Minot Normal School (1913 – 1924) Minot State Teachers College (1924 – 1963) Minot State College (1964 - 1986) State University of North Dakota - Minot (1987) [1]
Minot State University (MSU or MiSU) is a public university in Minot, North Dakota, United States. Founded in 1913 as a normal school, MSU evolved into a university in 1987 and is currently the state's third-largest, offering undergraduate and graduate degree programs.
Four schools comprise the university's academic offering. Nine master's degrees and one education specialist degree are offered in areas such as communication disorders, management, and mathematics. A mix of liberal arts and professional programs offers more than 60 majors at the undergraduate level. MSU is a North Dakota University System member.
Minot State's mascot is the beaver, the school colors are red and green (though Maroon has been used at times in the past), and the campus newspaper is the Red and Green. The MSU campus is at the base of Minot's North Hill, just west of Broadway (U.S. Route 83).
History
MSU was established as a two-year normal school devoted to preparing teachers for service in northwestern North Dakota. In 1924, the Normal School at Minot began issuing baccalaureate degrees, necessitating a name change to Minot State Teachers College. Over time, the range of academic offerings expanded; as a result, the school's name was changed to Minot State College in 1964.
In 1984, the North Dakota Legislative Assembly passed a bill renaming the institution to Dakota Northwestern University.[1] After the bill was signed by the state governor and secretary of state, it became the subject of multiple legal challenges. On June 12, 1984, the bill was struck down by a statewide referendum. [4]
In 1987, the institution was granted university status. It was designated as State University of North Dakota - Minot from January 1, 1987 until April 27, 1987, when it received its current name.
In 1996, the North Dakota University System realigned the relationships between certain institutions within the state. North Dakota State University - Bottineau, located in Bottineau, North Dakota was renamed to Minot State University - Bottineau and became an independently-accredited affiliate campus of MSU. [5].
The university awards undergraduate degrees in more than 60 courses of study and graduate degrees in 10 fields of study.
MSU is composed of four main academic divisions: [7]
School of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences
3 academic departments
School of Business, Math, and Technology
2 academic departments
School of Education and Behavioral Sciences
2 academic departments
School of Science and Health
3 academic departments
Teacher Licensure Program
Graduate School
University rankings
The school was ranked 976th on the 2013–2014 PayScale College Salary Report[8] and 1,346th on the 2013 PayScale College Education Value Rankings.[9]
Accreditation
MSU is fully accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. Business Programs at MSU and the College of Business Graduate School are fully accredited by the IACBE. The Bachelor's and master's degrees in Business Education are accredited by NCATE.
Completed in the spring of 1992, the Gordon B. Olson Library presently serves an enrollment of more than 3,000 students. The three-story facility features seating for 800 students, as well as computer labs.
Dr. Gordon B. Olson came to Minot State University during the summer of 1967 and led the university through growth and change. In 1967, enrollment was slightly more than 2,000. During Dr. Olson's tenure, MSU added many undergraduate and graduate programs. New undergraduate degrees included nursing, social work, and criminal justice. Graduate programs expanded from only one in 1967 to 13. Each of these programs addresses societal needs and the needs of students who pursue careers in these fields.[10]
MSU's sports program offers football, both men's and women's club hockey, basketball, cross country, indoor/outdoor track and field, golf, baseball, wrestling, women's soccer, volleyball, and fastpitch softball.
Minot State's ice hockey team won the ACHA Men's Division I national championship in 2013, 2019, and 2023, with a runner-up finish in 2021.[12]
Wellness Center
The Wellness Center has rock climbing, exercise equipment, weight rooms, intramural gym space, group exercise classes, and wellness events.
Facilities
Campus facilities include a theater, indoor theatre, recital hall, the Gordon B. Olson library, a football field, the MSU Wellness Center, and the MSU Dome arena. The Student Union includes a bookstore, convenience store, dining center, and lounge areas. MSU has four student residence halls and three apartment complexes.
Transportation
MSU is located north of downtown Minot, approximately halfway between the Amtrak station and the airport. This allows students and faculty easy access to intercity travel. Within Minot, Minot City Transit provides bus service to campus on weekdays via the North, North Central, and West routes.[13]
Mary Sherman Morgan – rocket fuel scientist credited with invention of liquid fuel Hydyne in 1957, which powered Jupiter-C rocket that boosted first U.S. satellite[28]
↑ Dr. Steve Hoffbeck (15 June 2012). "Navy V-12 Training Program". Dakota Datebook Archive. Prairie Public Broadcasting. Retrieved 11 August 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
↑ Measures Before The Voters(PDF) (Report). North Dakota Legislative Council. May 2025. p.26. Archived(PDF) from the original on 9 August 2025. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
↑ "State Forester". Archives - State Agencies. State Historical Society of North Dakota. Archived from the original on 24 April 2025. Retrieved 10 August 2025.
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