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).
