Minnesota State University-Mankato (MSUM) History and Academics

History

Minnesota State University—Mankato was founded in 1868 as the Mankato Normal School, operating out of rented facilities at the Methodist Episcopal Church. It became Mankato State Teachers College in 1921, and then Mankato State College in 1957. It thereafter became Mankato State University in 1975, and did not adopt the current name until very recently.

Minnesota State University, Mankato was founded as a normal school and received university status in 1975. It was known as Mankato State University until 1998, when it became Minnesota State University, Mankato. It is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association. Its mission statement says in part that the university “promotes learning through effective undergraduate and graduate teaching, scholarship, and research in service to the state, the region and the global community.” It is classed as a Master’s College and University I by the Carnegie Institute.

Videos

Information Summary

Ranks 22nd in Minnesota and 798th overall. See the entire top 2,000 colleges and universities list
Overall Score (about)	83.0
Total Cost On-Campus Attendance	$20,482
Admission Success rate	N/A
ACT 75%ile scores	24
Student Ratio Students-to-Faculty	23 : 1
Retention (full-time / part-time)	74% / 20%
Enrollment Total (all students)	14,374

Academics

Mankato’s academic offerings are provided through the Colleges of Allied Health & Nursing; Arts & Humanities; Business; Education; Science, Engineering & Technology; and Social & Behavioral Sciences. MSU Mankato offers 150 undergraduate programs and 16 pre-professional programs and is accredited by 25 different accrediting agencies. The most popular programs of study are elementary education, nursing and pre-nursing, management, computer and information science, and marketing. The University employs some 600 full-time faculty, 80% of whom have the terminal degree in their field.

Minnesota State University, Mankato has academic programs at both the undergraduate and graduate level. There are 7 colleges: the College of Allied Health and Nursing, the College of Arts and Humanities, the College of Business, the College of Education, the College of Graduate Studies and Research, the College of Science, Engineering, and Technology, and the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences.

Bachelor’s degrees are offered in approximately 150 fields within the various academic colleges. Degrees at the bachelor’s level can be received in such areas as accounting, astronomy, aviation, dental hygiene, food science technology, French, history, law enforcement, mass communications, psychology, social work, Scandinavian studies, and urban and regional studies. There are some minors and associate degree programs.

Graduate programs are offered in 6 colleges and also in cross-disciplinary studies. These include master’s level programs in biology, engineering, communication disorders, nursing, art, English, creative writing, theatre and dance, education, anthropology, ethnic and multicultural studies, psychology, and business. There are no doctoral degrees. The Educational Specialist (Ed.S.) degree is offered through the College of Education in educational administration/educational leadership.

Most Popular Fields of Study

Gallery

Unique Programs

The Automotive Engineering Program provides a Bachelor of Science degree for students who are interested in pursuing their passion for vehicles of all kinds, not just automobiles. Students have the opportunity to work in state-of-the-art vehicle research laboratories and on government agency projects to gain real world experience. Students will also compete in the Society of Automotive Engineers various design competitions during the year.

The Civil Engineering program provides students the opportunity to work on real problems and real solutions. U.S. News & World Report consistently ranks this program among the nation’s best. The program’s students have maintained a 100% passing rate in Fundamentals of Engineering Exam and have a 100% job placement rate, due to the program’s close ties to the industry.

Mankato also offers an accelerated option in Nursing, for those students who wish to add it as a second major to their current course of study.

Minnesota State University, Mankato has an undergraduate Honors Program. Students who seek admission to the Honors Program need to meet the following requirements: high school class rank in top 10%, or ACT of 26, or a high school class rank in the top quarter and an ACT score of 24. Students who fall into the latter category need to further explain their potential for success. Once admitted to the Honors Program, students will be able to take special seminars and interdisciplinary courses, and participate in community based activities.

First year students can join a learning community, where they take some of their fall classes together with each other and may live in the same residence hall.

MSU has several sturdy abroad programs, ranging from two weeks to a full year. There are also study-tours to various countries during semester breaks, and special programs in France, Finland, Sweden, Mexico, Ecuador, and Spain.

Admissions

Mankato considers all graduates of accredited high schools who have not completed any previous college credits as potentially eligible admissions applicants. Applicants can be guaranteed admission if they meet several fundamental requirements: top 50% rank in high school class, a composite score of 21 or better on the ACT exam, or if the strength of the applicant’s college preparations, grade point average, and indicators of success convince the Admissions office of the applicant’s potential as a Mankato student. All students must submit an ACT score in order to be considered for enrollment. Students who wish to be admitted to Mankato must have completed a college preparatory curriculum that includes four years of English, three years each of mathematics, science, and social studies, two years of a foreign language, and one year of the arts. Applicants may qualify for admission under different admission opportunities. Students who graduated from high school more than three years ago can be admitted if they can prove high school graduation. Or, if an applicant has been out of post-secondary education for more that one full year, they are also encouraged to apply. MSU Mankato admissions personnel are readily pursuing a more diverse campus without regard to race, gender, or age.

Minnesota State University, Mankato has an open undergraduate admissions deadline, but scholarship and financial aid deadlines are set in January and March, respectively, for the fall term. The application fee is $20. Applications can be submitted on-line. Students who are enrolled in high school at the time of application will need to have their official final high school transcripts sent after graduation to the Admissions Office.

As part of their application, students should submit high school transcripts and ACT or SAT test scores. Students should have completed high school courses as follows: 4 units of English, 3 units of mathematics, 3 units of history and social studies, 3 units of science, 2 units of a foreign language, and 1 unit of world culture or the arts. Students must generally meet the following minimum requirements: high school class rank in the top 50% or ACT score of 21.

Transfer students and international students will have varying requirements depending upon their prior educational background.

Students applying to the graduate programs at Minnesota State University, Mankato should consult the individual department and/or school to which they are applying. Applications can be submitted on-line, and the application fee is $40. General requirements include the GRE or other appropriate test scores (such as the GMAT) and a bachelor’s degree. The graduate application deadline is July 1 for the fall semester.

Financial Aid

MSU Mankato has numerous private donors who support their scholarship programs and who have establish a number of scholarship opportunities for special students. In 2003-2004 there were 208 scholarships available to Mankato students. The FAFSA must be completed prior to applying for scholarships, and new students are advised to contact the Admissions Office to learn about particular opportunities. Each College also has particular scholarships for its students, and new students should inquire with their particular department of interest about what scholarships are available. Among the more common scholarships are the Dempsey and University scholarships, which are awarded to qualified students upon completion of the FAFSA. The Financial Aid website at Mankato offers many links to other, outside scholarship opportunities, and students are encouraged to pursue those in addition to private scholarships offered by the University. In 2003-2004 there was over $70 million in financial aid awarded to students.

Tuition at Minnesota State University, Mankato is $2,188 per semester for the 2005-2006 academic year for in-state, undergraduate students attending full-time (12-18 credits). Students applying from out of state and graduate students have higher costs. Students from Wisconsin, North Dakota or South Dakota, Michigan, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, or the province of Manitoba are eligible for reduced out-of-state tuition.

Financial aid is available in the form of grants, scholarships, and loans. Work-study programs are also available some-students. Students who seek financial aid will need to fill out the Federal Student Financial Aid Form, available on-line.

Graduate students may also receive financial aid in the form of teaching or research assistantships, including a stipend and a waiver of some or all of the tuition and other fees. Graduate students should consult with their individual department about what sort of assistantships or fellowships are available and about the details of the application process.

Student Financial Aid Details

Ranks 1761st for the average student loan amount.
Secrets to getting the best scholarships and financial aid in Minnesota.

Students

The MSU Mankato student life officer provides various activities such as art exhibitions, athletics, films, concerts, and theatrical performances year-round. There are more than 170 student organizations, intramural teams, and fraternities and sororities for students to join. For the culturally minded there is an Intercultural Student Center, LGBT Center, and Women’s Center. MSU Mankato also hosts the annual International Festival and the Pan-African Conference, and the world’s Third-Largest Science Fair.

Student life at Minnesota State University, Mankato includes opportunities in a diverse range of activities and organizations. There are fraternities and sororities, academic and professional groups, religious groups, multicultural and international organizations, sport and activity groups, and special interest clubs such as the Chess Club, the Mankato Aspiring Authors Group, and Students for Sustainability. Intramural recreation includes activities such as aerobics, table tennis, bowling, and sand volleyball.

Student Enrollment Demographics

Student Graduation Demographics

Athletics

The MSU Mankato Mavericks compete in the NCAA. Men’s sports include cross country, football, golf, basketball, hockey, track, swimming, wrestling, baseball, and tennis. Women’s sports include cross country, golf, soccer, volleyball, basketball, bowling, hockey, swimming, softball, and tennis. The Mavericks’ Taylor Center seats 4,800 and hosts basketball, volleyball, and wrestling. Taylor Center is also home to the 5,000 square-foot Hall of Champions, and is home to commencement and major concerts. The Myers Field House is a multi-purpose complex with an eight-lane, NCAA-sanctioned track and accommodations for 1,000 spectators. In addition to housing track & field teams, Myers Field House hosts workouts for other Maverick teams. The Field House hosted the NCC Indoor Track and Field Championships twice in the past four years. Blakeslee Stadium seats 7,000 for MSU Mankato football, and hosts the summer training camp for the Minnesota Vikings. Midwest Civic Center has a 5,000 seating capacity and is home to men’s hockey games. The Center has also hosted concerts by such artists as Aerosmith, Styx, Kiss. Bob Dylan, and ZZ Top.

Minnesota State University, Mankato is an NCAA Division II School. Most teams compete in the North Central Conference. Men’s sports include cross country, football, golf, basketball, hockey, track & field, swimming, wrestling, baseball, and tennis. Women’s sports include cross country, golf, soccer, volleyball, basketball, bowling, hockey, track & field, swimming, softball, and tennis. The sports teams are supported by a spirit squad, which includes co-educational and all-women cheer teams. The team nick-name is the Mavericks.

Athletic facilities at Minnesota State University, Mankato include the Taylor Center, which opened in 2000 and is home to basketball, volleyball, and wrestling, a field house, a civic center, and a stadium. The football stadium is also the summer training camp for the NFL’s Minnesota Vikings.

Among the championships and awards that Minnesota State University, Mankato has received are national championships in men’s track & field and a men’s regional championship in golf. Individual athletes have won various conference or regional awards and have competed in NCAA championships.

Local Community

Minnesota State University, Mankato is located in Mankato, and is 85 miles from Minneapolis-St. Paul. The campus is located on a bluff overlooking the Minnesota River. Annual activities include the Mdewakanton PowWow, the October Historyfest, a symphony orchestra performance in a quarry, and other festivals. There is a 39 mile long paved trail for bicycling and numerous other trails, many parks, and lakes for fishing. The area is home to two other colleges, many art and cultural venues, and several museums.

Mankato is a city of more than 32,000 located on the Minnesota River. The city’s main entertainment venue is the Midwest Wireless Civic Center, which hosts numerous concerts and performances every year. The city has its own marching band and youth symphony. For history buffs there is the Blue Earth County Historical Society. Mankato is also a home of the 80s television program “Little House on the Prairie.”

Minnesota State University-Mankato