Motto | Per Scientam ad Excellentiam |
---|---|
Motto in English
|
Through Knowledge to Excellence |
Type | Public liberal arts |
Established | 1922 |
President | Suzanne Shipley |
Provost | Betty Stewart |
Students | 6,043 |
Undergraduates | 5,287 |
Postgraduates | 756 |
Location |
Wichita Falls, Texas, U.S. 33°52′26″N 98°31′16″W / 33.87389°N 98.52111°WCoordinates: 33°52′26″N 98°31′16″W / 33.87389°N 98.52111°W |
Colors | Maroon and Gold |
Athletics | NCAA Division II – Lone Star |
Nickname | Mustangs |
Mascot | Maverick the Mustang |
Affiliations |
CPLAC FNTAU AACU |
Website | www |
Midwestern State University is a public liberal arts college in Wichita Falls, Texas and a member of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges. In 2015, it had over 6,000 students. Midwestern is one of four independent public universities in Texas unaffiliated with a state public university system. It is the state's only public liberal arts college.
Founded in 1922 as Wichita Falls Junior College, it was renamed Hardin Junior College in 1937 when it moved to its present location off Taft Boulevard. In 1946, a senior division was added and it was renamed Hardin College. In January 1950, the name changed to Midwestern University, the junior college division remaining Hardin Junior College. In these years, wider recognition came to the school. In March 1948, the University became a member of the Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools. In January 1959, the University added a Graduate School which received full approval from the State Board of Education in August of that year.
A further change in the school's status came September 1, 1961, when by action of the 56th session of the Texas State Legislature, Midwestern University became part of the Texas Colleges and Universities System and the junior college division was dissolved. In 1975, the Texas Legislature changed the name to Midwestern State University.
From its beginnings as a municipal junior college housed in a high school building, Midwestern has become a state university whose campus of 255 acres and 70 buildings offers a wide variety of academic programs in liberal and fine arts, mathematics, sciences, business, and applied sciences.
On March 9, 2015, the university announced that Suzanne Shipley was selected to become its next president, following Jesse Rogers' retirement after 48 years of service to the school.
Midwestern State University is organized into seven colleges with 16 undergraduate programs offering 43 majors and 30 minors, and 9 graduate programs offering 28 majors and 15 minors.
MSU is the only university in Texas with membership in the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges and was the first public university in Texas to establish a core curriculum. The university is also a member of the Association of American Colleges and Universities and the Association for Core Texts and Courses.