public institution founded in 1901. Its campus covers more than 50 acres (20 hectares) in Aberdeen, S.D. The university operates on the semester system and awards associate, bachelor's, and master's degrees. About 70 percent of the full-time faculty hold doctorates. Programs in education and in business are offered at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Additional undergraduate disciplines include visual and performing arts, liberal arts and sciences, public administration, criminal justice, vocational and technical training, environmental sciences, management information systems, recreation and leisure services, social work, and speech pathology. About 10 percent of the undergraduates pursue advanced studies within a year of graduation. The university enrolls roughly 2,900 undergraduates and 200 graduate students, most of whom are state residents. Women outnumber men. More than a quarter of the undergraduates are over the age of 25, and many attend part-time. Traditional-age students who do not live with relatives must reside in campus housing through their sophomore year. Northern State conducts some 100 extracurricular activities, including honor societies, musical and theatrical groups, a student-run newspaper, and intramural sports. The university holds membership in both the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics and in Division II of the National Collegiate Athletic Association. |