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Undergraduate
Programs
at the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies
The Andrew Young School continues to attract a diverse group of students into its undergraduate programs. The School actively recruits international students, most of whom attend in the graduate programs, but this year our undergraduate class included students from 24 different countries who chose a major in the AYSPS this year. A profile of our undergraduate class showed that 46 percent of our students were women and 67 percent were minority (including students who identified themselves as Black, Hispanic, Asian, or mixed). We also taught a total of 315 classes in 2005, in both Economics and Policy Studies.
In This Section
Most students managed to be active in campus and community activities, and also hold down a part-time or full-time job while attending school. The current vice president of Georgia State’s Student Government Association (SGA) is Dominique Huff, an urban policy studies major who also served as managing editor of The Signal and Urbanite campus newspapers this year. He has been particularly effective as a liaison between campus media, student government and the university administration. Casey Cochran, an economics major, was a staff writer for The Signal. The director of Rampway, Joseph Winter, an urban policy major, previously served as president pro tem of the SGA Senate. He was also a member of the University Singers, who perform at Honors Day each year. Outgoing SGA president, Tourgee Simpson, a human resources policy major, and senators Josue Heredia and Genise Mixon, economics majors, drafted legislation on behalf of AYSPS students and other constituents. Michael Riccio is our newest representative.
Sylvia Akuchie and Huubinh “Ben” Le, both economics majors, were honored to be among the first 16 students selected as "1913 Ambassadors" who will represent the university in 2006 as goodwill ambassadors. They recently attended a luncheon with President Patton and an orientation. These students will assist with Legislative Night at the Georgia Railroad Freight Depot and other important events attended by dignitaries and special guests of Georgia State.
Six AYSPS students participated in athletics programs this year: Jamie Cagle (softball), Robert Hasenfelt and Aeden McQueary-Ennis (baseball), Brian Langman (cross-country), Monica Thomas (women’s basketball), and Jacque Redman (women’s soccer).
Economics majors Armando Castro, Victoria Chirwa, Courtney Sartin and John Stavick, as well as Glenda Crunk (a B.S. in urban policy graduate now in the M.P.A. program) and Tonya Cook (M.S. in human resource development) were named to Who’s Who in American Universities, in recognition of their exceptional scholarship, extracurricular activities, and service to the university community.
Work by three AYSPS students was selected for the annual Crossing Paths, Crossing Cultures photo exhibition: Huping Du (a B.S. in economics graduate, now in the M.A. program) won first place in the “People” category and second in “Places.” Angye Rincon Castillos placed third in “Places” and Jamilah Stephens was a finalist. Both are M.P.A. students.
Douglas Jefferson, a policy studies major who received a Regents study abroad scholarship and spent a memorable May session in China, shared stories and photos with the school upon his return. Josue Heredia studied international economics at the Universidad Privada de Santa Cruz in Boliva:
“…I had the chance to take my last economics class in Spanish. It not only helped me realize the way economies work internationally, but allowed me to familiarize myself with the terms in another language.”
The AYSPS Economics Club continues to be one of the most active undergraduate organizations on campus. Membership is open to all students interested in economics, regardless of their major. This year, in keeping with their goal to promote knowledge of economics on campus and provide a forum where students can meet, share ideas and socialize, the club organized a guest speaker series that brought noted economists and business leaders to the campus, designed posters about economics for use at Panther Preview, hosted a new student reception and faculty/student mixer, and assisted the Economics Department in advertising events of interest to students. Ben Le is club president, and officers included Alfredo Padilla, Glen Patterson, Wan-Yu Chen and Randa Ragab. They coordinated the club’s activities with the help of faculty advisor Paul Ferraro.
Omicron Delta Epsilon, the national honor society for economics majors, has an active chapter on campus.This year, 16 new students were welcomed into this honor society in recognition of their academic excellence.
Alpha Eta Rho, Gamma Sigma Chapter of the national aviation fraternity also has a Georgia State chapter. The fraternity’s activities included a tour of a local aviation facility and a Day-at-the-Airport for students interested in aviation. Events were organized by club president Daniel Wick with faculty advisor Richard Charles.
Students for Progressive Transit (SPT), the newest campus-wide organization housed within AYSPS, seeks students interested in affecting transit causes in metro Atlanta. Members will have opportunities to meet local decision makers and fellow activist students. Events will be coordinated by founding officers Erin Glynn and Andrew Davis, with faculty advisor Robert Eger.
This year, our students also participated in the Black Student Alliance, the Chinese Student Alliance, Circle-K, the Golden Key International Honor Society, the Latin American Student Association, the National Society of Collegiate Scholars, the Public Administration and Urban Studies (PAUS) Network, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), the National Society of Scabbard and Blade, the College Republicans of Georgia State and the Young Democrats of Georgia State, among other campus organizations. They volunteered for Americorps, Citizens for Progressive Transit, the Community Food Bank, Hands-on Atlanta, Habitat for Humanity, the Hosea Williams Feed the Hungry campaign, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and many other community initiatives.
Economics
Marketability is one reason for the growing popularity of economics as an undergraduate major. A study by the U.S. Census Bureau indicated economics majors are among the highest paid employees—economics ranked third among the most lucrative majors. At Georgia State, students may choose an economics major in the Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degrees offered by the Andrew Young School, or as BBAs in the Robinson College of Business.
In a recent Web survey, students gave many reasons for choosing Economics as their major:
“…I believe my understanding of many things, from politics to the entertainment industry and everyday events in my own life, has been enhanced by a greater knowledge of economics.”
“…My interest in economics first came in high school when I read the Autobiography of Malcolm X and he talked about social problems that had their source in economics.”
“…I consider being an economist a very interesting career, given its many different lucrative possibilities and advantages compared to business majors.”
“…My goal is to analyze markets from the perspective of actual economic events that would yield greater marketing and branding results through research, analysis and design. I completed a marketing internship this year that jump-started my career as an economist and designer.”
“…I want to work for a bank so economics seemed the best choice.”
“…I wanted to learn more about statistical analysis of various social sectors and the interrelationship of business trends with consumer attitudes.”
“...I like studying economics because it provides a framework for analyzing problems in a systematic manner; it requires statistical skills but also requires judgment and is intellectually challenging.”
“…I hope to combine what I’ve learned in economics with a law degree to work in the field of economic development.”
While a number of students choose economics (or policy) as one of the majors preferred by law schools, many others plan to go to work for a city or state government, for banks or other financial institutions, or to apply to graduate schools of business or economics after earning their bachelor’s degree.
Among students majoring in Economics, the most popular minor this year was Sociology, following by Urban Policy Studies and Political Science. Other popular minors were Math, Psychology, Criminal Justice, Marketing and several other business subjects, as well as foreign languages.
Nine economics majors are currently earning a dual degree at Georgia State: four have secondary BBA degrees in Finance (3) and Management (1); three are earning secondary majors in Political Science; the others are earning secondary degrees in Math, Music, and Urban Policy Studies.
Urban Policy Studies and Human Resources Policy
The Bachelor of Science in Urban Policy Studies (BS-UPS) and Bachelor of Science in Human Resources Policy and Development (BS-HRP) degree programs, with a focus on policy and how it applies to the real world, attract students with a wide range of interests. Most students in these majors complete internships at public, private and nonprofit agencies in metro Atlanta to gain valuable “hands-on” experience (see more details in the Internship section of this report), and many volunteer in their communities. Here are some of their answers to the question, “Why did you choose a major in Policy Studies?”
“…I love everything about the city and since I live in this city, I wanted to learn everything about it.”
“…I started my career at Georgia State as a business student, but I was always most interested in public issues. I researched the degrees here and public policy spoke directly to my personal and career interests.”
“…I see myself working in the public sector, for government at some level, and this seemed like the best fit. You have to understand the big picture if you want to make a difference.”
“…I chose urban policy because I want to work for the Federal government as an urban planner to improve the housing situation and eliminate slums.”
The majority of students in the BS-UPS program already have jobs but have returned to school to change their career path. Many students in the aviation track were already working for Delta, Airtran, or in other aviation-related positions at the time they enrolled at Georgia State hoping to advance their careers (and many have):
“…I’ve worked for several years as a flight attendant — fun, but I really want to move into the management side of the industry.”
“…I came to Georgia State specifically because the urban policy program included aviation and transportation. I want to be a pilot—it’s my hobby, but I want to make it my career.”
Eight undergraduate certificates in Airline Management were awarded this year. Twenty-two students completed their flight training practicums during the year; the increase was due to the planned phase-out of aviation classes and practicums in 2006. As a result of changing priorities and resources, this specialization will no longer be an option in the BS-UPS degree, though some related classes will continue to be included in our curriculum. Staff and faculty advisors have held information and planning sessions for aviation students and will work closely with the 79 students now in the program to ensure they can complete their degree requirements in a timely manner.
Many BS-HRP students already had some experience in human resources-related fields before they chose the major:
“…I was a career counselor while in the military and found I love working with people; I hope to find a job that involves training people.”
“…My main interest is in organizational behavior; I plan to work as a consultant after I graduate.”
“…I’ve been working for the Board of Realtors but have applied to be an HR intern at Disney World; I hope to get a job with Disney or another large or international company.”
This year, Planning and Economic Development was the most popular track in the BS-UPS program, followed by Public Policy and Local Government Management. BS-UPS students do not choose a minor, but complete seven upper-level electives as part of their degree. The most popular electives for students in the Planning and Public Policy tracks were Sociology, Management, Geography, Criminal Justice, Political Science and History. Students in the Local Government track picked Political Science, Management and Criminal Justice as their favorite electives. Seven students in the BS-UPS program are currently pursuing dual degrees at Georgia State: two have secondary BBA degrees, majoring in Hospitality Administration and Finance; the others are earning degrees in Economics, History, Journalism, Music and Sociology.
Students in the BS-HRP most often choose electives in Management, Sociology, Psychology, Urban Policy Studies, Journalism and Education. The three who are currently dual degree are earning secondary degrees in Management, CIS, and Sociology.
Some organizations now employing our recent graduates include: the Atlanta Fire Department, the Atlanta Regional Commission, Airtran Airlines, Athens/Clark County Planning Department, Apto Technology Solutions, Bank of America, the Chattahoochee Regional Development Commission, the City of Atlanta, the City of Conyers, Cobb County, Delta Airlines, Georgia Power Company, Gwinnett County, IBM, the Marietta Development Corporation, the Norfolk Southern Corporation, the South Georgia Regional Development Center, the State of Georgia Retirement System, the Federal Highway Administration, the Georgia Department of Transportation, the Georgia Office of Planning and Budget, the Forsyth County Planning Department, and Wachovia Bank.
