The Iowa Agricultural College and Model Farm were founded in 1858 in Story County. The campus was located on 648 acres of land that the trustees purchased for less than $6,000. When the Morrill Act was passed in the late 1800s, the college decided to participate, becoming the state's first land-grant institution.
The school became the location of the very first veterinary college in 1879. Its name changed to Iowa State University of Agriculture and Mechanical Arts in 1898 and to Iowa State College of Science and Technology in 1959. However, the shortened version of the name has been used throughout the area and in school documents.
There are over 30,600 students enrolled at Iowa State University and there are more than 800 student organizations on campus. Iowa State University offers more than 100 undergraduate majors. Students are often found strolling through the Reiman Gardens or looking at the over 2,000 works of art on campus.
Iowa State University Accreditation Details
Iowa State University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. Accreditation indicates that programs offered prepare students for leadership roles in their chosen field of study. It also indicates that the university has the resources necessary to provide high-quality education. Specialized accreditation is provided by the following organizations:
- Accreditation Commission for Programs in Hospitality Administration
- Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communication
- American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians
- American Psychological Association
- American Veterinary Medical Association
- Association of Technology, Management and Applied Engineering
- Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business
- Commission on Accreditation for Dietetic Education
- Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education
- Council for Interior Design Accreditation
- Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET
- Landscape Architectural Accreditation Board
- National Architectural Accrediting Board
- National Association of Schools of Art and Design Commission on Accreditation
- National Association of Schools of Music
- Planning Accreditation Board
- Society of American Foresters
Iowa State University Application Requirements
Entering freshman who have not earned college credit after high school graduation who wish to attend Iowa State University must submit an application and provide official high school transcripts as well as official ACT or SAT scores. Students who have earned college credit after high school graduation are considered transfer students. They must have earned a "C" or better in all academic college-level courses. Transfer students with more than 24 semester or 36 quarter hours do not need to provide a high school transcript or SAT/ACT scores. Graduate programs have different admission requirements so students should talk to an admissions counselor.
Tuition and Financial Aid
Full-time undergraduate tuition for Iowa residents is $8,219 and for non-residents it is $21,583 per year. Full-time graduate tuition is $9,549 per year for residents and $22,096 for non-residents. Iowa State University works to provide students with assistance if they need help with tuition through student loans, scholarships, grants and work-study programs. Students must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid in order to qualify for any financial aid.
Online Degrees Available
Family and Consumer Sciences
Iowa State University offers an online Master's of Family and Consumer Sciences degree that requires 36 credits and prepares students for one of the most dynamic and versatile health professions. Students are provided an understanding of biomedical sciences, human behavior and management in order to lead food and nutrition programs. Students are able to apply cutting-edge information to food and nutrition as well as food service management. Students develop the tools to enhance dietetics practices while evaluating and applying new research and theories. Students understand public policy and systems of healthcare delivery.
Agronomy
The Master's of Science in Agronomy is designed for individuals who are working in government, education or industry who need advanced knowledge of agronomic systems. The program emphasizes practical, professional and technical skills in crop, soil, water and pest management and offers concentrations is crop production and physiology, soil science, agriculture meteorology or plant breeding. Students complete 40 credits and are required to visit campus twice during the program. The first visit is halfway through to attend a three or four-day practicum during the last week of July. The second is at the end of the program to complete the final oral examination. Students must have a background that includes chemistry, biology, statistics, crops and soils. Students gain an understanding of scientific principles, crop management and plant improvement. Students also gain an understanding of climatology, soil management and fertility and are able to critically evaluate research and apply knowledge to real-world problems. The tuition for the program is $497 per credit hour. On-campus courses, practicums or seminars are not necessary in this program of study.
Plant Breeding
Iowa State University offer an online Master's of Science in Plant Breeding which focuses on genetic improvement of crop plants using genetics, statistics, agronomy, plant pathology, entomology and other sciences. This program provide students with an understanding of cultivar development. Students gain skills in the breeding of plants as well as the study of advanced concepts like genomic selection and analysis of problems that can occur on a global scale. Students are able to manage and operate plant breeding programs and are able to research the breeding of plants, biotechnologies and effectiveness. Courses cover four major areas that include breeding, genetics, statistics and crop production. The program ends with a creative component where students apply the depth of knowledge gained during their courses. The creative component can be many different projects, but must include a written report in the students' area of expertise. The program requires 30 credits to complete and all credits may be taken online. Tuition for the program is $497 per credit hour. In order to apply, students must have a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university and must have an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher. There are prerequisites that include courses in agronomy, biology, math and statistics.
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Iowa State University offers many programs that are offered in a completely online format that allows students who may have work, family or social obligations that prevent them from attending traditional classes achieve their higher education goals. Iowa State University's online programs allow working adults to move into a new career or advance in a current career.