Stephen F. Austin State University was founded in 1923 as a teacher’s college and received university status in 1969. It is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. The university identifies its mission as “to provide students a foundation for success, a passion for learning and a commitment to responsible global citizenship in a community dedicated to reaching, research, creativity and service.” It is classed as a Master’s College and University I by the Carnegie Institute.
Stephen F Austin State University
Academics
Stephen F. Austin State University has academic programs at both the undergraduate and graduate level. There are 7 colleges: the College of Applied Arts and Sciences, the College of Business, the College of Education, the College of Fine Arts, the College of Forestry and Agriculture, the College of Liberal Arts, and the College of Sciences and Mathematics.
Bachelor’s degrees are offered in a variety of fields within the various academic colleges. Degrees at the bachelor’s level can be received in such areas as accounting, animal science, art history, communications, criminal justice, dance, English, economics, forestry, geography, geology, interior design, kinesiology, management, mathematics, nursing, physics, public administration, social work, Spanish, and theatre.
Graduate programs are offered in approximately 40 areas. These include master’s level programs in accountancy, art, counseling, English, forestry, business, music, education, social work, chemistry, and spatial science. Doctoral degrees are offered in educational leadership and in forestry.
Most Popular Fields of Study
The top 5 fields of study completed at Stephen F Austin State University.
Stephen F. Austin State University has an undergraduate Honors Program. Students who seek admission to the Honors Program as freshmen need to meet the following requirements: SAT score of 1220 (Act of 27) and a 3.0 GPA. Once admitted to the Honors Program, students will be able to take small classes, register early, have the option of living in a quiet dorm with large rooms, participate in extracurricular activities with other Honors students, and use the computers in the Honors Suite.
The College of Liberal Arts sponsors an International Studies Program, with 4 required courses and a choice of electives for student who wish either a major or a minor. The American English Language Institute helps international students with academic English, conversational English, and the cultural transitions.
Distance education programs are offered in some areas of education, biotechnology, environmental science, resource interpretation, and in two degree completion programs. Courses are offered on-line; a few are provided by interactive video.
Stephen F Austin State University
Admissions
Stephen F. Austin State University encourages undergraduates to appply during their senior year of high school, as early as September. The application fee is $25. Applications can be submitted on-line. Students who are enrolled in high school at the time of application will need to have their official final high school transcripts sent after graduation to the Admissions Office.
As part of their application, students should submit high school transcripts and ACT or SAT test scores. Students should have completed the Recommended High School Program courses as follows: 4 units of English, 3 units of mathematics, 3½ units of history and social studies, 3 units of science, 2 units of a foreign language, ½ unit of economics, 1½ units of physical education and ½ unit of health education, 1 unit of fine arts, ½ unit of speech, 1 unit of technology applications, and 3½ units of electives. Students in the top 25 % of their class are admitted with no minimum SAT or ACT requirements; students in the next 25 % must have an SAT of 850 or an ACT of 28. Students in the bottom quarter of their class must have an SAT score of 1250 for admission.
Transfer students and international students will have varying requirements depending upon their prior educational background.
Students applying to the graduate programs at Stephen F. Austin State University should consult the individual department and/or school to which they are applying for specific application material requirements and program deadlines. Applications can be submitted on-line, and the application fee is $25. General requirements include the GRE or other appropriate test scores (such as the GMAT) and a bachelor’s degree with a grade point average of 2.5.
Financial Aid
Tuition at Stephen F. Austin State University is $4,718 per year for the 2005-2006 academic year for in-state, undergraduate students attending full-time (15 hours). Students applying from out of state and graduate students have higher costs. Students from Arkansas and Louisiana pay reduced out-of-state tuition.
Financial aid is available in the form of grants, scholarships, and loans. Work-study programs are also available for eligible students. Students who seek financial aid will need to fill out the Federal Student Financial Aid Form, available on-line. There are a number of academic and departmental scholarships available; students who graduate in the top quarter of their class are automatically awarded the Academic Excellence Scholarship.
Graduate students may also receive financial aid in the form of teaching or research assistantships, including a stipend and a waiver of some or all of the tuition and other fees. Graduate students should consult with their individual department about what sort of assistantships or fellowships are available and about the details of the application process.
Student Financial Aid Details
How many students use Financial Aid, and how much do they use?
Stephen F Austin State University 1663rd for the average student loan amount.
Secrets to getting the best Texas scholarships and financial aid
Student life at Stephen F. Austin State University includes opportunities in a diverse range of activities and organizations. There are fraternities and sororities, academic and professional groups, religious organizations, cultural organizations, political groups, and special interest groups such as the Aikido Club, the Writers’ guild, and Students for Environmental Awareness. There are also student publications and intramural sports.
The College of Fine Arts has gallery shows and exhibits. There are a number of musical ensembles on campus, including bands, madrigal singers, and a chamber orchestra. 4-5 plays a year are put on by the Theatre Department.
Some of the traditional events that occur annually on campus are Homecoming, tailgate parties at football games, the Watermelon Bash, and SpringFest. The campus is also home to a 19 acre arboretum.
Student Enrollment Demographics
How many students are enrolled at Stephen F Austin State University?
Stephen F. Austin State University is an NCAA Division I School. Teams compete in the Southland Conference. Men’s sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, and track & field. Women’s sports include basketball, cross country, equestrian, soccer, softball, tennis, track & field, and volleyball. The sports teams are supported by a spirit squad, which includes a co-educational cheerleading squad, an all-women’s squad, and a pom squad. The team nick-name is the Lumberjacks (women are the Lady Jacks).
Athletic facilities at Stephen F. Austin State University include a coliseum and a stadium, in which new artificial turf was installed in 2005.
One of the school traditions is the annual football contest between Stephen F. Austin University and Northwest State University of Louisiana, in which the winner gets the 7½ foot wooden statue of Chief Caddo, a legendary Indian chief.
Athletes participate in the NCAACHAMPS/ Life Skills Program, which assists students with transitions to a post-college non-athletic career and encourages community service.
Local Community
Stephen F. Austin State University is located in Nacogdoches, Texas, which has a population of approximately 29,000, and is in the hilly and forested country of East Texas. Near-by attractions include a reconstructed historical village, an 8 acre azalea garden, trails, a history museum, and a nearby lake for fishing.
Campus Crime Statistics
Ranks 60th in Texas and
478th overall
on StateUniversity.com‘s Safe School Index
Feel free to add comments or additional information regarding Stephen F Austin State University, or discuss this school in the University Discussion Forum
over 1 year agoBrittnee brittneejanae87 ((at)) yahoo dot com
I graduated from Stephen F. Austin with a degree in special education in December of 2009. While I was a student, I loved my education experience. My professors knew my name and were genuinely caring and helpful. In addition to an awesome learning experience, I really enjoyed the student services offered on campus, especially the 30ft climbing rock in the rec center. Looking back on my time at SFA, I can't imagine myself graduating from any place else.
over 2 years agoCraig Bruce
The comment below is made about a program online. This in no way should deter someone from actually attending SFA. SFA has one of the greatest Education programs in the state of Texas and the student to faculty ratio (20:1) allows for personalized help whenever you may need it. You can walk into the office of the professor and they will being willing to help you at any time, leading to the direct success of all students at SFA.
almost 3 years agoChaim Goldberg
I attended the PBIC Elementary Education Program online and was very disappointed. Many of the professor websites had broken links, were not maintained from year to years and navigation was difficult. In addition, most of the professor would not answer emails on a timely basis. I had a few that refused to answer emails at all. Despite these obstacles I maintained 3.2 to 3.8 GPA during the program. I knew a few students who did not do very well in this unstructured program and seeked help from the professors to no avail. I would rate this program very very poorly. It was extremely evident that there was a lack of planning on the professors part in many cases as well as disorganization amongst the department as a whole. I have diffuculty understanding how they passed this program by the accredidation bureau and the TEA. I would highly advise choosing another university over Stephen F. Austin, especially look elsewhere if your ambitions are to become a good teacher.
This website and associated pages are not associated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Stephen F Austin State University. StateUniversity.com has no official or unofficial affiliation with Stephen F Austin State University.
brittneejanae87 ((at)) yahoo dot com
I graduated from Stephen F. Austin with a degree in special education in December of 2009. While I was a student, I loved my education experience. My professors knew my name and were genuinely caring and helpful. In addition to an awesome learning experience, I really enjoyed the student services offered on campus, especially the 30ft climbing rock in the rec center. Looking back on my time at SFA, I can't imagine myself graduating from any place else.