Black Hills State University

Location and Contact Information

The campus is in a self-contained town.

Overview

Black Hills State University is located in Spearfish, South Dakota. Also referred to as BHSU, the university was established in 1883 and was originally known as Dakota Territory Spearfish Normal school. At present BHSU covers an over 120 acres and enrolls more than 4,000 students at the Spearfish campus on an annual basis. Students of the university are offered more than 80 majors, over 20 pre-professional programs, and a few associate and master degree programs. BHSU has three colleges which are:

• College of Arts and Sciences
• College of Business
• College of Education

Students of BHSU have access to various student clubs and organizations including Alpha Kappa Delta, the Honors Program Student Organization, an Art Club, a History Association and English Club. The students organize and operate a campus radio station called KBHU-FM 89.1 and also operate KBHU-TV.

Highlights (vs. Other Schools)

• Many students concentrating in education and teaching and nutrition and exercise therapy.
• Large number of programs of study offered.
• Numerous part-time students.
• High yield: the portion of accepted students who enroll.
• Large number of students.
• Affordable tuition & fees.
• Superior share of faculty on tenure track.
• High female/male ratio.

School characteristics:

• The school is public.
• Academic calender: Semester.
• Carnegie classification: Baccalaureate Colleges, General.

Features of note:

• The school offers a faculty tenure system.
• There are one or more libraries on-campus.
• Campus housing is available.
• Students have meal (board) plans.
• Students may study abroad.
• Distance learning is available.
• Weekend study is an option.
• Part-time classes are available.
• ROTC.
• Athlete financial aid is awarded.

Similar Schools

Based on proprietary BrainTrack computer comparisons against all other US colleges, these schools appear to be most similar to Black Hills State:

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Degrees Awarded (in 2009-2010)

Faculty

Tenure (2009-2010):

Students

Student enrollment was 4,016 in 2009-2010 (3,079 full-time equivalent).

About 42% of the freshmen class in 2009-2010 was male and women were 58% of the class.

Undergrads are 82% of enrolled students and graduate students are 18%.

Students under 25 years old represent 64% of the student body. About 9% of the school is at least 40 years of age.

Among freshmen students, 92% are full-time and 8% are part-time.

Admissions Summary (2009-2010)

Room and Board

Black Hills State provides on-campus housing for 788 of its 3,079 (full-time) students (as of 2009-2010). The school requires freshmen to live on campus.

Students may purchase a meal plan which includes 13 meals weekly.

Athletics

School sports include football, basketball, baseball, and track. The school is in the Dakota Athletic Conference for major sports.

The school offers financial aid for athletes. Of students receiving athletic financial aid, 57 male students received the aid (men were 57% of those receiving aid) and 43 women were awarded financial aid based on athletics (representing 43% of students receiving such aid) .

Graduate School Focus

Black Hills State offers graduate (post-Bachelor) studies. The highest degree offered is the Master.

The school's Graduate School Carnegie Classification is Postbaccalaureate Professional (Education Dominant).

Programs of Study

(Number of degrees in 2009-2010 in parentheses)

ART STUDIES (8 awarded)

• Art/Art Studies

BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT (99 awarded)

• Accounting
• Business Administration and Management
• Entrepreneurship/Entrepreneurial Studies
• Human Resources Management/Personnel Administration
• Sales, Distribution, and Marketing Operations

COMPUTER SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING (0 awarded)

• Computer and Information Sciences

EDUCATION AND TEACHING (139 awarded)

• Business Teacher Education
• Curriculum and Instruction
• Elementary Education and Teaching
• Junior High/Intermediate/Middle School Education and Teaching
• Kindergarten/Preschool Education and Teaching
• Science Teacher Education/General Science Teacher Education
• Secondary Education and Teaching
• Special Education and Teaching
• Teacher Assistant/Aide
• Teacher Education, Multiple Levels

ENGINEERING TECHNICIAN (11 awarded)

• Drafting and Design Technology/Technician
• Industrial Technology/Technician

FAMILY AND SOCIAL WORK (24 awarded)

• Community Organization and Advocacy

HOSPITALITY (0 awarded)

• Tourism and Travel Services Management

LIBERAL ARTS (86 awarded)

• American Indian/Native American Studies
• English Language and Literature
• General Studies
• History
• Political Science and Government
• Social Sciences
• Sociology
• Spanish Language and Literature
• Speech and Rhetorical Studies

MATHEMATICS (3 awarded)

• Mathematics

MEDIA (29 awarded)

• Mass Communication/Media Studies

MUSIC (6 awarded)

• Music

NUTRITION AND EXERCISE THERAPY (42 awarded)

• Health and Physical Education
• Parks, Recreation and Leisure Studies
• Sport and Fitness Administration/Management

OFFICE AND ADMINISTRATION (0 awarded)

• Administrative Assistant and Secretarial Science

PHOTOGRAPHY AND COMMERCIAL ART (7 awarded)

• Commercial and Advertising Art

SCIENCE (36 awarded)

• Biology/Biological Sciences
• Chemistry
• Molecular Genetics
• Physical Sciences

THERAPY AND COUNSELING (29 awarded)

• Psychology