Introduction and Overview

Valley City State University is a public college in North Dakota, USA, offering more than 65 undergraduate programs and multiple online graduate programs, including Master of Education, Master of Arts in Teaching, and Master of Science in Business Information Systems.

History and Founding

The school was first established in 1890 as a two-year normal school called Valley City State Normal School. In 1921, the school was authorized to grant bachelor's degrees and changed its name to Valley City State Normal College. After World War II, as courses beyond teacher education continued to expand, it was renamed Valley City State College in 1963. In 1986, the school was renamed North Dakota State University - Valley City, and a year later it received its current name.

School Strength

Faculty: It has an experienced and high-level faculty, with a student-teacher ratio of 13:1, which can provide students with personalized attention and guidance.

Academic achievements: No particularly outstanding achievements in academic research have been found, but the school has a certain influence in the field of basic education, and its music and education courses have been certified by NASE.

Teaching resources: The school's teaching facilities are constantly updated and improved, such as the Fine Arts Center, which opened in 2022 at a cost of $32 million, providing various laboratories and performance halls for the music and art departments.

Nature of the institution

A public university, it is part of the University of North Dakota system.

Educational philosophy

Student-centered, focusing on learning experience, committed to helping students pursue their interests and hobbies, and cultivating students into the people they want to be through innovative, student-centered learning experiences, so that they can succeed in the fields they love.

Key laboratories and disciplines

Key disciplines: Education is one of the school's advantageous disciplines, with a long history and rich experience in teacher education; the music major is also relatively outstanding and has passed relevant certifications; in addition, the fisheries and wildlife science major is a practice-oriented major that provides students with opportunities for practical operations.

Key laboratories: The school's Rhodes Science Center was renovated in 2013 and houses the only planetarium in North Dakota.

Departments

The school has five divisions, namely the Department of Business Information Technology, the Department of Communication Arts and Social Sciences, the Department of School Education and Graduate Studies, the Department of Fine Arts, and the Department of Mathematics, Science, Health and Physical Education.

Rankings

Its exact ranking has not been found in the mainstream rankings, but it has a certain degree of popularity and influence in North Dakota and the surrounding areas.

Costs

Tuition for in-state students is relatively low, while tuition for out-of-state and international students is higher. The specific tuition standards vary depending on the major and course, and the school will provide students with certain scholarships and grants to reduce the financial burden.

Campus Environment

Campus Facilities: The campus covers an area of ​​55 acres and is located in Valley City, with forested hillsides to the south and the Shea-enne River to the north. There are many historic buildings on campus, such as McFarland Hall built in 1892 and Van Gstad Auditorium built in 1902. In addition, the school also has modern sports facilities, libraries, student dormitories and cafeterias.

Campus culture: The school focuses on creating a close community atmosphere, where students can call everyone by their first name and have the opportunity to make an important impact on campus. The school has more than 30 student organizations and clubs, and students can discover their interests and develop leadership skills by participating in community activities and student unions.

Campus safety: Valley City is a relatively safe city, and the school has also taken a series of safety measures to ensure the personal safety and property safety of students.