University Of South Dakota

Location and Contact Information

The campus is in a town not particularly near any major cities.

Overview

University of South Dakota, also referred to as USD, is a public, coeducational university located in Vermillion, South Dakota. Although the institution was founded in 1862--the state's oldest university--classes started only 20 years later.

Today, the university had an enrollment of 9,617 as of Fall 2009. Its campus stretches over 218 acres, nestled above the Missouri River.

New facilities include the Theodore R. and Karen K. Muenster University Center, completed in 2009, and the Andrew E. Lee Memorial Medicine and Science Building--a year earlier.

For the 18th consecutive year, USD ranked as one of the "Best National Universities," according to U.S. News & World Report. In the magazine's annual "America's Best Colleges 2009" issue, USD was listed as one of the top 188 institutions in the United States.

The University of South Dakota is organized into the following schools and colleges:

• College of Arts and Sciences
• Beacom School of Business
• School of Education
• College of Fine Arts
• School of Health Sciences
• School of Law
• Sanford School of Medicine

The campus houses many Greek communities, including Alpha Epsilon, Tau Kappa Epsilon, Lambda Chi Alpha, Pi Kappa Alpha, and Phi Kappa Theta. There are also more than 120 organizations and clubs on campus

USD's sports teams are known as the South Dakota Coyotes. The official mascot is the Coyotes. The teams participate in the NCAA Division I. Sponsored teams include football, basketball, volleyball, and track and field.

Notable alumni of the University include James Abourezk, U.S. Senator from South Dakota, first Arab-American Senator; Jeff Barker, playwright; Tom Brokaw, TV journalist and author; Kevin Brady, U.S. Representative from Texas; Carole Hillard, first woman to serve as South Dakota's Lt. Governor; Ernest Lawrence, physicist, Nobel Laureate; Michael Derringon Murphy, chemistry professor, bluegrass musician; Pat O'Brien, television presenter; Abby Whiteside, piano teacher and theorist; John Thune, U.S. Senator from South Dakota; and Harvey L. Wollman, former South Dakota Governor.

Highlights (vs. Other Schools)

• Many students concentrating in therapy and counseling.
• Large number of programs of study offered.
• Large number of students.
• Numerous part-time students.
• Affordable tuition & fees.
• Number of dorm rooms for students.
• High percentage of students are from out-of-state.

School characteristics:

• The school is public.
• Academic calender: Semester.
• Carnegie classification: Doctoral/Research Universities, Intensive.

Features of note:

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

Tuition and Financial Aid (2009-2010)

Financial Aid

University Of South Dakota participates in US Title IV financial assistance programs.

In 2009-2010, 94% of students received financial aid of some sort.

(Please refer to BrainTrack's financial aid articles section for background information.)

Similar Schools

Based on proprietary BrainTrack computer comparisons against all other US colleges, these schools appear to be most similar to University Of South Dakota:

Click a column header to sort.

Degrees Awarded (in 2009-2010)

Faculty

Tenure (2009-2010):

Students

Student enrollment was 9,291 in 2009-2010 (6,604 full-time equivalent).

About 40% of the freshmen class in 2009-2010 was male and women were 60% of the class.

Undergrads are 72% of enrolled students, graduate students are 24%, and those seeking first-professional graduate degrees represent 4%.

Students under 25 years old represent 63% of the student body. About 9% of the school is at least 40 years of age.

Among freshmen students, 86% are full-time and 14% are part-time.

Admissions Summary (2009-2010)

SAT Test Scores:

Room and Board

University Of South Dakota provides on-campus housing for 2,185 of its 6,604 (full-time) students (as of 2009-2010). The school requires freshmen to live on campus.

Athletics

School sports include football (), basketball (), baseball (), and track ().

The school offers financial aid for athletes. Of students receiving athletic financial aid, 143 male students received the aid (men were 53% of those receiving aid) and 126 women were awarded financial aid based on athletics (representing 47% of students receiving such aid) .

Graduate School Focus

University Of South Dakota offers graduate (post-Bachelor) studies. The highest degree offered is the Doctorate (Research/Scholarship & Professional Practice).

Graduate offerings include medical degrees.The school's Graduate School Carnegie Classification is Doctorate, Professional Dominant.

Programs of Study

(Number of degrees in 2009-2010 in parentheses)

ART STUDIES (23 awarded)

• Art/Art Studies

BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT (273 awarded)

• Accounting
• Business Administration and Management
• Finance
• Management Information Systems
• Marketing/Marketing Management

COMPUTER SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING (8 awarded)

• Computer and Information Sciences

DRAMA AND PERFORMING ARTS (11 awarded)

• Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts
• Technical Theatre/Theatre Design and Technology

EDUCATION AND TEACHING (243 awarded)

• Art Teacher Education
• Biology Teacher Education
• Chemistry Teacher Education
• Curriculum and Instruction
• Drama and Dance Teacher Education
• Educational Leadership and Administration
• Educational/Instructional Media Design
• Elementary Education and Teaching
• English/Language Arts 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
• Social Science Teacher Education
• Spanish Language Teacher Education
• Special Education and Teaching
• Speech Teacher Education

ENGINEERING (0 awarded)

• Engineering/Industrial Management

FAMILY AND SOCIAL WORK (59 awarded)

• Human Services
• Public Administration

LAW (73 awarded)

• Law (LLB, JD)

LIBERAL ARTS (121 awarded)

• American Indian/Native American Studies
• Anthropology
• Economics
• English Language and Literature
• French Language and Literature
• General Studies
• German Language and Literature
• History
• International/Global Studies
• Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
• Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies
• Political Science and Government
• Sociology
• Spanish Language and Literature

MATHEMATICS (11 awarded)

• Computational Mathematics
• Mathematics

MEDIA (44 awarded)

• Mass Communication/Media Studies

MEDICAL ADMINISTRATION (15 awarded)

• Community Health and Preventive Medicine
• Hospital and Health Care Facilities Administration/Management

MEDICAL SUPPORT AND TECHNOLOGY (135 awarded)

• Audiology/Audiologist and Hearing Sciences
• Clinical Laboratory Science/Medical Technology/Technologist
• Dental Hygiene/Hygienist
• Physician Assistant

MEDICINE (47 awarded)

• Medicine (MD)

MUSIC (16 awarded)

• Music Performance
• Music

NURSING AND EMERGENCY MEDICINE (240 awarded)

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

NUTRITION AND EXERCISE THERAPY (34 awarded)

• Occupational Therapy/Therapist
• Parks, Recreation and Leisure Studies

RELIGION AND PHILOSOPHY (0 awarded)

• Philosophy

SCIENCE (78 awarded)

• Biological and Physical Sciences
• Biology/Biological Sciences
• Biomedical Sciences
• Chemistry
• Geology/Earth Science
• Physics

SECURITY AND LAW ENFORCEMENT (37 awarded)

• Criminal Justice/Safety Studies

THERAPY AND COUNSELING (235 awarded)

• Clinical/Medical Social Work
• Communication Disorders
• Counseling Psychology
• Physical Therapy/Therapist
• Psychology
• Substance Abuse/Addiction Counseling