Georgia Southern University, commonly referred to as Georgia Southern, is a public comprehensive institution of higher learning residing in Statesboro, Georgia. It sits on a 900-acre campus and it is the sixth biggest institution of the University System of Georgia. It is the biggest postsecondary institution in the southern half of the state. Georgia Southern University offers nearly 120 programs at the bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degree levels. The programs are offered through eight colleges of education: The College of Business Administration, The College of Education, The College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, The College of Health and Human Services, The College of Science and Mathematics, The Allen E. Paulson College of Engineering and Information Technology, The Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health, and the Jack N. Averitt College of Graduate Studies.
Georgia Southern is committed to academic excellence in instruction, scholarship, and service. Its programs bridge theory with practice and expands the learning atmosphere past the classroom and encourages student growth and life success. The faculty is committed to superiority in teaching and the development of a productive learning environment and the student to faculty ratio was 21 to one. Georgia Southern University was established in 1906 as a land grant college called First District Agricultural and Mechanical School.
The school became Georgia Normal School in 1924 with a purpose of training teachers. In 1929, the school adopted a four-year curriculum and changed its name to South Georgia Teachers College. The name and mission continued to change over the next few decades, becoming Georgia Teachers College in 1939 and Georgia Southern College in 1959. It officially became Georgia Southern University in 1990 after it developed graduate programs in various fields. In 2006, The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching classified Georgia Southern University as a Doctoral and Research University. In 2017, the university announced it will consolidate with Armstrong State University and the name Georgia Southern University will remain. Today, Georgia Southern University is home to nearly 21,000 students.
Georgia Southern University Accreditation Details
The Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools regionally accredits Georgia Southern University to grant bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees. Online business programs offered by the College of Business Administration are accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. The online nursing programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. The National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education accredits the online education programs. The online Master of Science in Computer Science is accredited by the Computing Accreditation Commission of ABET.
Georgia Southern University Application Requirements
Undergraduate
- Submit online or mail undergraduate application
- Pay nonrefundable $30 application fee
- Submit official high school transcript
- Submit official SAT or ACT scores
- Submit official transcripts from all previously attended institutions of higher learning
Graduate
- Submit online application for graduate admission
- Pay nonrefundable $50 application fee
- Submit official transcripts from all previously attended colleges and universities
- Submit official test scores from standardized examinations, such as the GMAT, GRE, MAT, or GACE
- Submit letters of recommendation as required by specific programs
- Submit supporting documents such as personal statements, resumes, background checks, and teaching or licensing certificates as applicable.
Tuition and Financial Aid
Undergraduate Tuition
- Georgia resident: $174.20 per credit hour
- Out-of-state resident: $614.80 per credit hour
- Online course rate: $204 per credit hour
Graduate Tuition
- Georgia resident: $277 per credit hour or $3,318 for 12 or more credit hours
- Out-of-state resident: $1,105 per credit hour or $13,259 for 12 or more credit hours
Financial Aid
Georgia Southern University offers an array of federal, state, and privately funded financial aid programs that are based on financial need, merit, or other aspects. Some types of aid are not based on need and intended to help with the Expected Family Contribution. The types of aid include scholarships, grants, loans, and work-study.
Scholarships
Georgia Southern University features a variety of scholarships for various majors, degrees, and class levels.
- The Georgia HERO Scholarship Program
- Scholarship for Engineering Education for Minorities
- HOPE Scholarship
- University Honors Program Scholarships
- 1906 Scholarship
- Georgia Southern University Foundation Scholars Award
- Cone Scholarship
- President's Scholarship
- Albert C. Worrell International Scholarship
- ROTC Scholarships
Grants
- Federal Pell Grant
- Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)
- Public Safety Memorial Grant
- TEACH Grant
- Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grants
Loans
- Federal Direct Subsidized Loan
- Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan
- Federal Direct PLUS Loan
- Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan
- Federal Perkins Loan
- Georgia Student Access Loan
Federal Work-Study
The Federal Work-Study program helps students who need part-time employment income to pay for education related expenses. Students receive federal work-study as part of their financial aid package and they must work on campus in an approved position. The program is need-based and is typically $1,044 per semester. Students can work up to 144 hours per semester to earn $7.25 per hour.
Institutional Work-Study
In addition to the Federal Work-Study program, Georgia Southern University also offers institution work-study opportunities, which are funded directly by the university. The money used to pay students for their employment comes directly from the university departmental budgets. The pay amount and hours varies on position, qualifications, and job tasks.
Online Degrees Available
Flexible online programs in healthcare, business, and education are offered by Georgia Southern University. Students are able to earn their degree according to their own schedule from anywhere with a connection to the internet. The array of online graduate programs include computer science, engineering management, nursing, kinesiology, sport management, business administration, applied economics, early childhood education, and special education.
The Master of Education in Early Childhood Education is designed for current educators seeking advanced education in early childhood sector of education. It is based on the concept of developmentally appropriate procedures and the importance of diverse, rigorous field experiences working in an array of student populations. The program is offered entirely online and requires 36 credit hours. The core courses include effective curriculum and instruction in elementary schools, learning theories and applications, educational research, advanced language arts methods, advanced mathematics methods, and advanced science methods.
The online graduate program in nursing is a blended Post-Bachelor of Science in Nursing to Doctor of Nursing Practice (BSN-DNP) with an MSN exit option. Students may end with a master's degree after completing the courses in primary care. Two concentrations are available: family nurse practitioner and psychiatric/mental health family nurse practitioner. Both programs require the completion of at least 46 credit hours, but the average is closer to 80 credit hours for the doctoral degree. Students must complete the core courses along with clinical hours With its array of online programs, Georgia Southern University is an ideal choice for students seeking flexible education options.