Minot State University (MSU, MSU) Introduction and History

Introduction

Located in the small city of Minot, North Dakota, Minot State University offers a wide range of courses of study in a beautiful part of the country. Although Minot State University is the third-largest university in the state, its enrollment is under 4,000 students, allowing students to get an individualized education experience. In addition to the college’s academic programs, the small city of Minot has a very active and vibrant arts community, giving creative students a community of like-minded individuals with whom they can interact.

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Information Summary

Ranks 5th in North Dakota and 1051st overall. See the entire top 2,000 colleges and universities list
Overall Score (about)	79.7
Total Cost On-Campus Attendance	$18,324
Admission Success rate	N/A
ACT / SAT 75%ile scores	23 / 1130
Student Ratio Students-to-Faculty	13 : 1
Retention (full-time / part-time)	70% / 50%
Enrollment Total (all students)	3,189

History

Minot State was founded in 1913 as a normal school, a school for educating teachers. The school has grown to be North Dakota’s third-largest four-year school, and the only non-doctoral school in the state offering master’s degrees.

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Academics

Minot State University offers a wide range of majors for students to study, and has some unique facilities not found in other North Dakota or Great Plains colleges or universities. The university has its roots as a normal school, or teacher preparation college, and that tradition remains strong, as many students come to Minot for its education programs.

The college offers bachelor’s and master’s degree programs as well as various certificates. Undergraduate degrees are offered in 49 areas of study. Minot State University has 10 graduate degrees, including master’s degrees in several education fields, criminal justice, communication disorders, management, and information technology-related fields.

Popular Majors

Business: 10 percent of enrollment
Criminal Justice/Public Safety: 8 percent of enrollment
Education: 8 percent of enrollment
Nursing: 6 percent of enrollment
Management information services: 5 percent of enrollment

Honors and Recognition

U.S. News and World Report ranked Minot State University as the No. 110 regional university in the Midwest and the No. 40 public institution in the Midwest.

GetEducated.com, a college consumer advocacy group, recently ranked the university’s graduate program in business as one of the best college values in the nation, coming in at No. 3.

Online Classes

The university has a strong online program, offering more than 200 courses, nine undergraduate degrees, four certificate programs and two graduate degrees via distance learning.

Most Popular Fields of Study

Unique Programs

One interesting program at Minot State University is the university’s Department of Labor Job Corps Fellowship, a one-of-a-kind program that has been running for about a decade. The program helps get Jobs Corps staff ready to assume senior level positions by awarding them master’s degrees in information systems or information management after an accelerated course of study.

Admissions

Minot State University has a selective admissions policy, and about 74 percent of all applicants to the university are accepted.

Students applying to the university are required to submit high school transcripts, SAT/ACT scores, documentation of civic or community involvement, character references, class rank, extracurriculars and an essay. Standardized test scores are important to acceptance at MSU, and the university will not accept students with ACT scores lower than 17. Most Minot State University students have high school GPAs of 3.25 or higher.

The school has an admissions priority deadline of July 1. Students should complete the FAFSA and turn in high school transcripts as well as test score and other relevant information.

As of Sept. 2011, the university has a $35 application fee.

Students

With less than 4,000 students, Minot State University is a small-enrollment university. First-year students are guaranteed college housing, but about half of first year students and 85 percent of all students live off campus.

Student Clubs and Organizations

The college offers about 50 student clubs and organizations, including professional and academic groups, political organizations, identity groups, religious groups and recreational clubs.

A major center of student activity at Minot State is the Beaver Dam, a recreational facility for students that offers performance venues, eateries, indoor recreational activities and more.

Student Enrollment Demographics

Student Graduation Demographics

Athletics

Minot State University recently moved from the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics to the NCAA Division II and is a member of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference.

MSU offers men’s basketball, baseball, cross country, football, indoor and outdoor track and field and golf; and women’s basketball, cross country, indoor and outdoor track and field, golf, soccer, volleyball and softball. The university also has men’s and women’s hockey teams that play in the American Collegiate Hockey Association.

MSU teams are known as the Beavers. School colors are red and green.

Local Community

Minot State University is located in a small city in North Dakota, but what the area lacks in big city attractions, it makes up for in small town charm as the area is picturesque and quaint.

Minot has a vibrant arts community, including theater groups, a symphony orchestra, choral groups, a youth/punk concert organization and many other artistic endeavors. The city is also the site of the annual Norse Hoskfest, the nation’s largest Scandinavian festival. There are also ample hiking, camping and other outdoor activities in the area for students to enjoy.

Accreditation

Minot State University is accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, which accredits schools in Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. The association also accredits schools for the Navajo Nation.

Bibliography

“Minot State University.” Minot State University. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Oct. 2011. <http://www.minotstateu.edu/>
The College Board College Handbook, 2010 . 47th ed. New York: College Board, 2009. Print.
McGrath, Anne. Ultimate college guide 2010 . 7th ed. Naperville, Ill.: Sourcebooks Inc., 2009. Print.

Minot State University