The Minnesota State System was created in 1991 by the Minnesota legislature. The then-existing organizations—Minnesota State University System, Community College System, and Technical College System were combined into a single system. A Central Office was formed in 1997 and the higher education institutions within the system began to operate through centralized direction. Minnesota State consists of 26 colleges and 7 universities with 54 campuses throughout the state.
The Central Office includes a number of System Office Divisions and Offices:
Credit for Prior Learning (CPL)—Academic credit can be awarded to students who successfully demonstrate college or university-level learning achieved through informal or experiential learning outside of the classroom. Advisors and many faculty play a role in helping students recognize and identify learning that might have potential for college-level assessment. While Minnesota State colleges and universities may have different guidelines and processes for granting credit for PLA, common approaches include:
Veterans Education Transfer System (VETS) shows how many academic credits an individual can receive for military occupations prior to admissions.
Concurrent (Dual) Enrollment—Students can complete college courses at their high school while fulfilling high school course requirements at the same time. To be eligible for either of the following programs, high school juniors must be in the upper one-third of their class or earn a score at or above the 70th percentile on a test such as the ACT or SAT. Seniors must be in the upper one-half of their class or earn a score at or above the 50th percentile on a test such as the ACT or SAT. Students who do not meet these requirements may be eligible if they meet other college readiness standards determined by the college or university. Students in 9th or 10th grade may be eligible to take PSEO or concurrent enrollment courses if they rank in the upper one-tenth of their class or attain a score at or above the 90th percentile on a nationally standardized, norm-referenced test, or if they have a favorable recommendation from designated high school officials. All high school students enrolling in PSEO or concurrent enrollment, regardless of grade level, must meet all college course prerequisites.
Career Planning Information: Adult Learners; International Students; LGBTQIA+ Students; Military Connected; People Impacted by the Justice System
Interactive Map of Campuses/Programs: https://www.minnstate.edu/campusesprograms/index.html