Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College

Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College Information

Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College was founded in 1853 with the name Seminary of Learning of the State of Louisiana. It adopted its current name in 1877 and moved to its current Baton Rouge location in 1926.

LSU currently enrolls 28,810 students in 71 bachelor's, 75 master's and 54 doctoral degree programs. It employs over 5,000 staff members. Its mascot is the tiger, and its school colors are purple and gold.

Admissions and Enrollment Information

Incoming freshmen and transfer students who have completed under 30 college credit hours must submit their SAT or ACT test scores and high school transcripts along with their official university applications. A high school GPA of 3.0 and 18 credits of college prep courses are also required for admission. Undergraduate transfer students who have completed 30 or more postsecondary credit hours must have college GPA's of 2.50 or higher and submit their college transcripts. Graduate admissions are handled by the university's Graduate School advisory board.

Louisiana State University Colleges

College of Agriculture

This college officially opened its doors to students in 1908 and had an inaugural graduating class of only five students. It has since grown considerably to include 11 academic units, which specialize in subjects including but not limited to agricultural economics, food sciences, entomology, plant pathology and renewable natural resources. Undergraduate students can earn Bachelor of Science degrees in countless specific areas within these disciplines, such as dairy production, natural resource conservation, textile science and turfgrass management. Graduate students can attain M.S. or Ph.D. degrees in dairy science, horticulture, experimental statistics and more.

College of Art and Design

This college's roots can be traced back to 1965, when the university dedicated a School of Environmental Design with departments for architecture and landscape architecture. It later adopted its current name and established additional academic departments for art, art history, interior design and graphic design. Each program, except for interior design, offers both bachelor's and master's degree programs. Prospective students must apply for admission separately from their general applications to LSU, and portfolio samples or personal interviews are often required.

College of Basic Sciences

Over 2,000 undergraduate and graduate students are enrolled at the College of Basic Sciences. The college consists of the following six departments: physics and astronomy, mathematics, chemistry, geology and geophysics, biology, and computer science. Undergraduate students may pursue bachelor's degrees in any of the above areas or microbiology. Each of the above mentioned departments offers doctoral degree programs. The college also owns several research centers for student and faculty use, which specialize in subjects like advanced microstructures and computational technology.

College of Library and Information Science

Although library science studies have been available at LSU since 1926, a school for library science was not dedicated until 1931. The school only offered graduate degrees upon its inception; it later added a B.S. in library science program and adopted its current name in 1981. It currently offers master's degree and advanced certificate programs in library and information science. Students can supplement their library science majors with numerous possible areas of degree specialization, including public relations, library automation, youth services, library collections and school media centers.

E.J. Ourso College of Business

This school was founded in 1928 under the name College of Commerce. It offers undergraduate degrees in business administration, accounting, economics, finance, management and marketing. Graduate students can earn their MBA degrees with either a professional or executive focus. Master of Public Administration degrees are also available, as are Master of Science degrees in accounting, finance and information sciences. Master's degree-seeking students interested in multidisciplinary study may pursue the Flores MBA, a master's program combining the traditional MBA with an area of focus from outside the business school's scope. Business administration Ph.D. degrees are also available.

School of the Coast and Environment

The LSU School of the Coast and Environment prepares its undergraduate and graduate students for careers in environmental science and public policy. It offers bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees through academic departments devoted to environmental science and oceanography and coastal sciences. For undergraduates, a multidisciplinary B.S. coastal environmental sciences degree, which incorporates coursework from both departments, is available. Each of the above-mentioned academic departments also offers M.S. and Ph.D. degrees. Many of the school's graduate programs offer topical areas of specialization, including environmental planning, wetland science and coastal management.

College of Arts and Sciences

With more than 50 different majors and minors from which its students can choose, the College of Arts and Sciences offers the university's widest range of degree programs. It has 12 academic departments, including foreign languages, philosophy, communication disorders, mathematics and sociology. Most of these departments offer bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees. The college also offers many minors in areas such as cultural and gender studies, comparative literature, disaster management and linguistics.

College of Continuing Education

This college is devoted to furthering the education and professional viability of adult, part-time and online students. It offers numerous certificate programs in such areas as business, legal studies, information technology and medical coding. Courses teaching educational resources, such as test preparation and literacy skills, are also available. The college also provides summer preparatory programs for high school students.

College of Education

The College of Education serves a total of almost 3,000 students, all of whom are enrolled in one of the college's two academic departments or its K-12 University Laboratory School. Its Department of Educational Theory, Policy and Practice offers undergraduate majors like art education and special education, while graduates can study curriculum and instruction, educational administration and school psychology. The college's Department of Kinesiology allows undergraduates to major in such areas as athletic training, fitness studies and human movement. Graduate students can earn a general M.S. or Ph.D. in kinesiology and select an area of specialization like pedagogy, motor behavior or sport management. K-12 teaching certifications are also available.

College of Engineering

This college educates undergraduate and graduate students in all disciplines of engineering by offering seven specialized academic units, including mechanical engineering, biological and agricultural engineering, industrial construction management, electrical engineering and chemical engineering. Undergraduates can earn Bachelor of Science degrees from any of the seven academic departments; however, they must first meet certain admissions requirements. These include completion of 24 credit hours of college coursework, particularly a calculus course in which a grade of C or higher is mandatory. While undergraduates can apply directly to the engineering college, graduate students must submit their applications through the university's Graduate School. If admitted, they can pursue master's or doctoral degrees from any of the college's academic units.

Manship School of Mass Communication

The Manship School of Mass Communication began operating as an independent college under its current name in 1994. Previously, many of its degree programs had been administered by the College of Arts and Sciences. The school currently serves 62 graduate students and 615 undergraduate students with declared majors. Both bachelor's and master's degree programs in mass communications are available. Undergraduates can choose such areas of concentration as advertising, journalism and public relations. Graduate students can also pursue a joint master's/juris doctor degree in civil law communications. A Ph.D. in media and public affairs is also available.

Graduate School

Founded in 1931, the LSU Graduate School handles the admissions process for all graduate degree programs in the university's schools and colleges. This currently includes 76 master's degree programs and 54 Ph.D. programs. In addition to reviewing and processing student applications, they're also responsible for new student recruitment and orientation, current student advisement and supervision of each program's academic curricula. Administrative decisions are made by the school's advisory board, which is composed of faculty members from each graduate degree-granting LSU college.

Honors College

This college provides academic and living quarters for LSU's honor students. In order to gain admittance to the Honors College, students must meet strict qualifications. Incoming freshmen must possess high school GPA's of at least 3.50 and have scored higher than 1320 on their SAT tests, or at least 29 on their ACT's. Current LSU students and transfer students may also apply provided they have four or more college semesters remaining before completing their degrees. They're also required to have a college GPA of 3.5 or higher, and must submit an essay with their applications as well.

College of Music and Dramatic Arts

The College of Music and Dramatic Arts offers more than 600 majors in its music and theatre units. Students enrolled in the music department may pursue degrees in music, music education or musical arts at an undergraduate or graduate level. Theatre students can earn bachelor's, master's or doctoral degrees in their chosen discipline, with an optional minor in dance also available. The college also offers performance groups in opera, theatre arts and more.

School of Social Work

Founded in 1937, the School of Social Work confers the Master of Social Work (MSW) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Social Work degrees. Some undergraduate electives are also available. Both degree programs combine theoretical instruction with fieldwork and research to prepare students for careers as licensed social workers. Students are educated in human behavior, family therapy, crisis intervention and public welfare, among other relevant topics.

University College

University College, founded in 1933, is responsible for helping incoming freshmen orient and acclimate to college life. To do so, the college offers many different types of support divisions, including the Center for Advising and Counseling and the Student Support Services program. The Center for Freshman Year provides general academic coursework to freshmen who have not yet declared majors.

School of Veterinary Medicine

The LSU School of Veterinary Medicine offers a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree to graduate students. In order to be admitted, students must first complete two years of preparatory veterinary education. Students gaining acceptance to the DVM program can take advantage of the school's departments in pathobiological sciences, comparative biomedical sciences and veterinary clinical sciences, all of which also offer M.S. degrees in their specializations. Once DVM students reach their senior years, they will be qualified to take their North American Veterinary Licensing Examinations.

Contact Information

• Address: Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, Baton Rouge, LA 70803
• Phone Number: (225) 578-3202