Dickinson State University Accounting and Finance Degrees
Dickinson State University is also featured in our ranking Top 25 Most Affordable Online Bachelor’s in Accounting.
Students who wish to study accounting or finance at Dickinson State University may earn either a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting or a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance. They may also minor in accounting or entrepreneurship if they so choose.
The majors consist of 120 or 121 credit hours of classes that break down into three categories: major classes, core classes, and electives. The core classes in the accounting degree break down further into the General Education Core, which includes classes like Literature, Natural Science, and Well-Being, and the Business Core, which includes classes like Business Law I, Management and Leadership, and International Business.
The finance degree concentrates more on theoretical concepts and critical thinking, but the bases of the various tenets of accounting are included in the curriculum as well. Students who wish to minor in accounting take 28 credits, which include 12 credits of accounting electives, in addition to their standard course loads.
The only business graduate degree available is the Master of Entrepreneurship. Students in this program must complete 30 credit hours. Although a thesis is not required, the curriculum is heavily focused on research into the entrepreneurial process.
Online, students have more options. In addition to the degrees already mentioned, all of which are available online, there are other bachelor’s degrees in either accounting or finance, certificates, and concentrations. Students should check the website for further details.
About Dickinson State University
As with many small, regional universities, Dickinson State University began its existence as a normal school for teachers. It was called the Dickinson State Normal School. When it all began, there were no buildings for the university, so the roughly 100 students and teachers held classes at a local high school. The school also held classes at the local Elks Lodge until the first university building was completed in 1924.
Over the next 100 years, Dickinson State University expanded from simply teaching teachers into the institution it is today. During that time, many of society’s luminaries visited the school for various reasons, and these included John F. Kennedy, who was still a senator when he visited.
U.S. News and World Report ranks Dickinson State University No. 52 in the Midwest Region. As a public school, Dickinson State University is particularly noteworthy, having achieved a No. 6 ranking in that regard.
Dickinson State University Accreditation Details
Dickinson State University is a regionally accredited institution, and that comes from The Higher Learning Commission. In addition to regional accreditation, the school’s various departments hold academic accreditation from a slate of different awarding organizations, which include the:
- Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing
- National Environmental Health Science and Protection Accreditation Council
- National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education
- Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation
- International Accreditation Council for Business Education
- National Association of Schools of Music
Dickinson State University Application Requirements
Incoming freshmen must have completed the following in high school:
- Four years of English
- Three years of mathematics that include Algebra I and above
- Three years of laboratory science
- Three years of Social Studies
Students who are 25 years of age or older on the first day of classes, however, are exempted from that requirement. Students 24 years of age or younger must also have completed the ACT with a score of 18 or higher or the SAT with a score of 940 or higher to be considered for admission.
Graduate students for the Master of Entrepreneurship must have completed a bachelor’s degree at a regionally accredited university or college. They must all provide two letters of reference, preferably from faculty advisers, and a statement of purpose. Graduate students must also pass a specific test for admittance into the Master of Entrepreneurship program. Students may still be able to get into the program even if they don’t pass the entrance examination, but they will have to take remedial business courses before beginning their primary course of study.
All students must submit all applicable transcripts from all institutions attended. These must be official transcripts. Dickinson State University does not accept self-sent transcripts.
Tuition and Financial Aid
Dickinson State University has reciprocity agreements with various states that border North Dakota. The semester cost for a North Dakota resident is $3,891.63. Minnesota residents pay $4,282.93, and Montana residents pay $4,706.86. Residents of states that are contiguous with those three states pay the same rate as Montana residents. American students who are not residents of any of these states pay $5,522.09, and international students pay $6,337.19. These charges are for full-time study of 13 credit hours or more. Graduate students and online students pay $336.26 or $303.40 per credit hour, respectively.
These charges include all the fees but not room and board. Rooms cost $1,515 or $1,724 per semester, depending on which dorm is selected. The full meal plan costs $2,119 per semester. So, a freshman from North Dakota would pay about $15,000 a year, not counting books.
Financial aid is broken into two categories: need-based and merit-based. Merit-based aid usually comes from private foundations, charities, and banks. Most of the time, it has academic requirements to maintain the aid, and it is also usual for there to be certain criteria to receive it. Students should speak with the awarding organization for further details.
Need-based aid comes from the government. The student begins by filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA. This form includes all of a student’s assets and income, including that of the student’s parents. This includes any merit-based aid the student receives. From there, the government determines how much aid the student should get. This aid can be either a subsidized loan, where the student pays no interest while enrolled, a grant, or a scholarship. Students should contact the Office of Financial Aid for further details.
Dickinson State University leads the way in North Dakota and maintains a proud heritage of higher education.