Oct 12, 2024  
2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog

Philosophy, Politics, and Economics, B.I.S.


3030.30 Interdisciplinary Studies  

Faculty Coordinator: Andrew J. Cohen (cohenaj@gsu.edu), Philosophy
Program Contact: Yongsheng Xu (yxu3@gsu.edu), Economics.
Program Contact: Peter Lindsay (plindsay2@gsu.edu), Political Science

Historically, Philosophy, Political Science, and Economics (PPE) were deeply connected. The father of modern economics, Adam Smith, was a philosopher concerned with moral and political philosophy. PPE, as a contemporary academic field of study, began at Oxford University in 1920 and has spread across the English-speaking world. The program at GSU helps students become familiar with and capable of contributing to ongoing debates about the nature of good political and economic institutions, as well as the policies and practices that are best suited for creating and sustaining them. More broadly, students develop the intellectual skills of both the social scientist, who seeks to understand how the social world operates, and the moral philosopher, who seeks to critically evaluate the social world in relation to how it ought to be. The program prepares students for careers and graduate programs that require independent thought with significant analytic and critical reasoning as well as writing. They are well-positioned for careers in law, government, public service, or entrepreneurial endeavors as well as Ph.D. programs in political science, philosophy, and economics. Moreover, they are ideally situated to contribute intelligently to the public dialogue of a vibrant democracy.

Program Admission

Students may enroll in a concentration upon admission to Georgia State University. Students who wish to change their major to this degree program should select a concentration in consultation with their academic advisor and the faculty coordinator. A 2.0 Georgia State University GPA is required.

Students who enroll in a concentration will be required to submit a course plan checklist to demonstrate their understanding of the degree requirements. It is highly recommended that students develop a course of study with their specific faculty coordinator before taking coursework in the degree program to avoid taking courses that will not count towards graduation.

Academic Advisement for Undergraduate Students

Academic advisement for undergraduate students is provided through the University Advisement Center (freshman through junior status/fewer than 90 hours) and the college’s Office of Academic Advisement (senior status/90 or more hours). See Office of Academic Assistance for additional information.

Graduation with Distinction in the Major

This unit offers undergraduate students with the opportunity to earn the designation of graduation with distinction in the major. To graduate with distinction in the PPE program, students must have excelled in their PPE courses and undergraduate career. For students to earn Graduation with Distinction, they must have at least a 3.5 GPA in the major and 3.5 GPA overall and must be in good academic standing. Rare exceptions may be made by faculty vote.

University Grade-Point Average and Grade Requirements

Georgia State University undergraduate students must achieve an overall institutional grade-point average of 2.0 and a major GPA of 2.0 in the Major and Allied Studies areas to receive a bachelor’s degree from the university. Grades of C- can be used to satisfy graduation requirements. However, some courses have prerequisites that require a grade of C or higher. (See 1460 GPA Requirement  for additional information.)

In addition to the Program Degree Requirements, students must fulfill the College of Arts and Sciences Degree Requirements (see College of Arts and Sciences) and the University Degree Requirements (see 1400 University Degree Requirements and Graduation).

Degree Requirements (120 Hours)


Students must complete coursework in at least three disciplines (defined by course prefixes) in the Major Area and in at least two disciplines in the Allied Studies Area. The areas should be constructed so that students take courses in distinct disciplines in each area (with some overlap expected); that is, the same prefix should not predominate in both areas.

Core IMPACTS Areas


Students may select any of the course options listed in each Core IMPACTS   area. However, specific recommendations for certain areas are listed below. These recommended courses are not required in the core, but are required for the major. If not taken in the core, then they must be taken in the Field of Study or Additional Courses area.  

Mathematics & Quantitative Skills


Institutional Priority


This course is suggested but not required in the major.

Arts, Humanities & Ethics


Recommended course

Social Sciences


Recommended courses

Field of Study Area (18 Hours)


Required Courses (6-12 Hours)


Field Electives


Select additional elective courses from the following to complete 18 hours in the Field of Study Area:

Recommended Courses

Major Area (30 Hours)


Students must complete coursework in at least three disciplines (defined by course prefixes) in the Major Area.

Select one course to fulfill CTW Requirement (3 Hours)


Select two Economics courses (6 Hours)


Select two Political Science courses (6 Hours)


Select four to five additional courses (12-15 Hours)


Allied Studies Area (15-18)


Either complete a minor in Philosophy, a minor in Law and Ethics (offered by the Philosophy department), a minor in Political Science, or a minor in Economics or select five courses from the list below. If selecting from courses below, no more than three 3 four credit hour courses (9-12 hours) of the requirements in an allied field can be taken within any single discipline. For example, you may not take any more than 9 hours using the PHIL prefix (i.e., any single discipline). Some courses are cross-listed with one or more additional disciplines. Therefore, in a situation where you have already selected or taken 9 hours of PHIL classes, if you wanted to take an additional course that is cross listed with PHIL and POLS, you would have to register for the POLS course in order not to violate this requirement. In no case can courses used to satisfy the requirements of the Major Area be simultaneously used to satisfy the requirements of the Allied Studies Area.

Additional Courses Area


Students take elective courses beyond those specified in the Major and Allied Studies areas to reach the 120 hours needed to earn a bachelor’s degree (including 39 hours at the 3000-4000 level taken at Georgia State University).