The mission of the University System of Georgia (USG) is achieved through the collective missions of our state’s public colleges and universities, which drive economic development and produce more educated individuals to contribute to the quality of life in the State. USG institutions are responsible for producing graduates with the requisite skills and knowledge to ensure Georgia’s strong future in the knowledge-based and global economy. The individual mission and function of the institutions within the USG must be aligned with the overall USG mission in order to strategically meet the higher education needs of the State.

The function and mission of each USG institution is determined by the Board of Regents and any change in institutional function and mission must be approved by the Board. Institutional mission statements shall be evaluated by the Board as part of the regular cycle of accreditation and reaffirmation for the institution. Institutional function determines the scope of activity of the institution over a considerable period of time and covers the following aspects:

1. The level at which the institution will operate;
2. The types of educational degree programs to be offered;
3. The cost of attending the institution (student tuition and fees);
4. The admissions selectivity of the institution and the extent to which the institution serves as a primary point of access to higher education for under-represented students in a geographic region of Georgia; and,
5. The extent to which the institution engages in teaching, research, and service

Specific functions and missions for individual institutions and the procedures to request a change in functional sector, functional sector category, and institutional mission can be found in the Academic & Student Affairs Handbook. USG institutions are classified according to the following functional sectors:

Research Universities, which offer a broad array of undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs and are characterized as doctoral-granting with a Carnegie Classification of very high or high research activity. Associate degrees are typically not offered at research universities. The Nexus degree can be offered at research universities. While teaching is a core focus at all USG institutions, the emphasis on basic and applied research is much heavier at research universities than any other institutional sector. It is expected that institutions operating within this sector will be world-class research institutions with significant commitments to receipt of external funding, philanthropic giving, and fundraising at the highest levels.

Institution	Primary Section/Function	Secondary Sections/Function	Secondary Sections/Function
Georgia Institute of Technology	Research University	n/a	Georgia’s technological research institution
Georgia State University	Research University	State College
University of Georgia	Research University	n/a	Georgia’s land-grant institution and Agricultural experiment station
Augusta University	Research University	n/a	State’s dedicated health/sciences/medical college

Comprehensive Universities, which offer a number of undergraduate and master’s-level programs with some doctoral programs. Typically, associate-level degrees are not offered at comprehensive universities. The Nexus degree can be offered at comprehensive universities. Master programs at comprehensive universities are characterized as master’s-dominant. While teaching is a core focus at all USG institutions, the emphasis on basic and applied research is heavier at comprehensive universities than state universities or state colleges, but not emphasized as heavily as research universities. It is expected that institutions within this sector will be committed to being world-class academic institutions.

Institution	Primary Section/Function	Secondary Sections/Function	Secondary Sections/Function
Georgia Southern University	Comprehensive University	n/a	Approved for doctoral programs
Valdosta State University	Comprehensive University	n/a	Approved for doctoral programs
Kennesaw State University	Comprehensive University	n/a	Approved for doctoral programs
University of West Georgia	Comprehensive University	n/a	Approved for doctoral programs

State Universities, which offer a number of undergraduate and master’s-level programs, but very few doctoral programs. Associate-level degrees can be offered at these universities, but they are also typically limited. The Nexus degree can be offered at state universities. While teaching is a core focus at all USG institutions, the emphasis on research activity at these state universities includes some basic research, but is typically more focused on institutional or applied research.

Institution	Primary Section/Function	Secondary Sections/Function	Secondary Sections/Function
Albany State University	State University	State College	n/a
Clayton State University	State University	n/a	n/a
Columbus State University	State University	n/a	Approved for doctoral programs
Fort Valley State University	State University	n/a	State’s 1890 land grant institution
Georgia College & State University	State University	n/a	State’s public liberal arts institution; approved for doctoral programs
Georgia Southwestern State University	State University	n/a	n/a
Middle Georgia State University	State University	State College	n/a
Savannah State University	State University	n/a	n/a
University of North Georgia	State University	n/a	State’s military college; approved for doctoral programs

State Colleges
Balanced Bachelor’s and Associate State Colleges
Institutions included in the balanced bachelor’s and associate-level state colleges group offer bachelor’s degrees, associate programs, and general education courses, but no graduate programs. These state colleges are characterized as balanced bachelor’s and associate-level degrees with bachelor’s programs focused on specialized academic and economic development program areas and regional, college-educated workforce needs. The Nexus degree can be offered at state colleges. The emphasis at these state colleges is on teaching and service with limited focus on basic or applied research activity.

Associate Dominant-Select Bachelor’s State Colleges
Institutions included in the associate dominant state colleges group are characterized as offering associate-dominant programs and general education courses, with very few, select, professionally-oriented bachelor’s degree programs. The select bachelor’s programs are focused on specialized academic and economic development program areas and regional, college-educated workforce needs. The emphasis at these state colleges is on teaching and service with limited focus on basic or applied research.

Institution	Primary Section/Function	Secondary Sections/Function	Secondary Sections/Function
Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College	State College - Balanced Bachelor’s & Associate Degrees	n/a	State’s agricultural state college
Atlanta Metropolitan State College	State College - Balanced Bachelor’s & Associate Degrees	n/a	n/a
College of Coastal Georgia	State College - Balanced Bachelor’s & Associate Degrees	n/a	n/a
Dalton State College	State College - Balanced Bachelor’s & Associate Degrees	n/a	n/a
Georgia Gwinnett College	State College - Balanced Bachelor’s & Associate Degrees	n/a	n/a
Gordon State College	State College - Balanced Bachelor’s & Associate Degrees	n/a	n/a
East Georgia State College	State College - Associate Dominant, Select Bachelor’s	n/a	n/a
Georgia Highlands College	State College - Balanced Bachelor’s & Associate Degrees	n/a	n/a
South Georgia State College	State College - Associate Dominant, Select Bachelor’s	n/a	n/a

Institutions with a Blended Function
At times a USG institution may be approved by the Board to advance aspects of a mission from different functional sectors. When this occurs, an institution will have a blended institutional function with a primary sector function and a secondary function sector. While the institution will follow the function of their primary sector, it will also be authorized to function in accordance with aspects of the secondary sector function.

No institution may operate as an institution with a blended function unless approved by the Board of Regents. When the Board approves an institution as having a blended function, the Board will also approve the institution’s primary functional sector. The guidelines for obtaining Board approval to operate as an institution with a blended function and a list of institutions currently approved for a blended function can be found in the Academic & Student Affairs Handbook.

The Chancellor may, from time to time, direct institutions with a blended function on whether and to what extent the institution will implement primary functional sector requirements or secondary functional sector requirements.

↑ Top