School:University of North Dakota

Overview

Classified as a high research activity, doctoral/professional and engaged university by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, the University of North Dakota is a coeducational, state-supported institution which recorded an enrollment of 14,906 students in the fall of 2014. UND is located in Grand Forks, a city of 50,000 situated across the Red River from East Grand Forks, Minnesota, about 300 miles northwest of Minneapolis and 150 miles south of Winnipeg.

This university is characterized by a solid foundation in the liberal arts, a manageable size, high-quality students and faculty, a comprehensive curriculum, a widely recognized program of graduate education and research, law and medical schools praised for quality and innovation, rich cultural resources, and an outstanding record of alumni support.

The University’s undergraduate and graduate programs are offered in 239 fields of study through the College of Arts and Sciences (which includes a major division devoted to music, theater and art), Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences, College of Business and Public Administration, College of Engineering and Mines, College of Nursing and Professional Disciplines, College of Education and Human Development, School of Law, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, and School of Graduate Studies (offering the doctorate in 29 programs, the specialist’s degree in one program, and the master’s degree in 56 programs).

In the fall of 2014, about 37 percent of UND’s students were residents of North Dakota and about 34 percent were from Minnesota, with the remainder representing every other state, Canada, and about 50 other countries. Some 77 percent were enrolled in UND’s undergraduate programs. The University awarded 3,169 degrees in 2013-2014, including 1,987 undergraduate degrees, 772 master’s degrees, 104 doctoral degrees, 75 law degrees, 64 M.D. degrees, and 100 certificates.

The University had $99.1 million in total research and sponsored program expenditures in fiscal year 2014.

Faculty at the University number 822, with a total workforce of 2,789.

UND’s 548-acre campus, regarded as one of the most beautiful in the region, includes 243 buildings and more than 6.6 million square feet of space. Facilities include the Gorecki Alumni Center, the gateway to campus, the Wellness Center, and the Ralph Engelstad Arena, home of the University’s NCAA Division I ice hockey program. The Alerus Center, a 22,000-seat events and conference facility, joins such venues as the Fire Hall Theatre, Empire Arts Center, and North Dakota Museum of Art, as well as UND’s Chester Fritz Auditorium, Burtness Theatre, Hughes Fine Arts Center, and Hyslop Sports Center in bringing cultural, entertainment, and athletic programming to the community. New construction includes a four-story School of Medicine and Health Sciences, renovation and addition to the School of Law, and the Athletic High Performance Center.

Student Innovation and Entrepreneurship

The University of North Dakota was one of the first institutions in the nation to have a fully functioning School of Entrepreneurship. Within the SoE, there are 3 programs that students can major or minor in the SoE. These departments include Information Systems and Business Communications , Technology and Entrepreneurship.

ISBC

The Bachelor of Business Administration with a major in Information Systems is offered through the Department of Information Systems and Business Communication. This major offers broad preparation for a variety of information systems careers in corporate, government, and small business environments. Information Systems graduates attain careers as network administrators, database developers, information systems analysts, software programmers, technology consultants, computer support specialists, and a wide variety of emerging positions within the information systems and technology field. Positions range from entry-level information management systems positions, e.g., technical support, to those in senior management, e.g., Chief Information Officer (CIO).

Technology

The Graphic Design Technology program is an innovative, multidisciplinary major that integrates courses drawn from various academic departments. The major includes a significant business component—the Entrepreneurial Studies Certificate program—which is unique in comparison to all other graphic design programs in this region and most graphic design programs nationally. The Graphic Design Technology program combines theory and practice, and application and production in a liberal arts context giving students a solid university education. It provides students majoring in Graphic Design Technology with a diverse range of learning experiences and opportunities in a flexible, technology-rich environment.

Throughout this program students learn to plan, analyze, and create solutions to visual communication problems. They consider cognitive, cultural, physical, economic, political, psychological and social factors in planning and executing graphic designs appropriate for a given context. Students use a variety of print, electronic, and photographic media and technologies during the design process. The professional Graphic Design Technology program prepares students for an array of exciting careers in business, government, industry and education.

Entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship is a multidisciplinary program within the College of Business and Public Administration. This program will prepare students to design and launch their own ventures, regardless of mission (for profit, not-for-profit or social), or effectively serve existing organizations. Entrepreneurship courses and programs are offered to both business and non-business majors.

The Entrepreneurship Major is designed to help prepare students for effective new venture creation and management. Students majoring in Entrepreneurship will pursue in-depth study of the needs of new and emerging ventures and existing businesses, using an entrepreneurial focus. Additionally, Entrepreneurship majors are challenged to pursue development of their own business ideas and opportunities. While it is not expected that all students in the Entrepreneurship major will establish new ventures immediately upon graduation, there is reason to believe that eventually, many Entrepreneurship graduates will start their own businesses. There is also a three-course Entrepreneurship Track available to business students majoring in one of the other disciplines who would like to add an entrepreneurship emphasis to their educational experience.

The College also offers a sixteen-credit Entrepreneurship Certificate program for non-majors. This program will appear on student transcripts to provide official recognition for completion of this entrepreneurship educational experience. This course sequence will provide opportunities for non-business majors to learn about business and administrative functions and to provide career enhancement. Students will better understand how the business functions will play a role in their future endeavors and how they can succeed in these efforts.

Entrepreneurship students are encouraged to immerse themselves in the practice of entrepreneurship and build a large portfolio of entrepreneur experiences while enrolled in the program. The more engaged the student becomes with the program, the more success and growth is experienced. This experiential learning includes such activities as doing class projects involving innovation and venturing, networking with successful entrepreneurs, getting involved in student groups, or participating in special events like the Department’s own Entrepreneurship Challenge Business Plan Competition.

Center for Innovation

The Center for Innovation at the University of North Dakota was among the first entrepreneur outreach centers in the nation when formed in 1984.  The Center provides assistance to innovators, entrepreneurs, and researchers to launch new ventures, commercialize new technologies, and secure access to capital from private and public sources. 

The Center manages two tech incubators in the UND Tech Park, provides SBIR outreach to the state's tech community, helping more than 40 companies secure more than $30 M in SBIR awards, the top source for seed capital for tech entrepreneurs. Since 2006, the Center for Innovation Foundation has helped 160 angel investors in launching nine angel funds in North Dakota and northwest Minnesota. These funds have invested  in 43 ventures  which--with co-investment and syndication--have resulted in over $26 million of equity investing, an average investment of $600,000 per venture.  It is also home to the only fully student managed venture fund in the nation where students make the actual investment decisions, Dakota Venture Group. The Center has fostered over 670 startups, which employs more than 6000 people and have attracted over $140 M in investment.  The Center was named  the state’s first  Center for Excellence in Economic Development in 2003 while building the Ina Mae Rude Entrepreneur Center.

The Center for Innovation's vision and mission is to maintain national leadership in entrepreneur outreach and education, and become the leader in tech entrepreneurship in rural America. Our goals are to:

• Grow entrepreneur ventures
• Foster Innovation
• Secure access to entrepreneur capital
• Provide superb entrepreneur infrastructure
• Provide world-class entrepreneur education with the UND Entrepreneur Program 

Dakota Venture Group

The Dakota Venture Group (DVG) is a University of North Dakota student run venture capital investment fund. DVG is the first completely student run venture capital fund in the United States. DVG provides students the opportunity to conduct due diligence, make final investment decisions, and negotiate deal term structure.

DVG members represent a variety of academic disciplines and backgrounds, including accounting, finance, entrepreneurship, law, marketing, and engineering. By participating in Dakota Venture Group, UND students receive an unheard of opportunity for experiential learning in the field of venture capital and angel investing.

The investment strategy of DVG includes making investments in high-growth ventures started by entrepreneurs in the United States, with preference given to regional and student initiated ventures. All investments are made with the goal of fostering economic growth. Over the past few years more than 80 DVG student members have screened numerous companies and made multiple investments.

The Dakota Venture Group was established in September 2006 through a donation from the Dakota Foundation.

College of Engineering and Mines

The following undergraduate programs are offered:

• Chemical Engineering
• Civil Engineering
• Electrical Engineering
• Geology and Geological Engineering
• Mechanical Engineering
• Petroleum Engineering

All programs are ABET accredited (our new Petroleum Engineering program has not yet completed the accreditation process) and supported by dedicated faculty, small class sizes and well-equipped laboratories.