Mississippi Valley State University

Location and Contact Information

The campus is in a rural site not far from an urban area.

Overview

Mississippi Valley State University, also referred to as MVSU or The Valley, is a public university located in Itta Bena, Mississippi, United States. The university is a member school of the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund. It was founded in the year 1950 as the Mississippi Vocational College by the Mississippi Legislature. After a few name and status changes, it was rechristened Mississippi Valley State University in 1874. The university offers a wide variety of degrees and programs in diverse areas of study.

Mississippi Valley State University’s athletic department fields several men’s and women’s sports teams. The teams participate in a number of intramural sports. The campus is also home to many student clubs and organizations that cater to the overall development of the students.

Highlights (vs. Other Schools)

• Historically black college.
• Many students concentrating in family and social work, security and law enforcement, and education and teaching.
• Racially diverse student body.
• Superior share of faculty on tenure track.
• Selective admissions.
• Affordable tuition & fees.
• Number of dorm rooms for students.
• Unusually high availability of athletic financial aid.
• Many mature (40+ year old) students.

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.
• 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 Mississippi Valley State:

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Degrees Awarded (in 2009-2010)

Faculty

Tenure (2009-2010):

Students

Mississippi Valley State is a historically black college.

Student enrollment was 2,929 in 2009-2010 (2,748 full-time equivalent).

About 46% of the freshmen class in 2009-2010 was male and women were 54% of the class.

Undergrads are 86% of enrolled students and graduate students are 14%.

Students under 25 years old represent 58% of the student body. About 13% of the school is at least 40 years of age.

Among freshmen students, 100% are full-time and 0% are part-time.

Admissions Summary (2009-2010)

Room and Board

Mississippi Valley State provides on-campus housing for 1,665 of its 2,748 (full-time) students (as of 2009-2010).

Students may purchase a meal plan which includes 21 meals weekly.

Athletics

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

The school offers financial aid for athletes. Of students receiving athletic financial aid, 138 male students received the aid (men were 65% of those receiving aid) and 74 women were awarded financial aid based on athletics (representing 35% of students receiving such aid) .

Graduate School Focus

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

The school's Graduate School Carnegie Classification is Postbaccalaureate Professional (Fields Other Than Education And Business).

Programs of Study

(Number of degrees in 2009-2010 in parentheses)

ART STUDIES (5 awarded)

• Visual and Performing Arts

BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT (54 awarded)

• Accounting
• Business Administration and Management

COMPUTER SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING (0 awarded)

• Computer and Information Sciences

EDUCATION AND TEACHING (113 awarded)

• Elementary Education and Teaching
• English/Language Arts Teacher Education
• Kindergarten/Preschool Education and Teaching
• Mathematics Teacher Education
• Music Teacher Education
• Physical Education Teaching and Coaching
• Social Science Teacher Education
• Special Education and Teaching
• Teacher Education, Multiple Levels
• Teacher Education/Profess Development, Subject Areas

ENGINEERING TECHNICIAN (0 awarded)

• Industrial Technology/Technician

FAMILY AND SOCIAL WORK (82 awarded)

• Human Services
• Public Administration
• Social Work

LIBERAL ARTS (31 awarded)

• English Language and Literature
• History
• Political Science and Government
• Sociology
• Speech and Rhetorical Studies

MATHEMATICS (3 awarded)

• Mathematics

MEDIA (11 awarded)

• Public Relations/Image Management

MEDICAL ADMINISTRATION (5 awarded)

• Environmental Health

MUSIC (1 awarded)

• Music Management and Merchandising
• Music

OFFICE AND ADMINISTRATION (5 awarded)

• Office Management and Supervision

SCIENCE (26 awarded)

• Bioinformatics
• Biology/Biological Sciences
• Chemistry

SECURITY AND LAW ENFORCEMENT (93 awarded)

• Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration
• Criminal Justice/Safety Studies