Top 10 Best PhD Programs in Georgia [2024]

Georgia is home to several prestigious universities and learning centers. Atlanta, the capital and state’s most populous city, boasts the world’s busiest airport, where international students arrive every year to study at the city’s renowned universities.

Additionally, Atlanta boasts one of the country’s prestigious technological institutions, the Georgia Institute of Technology, and the famous Emory University. The latter has a teaching hospital renowned for its work in specializations like cancer, neurology, heart surgery, and many other medical specialties.

Georgia’s universities are well-equipped across diverse disciplines, from business administration and information technology to agricultural economics, criminal justice, and epidemiology. You can even find an online PhD in Georgia in all these fields.

Ready to obtain your PhD in Georgia? Here are the top PhD programs in Georgia in some of today’s most in-demand disciplines.

Table of Contents

Top PhD Programs in Georgia

University	Program	Duration/Credits
Georgia Institute of Technology	Bioengineering, Ph.D.	5 years
University of West Georgia	Doctor of Education in Higher Education Administration	60 credits
Kennesaw State University	Ph.D. in Business Administration	3 years +
Middle Georgia State University	Doctor of Science in Information Technology (DScIT)	2 years +
Emory University	Ph.D. in Epidemiology	45 credits
Augusta University	Doctor of Philosophy in Applied Health Sciences	72 credit hours
University of Georgia	Ph.D. in Agricultural and Applied Economics	63 credit hours
Georgia Southern University	Clinical Psychology, Psy.D.	5 years
Georgia State University	Ph.D. Criminal Justice & Criminology	54 credit hours
Columbus State University	Curriculum and Leadership (Ed.D.) – Curriculum Track	63 credits

Georgia Institute of Technology

Bioengineering, PhD

Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech), is the state’s leading technology institution and home to some of the country’s top industrial programs. This Bioengineering PhD is among the most innovative and integrative doctoral programs in Georgia, ranked #2 in the USA. A highly interdisciplinary program, it offers students the flexibility to learn with faculty from various departments, including engineering, architecture, and computing, and Emory University’s School of Medicine.

Courses: Engineering fundamentals, bioengineering & tech elective, and biological sciences.
Credits: 33 hours
Duration: 5 years
Delivery: On-campus
Tuition: $756 per hour
Financial aid: Fellowships, loans, and federal work-study.
Acceptance rate: 21%
Location: Atlanta, Georgia

The University of West Georgia, Department of Counseling, Higher Education, and Speech-Language Pathology

Doctor of Education in Higher Education Administration

The University of West Georgia is one of the country’s 25 most affordable institutions for online doctorates. It offers one of the most affordable education doctorate programs in Georgia.

This PhD in Education focuses on higher education challenges and solutions. It helps students gain advanced knowledge of administration, financial management, and leadership in colleges and universities. This is a top, fully online PhD program Georgia offers, which is ideal for busy working professionals.

Courses: History of higher education, governance in higher education, and institutional assessment & program effectiveness.
Credits: 60
Delivery: Online
Tuition: $241 per credit
Financial aid: Grants, scholarships, federal work-study, and loans.
Acceptance rate: 78%
Location: Carrollton, Georgia

Kennesaw State University, Coles College of Business

PhD in Business Administration

Kennesaw State University is the third-largest university in the state and has two campuses in metro Atlanta. It has global connections and an entrepreneurial spirit that attracts students from worldwide. This program allows students to complete their studies in as little as three years. This Business Administration program offers four concentrations: accounting, management, information systems, and marketing.

Courses: Research methods & basic data analysis, analysis of variance designs, and theory & current issues in marketing.
Credits: 48 credit hours
Duration: 3 years +
Delivery: On-campus
Tuition + deposit: $96,500
Financial aid: Grants, scholarships, and loans.
Acceptance rate: 83%
Location: Marietta, Georgia

Middle Georgia State University, School of Computing

Doctor of Science in Information Technology (DScIT)

Middle Georgia State University is a central Georgia institution that produces many IT professionals, positively impacting the region’s economy. This DScIT program is one of the most job-promising online PhD programs Georgia offers, and complements the university’s undergraduate and master’s IT programs.

Courses: Information technology strategic planning, data science & analytics strategy, and qualitative analysis for decision making.
Credits: 54 hours
Duration: 2 years +
Delivery: Online mostly
Tuition: $255 per credit hour
Financial aid: Grants, scholarships, loans, and work-study.
Acceptance rate: 99%
Location: Macon, Georgia

Emory University, Rollins School of Public Health

Ph.D. in Epidemiology

Emory University is one of the leaders in epidemiology study. It’s famous for its role in discovering solutions and treatments for diseases of global concern, including HIV, hemophilia, cancer, and COVID-19. As part of this program, students must participate in the TATTO (Teaching Assistant Training and Teaching Opportunities) scheme, which involves an orientation in teaching skills in the field. Students also receive ethics training through the Jones Program in Ethics.

Courses: Epidemiologic methods, analytical foundations of epidemiology, and public health research.
Credits: 45
Delivery: On-campus
Tuition: $22,900 per semester
Financial aid: Scholarships, fellowships, and loans.
Acceptance rate: 19%
Location: Atlanta, Georgia

Augusta University, The College of Allied Health Sciences

Doctor of Philosophy in Applied Health Sciences

Augusta University’s different campuses are spread over various parts of Augusta, the second-largest and second-oldest city in Georgia. The institution comprises ten schools and colleges and houses the Medical College of Georgia. This Ph.D. program in Allied Health Sciences offers a choice between three concentrations: rehabilitation science, health outcomes science, and diagnostic science.

Courses: Learning theories in health professions education, investigation of a problem, and biostatistics.
Credits: 72 hours
Delivery: On-campus
Tuition: $391 (up to 11 hours)
Financial aid: Scholarships, loans, grants, work-study
Acceptance rate: 83%
Location: Augusta, Georgia

The University of Georgia, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences

PhD in Agricultural and Applied Economics

The University of Georgia is one of the nation’s top public universities and the oldest higher education institution in Georgia. The university offers various agriculture and environment-related programs, with this PhD being one of the best. In addition, it has five research specializations, including agricultural marketing & consumer demand, production economics, and international trade & development.

Courses: Natural resource economics, food policy, and consumer demand theory.
Credits: 63 hours
Delivery: On-campus
Tuition: $8,698 per year
Financial aid: Fellowships, assistantships, grants, scholarships, and loans.
Acceptance rate: 48%
Location: Athens, Georgia

Georgia Southern University

Clinical Psychology, PsyD

Georgia Southern University is recognized as a military-friendly school committed to providing education to mature-aged students and working professionals returning to study. This PsyD program in Clinical Psychology emphasizes psychotherapy, clinical consultation, and assessment. You can study either full- or part-time.

Courses: Psychotherapy skills, psychopharmacology, and ethics & professional issues.
Credits: 114-124 credit hours
Duration: 5 years
Delivery: On-campus
Tuition: $277 per hour
Financial aid: Grants, scholarships, student employment, and loans.
Acceptance rate: 91%
Location: Statesboro, Georgia

Georgia State University, Andrew Young School of Policy Studies Programs

PhD Criminal Justice & Criminology

Georgia State University is one of the country’s most innovative universities. This PhD program focuses on Criminal Justice and Criminology, and aims to produce professionals with in-depth knowledge in one of the two specializations. Bachelor’s degree holders are eligible to apply, but must complete 72 credit hours compared to 54 credit hours for master’s degree holders.

Courses: Contemporary criminal justice policy, independent study in criminal justice, and juvenile justice issues.
Credits: 54 credit hours
Delivery: On-campus
Tuition: $4,776 per semester
Financial aid: Graduate assistantships, fellowships, scholarships, stipend, and full tuition waiver.
Acceptance rate: 82%
Location: Atlanta, Georgia

Columbus State University

Curriculum and Leadership (EdD) – Curriculum Track

Columbus State University is one of the nation’s most affordable higher education institutions. This education program offers three specialization tracks: curriculum, higher education administration, and educational leadership. It is ideal for professional educators, education district personnel, and educational administrators looking to further their curriculum and instruction expertise.

Courses: Mixed methods research in education, professional development & learning, and trends & issues in curriculum studies.
Credits: 63
Delivery: Hybrid
Tuition: $210 per credit hour
Financial aid: Scholarships, grants, loans, work-study, military aid, and international study aid.
Acceptance rate: 78%
Location: Columbus, Georgia

Key Takeaways

Georgia is a popular educational destination for in-state, out-of-state, and international students around the world. Apart from offering excellence in education, many of the state’s universities also strongly promote diversity and anti-discrimination.

You’ll find a range of solid PhD programs in Georgia across various disciplines and with various delivery modes. If you’re a busy working professional, opt for one of the online PhD programs in Georgia or a hybrid format with a mix of online instruction and face-to-face classes.

For more study inspiration, check out our guides to the cheapest online master’s degrees, top online PhD programs, and highest paying PhDs.

About the Author

Lisa Marlin

Lisa is a full-time writer specializing in career advice, further education, and personal development. She works from all over the world, and when not writing you'll find her hiking, practicing yoga, or enjoying a glass of Malbec.