Bemidji State University

Bemidji State University, located amid the lakes and forests of northern Minnesota, occupies a wooded campus along the shores of Lake Bemidji.

Enrolling more than 5,100 students, Bemidji State offers more than 80 undergraduate majors and eight graduate degrees encompassing arts, sciences and select professional programs. BSU is a member of the Minnesota State system of colleges and universities and has a faculty and staff of more than 550. The university’s Shared Fundamental Values include environmental stewardship, civic engagement and international and multicultural understanding.

The Bemidji State campus balances rigorous academia with the opportunity to enjoy a fun, robust outdoor culture. The proximity to the lake and the surrounding north woods allows easy access to an assortment of recreation, including kayaking, boating, paddleboarding, hunting, hiking, foraging, skiing, fishing, ice fishing, snowboarding and more.Bemidji state students, faculty and staff have the luxury of enjoying a four-season year with the major campus facilities connected by all-season underground passages for safe and warm travel to and from classes during the cold, winter months.

We create an innovative, interdisciplinary and highly accessible learning environment committed to student success and a sustainable future for our communities, state and planet. Through the transformative power of the liberal arts, education in the professions, and robust engagement of our students, we instill and promote service to others, preservation of the earth, and respect and appreciation for the diverse peoples of our region and world.

BSU faculty and students are out in the world, performing innovative field work and research, publishing in nationally reviewed journals, and sharing their findings with peers and colleagues across the country.

Our undergraduates present research at statewide conferences and spend summers studying the biodiversity of different regions throughout the U.S. Graduate students dedicate much of their time to independent research in their own fields and deliver oral defenses of their work before achieving their degrees.BSU’s faculty boasts an impressive roster of presentations and publications on topics that range from mental health in Native American communities and food security in the developing world to American youth movements in the 19th century and culturally responsive mathematics.Our academic specialties are as diverse and vibrant as our campus community. Explore our collected work to learn more about research at BSU.

The School of Graduate Studies at Bemidji State University offers a variety of professionally oriented graduate programs, as well as research and field work opportunities, especially designed to meet the needs and schedules of career-focused students.In addition to traditional, on-campus programs, we offer several online degree and certificate options to help students with jobs, families and other obligations complete their coursework on their own time.

Bemidji is a special place and our environment is a big part of who we are. We work hard to preserve and protect it.With the Sustainability Office leading the way, we’ve been named one of America’s greenest colleges and universities by The Princeton Review. As part of our institutional commitment to environmental stewardship, our entire community is dedicated to keeping our campus and our environment pristine. Bemidji State University’s mission for sustainability is to promote awareness and instill passion for the Earth through research, projects, and leadership. At BSU, there is a unique understanding of and commitment to sustainability that emphasizes personal wellness along with social equity, economic feasibility and environmental responsibility. The Bemidji State sustainability mission and perspective has been greatly influenced by the Ojibwe culture, recognizing the symbiotic relationship between Earth and humanity.

While our name and curriculum have changed through the years, our primary focus has not: Bemidji State University serves the people of its region and state.From its inception, BSU’s first responsibility has been to provide quality educational opportunities to the citizens of northern Minnesota. Over the decades we have attracted more and more students from around the region, the country and the world. Recognizing the importance of global education, the university encourages international students to study and live at BSU as we increase student opportunities to study and live abroad. And as we expand our online course offerings, we are able to serve more students living and working outside the area as they strive to secure a brighter future for themselves and their families.

In response to a growing need for public school teachers, the school was chartered by the Minnesota State Legislature, and teacher training was its primary curriculum. Bemidji Normal became Bemidji State Teachers College and began offering a four-year degree in 1921.Reflecting ongoing changes in the curriculum, the school was renamed Bemidji State College in 1957. In 1975, in recognition of its growing role as a multi-purpose educational institution, it became Bemidji State University.BSU now hosts more than 5,000 undergraduate and graduate students. We offer baccalaureate degrees in a wide range of fields, master degrees in the arts and sciences and a variety of online learning options. Several of our degree programs and research activities are unique in the state.