courses, including 1) written and verbal communication; 2) critical thinking; 3) problem solving; 4) application of knowledge to career plans, as well as to local, national, and global awareness; and 5) professional preparedness. Final products include (but are not limited to) research papers, conference presentations, presentation of works of art, case studies, and reflection papers. Signature experiences are offered as part of courses that earn course credit. Courses that have multiple sections can be either standalone signature experiences, where all students in every section participate in the signature experience component, or the course may have only specific sections with a signature experience dimension.” Every major offers at least one signature experience. Common types of signature experiences offered by departments include Study Abroad, Practicums, Internships, Field Studies, and Research opportunities as well as the preparation of an Honor’s Thesis.

There are six categories of signature experiences:

  • Students have an Arts Signature Experience when they participate in the production or presentation of creative works.
  • Students have a City Signature Experience when they participate in activities that are related to the unique challenges of urban environments.
  • Students have a Global Signature Experience when they participate in activities that offer them the opportunity to learn and engage as global citizens.
  • Students have a Professional Signature Experience when they participate in work-related experiences.
  • Students have a Research Signature Experience when they work on a research project.
  • Students have a Service Signature Experience when they integrate service and learning activities to address a community need.

Units may place appropriate prerequisites on admission to their signature experience courses. Departments may choose to create programs centered around one or more Signature Experience course. In these cases, they may limit the number of students who may enter a signature experience and set up appropriate admissions processes to determine who is accepted into a their program.

1352.30 Global Scholars

Students who earn a grade of B or better in five 3000-4000 Global Scholars courses and who have an institutional grade-point average of 3.0 or higher at the time of graduation will be recognized as Global Scholars. Courses with the Global Scholars designation are noted in the catalog course description.

Courses that count toward the Global Scholars honor may be from the major or from other disciplines. However, the intent of the Global Scholars initiative is for students to earn this designation within the bounds of their current undergraduate program. Students are not encouraged to take additional classes beyond those in their major, elective area, or minor (if applicable) in pursuit of this designation.

Global Scholars courses are designed to help students gain global competence, or “the skills, knowledge, and awareness that enhance the ability to function in a global environment.” Each of these aspects of global competence can be further subdivided as follows:

Skills

  • World language skills: the ability to communicate in a language other than English
  • Communication skills: the ability to communicate with diverse audiences and with people from different backgrounds and learning styles
  • Analytical skills: the ability to analyze and synthesize comparative and cross-cultural information with sound judgment

Knowledge

  • Comparative grasp of political systems, histories, religions, cultures, literatures, economies, etc.
  • Recognition of global interconnectedness and conflict
  • Ability to think critically about the U.S. and see it in a global context

Awareness

  • Openness to different thoughts, ideas, and perspectives; curiosity; adaptability; flexibility in ambiguous or unfamiliar situations as well as in international or intercultural environments
  • Willingness to stay abreast of international current events and seek out new intercultural opportunities at home or abroad
  • Appreciation of and respect for difference and diversity and a highly developed sense of empathy, awareness, and concern

Students earning the Global Scholars honor will receive an official notice from Georgia State University. Recipients are encouraged to include this university designation on resumes, curricula vitae, professional portfolios, and other methods of documenting academic accomplishments. For additional information about the Global Scholars designation, please contact your college office of academic assistance or the University Advisement Center.

1352.40 City Scholars

Students who earn a grade of B or better in five 3000-4000 City Scholars courses and who have an institutional grade-point average of 3.0 or higher at the time of graduation will be recognized as City Scholars. Courses with the City Scholars designation are noted in the catalog course description.

Courses that count toward the City Scholars honor may be from the major or from other disciplines. However, the intent of the City Scholars initiative is for students to earn this designation within the bounds of their current undergraduate program. Students are not encouraged to take additional classes beyond those in their major, elective area, or minor (if applicable) in pursuit of this designation.

City Scholars courses are designed to help students develop competence in urban issues and enable them to become leaders in understanding the complex challenges of cities and in developing effective solutions to those challenges. City Scholars courses at Georgia State are ones that meet one or more of the following criteria:

  1. Have as a substantial focus the historical, geographical, social, cultural, economic, environmental, political, policy and planning, and/or design dimensions of city life.
  2. Provide students with hands-on experience in addressing or investigating problems or opportunities inherent in city life.

Competence in urban issues is defined as “the skills, knowledge, and awareness that enhance the ability to understand and address the problems and possibilities of cities.”

Skills

  • Analytical skills: the ability to analyze and synthesize comparative and diverse information about cities with sound judgment
  • Communication skills: the ability to communicate with diverse audiences and with people from different backgrounds and learning styles
  • Organizational skills: the ability to recognize diverse contributing partners and find ways to integrate other disciplines toward a constructive end

Knowledge

  • Recognition of the complex interconnectedness of cities in urban systems
  • Ability to think critically about the complex challenges posed by the city as a creative force in society

Awareness

  • Interest in new and different thoughts, ideas, and perspectives; curiosity; adaptability; flexibility in ambiguous or unique situations
  • Appreciation of and respect for differences and diversity, coupled with a developed sense of openness, empathy, and concern
  • Advocacy for effective solutions that contribute to livable communities and sustainable cities

Students earning the City Scholars honor will receive an official notice from Georgia State University. Recipients are encouraged to include this university designation on resumes, curricula vitae, professional portfolios, and other methods of documenting academic accomplishments. For additional information about the City Scholars designation, please contact your college office of academic assistance or the University Advisement Center.