Montana State University
Non-profit
Public
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): |
Transfer Credit Policy
Dual enrollment: Yes
Advance placement (AP) credits: Yes
Credit for qualified life experience*:
ⓘ
*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 | ✔ | ✕ | ✕ |