North Dakota State University-Main Campus (NDSU, NDSU) History and Academics

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.

Information Summary

Ranks 1st in North Dakota and 439th overall. See the entire top 2,000 colleges and universities list
Overall Score (about)	87.6
Total Cost On-Campus Attendance	$22,436
Admission Success rate	N/A
ACT / SAT 75%ile scores	26 / 1275
Student Ratio Students-to-Faculty	20 : 1
Retention (full-time / part-time)	79% / 41%
Enrollment Total (all students)	13,796

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.

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.

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.

Most Popular Fields of Study

Gallery

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.

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.

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

Admissions

North Dakota State requires a non-refundable $35 application fee for all applicants. Applicants for new freshman admissions must have completed a required amount of college preparatory coursework, including four units of English, and three units each of mathematics (algebra I and above), laboratory science, and social science. While completing these courses does not guarantee admission to NDSU, it is a requirement under regular freshman admissions. Also required are the official scores from the applicant’s ACT and/or SAT exams. Admissions selection is competitive and the process is critical. NDSU officials are looking for appropriate preparation in the applicant’s high school career for the intense academic load that awaits university students. NDSU does incorporate some general guidelines for assessing an applicant’s preparedness. Promising applicants will have a high school grade point average above 2.5. The scores earned in the core curriculum mentioned above will have significant bearing, also. A score on the ACT of 21 or more or a score on the SAT of 970 or more is preferred. Other indications of academic preparedness may also be considered in lieu of an applicant’s demonstration of the above requirements. These indications may include extracurricular achievements, awards, or activities.

North Dakota State University has an undergraduate admissions deadline of August 15 for the fall semester. The application fee is $35. Applications can be submitted on-line. Students who are enrolled in high school at the time of application will need to have their official final high school transcripts sent after graduation to the Admissions Office.

As part of their application, students should submit high school transcripts and ACT or SAT test scores. Students should have completed high school courses as follows: 4 units of English, 3 units of mathematics, 3 units of history and social studies, and 3 units of science. Students must generally meet the following minimum requirements: high school GPA of 2.5 and ACT scores of 21 (SAT of 970).

Transfer students and international students will have varying requirements depending upon their prior educational background.

Students applying to the graduate programs at North Dakota State University should consult the individual department and/or school to which they are applying for deadline and application requirements information. Applications can be submitted on-line, and the application fee is $35; there is an additional $10 processing fee. General requirements include the GRE or other appropriate test scores (such as the GMAT), personal reference forms, and a bachelor’s degree.

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.

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.

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.

Student Financial Aid Details

Ranks 1048th for the average student loan amount.
Secrets to getting the best scholarships and financial aid in North Dakota.

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.

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.

Student Enrollment Demographics

Student Graduation Demographics

Athletics

The North Dakota State University Bison previously competed in the NCAA’s Division II, but have since transferred to Division I in 16 different varsity sports. Today they are only affiliated with the Great West Football Conference, and compete in the “Independent” classification of Division I sports. Men’s sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, track, and wrestling. Women’s sports include basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, track, and volleyball. The bison have won twenty team championships in their long athletic history, including football (1965, 1968, 1969, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1988, and 1990), wrestling (1988, 1998, 2000, 2001), women’s basketball (1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996), men’s cross country (1972), softball (2000), and women’s indoor track and field (2002). Individual Bison athletes have also accumulated fifty individual national titles over the years. The Bison football team have the privilege of playing in the impressive Fargodome, a $48 million indoor football complex that seats nearly 19,000. The Fargodome is a college-sized version of the more impressive indoor NFL arenas today, complete with opposing scoreboards and statistic boards on either end of the field, luxury suites, and giant video screens for action playback.

North Dakota State University is an NCAA Division I School. The football team (Division I-AA) competes in the Great West Conference; other teams are independent. Men’s sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, track & field, and wrestling. Women’s sports include basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, track & field, and volleyball. The sports teams are supported by a spirit squad, which includes a co-educational cheer squad, an all-women’s squad, and a dance team. The team nick-name is the Bison.

Athletic facilities at North Dakota State University include a fieldhouse, a sports arena for basketball, wrestling, and indoor track, a sports complex with two soccer fields, four softball diamonds, and a track, a recently renovated wrestling complex, a baseball stadium with a seating capacity of 4,509, and the Fargodome, which is an indoor football and event stadium. The baseball stadium is shared with the minor league Moorhead-Fargo RedHawks.

Among the championships and awards that North Dakota State University has received are 59 Academic All-American awards, 35 NCAA Postgraduate Scholarships, 8 football national championships, 5 women’s basketball national championships and other individual and team national championships.

Student athletes receive academic support from the university in the form of tutorial assistance. Athletes are also helped with media exposure by the athletic media relations office.

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.

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.

North Dakota State University-Main Campus