North Dakota State University-Main Campus

Carnegie Foundation Classification

Research Universities (high research activity)

General Characteristics

Highest offering	Doctoral degree
Calendar System	Semester
Years of college work required	N/A
Variable Tuition

Special Learning Opportunities

Distance Learning
ROTC — Army / Navy / Air Force	— / /
Study Abroad
Weekend College
Teacher Certification

North Dakota State University-Main Campus History

North Dakota State can trace its beginnings back to 1890, when the governor devoted one squire mile of land to the North Dakota Agricultural College and Agricultural Experiment Station. NDSU was the state’s first land-grant institution.

North Dakota State University was founded as an agricultural college/land-grant institution. Its mission statement emphasizes continuing the values of the land-grant institution and the importance of scholarship, teaching and learning, and culture. It is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association. It is classed as a Doctoral Research University—Intensive by the Carnegie Institute.

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North Dakota State University-Main Campus Academics

North Dakota State offers 75 different majors and includes 56 different options for study, minors, and supporting concentrations. The student-to-teacher ration is 19-to-1. Typically, the average class size is approximately 25 students for upper-division courses, and somewhat higher for lower-level and introductory courses. NDSU offers its undergraduate programs through the College of Agriculture, Food Systems, & Natural Resources; College of Arts, Humanities, & Social Sciences; College of Business Administration; College of Engineering & Architecture; College of Human Development & Education; and the College of Pharmacy. Also present is the College of University Studies, which offers the general education courses that many students take to acclimatize themselves to the university experience.

North Dakota State University has academic programs at both the undergraduate and graduate level. There are 9 colleges: the College of Agriculture, Food Systems & natural Resources, the College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences, the College of Business Administration, the College of Engineering & Architecture, the College of Human Development & Education, the College of Pharmacy, the College of Science & Mathematics, and University Studies.

p. Bachelor’s degrees are offered in a variety of fields within the various academic colleges. Degrees at the bachelor’s level can be received in such areas as agribusiness, crop and weed science, art, anthropology, music, history, management information systems, engineering, facility management, education, nursing, biological sciences, pre-professional programs, and geology. Minors are offered in a few of the major areas and in fields such as German, religious studies, web design, coaching, military science, and geography.

p. Graduate programs are offered in many fields, with an emphasis on the sciences. These include 55 master’s level programs in areas such as horticulture, education, mass communication, sociology, speech communication, English, environmental engineering, business administration, nursing, music, and microbiology. Doctoral degrees are offered in 40 programs, including animal & range sciences, civil engineering, education, cellular & molecular biology, history, genomics, software engineering, plant pathology, zoology, and soil science. The D. Pharm is offered through the College of Pharmacy. The Educational Specialist (Ed.S.) degree is offered through the College of Education in educational administration.

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North Dakota State University-Main Campus Unique Programs

A program in turfgrass management is offered through the Department of Plant Sciences. This program prepares graduates for careers in fields such as golf course management, sports turf management, lawn care, and facility management. The curriculum is four years in length and includes at least one required internship.

A minor is offered in community development, including coursework, an internship, electives, and hands-on service experience. The program prepares graduates for community development careers, implementing social change, and being more active in the local community.

North Dakota State has educated dieticians and diet professionals since 1925, and the dietetics program is one of the country’s best. The program is offered via two options: the coordinated program in dietetics (CPD) and the didactic program in dietetics (DPD).

Distance learning programs are available through the Great Plains Interactive Distance Education Alliance, which is a consortium of colleges. Students enroll at one university but can take on-line courses from other schools. North Dakota State offers this program in family financial planning and gerontology. There are also extension and outreach centers throughout the state for continuing education.

p. Some of the other unique opportunities available at North Dakota State University include learning communities, where a cohort of students live in the same residential hall and take courses together. North Dakota State is also part of the Tri-College University, including Concordia College and Minnesota State University Moorhead, and students can take courses at either of the other two schools.

p. NDSU has a study abroad program, where students can travel to India, Italy, Australia, and England, among other nations.

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North Dakota State University-Main Campus Financial Aid

North Dakota State offers eleven general institutional scholarships ranging from $3,000 per year to $500 per year, depending on the program and the applicant’s qualifications. While admission to the University is a significant qualifier for these scholarship programs, other factors influence decisions, including a score of 24 or more on the ACT (or 1090 or more on the SAT), a cumulative high school grade point average of 3.5 or more, or a high rank in graduating class. Scholarships awards can be made for a variety of purposes, including National Merit Scholars, students who demonstrate exceptional leadership skills or community service, and aptitude in a specific discipline. The NDSU financial aid office can also coordinate students’ applications for federal loans or grants and work study.

Tuition at North Dakota State University was $3,981 for the 2004-2005 academic year for in-state, undergraduate students attending full-time. Students applying from out of state and graduate students have higher costs. Minnesota residents paid only a few hundred dollars a semester more for tuition, and residents of many western states and the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Saskatchewan have reduced out-of-state tuition.

p. Financial aid is available in the form of grants, scholarships, and loans. Students who seek financial aid will need to fill out the Federal Student Financial Aid Form, available on-line. Special scholarships are awarded in fine arts.

p. Graduate students may also receive financial aid in the form of teaching or research assistantships, including a stipend and a waiver of some or all of the tuition and other fees. Graduate students should consult with their individual department about what sort of assistantships or fellowships are available and about the details of the application process.

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North Dakota State University-Main Campus Students

NDSU is home to more than 200 academic, social, cultural, and religious student organizations, and welcomes new additions to their roster each year. Fraternities and sororities have been a part of the NDSU campus since 1913, and today there are 16 such organizations on the NDSU campus. The Student Activities office coordinates concerts, art exhibits, leadership development series, and a number of other programs for NDSU students to enjoy.

Student life at North Dakota State University includes opportunities in a diverse range of activities and organizations. Extracurricular groups include Greek organizations, academic groups, intercultural groups, recreational groups, military groups, service groups, religious groups, and special interest groups such as the Medieval Society, the Wildlife Society, the Student Environmental Advisory Council, and the Equine Club.

p. There are also visual arts exhibits in campus, special events such as the Bison Blizzard Blast, free films, an outdoor center with equipment rental, and a lively arts series, which has included musical performers and acrobats.

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North Dakota State University-Main Campus Traditions

Since 1972 the NDSU community has been honoring its former student-athletes with induction into the Bison Hall of Fame. Today there are nearly 200 alumni who share such honors.

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North Dakota State University-Main Campus Local Community

North Dakota State University is located just across the Red River from Moorhead, Minnesota. The surrounding environment is rural. Near-by attractions include Buffalo River State Park, a dude ranch, an air museum, several historical sites, the Fargodome, a winery, an art museum, the Red River Valley Speedway, and the Roger Maris Museum.

In addition to being made famous by a film of the same name, Fargo is a friendly, active town. The population of Fargo is just over 90,000. While the town receives approximately 48 inches of snowfall each year, an average high of 82 degrees visits every summer. Fargo offers two theaters, an art museum, and symphony. For the more athletically inclined there is the Fargo-Moorhead Redhawks baseball team, in addition to the NDSU athletic clubs.

This site is not sponsored by, affiliated with, nor endorsed by North Dakota State University-Main Campus