Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College

Carnegie Foundation Classification

Research Universities (very high research activity)

General Characteristics

Highest offering	Doctoral degree
Calendar System	Semester
Years of college work required	N/A
Variable Tuition

Special Learning Opportunities

Distance Learning
ROTC — Army / Navy / Air Force	— / /
Study Abroad
Weekend College
Teacher Certification

Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College History

The institution that would be Louisiana State was established in 1853 as the Seminary of Learning of the State of Louisiana. Colonel William Tacumseh Sherman was the superintendent. The institution sustained significant losses at the hands of the Civil War and invasion of the Red River Valley. The name Louisiana State University was adopted in 1870. The campus, located in Pineville at the time, was formally relocated to Baton Rouge, where it is today, in 1926. In 1978 LSU was granted status as a sea-grant college, only one of 25 universities to garner that distinction.

Louisiana State University is located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and was founded in 1860 as a land-grant institution. The University now awards bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees. In 1978 it was also named a sea-grant college. It is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

Louisiana State University defines its mission as “to be a leading Doctoral/Research-Extensive university, challenging undergraduate and graduate students to achieve the highest levels of intellectual and personal development.” The University also has facilities and/or programs statewide. There are branch campuses located in Alexandria, in Eunice, and in Shreveport, as well as an agricultural center, a health sciences center, and a biomedical research center which is operated with the University of New Orleans.

Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Academics

LSU has strong academic programs in political science, animal sciences, plant biology, engineering, and English. The sciences have a reputation as particularly difficult. Taking advantage of the nearby Gulf of Mexico, LSU offers excellent programs in coastal studies and ecology as part of its status as a sea grant college. While LSU’s professors have a reputation as die-hard researchers, they are also incredibly accessible.

The University is composed of a number of different schools and colleges: the College of Agriculture, the College of Art & Design, the College of Arts & Sciences, the College of Basic Sciences, the E. J. Ourso College of Business, the School of the Coast and Environment, the Division of Continuing Education, the College of Education, the College of Engineering, the School of Library and Information Science, the Manship School of Mass Communication, the College of Music and Dramatic Arts, the School of Social Work, the School of Veterinary Medicine, and the Graduate School and the Honors College. The University also includes the Paul M. Hebert Law Center.

Bachelor’s degrees are awarded in a number of different disciplines, including animal science, horticulture, interior design, comparative literature, biology, accounting, oceanography and coastal sciences, kinesiology, engineering, and music.

Graduate degrees are offered in a number of programs and include over 50 doctoral programs and the DVM. Many programs offer both a master’s and a doctoral program. Field of study include such areas as agricultural economics, business administration (MBA), chemistry, comparative literature, education, electrical engineering, food science, kinesiology, music, petroleum engineering, philosophy, and wildlife and fisheries science. Students may also earn an MFA in theatre or creative writing. The University offers a Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) and an educational specialist (Ed.S.) degree. Students can also earn a Master of Sciences or a Ph.D. in Veterinary Medical Sciences through the School of Veterinary Medicine.

Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Unique Programs

The School of the Coast and Environment offers two academic programs and five research institutes focused on improving the quality of resources surrounding the State of Louisiana and the Gulf Coast., as well as comparable environmental regions throughout the world. The five research programs include Coastal Studies Institute, Coastal Marine Institute, the Wetland Biogeochemistry Institute, and the Louisiana Geographic Information Center.

The School of Veterinary Medicine offers research opportunities and concentrations in equine health, diagnostics, microscopy, and gene probes & expressions.

Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Financial Aid

Only about 30% of all LSU students are recipients of some form of financial aid. The Office of Financial Aid offers access to loan counseling services and can help students manage their student loans. They can also guide students through the application process for federal financial aid. Louisiana State also administers the Personal Access Web Services system that allows students to access their financial information via the Web.

In-state tuition and fees for undergraduate students were $1496 in tuition and $310.50 in required fees in 2004-2005. Students applying from out of state and graduate students will have different costs. Additional fees also charged include a technology fee, an operational fee, and an academic excellence fee.

Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Students

Louisiana State is home to 30,000 students. The campus is situated on 650 acres of former plantation land just along the Mississippi River. The campus consists of 250 buildings, ancient oak trees, and inlet lakes. While the campus appears stately, LSU has a reputation among the nation’s colleges as a party school. Its close proximity to the festivities of Mardi Gras and the 24-hour, 7-days-a-week party atmosphere of New Orleans contribute to that well-earned distinction. The campus’ prevalent Greek presence also lends itself to regular parties.

In addition to the numerous classroom, dormitory, and administration buildings, Louisiana State University is home to an art museum, a museum of natural science, a rural life museum, and an arboretum, among other attractions.

The Louisiana State University Library offers electronic catalogs and on-line databases, in additional to physical volumes stored on site. The main library also includes the University archives, a rare book collection, a natural history collection, a United Nations document collection, and the US patent depository library. There is also a special collection devoted to Louisiana and the lower Mississippi Valley.

Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Traditions

An unwritten tradition at Louisiana State is a regular road trip to Elvis Presley’s Memphis estate.

Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Local Community

The campus is located on the banks of the Mississippi River, in Baton Rouge. Baton Rouge is a port city with more than 600,000 people in the metropolitan area. Baton Rouge is one of the most populous locations in the state. The city is known for friendly people, excellent food, and great music. Baton Rouge is home to over 225,000 citizens. Visitors can tour a great deal of historical locations in the city, including Civil War arsenals, forts and barracks. The Baton Rouge Concert Band or Jazz Ensemble are always playing somewhere. And for the hungry or thirsty, George’s offers “the template” of Louisiana’s neighborhood restaurant and bar.