About Mississippi State University
Mississippi State University (MSU) in Starkville, Oktibbeha County, Mississipi, opened in 1878, when it was then known as The Agricultural and Mechanical College of the State of Mississipi.
MSU was created after the Morrill Act instructed the creation of agricultural colleges, known as land-grant colleges because their creation was funded by grants of federally controlled land were given to each state. MSU was founded with the aim of providing training in “agriculture, horticulture and the mechanical arts … without excluding other scientific and classical studies, including military tactics.”
To reflect the broadening of its areas of study and research, the name was changed to Mississippi State College in 1932, and then to Mississippi State University in 1958.
Today, MSU is comprised of eight Colleges, spread throughout Starkville and its satellite campuses in Meridian, Biloxi and Vicksburg: Agriculture and Life Sciences; Architecture, Art and Design; Arts and Sciences; Business; Education; Engineering; Forest Resources; and Veterinary Medicine.
On the 4,200 acres of grounds, there are plenty of farms, pastures, woodlands. The 560-acre MAFES Plant Science Farm and the 1,560-acre MAFES Animal Sciences Farm are home to much of the university’s agricultural research.
There are various off-campus buildings which also form part of the university. Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station has 16 branches, spread throughout the state. There is also an off-campus centre in Meridian, and The Stennis Space Center in Hancock County, which both run undergraduate and graduate degree programmes. The engineering college offers a master of science degree in collaboration with the US Army Engineer Waterways Experiment Station in Vicksburg.
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Key statistics
- 21,056Number of FTE Students(1)
- 25%Proportion of ISR Publications(1)
- 53 : 47Student Ratio of Females to Males(1)
- 4%Percentage of International Students(1)
- 14.4No. of students per staff(1)
- $40,200Salary after 10 years(2)
- $10,436On-campus Room and Board(2)
- $23,950Out-of-state Tuition and Fees(2)
Subjects taught at Mississippi State University
Physical sciences
- Mathematics & Statistics
- Chemistry
- Geology, Environmental, Earth & Marine Sciences
- Physics & Astronomy
Arts & humanities
- Architecture
- History, Philosophy & Theology
- Languages, Literature & Linguistics
- Art, Performing Arts & Design
Psychology
- Psychology
Life sciences
- Sport Science
- Veterinary Science
- Agriculture & Forestry
- Biological Sciences
Engineering & technology
- Civil Engineering
- Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering
- General Engineering
- Chemical Engineering
- Electrical & Electronic Engineering
Business & economics
- Economics & Econometrics
- Accounting & Finance
- Business & Management
Social sciences
- Geography
- Sociology
- Politics & International Studies (incl Development Studies)
- Communication & Media Studies
Computer science
- Computer Science
Education
- Education
Clinical, pre-clinical & health
- Other Health