Minot State University

Minot State University is one of several colleges in North Dakota that started out as a normal school. Established in 1913, it opened at a time when new schools opened across the country and had a high need for qualified teachers, especially in the west. Called the Minot Normal School when it opened, the school offered programs that allowed teachers to get the education they needed and graduate with a diploma in just two years. When it introduced bachelor's in education degree programs in 1924, it changed its name to the Minot State Teacher's College. It kept this name until becoming Minot State College in 1964 and then Minot State University in the 1980s. Many call it MSU today.

As a full university, MSU now has four divisions or colleges operating on its campus. Those divisions include the College of Arts and Sciences, College of Education and Health Services, College of Business and its Graduate School. While each college is home to various departments relating to one central subject, the Graduate School offers all courses available at the graduate level. The university offers more than 60 programs for undergrads and 10 programs for graduate students. Though its enrollment now tops more than 2,500 students, more than 1,200 of those are graduate students.

Minot State University Accreditation Details

In addition to regional accreditation, Minot State University has program accreditation that covers some of its top degree programs too. The regional accreditation that the university has, which you might hear called institutional accreditation, is important because it lets you seek out financial aid from the government and transfer credits to and from schools. MSU has regional accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). Twelve different organizations and agencies granted the university accreditation and approval for its degree programs too. Those agencies and organizations include:

• Council on Social Work Education
• Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education
• International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education
• National Addiction Studies Accreditation Commission
• National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education

Minot State University Application Requirements

Before you submit an application in the hopes of starting an online graduate program, you'll want to check with the university. Based on where you live, you may not have the right to take those classes because the university doesn't have authorization in all states. It's helpful to read through the complete list of academic requirements and take a look at the entire application too.

Though it takes most students an hour or less to fill out the online application, MSU lets you create an account and pick a password that you can easily remember as well as a user name. If the power goes out, you lose your internet connection or an error pops up, you can log back in and work on your application again. You need to submit this application at least two weeks before the start of the semester. It will take the university up to 10 days to process your application, though it may take longer during certain times of the year.

In addition to the application, there is a $35 fee that you need to pay before the university will send your application to the admissions board. You must also write a statement of purpose of 500 words or less that describes your reasons for choosing Minot, what you want to study, how your past experiences relate to your major and the professional experiences that you have. The university asks for a resume, a score from either the GMAT or the GRE and an official transcript. You must also supply the university with your immunization records and letters of recommendation.

Tuition and Financial Aid

Minot State University estimates the tuition cost for an incoming graduate student at around $8,550 a year. The university charges this rate to students who take 12 credits per semester, which is the minimum number you must take to qualify as a full-time student. Taking more or less classes in a semester will alter your costs. MSU offers on-campus housing for graduate students, though those students must purchase a meal plan too. If you live on-campus, your annual costs will come in at a little under $15,000, which includes all miscellaneous fees but does not include your textbooks and other school supplies. The cost for part-time students is around $360 per credit hour.

While MSU is more affordable than some of the other colleges in North Dakota, it still offers financial aid for all qualifying students. You will need to fill out and submit the FAFSA, which you can do in the late fall or early winter, and the university will continue accepting this form later in the year. This determines whether you qualify for any government loans and any of the grants that are available from the state and federal governments. MSU will also accept alternative and private student loans and can help you find out more about parental loans.

Management Graduate Program

Minot State University offers a Master of Science in Management (MSM) degree program designed to help students working in any industry or field. You'll learn how to make important business decisions that benefit an organization as a whole, how to effectively lead a team of any size, the right way to communicate with other professionals and the best ways to use the knowledge gained in your classes in the real world. The university offers full-time students the chance to finish this program in just nine months, but you can work on your studies as a part-time student and still graduate in 18 months. This program is available online and on the campus, and the on-campus program features evening classes that fit around most schedules.

Related Resource: Top 30 Ranked Affordable Online Master's in Management

Some of the required courses that students take include management principles and practices, human resource management, statistical and quantitative applications, international management and strategic management. You'll take a capstone course in your final semester that lets you create a final project based around a client assigned to you at the beginning of the class. The university will usually give you a fictitious client with a problem that needs solved and ask you to find a possible solution. Students will also take courses on managerial information systems, managerial communications and financial accounting. Minot State University also allows students to do a final research project or write a thesis paper.