Looking for a New College

I made a big choice to move 1,300 miles from where I spent most of my life. I was still working on my Bachelors Degree and my current field of study would not allow me to finish my degree through a distance education environment. I had been doing traditional classroom education and some non-traditional Internet classes through my university.


I looked at schools with on-line classes and completely on-line programs. There are so many schools and most make it so hard to see what your actual tuition rate is. All schools give the basic tuition rate and then they list as many as 30 different fees. Searching for on-line only programs was not as easy as you may expect. Most of the information are found on targeted sites, fully funded and supported by University of Phoenix (UOP) , DeVry, or other Internet School with degrees that employers do not take seriously. The interesting thing is that UOP tuition rates are $530/credit hour + $85/class.


I searched local universities near my new home, which included some big names (UNC-Charlotte). I looked for programs, on-line degree choices, and cost. UNC–Charlotte Internet tuition cost for new residents and out-of-state residents $460.65/credit hour. Winthrop University, the closest Public University in South Carolina (where I am now a resident) was $400/credit hour for residents and $900/credit hour for new and out-of-state residents. Winthrop also did not have any advertised on-line only programs.


I search everywhere, looking for a school that had a Bachelors Degree in Computer Information Systems or Business Information Systems and found one that cost only $253.95/credit hour with no other fees. The amazing thing was it is located in South Dakota and there were no in-state/out-of-state tuition differences for on-line self support rate. If I were as South Dakota Resident attending this school it would cost $205.50/credit hour (tuition + standard fees)+ 353.40/semester computer fee + parking fees + food + dorms.


A School in South Dakota

The school I chose was Dakota State University (DSU) in Madison, SD. They have a Computer Information Systems program that is entirely online. DSU is not the only school that you could choose for $253.95 per credit hour. That tuition rate is set by the South Dakota Board of Regents school. This means the rate is good at any South Dakota Public University. You can get this rate for on-line classes at South Dakota State University, University of South Dakota, Northern State University, Black Hill State Universityand South Dakota School of Minds and Technology.


Once you are enrolled at any of the State Public Universities, you can take on-line classes at any other of South Dakotas Public Universities. This is especially helpful when filling in those general education classes. DSU may have the Computer Classes, but Northern State will have the Accounting class that you also need. An important note: Most of your Senior Year (last 32 credits) classes must be taken at your home university.


Just because you can register for classes at other campuses, does not mean that is how the fully on-line degrees expect you to find classes work. All classes for a Degree at DSU will be offered by DSU at some point during a 4 year span.


Is DSU Reputable?

Institutional Accreditation / Recognition

North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA-HLC) Accreditation / Recognition


Other Specialised or Programmatic Accreditations

Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP); Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP); National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE)


Dakota State University ranked #35 (Tier 1) for Midwest Baccalaureate Colleges by US News and World Report (2010).

All DSU On-Line Offerings

  • A.A. in General Studies
  • A.S. in Application Programming
  • A.S. in Business Management
  • A.S. in Health Information Technology
  • B.S. in Health Information Administration
  • B.S. in Computer Information Systems
  • B.B.A. in Management Information Systems
  • Minor in Computer and Network Security
  • Minor in Professional and Technical Communication
  • Certificate in Healthcare Coding
  • Master of Science in Information Assurance (MSIA)
  • Master of Science in Information Systems (MSIS)
  • Master of Science in Educational Technology (MSET)
  • Doctor of Science in Information Systems (D.Sc.IS)

All On-Line Degrees Offered by South Dakota Universities

TypeUniversityProgram Title
MAUSDAddiction Studies
MSUSDAdministrative Studies: Criminal Justice Specialization
MSUSDAdministrative Studies: Specialization in Alcohol and Drug Studies
MSUSDAdministrative Studies: Specialization in Health Services Administration
MSUSDAdministrative Studies: Specialization in Interdisciplinary Studies
MSUSDAdministrative Studies: Specialization in Long-Term Care Administration
MSUSDAdministrative Studies: Specialization in Organizational Leadership
BSUSDAlcohol and Drug Studies
CertificateUSDAlcohol and Drug Studies (Graduate)
CertificateUSDAlcohol and Drug Studies (Undergraduate)
ASDSUApplication Programming
MBAUSDBusiness Administration
BSBHSUBusiness Administration - Management Specialization
MBAUSDBusiness Administration: Specialization in Health Services Administration
ASDSUBusiness Management
MSBHSUBusiness Services Management
MSSDSU Chemistry - Teaching Specialization
MSSDSUCommunication Studies and Journalism
MinorDSUComputer and Network Security
BSDSUComputer Information Systems
BSDSUComputer Science
MSSDSMTConstruction Management
MSBHSUCurriculum & Instruction
MinorSDSUEconomics
MAUSDEducational Administration: Adult and higher Education
MAUSDEducational Administration: Elementary School Principal
EDSUSDEducational Administration: Elementary School Principal
EDSUSDEducational Administration: School District Superintendent
MAUSDEducational Administration: School District Superintendent
MAUSDEducational Administration: Secondary School Principal
EDSUSDEducational Administration: Secondary School Principal
MSEdDSUEducational Technology
CertificateUSDEmergency Disaster Response Management
MSSDSUEngineering
eMPAUSDExecutive Master of Public Administration
MSSDSUFamily & Consumer Sciences, Family Financial Planning Option
MSSDSUFamily and Consumer Science - Dietetics
MSSDSUFamily and Consumer Sciences - Merchandising GPIDEA
MSSDSUFamily and Consumer Sciences Education with teaching certification
CertificateSDSUFinancial Planning for Farm and Family
AABHSUGeneral Studies
AADSUGeneral Studies
AANSUGeneral Studies
AASDSMTGeneral Studies
AASDSUGeneral Studies
AAUSDGeneral Studies
MinorSDSU Gerontology
CertificateUSDGraduate Certificate in Long Term Care Management
MSDSUHealth Informatics
BSDSUHealth Information Administration
ASDSUHealth Information Technology
BSUSDHealth Sciences
MSSDSUIndustrial Management
MSDSUInformation Assurance & Computer Security
DScDSUInformation Systems
MSDSUInformation Systems
BSSDSUInterdisciplinary Studies
BSDSUK-8 Elementary Eduation/K-12 Special Education
MinorBHSULibrary Media
BBADSUManagement Information Systems
MSSDSUMathematics
CertificateSDSUMerchandising
MSSDSUMerchandising
ASDSUNetwork and System Administration
MSSDSUNursing
ASUSDNursing (Good Samaritan Partnership Proposal)
BSSDSUNursing (Upward Mobility)
ASBHSUParaprofessional Education
ASNSUParaprofessional Education
EDSUSDPK-12 Principal
MAUSDPK-12 Principal
MinorDSUProfessional and Technical Communications
BSDSUProfessional and Technical Communications
CertificateBHSUProfessional Writing
MinorSDSUPsychology
MSSDSURural Sociology - Community Development GPIDEA
CertificateUSDSecondary education (collaborative)
MAUSDSpeech-Language Pathology (DDN)
MSSDSUStatistics
MSBHSUStrategic Leadership
MSUSDTechnology for Education and Training
MSSDSMTTechnology Management
DPTUSDTransitional Physical Therapy

Current Google News Items

  • Dakota State University - Google News

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    Rapid City Journal
    6 hours ago • AP PIERRE -- The South Dakota Board of Regents has given three state universities approval to begin planning new degrees in science fields. Black Hills State University is exploring an associate degree in applied health sciences.
    Regents approve two SDSU facility plans while in BrookingsBrookings Register

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