Overview
The University of South Dakota is accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools to offer master’s, specialist’s, and doctoral programs. The individual graduate programs are accredited by the appropriate agencies.

There were approximately 6,302 undergraduate students and 2,090 graduate students enrolled during the 2007-08 fall semester. Sixty-one percent of all enrolled students are women; approximately 25 percent of students are either nonresident or international.

The Location and Community
The University of South Dakota, authorized by the first territorial legislature in 1862, is located in Vermillion, a community of 10,000 people that is situated in the southeastern corner of the state. Vermillion overlooks the scenic and historic Missouri River Valley and is home to a special blend of agriculture, retail business, and light industry.

Programs of Study and Degree Requirements
The Graduate School of the University of South Dakota offers programs leading to the degrees of Master of Arts, Master of Business Administration, Master of Fine Arts, Master of Music, Master of Natural Science, Master of Professional Accountancy, Master of Public Administration, and Master of Science as well as to the degrees of Specialist in Education, Doctor of Education, Doctor of Philosophy, Juris Doctor, and Doctor of Medicine.

Majors leading to the degree of Master of Arts are offered in biology; chemistry; communication studies; computer science; counseling and psychology in education; educational administration; elementary education; English; health, physical education, and recreation; history; interdisciplinary studies; mathematics; political science; psychology; secondary education; special education; and theater.

Majors leading to the degree of Master of Science are offered in administrative studies, basic biomedical sciences, biology, occupational therapy, physician assistant studies, and technology for education and training.

Majors leading to the Specialist in Education are counseling and psychology in education, curriculum and instruction, educational administration, and technology for education and training.

Majors leading to the degree of Doctor of Education include curriculum and instruction and educational administration.

Majors leading to the degree of Doctor of Philosophy are offered in basic biomedical science, biological science, computational science and statistics; counseling and psychology in education, English, and psychology.

The University of South Dakota also offers clinical doctorate degrees in communication disorders and in physical therapy, and a joint M.D./Ph.D. program.

Variations exist in the requirements of the graduate degree programs offered by respective departments. It is important for students to become acquainted with the specific requirements of their departments, because these, as well as certain University requirements, must be satisfied.

The University’s academic year is divided into two semesters of approximately sixteen weeks each and a summer session of twelve weeks. By regular attendance during the summer sessions only, a student may earn a master’s degree in four summers in some areas of the Graduate School.

Facilities & Resources
The University of South Dakota places great emphasis on the integration of research and teaching; consequently, graduate students have access to essentially all of the University’s research facilities. There are a number of specialized research institutes, such as the Human Factors Laboratory, the Archaeology Laboratory, the Oral History Center, the Missouri River Institute, and the Business Research Bureau. Scientific instrumentation includes state-of-the-art equipment in the biological, physical, and computational sciences. Supporting on-campus organizations include the National Music Museum, which houses one of the world’s largest collections of historic musical instruments; the W. H. Over Museum; the South Dakota State Geological Survey; and the Allen H. Neuharth Center for Excellence in Journalism.

Expenses and Aid
Graduate tuition in 2007-08 was $155.80 per credit hour for state residents and $391.45 for nonresidents. Graduate assistants pay one third the graduate resident rate if registered for 9 credit hours or more. Other fees are added accordingly.

Financial Aid:
Financial assistance is available through a variety of graduate assistantships, grants, loans, scholarships, and work-study programs. During the 2007-08 school year, graduate assistantships ranged from $4600 to $18,000 for the nine-month academic year. Assistantships qualify the student for a two-thirds tuition reduction. Summer assistantships are available in a variety of areas. To be eligible for an assistantship, a student must be fully admitted to a graduate degree program, have a minimum GPA of 3.0, and maintain full-time status with 9 or more credit hours per semester..

Housing/Living Expenses:
Assistance in finding off-campus rooms and apartments is available from the Director of Housing. Dormitory rooms are also available. During the 2007-08 school year, single-occupant rooms cost $1401.60 per semester. Double-occupant rooms cost $1126.70 per semester. Graduate students who reside in the dorms are not required to carry a meal plan; however, COYOTE CA$H is recommended. Married student housing is also available.

How to Apply
Students who wish to take graduate-level courses must register through the Graduate School of the University of South Dakota. A completed application packet must be sent to the Graduate School Office. The packet should include an application form, a $35 nonrefundable fee, three recommendation forms, two official transcripts, and official test score results. Applicants should be aware that several programs, including physical therapy, physician assistant studies, and occupational therapy, as well as all School of Education programs, have their own application forms.

International Students
International students must be self-supporting. No loans or grants are available through the U or the United States government. Students who have earned college/university credit outside of the U.S. and who want to transfer that work to the U, must complete an Application for Evaluation of Foreign Educational Credentials. An application must be completed and submitted with the required documents and fee for a "course-by-course" Report to Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc. No credit will be reviewed for possible transfer acceptance until a report is received.

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