This school appears in our ranking Top 30 Affordable Online Master's in Statistics and Data Analytics Degrees 2018.
Established in 1881, Dakota State University is located in Madison, South Dakota and has around 3,300 students attending classes at its rural campus. The school makes an effort to introduce technology to its students by requiring them to utilize laptop computers and tablets during their lessons. All students are also required to take a course that introduces them to computer programming. Once known as Madison Normal School, Dakota State University was a training school for teachers at its inception. The school would operate as Dakota State College until the late 1980s when the school introduced graduate-level programs and was elevated to university status by the state legislature. The school's official colors are yellow and reflex blue and the sports teams are nicknamed the Trojans.
Dakota State University Accreditation Details
The regional accrediting body for Dakota State University is the Higher Learning Commission, which has given its approval to the university through its Academic Quality Improvement Program and regular cycles of reaffirmation. The university also boasts accreditations for various schools, degrees, and programs. The Council for Accreditation of Educator Preparation has accredited the teacher education program. The South Dakota Department of Education has also accredited the teacher education program at the university. The business programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs. The Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education has accredited the Health Information Management programs at the university. The respiratory care degrees are accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care.
Dakota State University Application Requirements
Applying to Dakota State University requires that students submit a variety of documents, as well as the official application. High school graduates who are under the age of 24 must possess an ACT composite score of at least 18, obtain a sub-score on the SAT's Reasoning Test & Critical Reading of at least 870, have a cumulative GPA of at least 2.6 on a 4.0 scale, or rank in the upper 60% of their high school graduating class. Students must have also taken several specific courses in high school including four years of English, three years of math, three years of laboratory science, three years of social science, and one year of fine arts. The university also expects that its students will have basic computer and keyboarding skills.
Tuition and Financial Aid
Undergraduate students from South Dakota will pay approximately $16,148 per year for tuition and related costs and fees. Iowa and Nebraska residents will also pay in-state tuition rates. Students from Minnesota will also receive a break on tuition with a rate only slightly higher than the rate paid by South Dakota Residents. Non-residents will pay approximately $19,121 per year for their tuition and costs at Dakota State University. Graduate students will pay for their education per credit hour with students at the main Madison campus paying $359.10 per credit hour if they're a South Dakota resident, $491.10 per credit hour if they're a Minnesota resident, or $636.00 per credit hour if they're from another state or are from a foreign country.
The school shares that it offers more than $780,000 in scholarships to students at Dakota State University each year in academics and athletics. Students are encouraged to seek out academic scholarships, transfer student scholarships, athletic scholarships, music scholarships, and other scholarships from the school that match their intended discipline or academic program. Financial aid in the form of federal student loans, Federal Work Study grants, and Pell grants are other options students have for securing the money they need to attend school. Students will need to submit their FAFSA form online on time to ensure they qualify for a student aid award through the school.
Online Degrees Available
Dakota State University offers many online degree programs at the undergraduate and graduate level, as well as opportunities to complete certificate programs online. At the graduate level, students may choose from educational administration, sociology, chemistry, public health, and several more. Students who wish to complete a certificate program may investigate financial and housing counseling and merchandising and family financial planning, as well as others.
Online courses are designed to accommodate learning at any time of the day, so students may complete their degrees even if they have a full-time job during the day and must log into their student account in the evening. One excellent option for individuals who wish to work in childcare centers and homes, Head Start Programs, or after-school programs for kids is the Early Education and Care degree program. While enrolled in the program, students may sign up for membership in the Association for the Education of Young Children – East Center Student Chapter South Dakota Education Association, as well as select a minor like Human Development and Family Studies Psychology or a minor in modern language. The program is delivered through a partnership with the Great Plains Interactive Distance Education Alliance.
Students interested in attending graduate school online may wish to look into the Master of Science in Dietetics if they're interested in expanding their career and knowledge of the industry. Some of the areas where students may put their knowledge to good use include hospitals, long-term care facilities, private practice, nonprofit agency, public health nutrition organization, or another specialized environment. Students have the choice of three routes to earning their Master of Science in Dietetics that include a thesis option, research or design paper option, or a coursework-only option. Each option requires that students complete 36 credits in the program. Core requirements include Statistical Methods II, Current Trends in Dietetics Practices, Vitamins and Minerals in Human Nutrition, and Research Methods in Dietetics.
The different online degrees available at the university offer students from just about any background the opportunity to complete their education, advance their degree, and gain improved stature within their work environment without ever setting foot in a classroom. From busy professionals to recent high school graduates, the online programs from Dakota State University are an excellent option for students from anywhere in the country.