2020-2021 Graduate Catalog 
    
    Mar 19, 2024  
2020-2021 Graduate Catalog [Archived Catalog]

SDSU in Review


General Information

An act of the Territorial Legislature approved in 1881 provided for the establishment of what is now South Dakota State University.  As a Land-Grant institution, the University subscribes to the philosophy of education, research, and extension as its three-fold mission. The Graduate School is a separate administrative unit composed of selected scholars within the University engaged in work to further the land-grant mission. The institution granted its first Master of Science degree in 1891, its first Master of Education degree and Doctor of Philosophy degree in 1958. All graduate work was supervised by a committee until 1957, when the Graduate School was established. 

A Graduate Council of twenty-one (21) elected members from the Graduate Faculty assists the Graduate Director. The council includes the Graduate Director (chair); and (14) members, with seven (7) alternates from each of the seven (7) colleges: Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences; Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences; Education and Human Sciences; Engineering; Natural Sciences; Nursing; and Pharmacy and Allied Health Professions. The Dean of the Library serves as an ex-officio voting member.

The Graduate Faculty is composed of the University President, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, college deans, and heads of departments in which graduate courses are offered. Tenure-track faculty with a terminal degree are eligible for graduate faculty status. Faculty who are not tenure-track and/or do not have a terminal degree will follow the nomination process for associate graduate faculty status and must be approved by the Graduate Council. All matters of policy and standards are acted on by the Graduate Faculty. In addition, Graduate Faculty are authorized to serve on graduate student committees, advise graduate students, and teach graduate-level courses.

The Graduate School provides an atmosphere for qualified students to obtain rigorous advanced education in a variety of fields in preparation for service and leadership in their professions and society. The Graduate School promotes scholarly pursuits and scientific research for the advancement of knowledge within a climate of freedom of inquiry. For material on undergraduate programs and for general information concerning South Dakota State University, refer to the Undergraduate Catalog.

This Catalog is printed to provide information about the graduate programs of South Dakota State University. Every effort has been made to provide as complete and accurate information as possible; however, it should be noted that changes may occur at any time and that the catalog does not represent a contractual agreement. The university reserves the right, as approved by the Board of Regents, to modify requirements, curricula offerings, and charges, and to add, alter, or delete courses and programs through appropriate procedures.  While reasonable efforts will be made to publicize such changes, a student is encouraged to seek current information from appropriate offices.

Students are allowed to fulfill the degree requirements in effect at the time of initial enrollment as a degree-seeking student, provided the student completes the degree requirements within the stated time frame through continuous enrollment. If a student needs to re-apply to a degree program, the guidelines in effect at the time of re-application must then be followed. It is the student’s responsibility to become familiar with and complete the requirements for the degree being sought.

Accreditations & Affiliations

Accreditations

The University holds institutional membership in a number of educational associations: the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (1307 New York Avenue NW, Suite 400, Washington, D.C. 20005-4722; Phone: 202-478-6040) promotes the aims expressed in the Morrill Act of 1862, and in the subsequent acts of Congress relating to Land-Grant Colleges.

South Dakota State University Academic Accreditations and Certifications

Academic Accredited Programs

       
Accrediting Agency Degree Frequency Last Decision Next Visit
Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE)        
190 S LaSalle Street, Suite 2850, Chicago, IL 60603-4810; Phone: 312-664-3575        
Pharmacy Pharm.D. 8 years 2015 2023
         
Accreditation Council for the Education of Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND)        
120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2190, Chicago, IL 60606-6995; Phone: 312-899-0040 ext. 5400        
Dietetic Internship NA 3 years 2019 2026
         
Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism & Mass Communication (ACEJMC)        
201 Bishop Hall, University, MS 38677-1848; Phone: 662-915-5550        
Mass Communications M.M.C. 4 years 2018 2023
         
American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP)        
4500 East-West Hwy, Suite 900, Bethesda, MD 20814; Phone: 866-279-0681        
Pharmacy - PGY1 Residency Program Certificate 3 years 2018 2021
         
Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE)        
6850 Austin Center Blvd., Suite 100, Austin, TX 78731-3184; Phone: 512-733-9700        
Athletic Training M.S. 10 years 2012 2021-2022
         
Commission on Accreditation of Programs in Applied and Clinical Sociology (CAPACS)        
3 Fieldstone Drive, Morris Township, NJ 07960; Phone: 973-290-9334        
Sociology Ph.D. 2 years 2017 2019
         
Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)        
655 K Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20001; Phone: 202-887-6791        
Nursing M.S. 10 years 2011 2021
Nursing D.N.P. 10 years 2016 2026
Nursing - APRN Post-Graduate Certificate 10 years 2016 2026
         
Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP)        
500 Montgomery Street, Suite 350, Alexandria, VA 22314; Phone: 703-535-5990        
Counseling and Human Resource Development M.S. 7 years 2017 2025
         
Council for Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP)*        
1140 19th Street NW, Suite 400, Washington, D.C. 20036; Phone: 202-223-0077        
Principal M.Ed. 2 years 2020 2022
School Counselor M.S. 2 years 2020 2022
*Formerly known as NCATE (name changed in 2019)        
**Granted Probationary Accreditation Spring 2020        
         
Council on Rehabilitation Education (CORE)        
1699 E. Woodfield Road, Suite 300, Schaumburg, IL 60173; Phone: 847-944-1325        
Counseling and Human Resource Development Specialization in Counseling in Rehabilitation and Mental Health Setting M.S. 8 years 2015 2023
         
National Architectural Accrediting Board, Inc (NAAB)        
1735 New York Ave NW, Washington, D.C. 20006; Phone: 202-783-2007        
Architecture M.Arch. 8 years 2019 2027
         

Academic Accredited Units

       
Accrediting Agency Degree Frequency Last Decision Next Visit
American Association of Museums Accreditation Commission (AAM)        
2451 Crystal Drive, Suite 1005, Arlington, VA 22202; Phone: 202-289-1818        
South Dakota Art Museum NA 10 years 2014 2024
         
American Association of Veterinary Lab Diagnosticians (AAVLD)        
PO Box 6396, Visalia, CA 93290; Phone: 559-781-8900        
Animal Disease Research and Diagnostic Lab NA 5 years 2018 2023
         
National Association for Education of Young Children (NAEYC)        
1313 L Street NW, Suite 500, Washington, D.C. 20005; Phone: 800-424-2460        
Fishback Center for Early Childhood Education NA 5 years 2017 2022
         
Society for Simulation in Healthcare (SSH)        
2021 L Street, NW, Suite 400, Washington, D.C. 20036; Phone: 866-730-6127        
Nursing Healthcare Simulation Center   5 years 2018 2023
         

Academic Certified Programs/Units

       
Accrediting Agency Degree Frequency Last Decision Next Visit
American Association of Museums Accreditation Commission (AAM)        
2451 Crystal Drive, Suite 1005, Arlington, VA 22202; Phone: 202-289-1818        
South Dakota Art Museum NA 10 years 2014 2024
         
American Association of Veterinary Lab Diagnosticians (AAVLD)        
PO Box 6396, Visalia, CA 93290; Phone: 559-781-8900        
Animal Disease Research and Diagnostic Lab NA 5 years 2018 2023
         
American Chemical Society        
1155 Sixteenth Street, NW, Washington, DC 20036; Phone: 800-333-9511        
Chemistry B.S. NA 2016 2021
         
Nonprofit Leadership Alliance (formerly American Humanics)        
1801 Main Street, Ste 200, Kansas City, MO 64108; Phone: 816-561-6415        
Leadership and Management of Non-Profit Organizations Minor   2003  
         
National Collegiate Honors Council        
University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 250 Knoll Residence Center, 440 N 17th Street, Lincoln, NE 68588; Phone: 402-472-9150        
Van D. and Barbara B. Fishback Honors College     2018 TBD
         
Department of the Army        
Army ROTC        
         
College Reading and Learning Association        
Tutoring/Supplemental Instruction (SI) Program   5 years 2016 2020
         

University Accreditation

       
Accrediting Agency Degree Frequency Last Decision Next Visit
Higher Learning Commission (HLC)        
230 South LaSalle Street, Suite 7-500, Chicago, IL 60604; Phone: 800-621-7440        
Institution NA 10 years 2019 2029

Affiliations 

The University also holds membership in the American Council on Education, the American Council on Education’s Internationalization Collaborative, the American Society for Information Science & Technology, the Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE), the College Consortium for International Studies (CCIS), the Cooperative Center for Study Abroad (CCSA), the International Student Exchange Program (ISEP), the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, the American Association of University Women, the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy, the American Society for Engineering Education, the Association of Schools of Journalism and Mass Communication, the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, the American Library Association, Associated Western Universities, Inc., the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges, Association for Supervision & Curriculum Development, Council of Graduate Schools in the United States, Educause, National Association for Foreign Student Affairs, and several others which are concerned with more limited phases of college work. Through the Board of Regents, the University also participates in the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE).