The Academic Program

Michigan State University functions as a unit, with its colleges, divisions, schools, and departments serving one another. No single part is independent of the others. The Michigan State University College of Law, through a special affiliation, functions fully as a part of the University, although it remains financially independent.

Most schools and departments offer courses at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.  At the undergraduate level, freshman and sophomore students, except when enrolled in James Madison College, Lyman Briggs College, or the Residential College in the Arts and Humanities, are enrolled in the Undergraduate University Division. Such students may select a field of study as a major preference; however, the academic responsibility for such students rests solely with the Undergraduate University Division. During the first two years students usually take (1) courses that will fulfill the university requirements as described in the Undergraduate Education section of this catalog and (2) courses appropriate to the particular major, or (3) courses of an exploratory nature.  During the junior and senior years, students take courses, whether given by the colleges of the majors or others, which meet the needs of the academic programs.  For high-achieving undergraduate students, colleges, schools, departments, and faculty, in cooperation with the Honors College, provide programs to encourage the highest intellectual development and greatest achievement.

At the graduate level, colleges which offer graduate courses have developed graduate programs consistent with the highest national, international, and professional standards of the respective fields.

Study Abroad programs are sponsored by the University through its academic departments and schools, and cooperative arrangements with other universities. The University offers more than 275 programs in over 60 countries on all seven continents.

To provide broader access to its instructional resources, the University offers selected degree programs, certificate programs, and courses at various locations and via the web.

The materials throughout this catalog are intended to be cumulative. The Undergraduate Education section is applicable to undergraduate study, and the Graduate Education section refers to graduate study. The all–University policies and requirements given in the General Information, Policies, Procedures and Regulations section apply to both undergraduate and graduate study. These three sections serve as the foundation for the college statements, and the all-University sections and the college statements serve as the foundation for the department and school statements.

Each college statement addresses the purposes or role of the college in the University; the organizational structure of the college; undergraduate programs, including college policies and requirements for admission and graduation beyond the all-University requirements; and graduate study, including the college policies and requirements for admission and the degrees beyond the all-University requirements. The organization of the department and school statements is similar to that of the college statements.

The university offers instruction throughout the year during the fall semester, spring semester, and summer sessions.

The period covered by registration for a given semester or summer session is defined as commencing with the first day of classes as published in the University academic calendar, and extending through the day prior to the start of the first day of classes for the succeeding semester or the first summer session.  The delivery of appropriate services requires at least minimum registration for that semester or summer session.

Michigan State University is a member of the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities, Association of American Universities, American Council on Education, American Council of Learned Societies, Association of Graduate Schools, Council of Graduate Schools, Committee on Institutional Cooperation, and International Association of Universities.  The university has been accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and  Schools, 30 North LaSalle Street, Chicago, Illinois 60602-2504, www.ncahigherlearningcommission.org, 1-312-263-0456.  Some individual programs, schools, and colleges have been recognized by the accrediting agencies in their respective fields. For a list, visit www.opb.msu.edu, select "Strategic Planning" and then "Agencies that Accredit MSU."

Information about the accreditation of individual programs, schools, and colleges is included in program descriptions in Academic Programs. Updated program listings may be found at www.reg.msu.edu/ucc/ucc.asp.

Michigan State University is committed to the principles of equal opportunity, nondiscrimination and, in the context of employment, affirmative action.  University programs, activities, and facilities are available to all without regard to race, color, gender, gender identity, religion, national origin, political persuasion, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, height, weight, veteran status, age or familial status.  The University is an affirmative action, equal opportunity employer.  In carrying out this commitment, the University is guided by the applicable federal and state laws and regulations and policies adopted by the Board of Trustees.

The University has a comprehensive employment Affirmative Action Plan that includes placement goals for academic and support staff employment and an affirmative action policy for the employment of veterans and persons with disabilities.  The Office for Inclusion and Intercultural Initiatives oversees the Plan by reviewing individual academic and support staff hiring recommendations, establishing relations with federal and state civil rights agencies, conducting discrimination complaint investigations, and advising the President and other University administrators on equal opportunity, diversity and inclusion matters.

The All-University Anti-Discrimination Policy applies to all University community members and to education and employment programs and activities without regard to age, color, gender, gender identity, disability status, height, marital status, national origin, political persuasion, race, religion, sexual orientation, veteran status, or weight.  The Anti-Discrimination Judicial Board is an established internal judicial system for addressing complaints of discrimination or harassment.

For additional information, contact the Office for Inclusion and Intercultural Initiatives, Hannah Administration Building, 426 Auditorium Road, Room 444, 1-517-353-3924, inclusion@msu.edu, or visit www.inclusion.msu.edu. 

Michigan State University seeks to make available to prospective and enrolled students full information on all pertinent matters that would affect their attendance at the University.  These matters include academic programs, financial aid programs, eligibility requirements for financial aid, cost of attending the institution, refund policy, program integrity (complaints) and, to the extent available, patterns of retention in offered curricula. Information is accessible at www.reg.msu.edu/ROInfo/HEOAnotices.asp. Information is also available in various University publications, such as this catalog and information brochures for prospective students; or inquiries may be made of appropriate MSU administrative offices and Web sites.  Typical sources include: 

Office of Admissions 
Hannah Administration Building 
426 Auditorium Road, Room 250
(For prospective students)
www.admissions.msu.edu

Office of the Controller
Hannah Administration Building 
426 Auditorium Road, Room 305
www.ctlr.msu.edu

Office of Financial Aid
Student Services Building
556 E. Circle Drive, Room 252
www.finaid.msu.edu 

Office of the Registrar
Hannah Administration Building
426 Auditorium Road, Room 150
(For enrolled students)
www.reg.msu.edu

Additional information on University rules and regulations affecting students is published in the resource guide Spartan Life and other publications and is available at www.msu.edu.

Admission to Michigan State University is based upon academic preparation and ability.  To assist students in their educational planning, as well as for institutional planning and reporting, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students are included in a cohort each fall semester.   This cohort is followed to determine the rate of retention and graduation from Michigan State University.

Decisions by students to complete degree programs in more than four years may vary from personal to programmatic reasons.  The most recent Graduation Rate Survey, based upon the 2006 entering cohort, indicates that 79% of that cohort graduated within 6 years, or 150% of the normal time to award.  Of the same cohort, 75% graduated within 5 years, and 53% within 4 years.  These data compare favorably to graduation statistics from similar institutions.

Additionally, some students in the initial cohort will eventually graduate at other institutions through transfer or pre-baccalaureate entry into professional programs.

Departments of instruction at Michigan State University are organized as follows:

College of Agriculture and Natural Resources
Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics
Animal Science
Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering
Community Sustainability
Entomology
Fisheries and Wildlife
Food Science and Human Nutrition
Forestry
Horticulture
Packaging
Planning, Design and Construction
Plant Biology
Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences

Residential College in the Arts and Humanities

College of Arts and Letters
Art, Art History, and Design
English
Linguistics and Germanic, Slavic, Asian and African Languages
Philosophy
Religious Studies
Romance and Classical Studies
Theatre
Program in Women, Gender, and Social Justice
Writing, Rhetoric and American Cultures

The Eli Broad College of Business and The Eli Broad Graduate School of Management
Accounting and Information Systems
Finance
Hospitality Business
Management
Marketing
Supply Chain Management

College of Communication Arts and Sciences
Advertising and Public Relations
Communication
Communicative Sciences and Disorders
Journalism
Telecommunication, Information Studies and Media

College of Education
Counseling, Educational Psychology and Special Education
Educational Administration
Kinesiology
Teacher Education

College of Engineering
Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering
Chemical Engineering and Materials Science
Civil and Environmental Engineering
Computer Science and Engineering
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Mechanical Engineering

College of Human Medicine
Anesthesia
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Emergency Medicine
Epidemiology and Biostatistics
Family Medicine
Medicine
Microbiology and Molecular Genetics
Neurology and Ophthalmology
Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology
Pediatrics and Human Development
Pharmacology and Toxicology
Physiology
Psychiatry
Radiology
Surgery
Translation Science and Molecular Medicine

James Madison College

College of Law

Lyman Briggs College

College of Music

College of Natural Science
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Biomedical Laboratory Diagnostics Program
Chemistry
Entomology
Food Science and Human Nutrition
Geological Sciences
Mathematics
Microbiology and Molecular Genetics
Physics and Astronomy
Physiology
Plant Biology
Statistics and Probability
Zoology

College of Nursing

College of Osteopathic Medicine
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Family and Community Medicine
Microbiology and Molecular Genetics
Neurology and Ophthalmology
Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine
Osteopathic Medical Specialties
Osteopathic Surgical Specialties
Pediatrics
Pharmacology and Toxicology
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Physiology
Psychiatry
Radiology

College of Social Science
Anthropology
Criminal Justice
Economics
Geography
History
Human Development and Family Studies
Human Resources and Labor Relations
Planning, Design and Construction
Political Science
Psychology
Social Work
Sociology
Program in Women, Gender, and Social Justice

College of Veterinary Medicine
Large Animal Clinical Sciences
Microbiology  and Molecular Genetics
Pathobiology and Diagnostic Investigation
Pharmacology and Toxicology
Physiology
Small Animal Clinical Sciences

Office of the Provost
Aerospace Studies—Air Force
Military Science—Army

Refer to the Michigan State University home page for information about the central administration; the academic organization of the University; the academic governance system including Faculty Senate, University Council standing committees, advisory consultative committees and University student–faculty judiciaries; administrative advisory committees; and Board established committees, www.msu.edu.

The names of the persons who hold administrative positions and who serve on the committees are included at this site, www.msu.edu/about/thisismsu/board-admin/index.html.