Montana State University
Non-profit
Private
Regional
Home to more than 16,000 students, Montana State University is the largest school in the state, as well as one of the best online colleges in Montana. MSU primarily offers graduate programs online, with options such as agricultural education, family financial planning, land resources and environmental sciences, school library media, and science education. Distance students can also pursue an undergraduate certificate in gerontology and a bachelor's completion program in liberal studies. Most of MSU's online courses use an asynchronous format with no set log-in times or scheduled class sessions. Most programs also occur fully online and include no required campus courses. However, online students may need to visit the MSU campus in Bozeman for certain obligations, such as orientation sessions and final presentations. All online students receive comprehensive support from the school, including academic advising, career counseling, tutoring, library services, and remote exam proctoring.
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Admissions Breakdown
Acceptance Rate Insight
99% of students were accepted during the 2020-2021 school year. Sometimes schools with midrange acceptance rates have higher standards of entry but are still accessible to many students who apply.
Retention Rate Insight
61% of full-time students stayed to continue their studies the following academic year. These students started in Fall 2019 and returned in Fall 2020.
Graduation Rate Insight
38% of students graduated out of all full-time, first-time students who began their studies in Fall 2014. Keep in mind many students who enroll are not typically first-time students, as most are adult learners. Therefore, the number of first-time students is traditionally low.
Application Considerations
Test scores:
Required
High school transcript:
Required
High school rank:
Not required or recommended
Letter of recommendation:
Not required or recommended
High school GPA:
Required
Open admission:
No
Completion of college prep program:
Not required or recommended
Test of English as a foreign language (TOEFL):
Required
Transfer Credit Policy
Dual enrollment: Yes
Advance placement (AP) credits: Yes
Credit for qualified life experience*: Yes
*This can include previous jobs, trainings, licenses/credentials, or seminars. You may need to complete an exam or provide a portfolio to earn credit.
Learning Environment
1k
Students enrolledOnline student enrollmentStudent to faculty ratio
100%
Online student enrollmentStudent to faculty ratio
8:1
Student to faculty ratio
Degrees Awarded by Program
Degrees given for the 2020-2021 academic year.
#
Programs
BA
MA
Doc
1
Biological And Biomedical Sciences
2
Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
3
Computer And Information Sciences And Support Services
4
Education
5
English Language And Literature/Letters
6
Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
7
Health Professions And Related Programs
8
History
9
History
10
Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting And Related Protective Services
11
Legal Professions And Studies
12
Liberal Arts And Sciences, General Studies And Humanities
13
Mathematics And Statistics
14
Parks, Recreation, Leisure, And Fitness Studies
15
Parks, Recreation, Leisure, Fitness, And Kinesiology
16
Philosophy And Religious Studies
17
Physical Sciences
18
Psychology
19
Security And Protective Services
20
Social Sciences
21
Visual And Performing Arts
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