What is the mission of a land-grant university?
Passage of the 1862 Morrill Act reflected a growing demand for agricultural and technical education in the United States. While a number of institutions had begun to expand upon the traditional classical curriculum, higher education was still widely unavailable to many agricultural and industrial workers. The Morrill Act was intended to provide a broad segment of the population with a practical education that had direct relevance to their daily lives.
That mission continues today at SDSU as it strives to offer a rich academic experience in an environment of inclusion and access through inspired, student-centered education, creative activities and research, innovation and engagement that improve the quality of life in South Dakota, the region, the nation and the world.
Eight colleges and a grad school make up the University
- College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences
- College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
- College of Education and Human Sciences
- College of Natural Sciences
- College of Nursing
- College of Pharmacy and Allied Health Professions
- Graduate School Jerome J. Lohr College of Engineering
- Van D. & Barbara B. Fishback Honors College (not degree granting)
