Universities & Colleges

Mississippi State University

Located immediately adjacent to Starkville, Mississippi State University (MSU) embraces the tradition of land-grant universities nationwide in its devotion to teaching, research, and public service. It is the largest of the eight institutions in the state’s public university system.

MSU grants degrees at all collegiate levels, including the doctorate. More than 80 majors are offered at the undergraduate level, 65 at the master’s level, and around 50 at the doctoral level. It has particular strengths in

• engineering
• agriculture
• forestry
• life sciences
• business and industry
• veterinary medicine

The university enrolls nearly 18,000 students annually on its main campus at Starkville and satellite campus in Meridian. They are served by more than 1,300 faculty members. The university awards about 3,700 degrees each year, of which over 100 are doctoral degrees. For full details, see the Mississippi State University Factbook.

Recognizing that people’s need for learning never ends, MSU’s Division of Academic Outreach and Continuing Education offers noncredit courses and programs for adult learners in categories such as professional development, personal enrichment, and safety and the environment. Many courses are offered via distance learning technologies, and some qualify for credit in the form of continuing education units (CEUs).

MSU has a strong commitment to outreach programs, focused on applying faculty expertise and university research capabilities to help businesses improve efficiency and resolve problems.

Mississippi University for Women

Located about 25 miles east of Starkville in the city of Columbus, Mississippi University for Women (MUW) is ranked as one of the top southern public master’s degree universities but has the feel of a small private college. The 12-to-1 ratio of students to faculty helps ensure that each of the 2,400 students has the support needed to succeed.

Founded as the first public college for women in the United States, it has been a coeducational institution since 1982. More than 50 majors and concentrations, including preprofessional programs, are offered by the university’s four colleges:

• Business
• Education and Human Sciences
• Nursing and Speech Language Pathology
• Arts and Sciences

The university also offers lifelong learning programs for adult and nontraditional students and operates the e-venture program to assist individuals who want to start or enhance their business.

East Mississippi Community College – Golden Triangle

At its Golden Triangle campus just 19 miles northeast of Starkville, East Mississippi Community College provides university transfer and technical programs for young adults as well as older, nontraditional learners.

East Mississippi serves more than 4,000 students in its six-county service area, which includes the main campus in Scooba, Mississippi. Because of the high quality of education offered and the supportive environment, nearly 70 percent of college freshmen in Mississippi enroll in one of the state’s 15 community colleges.

New and existing businesses rely heavily on the college’s Workforce Development Service Division, which designs and conducts training to meet specific needs of business and industry. The college also offers Adult Basic Education programs leading to the GED diploma, and it provides valuable training to people who are preparing to make a shift to a new career track.