Top Five Schools in Minnesota
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
The campus of the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities is actually divided into two sites, one of each being located in the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul. Founded in 1851, the university is now ranked #71 by US News and World Report, with 32,113 undergraduate students. U of M is already a highly respected public university, but it has also set a lofty goal to become one of the top three public research institutions in the world within the next decade.
Saint Cloud State University
St. Cloud State University was founded in 1869 as a teachers' college, but has since grown to offer more than 60 undergraduate majors. The 100 acre campus is located along the west bank of the gorgeous Mississippi River between the town of St. Cloud, Minnesota and the unique Beaver Islands, where students can choose from a wide range of outdoor recreational activities. SCSU is the second-largest university in Minnesota, with a current undergraduate enrollment of 14,707. The institution's business education programs are regarded as some of the best in the state.
Minnesota State University-Mankato
Located just south of Minneapolis-St. Paul in Mankato, Minnesota State University is one of the premier universities in the state. The institution was founded in 1868 and has the honorable distinction of being the first public institution in the nation to be run by a woman-Julia Spears, who was president of MSU in 1872. That spirit of liberalism continues, as the university offers its 14,707 undergrads many opportunities to expand their horizons through excellent educational experiences and 158 undergraduate programs. There are six colleges on campus -- nursing and allied health, humanities and arts, business, education, engineering, technology and science and behavioral and social sciences.
University of Saint Thomas
The University of St. Thomas is a Roman Catholic institution that was founded as a seminary in 1885 and continues to hold to its Catholic heritage. It has since grown to be the largest independent university in the state of Minnesota. The main campus is located in St. Paul, MN; however, it also operates two satellite campuses in Owatonna, MN and Rome, Italy. There are currently 5,807 undergraduates enrolled at the University of St. Thomas, choosing from one of the 88 available academic programs.
University of Minnesota-Duluth
The campus of the University of Minnesota-Duluth overlooks beautiful Lake Superior in the northeastern part of the state; much of the campus's architecture makes reference to the surrounding native American heritage. There are currently 10,076 undergraduates on campus, who have the opportunity to choose from 75 major fields of study. UM-Duluth was founded in 1947, although there were plans to build an institution for higher learning in Duluth since the end of the 19th century. Today, the university includes a College of Pharmacy that is often considered one of the best in the country.
