History

Minot State University is a comprehensive public university whose purpose is to foster the intellectual, personal, and social development of its students and to promote the public good through excellence in teaching, research, scholarly activity, and public service. Minot State is an integral part of the state and region it serves, and its mission and purposes are linked inextricably to the needs, aspirations, and the commonwealth of the people of North Dakota.

Since its founding in 1913, Minot State University has evolved steadily in fulfilling its commitment to serving North Dakota and creating opportunities for its citizens. Today, the University offers a wide array of undergraduate programs in the liberal arts and the professions, and graduate education in eight master’s programs, one specialist program, and several certificates. 

Originally established as a two-year normal school devoted to preparing teachers for service in the prairie schools of northwestern North Dakota, the institution soon expanded its offerings in response to the needs of the region, a pattern that has been repeated many times in Minot State’s subsequent history. Those who governed the institution recognized the need to add teacher preparation programs in the fine arts, liberal arts and sciences, and professional fields.

In 1924, the institution was given authority to offer the baccalaureate degree, and programs in the liberal arts began at Minot State. Programs in the sciences, humanities, fine arts, and social sciences were developed. Later, programs in special education, speech language pathology, business, and nursing were added. In 1964, the school’s name was changed to Minot State College, and its mission expanded to include graduate education at the master’s level. In 1987, the institution’s name was changed to Minot State University, and today the University offers master’s degrees in communication sciences and disorders, education, management, management information systems, music, special education, sports management, and disability human services.

Mission and Vision

Mission
Minot State University is a public university dedicated to excellence in education, scholarship, and community engagement achieved through rigorous academic experiences, active learning environments, commitment to public service, and a vibrant campus life.

Vision
Minot State University will:

• Deliver high-quality education where, when, and how it is needed to a diverse, multi-generational student population.
• Prepare students and the institution for the evolving social and technological challenges of the world.
• Inspire scholarship and creative activity among students, faculty, and staff.
• Empower graduates with a distinctive combination of professional expertise and broad-based education to support varied careers and productive lives.

Campus and Region

The University’s tree-lined campus provides students a friendly and personal atmosphere. The campus includes five residence halls, seven classroom buildings, the Student Center, library, domed athletic facility, stadium press box, Wellness Center, a concert hall, two theaters, and an art gallery.

The University is located in Minot, North Dakota, a city that serves as the cultural, educational, and commercial center of a region which includes western North Dakota, eastern Montana, and southern Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. Minot is known for its beautiful residential areas, spacious parks, and busy commercial districts. Here, students find many of the cultural advantages usually associated with larger cities, including a symphony orchestra, an opera company, two theatre companies, three art galleries, a fine arts center, numerous choral groups, and a city band. Minot International Airport is served by Delta Airlines, United Airlines, and Allegiant Air. The city is also served by Amtrak. Minot is situated in one of the finest agricultural, industrial, and commercial areas in the state. The city is near the Bakken energy region and the great Garrison Dam on the Missouri River, which offers world-class outdoor recreational opportunities in fishing, boating, sailing, hunting, and camping.

Land Acknowledgement Statement
Minot State University gratefully acknowledges the Native Peoples on whose ancestral lands we sit. We praise the Anishinaabe and Assiniboine Peoples, as well as the other sovereign nations of the northern plains whose lands encompass North Dakota today: the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa, the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation, the Spirit Lake Nation, the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, and the Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate.