Mississippi State University

1. Mississippi State University Mary Beth Blasingame

2. Type of Institution • Public 4 year university • A Carnegie Doctoral Research Extensive institution • Classified as a Four-Year 1 SREB institution • Accredited by Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award baccalaureate, masters, specialist, and doctorate degrees.

3. Mississippi State’s Beginnings • National Land Grant College established in 1878 after Congress passed the Morrill Act of 1862 • Began as Agricultural and Mechanical College of the State of Mississippi in Starkville, Mississippi • The College received its first students in the Fall of 1880 • By 1932, when the Legislature renamed the College as Mississippi State College • 1926 received its first accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. • By 1958, when the Legislature again renamed the College, as Mississippi State University,

4. Mission Mississippi State University is a public, land-grant university whose mission is to provide access and opportunity to students from all sectors of the state’s diverse population, as well as from other states and countries, and to offer excellent programs of teaching, research, and service. Enhancing its historic strengths in agriculture, natural resources, engineering, mathematics, and natural and physical sciences, Mississippi State offers a comprehensive range of undergraduate and graduate programs; these include architecture, the fine arts, business, education, the humanities, the social and behavioral sciences, and veterinary medicine. The university embraces its role as a major contributor to the economic development of the state through targeted research and the transfer of ideas and technology to the public, supported by faculty and staff relationships with industry, community organizations, and government entities. Building on its land-grant tradition, Mississippi State strategically extends its resources and expertise throughout the entire state for the benefit of Mississippi’s citizens, offering access for working and place-bound adult learners through its Meridian Campus, Extension, and distance learning programs. Mississippi State is committed to its tradition of instilling among its students and alumni ideals of diversity, citizenship, leadership and service.

5. Purpose As a Land-Grant institution, Mississippi State University is dedicated to the three broad purposes learning, research, and service: learning, on-campus and off-campus, to enhance the intellectual, cultural, social, and professional development of its students; research, both to extend the present limits of knowledge and to bring deeper insight, understanding, and usefulness to existing knowledge; and service, to apply knowledge and the fruits of research to the lives of people Vision Mississippi State University will be a leading public research university that is globally aware and involved, accessible and responsive to the many constituencies it serves, and fully integrated with the intellectual, social, and economic development of the state, while delivering excellent programs of teaching, research, and service.

6. Degrees Offered 8 Colleges • 180 plus degrees • 14 master’s degrees in 59 programs • Educational specialist degree in 8 programs • Doctoral degrees in 35 programs The States only Veterinary School of Medicine and Architecture program

7. College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Agricultural Engineering Technology and Business Agribusiness Environmental Economics Animal and Dairy Science Biochemistry Culinary Food Science, Nutrition and Health Promotion Landscape Architecture Landscape Contracting Agronomy Horticulture Poultry Science Agricultural Information Science Agricultural Science Human Sciences

8. College of Architecture, Art and Design Building Construction Science Interior Design Architecture Art Economics (Arts and Sciences) General Liberal Arts Interdisciplinary Studies Music Anthropology Biological Sciences Medical Technology Microbiology Chemistry Foreign Language Communication English Geosciences History Mathematics Philosophy Physics Political Science Psychology Criminology Social Work Sociology

9. College of Business Business Administration Accounting Business Economics Finance Business Information Systems Management Marketing College of Education Educational Psychology Elementary Ed. Secondary Ed. Special Ed. Industrial Technology Information Technology Technology Teacher Ed. Kinesiology Music Ed.

10. College of Engineering Aerospace Engineering Biological Engineering Chemical Engineering Civil EngineeringComputer Biology Certificate Computer Science Software Engineering Computer Engineering Electrical Engineering Industrial Engineering Manufacturing Certificate Materials Program in Engineering Certificate Mechanical Engineering College of Forest Resources Forestry Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture College of Veterinary Medicine Veterinary Medical Technology

11. Required Curriculum • To receive a Bachelor’s Degree students must… • Earn atleast 36 credit hours in General Education required curriculum • English Composition 6 credit hours • Mathematics and Natural Sciences 15 credit hours • Humanities 6 credit hours • Fine Arts 3 credit hours • Social and Behavior Sciences 6 credit hours

12. Demographics for Fall 2011

14. Student Support Services The Dean of Student Support Services oversees this department which is a combination of the TRIO program and Disability Support Services. TRIO Program: help students overcome environmental, social, cultural, and academic barriers to higher education Disability Support Services: help students with classroom and testing accommodations

15. Governance Employed • Authority for governance of Mississippi State University is ultimately the State of Mississippi in the Board of Trustees of the Institutions of Higher Learning • MSU’s President is delegated his authority by the Board of Trustees and exercises that authority through the vice presidents, deans, directors, and other officials of the administration in consultation, as appropriate, with units of the university and with the faculty, professional and support staff, and students

16. Academic Affairs • Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs oversees all of eight colleges along with the Meridian Campus, University Libraries, and Academic Outreach for Continuing Education. • Reporting Units: Athletic Academic Advising, Center for Distance Education, Center for Teaching and Learning, Developmental Programs, Human Resources, Information Technology Services, The Office of Graduate School, Office of the Registrar, University Academic Advising Center

17. Academic Affairs Initiatives • Academic Administrator Training • Early Start Program • Learning Skills and Support Program • Maroon Edition • New Faculty Orientation • Quality Enhancement Plan

19. Student Affairs Mission To support the mission of Mississippi State University by providing student learning opportunities that promote personal development through engagement in critical thinking, self-awareness, and healthy lifestyle choices in a dynamic and diverse environment that prepares our students to be ethical, responsible, service-oriented citizens. Vision To create premier learning experiences that instill in our students a spirit of inquiry, critical thinking, and diversity to become innovative and ethical leaders committed to serving the multicultural, global community. Departments Admissions and Scholarships, Assessment and Testing Services, Colvard Student Union, Dean of Students Office, Dining Services, Honor Code Office, Housing and Residence Life, MSU Bookstore, Office of International Program Development, Parking Services, Recreational Sports, Student Financial Aid, University Health Services, University Police