Northern State University

Location and Contact Information

The campus is in a self-contained town.

Overview

Northern State University, also known as NSU, is located in Aberdeen, South Dakota, United States. It was established in 1901 as the Northern Normal and Industrial School. Charles F. Koehler was the first president of the school. It became Northern State Teachers College in 1939 and Northern State College in 1964. It was awarded university status on February 6, 1989, and adopted its current name. NSU is beautifully nestled in an area of more than 70 acres in Aberdeen. It is divided into the following academic schools and colleges:

• College of Arts and Sciences
• School of Business
• School of Education
• School of Fine Arts
• University College

NSU has several student organizations and clubs including the History Club, Association of Honors Students, Psychology Club, NSU Collegians for Life, NSU Business Club, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, Black Student Union, Sigma Alpha Iota, Native American Student’s Association, Spanish Club, and Campus Crusade for Christ.

Highlights (vs. Other Schools)

• Many students concentrating in education and teaching, computer science and engineering, music, nutrition and exercise therapy, and business and management.
• Superior share of faculty on tenure track.
• Large number of programs of study offered.
• Number of dorm rooms for students.
• Affordable tuition & fees.
• High percentage of students are from out-of-state.
• Unusually high availability of athletic financial aid.

School characteristics:

• The school is public.
• Academic calender: Semester.
• Carnegie classification: Masters Colleges and Universities I.

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.
• 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 Northern State:

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Degrees Awarded (in 2009-2010)

Faculty

Tenure (2009-2010):

Students

Student enrollment was 2,927 in 2009-2010 (2,105 full-time equivalent).

About 39% of the freshmen class in 2009-2010 was male and women were 61% of the class.

Undergrads are 76% of enrolled students and graduate students are 24%.

Students under 25 years old represent 73% of the student body. About 8% of the school is at least 40 years of age.

Among freshmen students, 98% are full-time and 2% are part-time.

Admissions Summary (2009-2010)

SAT Test Scores:

Room and Board

Northern State provides on-campus housing for 819 of its 2,105 (full-time) students (as of 2009-2010). The school requires freshmen to live on campus.

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 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference for major sports.

The school offers financial aid for athletes. Of students receiving athletic financial aid, 79 male students received the aid (men were 54% of those receiving aid) and 68 women were awarded financial aid based on athletics (representing 46% of students receiving such aid) .

Graduate School Focus

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

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

Programs of Study

(Number of degrees in 2009-2010 in parentheses)

ART STUDIES (7 awarded)

• Art/Art Studies

BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT (96 awarded)

• Accounting
• Banking and Financial Support Services
• Business Administration and Management
• Finance
• International Business/Trade/Commerce
• Management Information Systems
• Marketing/Marketing Management

COMPUTER SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING (50 awarded)

• Computer Programming
• Computer Software and Media Applications
• Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services
• Computer and Information Sciences
• Computer/Info Tech Services Administration & Management
• Data Modeling/Warehousing and Database Administration
• Web Page, Digital/Multimedia and Information Resources Design
• Web/Multimedia Management and Webmaster

DRAMA AND PERFORMING ARTS (2 awarded)

• Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts

EDUCATION AND TEACHING (116 awarded)

• Art Teacher Education
• Business Teacher Education
• Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services
• Curriculum and Instruction
• Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research
• Educational/Instructional Media Design
• Elementary Education and Teaching
• Elementary and Middle School Administration/Principalship
• English/Language Arts Teacher Education
• Foreign Language Teacher Education
• History Teacher Education
• Mathematics Teacher Education
• Music Teacher Education
• Physical Education Teaching and Coaching
• Science Teacher Education/General Science Teacher Education
• Secondary Education and Teaching
• Secondary School Administration/Principalship
• Social Science Teacher Education
• Special Education and Teaching
• Speech Teacher Education
• Teacher Assistant/Aide

FAMILY AND SOCIAL WORK (0 awarded)

• Community Organization and Advocacy
• Social Work

LIBERAL ARTS (60 awarded)

• Economics
• English Language and Literature
• French Language and Literature
• General Studies
• German Language and Literature
• History
• Political Science and Government
• Sociology
• Spanish Language and Literature
• Speech and Rhetorical Studies

MATHEMATICS (2 awarded)

• Mathematics

MEDIA (0 awarded)

• Prepress/Desktop Publishing and Digital Imaging Design

MEDICAL SUPPORT AND TECHNOLOGY (0 awarded)

• Clinical Laboratory Science/Medical Technology/Technologist

MEDICINE (0 awarded)

• Gerontology

MUSIC (7 awarded)

• Music

NUTRITION AND EXERCISE THERAPY (21 awarded)

• Health and Physical Education
• Sport and Fitness Administration/Management

PHOTOGRAPHY AND COMMERCIAL ART (0 awarded)

• Commercial and Advertising Art

SCIENCE (18 awarded)

• Biology/Biological Sciences
• Chemistry
• Ecology

THERAPY AND COUNSELING (11 awarded)

• Psychology