Northwestern State University Of Louisiana

Location and Contact Information

The campus is in a self-contained town.

Overview

Northwestern State University, also known as NSU, is a public, four-year university located in Natchitoches, Louisiana, United States. It is part of the University of Louisiana System. NSU was established in 1884 as the Louisiana State Normal School to train teachers. It gained university status in 1970. NSU offers more than 50 degree programs in diverse areas of study. The university is organized into the following academic divisions:

• College of Business
• College of Education
• College of Liberal Arts
• College of Nursing
• College of Science and Technology
• Electronic & Continuing Education
• Graduate School
• Louisiana Scholars' College
• University College

NSU’s student-run weekly newspaper, The Current Sauce, was established in 1914. It also has a student-run radio station, KNWD The Demon 91.7 FM. The university has an active Greek life with several fraternities and sororities on campus. They are governed by National Panhellenic Conference, National Pan-Hellenic Council, and North-American Interfraternity Conference. The university also hosts the famous Lady of the Bracelet pageant.

Highlights (vs. Other Schools)

• Many students concentrating in nursing and emergency medicine.
• Affordable tuition & fees.
• Large number of students.
• Large number of programs of study offered.
• Numerous part-time students.
• High female/male ratio.
• High yield: the portion of accepted students who enroll.

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.
• 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 NSU:

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Degrees Awarded (in 2009-2010)

Faculty

Tenure (2009-2010):

Students

Student enrollment was 9,111 in 2009-2010 (7,880 full-time equivalent).

About 36% of the freshmen class in 2009-2010 was male and women were 64% of the class.

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

Students under 25 years old represent 62% of the student body. About 10% 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)

SAT Test Scores:

Room and Board

NSU provides on-campus housing for 1,517 of its 7,880 (full-time) students (as of 2009-2010). The school requires freshmen to live on campus.

Students may purchase a meal plan which includes 19 meals weekly.

Athletics

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

The school offers financial aid for athletes. Of students receiving athletic financial aid, 147 male students received the aid (men were 61% of those receiving aid) and 95 women were awarded financial aid based on athletics (representing 39% of students receiving such aid) .

Graduate School Focus

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

The school's Graduate School Carnegie Classification is Postbaccalaureate With Arts & Sciences (Education Dominant).

Programs of Study

(Number of degrees in 2009-2010 in parentheses)

ART STUDIES (7 awarded)

• Art/Art Studies

BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT (144 awarded)

• Accounting
• Business Administration and Management
• Business/Commerce

COMPUTER SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING (29 awarded)

• Information Science/Studies

DRAMA AND PERFORMING ARTS (18 awarded)

• Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts

EDUCATION AND TEACHING (239 awarded)

• Adult and Continuing Education and Teaching
• Biology Teacher Education
• Business Teacher Education
• Chemistry Teacher Education
• College Student Counseling and Personnel Services
• Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services
• Curriculum and Instruction
• Early Childhood Education and Teaching
• Education
• Educational Leadership and Administration
• Elementary Education and Teaching
• English/Language Arts Teacher Education
• Family and Consumer Sciences/Home Economics Teacher Education
• Junior High/Intermediate/Middle School Education and Teaching
• Mathematics Teacher Education
• Music Teacher Education
• Physical Education Teaching and Coaching
• Physics Teacher Education
• Secondary Education and Teaching
• Social Studies Teacher Education
• Special Education and Teaching
• Speech Teacher Education
• Teacher Education/Profess Development, Levels & Methods

ENGINEERING TECHNICIAN (42 awarded)

• Electrical/Electronic/Communications Engr Technology/Technician
• Industrial Technology/Technician

FAMILY AND SOCIAL WORK (83 awarded)

• Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences
• Social Work

FINE ARTS (5 awarded)

• Fine/Studio Arts

HOSPITALITY (23 awarded)

• Hospitality Administration/Management

LIBERAL ARTS (345 awarded)

• Anthropology
• Cultural Resource Management and Policy Analysis
• English Language and Literature
• General Studies
• History
• Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies
• Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies
• Political Science and Government
• Sociology
• Speech and Rhetorical Studies

MATHEMATICS (4 awarded)

• Mathematics

MEDIA (19 awarded)

• Journalism

MEDICAL SUPPORT AND TECHNOLOGY (45 awarded)

• Clinical Laboratory Science/Medical Technology/Technologist
• Radiologic Technology/Science - Radiographer
• Veterinary/Animal Health Technology/Technician/Veterinary Assistant

MUSIC (17 awarded)

• Music Performance

NURSING AND EMERGENCY MEDICINE (319 awarded)

• Nursing Administration (MSN, MS, PhD)
• Nursing/Registered Nurse (RN, ASN, BSN, MSN)

NUTRITION AND EXERCISE THERAPY (18 awarded)

• Health and Physical Education

OFFICE AND ADMINISTRATION (5 awarded)

• Administrative Assistant and Secretarial Science

SCIENCE (56 awarded)

• Biology/Biological Sciences
• Chemistry
• Physics

SECURITY AND LAW ENFORCEMENT (65 awarded)

• Criminal Justice/Police Science
• Criminal Justice/Safety Studies

THERAPY AND COUNSELING (131 awarded)

• Clinical Psychology
• Psychology
• Substance Abuse/Addiction Counseling