In the United States, students begin "higher education" after completing 12 years of primary and secondary education. Institutions of higher education include two-year colleges (known as "community" or "junior" colleges), four-year colleges, universities, institutes of technology, vocational and technical schools, and professional schools such as law and medical schools. Higher education is available in public and private institutions, institutions affiliated with religious groups, and profit-making institutions--a wide variety. Size varies, too. Some excellent colleges enroll fewer than a thousand students; many large universities enroll fifty thousand or more students. Because postsecondary institutions in the United States are not regulated or managed by the federal government, their philosophy, policies, and practices vary considerably. In the paragraphs that follow we focus on the most common degrees.

Undergraduate Education

The undergraduate bachelor's degree typically takes four years to complete. At Northern State University the four years are known as the freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior years of undergraduate study. A few students complete their first two years at a junior or community college, earning an associate degree, and then transfer to Northern to complete two more years for a bachelor's degree.

The curriculum at Northern is based on a "liberal arts philosophy" that requires students to take courses from a range of subjects to form a broad educational foundation. During the first two years, students have the opportunity to explore various fields of study such as social sciences, humanities, and natural or physical sciences. These courses are called a "general education requirements." By the end of the first semester of the second year, students are required to choose a specific field of study--known as the "major"--on which to focus for the remainder of the undergraduate program. Students then spend the remaining two years taking more courses directly related to their major. Students who major in certain fields such as business, education, music, or science find that the curriculum is more tightly structured than it is in the humanities or social sciences. Business, science, and education and music majors may have to take more courses related to their major field of study and have fewer "elective," or optional, courses.

Graduate Education

Graduate education can result in a variety of degrees. The most common include the master's in arts (MA), sciences (MS), business administration (MBA), fine arts (MFA), law (LLM), social work (MSW), and specialist in education (EdS). The most common final degrees are doctorates in a variety of fields (PhD), education (EdD), law (JD), science (DSc), and religion or divinity (DD).

Master's degrees are the most frequently awarded graduate degrees, usually obtainable after one or two years of graduate-level study. A doctorate usually takes five to seven years to complete. It may take less time to obtain a doctorate if you enter the doctoral program with a completed master's degree. Unlike undergraduates, graduate students begin specialized study on the first day of classes. You will probably be required to take certain courses and may be allowed a few electives.

Northern State University offers only Masters degrees in Education, Counseling and E-Learning Technology.

Credits and Grades

Like most colleges and universities in the U.S., Northern uses a credit system in which each course is allotted a specific number of "credit hours," representing the number of hours the students in the course spend in class each week. At Northern, a normal course load for undergraduate students is 12 to 15 credit hours per semester, or 4 to 5 courses. This means that you will be in the classroom between 12 and 15 hours each week, or more if you take courses requiring labs or studio work. Graduate students usually take 6 to 12 credit hours each semester.

Studying for classes will vary on the expectations of the faculty, your study habits and ability to master the material. The standard expectation is that if you are an undergraduate taking 15 credit hours for a semester, then you should plan on studying for 30-45 hours per week. If you are a graduate student taking nine credit hours then you should plan on 27-36 hours per week.

Academic performance in each course is evaluated by the professor using number letter grades. At the end of the semester you will receive a number of credits corresponding to the courses you have successfully completed. Your credit hours are multiplied by your grades to determine your "grade-point average" (GPA). GPA’s provide a general indication of your overall academic performance and are used by admissions offices and employers interested in your academic history.
The grading system used by Northern to evaluate students' academic performances is based on a four-point scale:

A=4.0
B=3.0
C=2.0
D=1.0
F=0.0

Undergraduates are expected to complete their studies with a C average or better; graduate students are expected to complete their studies with no less than a B average.

Academic Advising

Good academic advising is critical at the undergraduate and graduate levels.

Undergraduates receive individual advice and guidance from an academic advisor who will be assigned to each student. As a new undergraduate student, you will be expected to attend an academic advising session with many other students, where you will be given information about the academic system at Northern. The first advising session is a part of new-student orientation at the beginning of the academic term. If you have questions related to your academic advisor, visit University College on the second floor of Dakota Hall. They will help you with academic advising.

Take advantage of opportunities to meet with an academic adviser or faculty member to discuss your academic choices. Although the foreign-student adviser usually cannot offer academic advice, he or she can help you to find the right person to do so.

Most graduate students are assigned or choose a faculty member as an academic adviser. Academic advisers offer you information, guidance, and advice throughout your academic program. They may provide this information in a group setting with other students or in private sessions with you. Without the advice of your academic adviser, you may take incorrect courses, resulting in problems later. Specifically, academic advisers identify degree requirements and help you balance your course load, so you do not take too many demanding classes in one semester. They can also tell you which classes have "prerequisites" or other restrictions. Your academic adviser may guide and supervise your thesis or dissertation preparation.

Seek the advice of your academic adviser at any time to discuss important educational issues. If you have difficulties in a particular course, your academic adviser can help you find the assistance you need. Most academic advisers are not aware of immigration regulations relating to your academic course load, so you should always discuss academic changes with the foreign-student adviser as well.

Registration

Good academic advising is critical at the undergraduate and graduate levels.

Undergraduates receive individual advice and guidance from an academic advisor who will be assigned to each student. As a new undergraduate student, you will be expected to attend an academic advising session with many other students, where you will be given information about the academic system at Northern. The first advising session is a part of new-student orientation at the beginning of the academic term. If you have questions related to your academic advisor, visit University College on the second floor of Dakota Hall. They will help you with academic advising.

Take advantage of opportunities to meet with an academic adviser or faculty member to discuss your academic choices. Although the foreign-student adviser usually cannot offer academic advice, he or she can help you to find the right person to do so.

Most graduate students are assigned or choose a faculty member as an academic adviser. Academic advisers offer you information, guidance, and advice throughout your academic program. They may provide this information in a group setting with other students or in private sessions with you. Without the advice of your academic adviser, you may take incorrect courses, resulting in problems later. Specifically, academic advisers identify degree requirements and help you balance your course load, so you do not take too many demanding classes in one semester. They can also tell you which classes have "prerequisites" or other restrictions. Your academic adviser may guide and supervise your thesis or dissertation preparation.

Seek the advice of your academic adviser at any time to discuss important educational issues. If you have difficulties in a particular course, your academic adviser can help you find the assistance you need. Most academic advisers are not aware of immigration regulations relating to your academic course load, so you should always discuss academic changes with the foreign-student adviser as well.

Orientation

New Student Orientation is a term used by U.S. institutions of higher learning to describe a formal program of introduction to the institution. The purpose of orientation is to help you become familiar with your institution's rules and regulations.

We are very excited that you are attending Northern. To make your first year at NSU the best possible, we've designed a program to help ALL new students make a successful transition to university life, NSU, and Aberdeen. Many of NSU's present successful students will tell you that orientation was where they got their start. Orientation is for everyone, even those who grew up in the shadow of Northern, here in Aberdeen.

You and your family will get the chance to sample services and tour the facilities that make NSU one of the best in the Midwest. You will also meet NSU administrative staff, faculty, and upper-class students, as well as attend sessions that address your specific concerns. You will also meet your new classmates and begin to build new friendships.

Throughout the program, Student Orientation Staff will guide new students. The staff is comprised of current successful Northern students who have been trained to help you with your transition. The New Student Orientation Program is your connection to future success at NSU.

Student Affairs offers an orientation for foreign students. The orientation, which lasts half a day, covers immigration regulations, academics, cultural adjustment, housing, health and safety, finances and shopping, and student activities.

Before you left home, you probably received some important information regarding New Student Orientation and International Student Orientation. Read it carefully to determine the dates of orientation, registration, and the first day of classes. You also will have received information on immigration regulations and visas, transportation to the university, housing options, immunization and health requirements, and other useful facts and materials. Make a note of the names of the individuals who sent you the information, because they may be able to help you with specific issues when you arrive on campus. All this will help you plan your first days and make a good start on your academic life at NSU.