We’re in the heart of the Mid-South with roots in the rich cultural mix of the Delta. We honor our past while looking to the future. We enjoy our central location but look to the world. We take pride in the diversity of our faculty, staff and students, while taking time to value each individual. We are a work in progress that’s been a century in the making.
Marking its first hundred years, Arkansas State University continues to expand in exciting ways. It’s growing to serve the region, state and nation – with a global perspective. By providing a solid educational base, the university prepares students for leadership as professionals and in their communities.
Academics
Master's degree graduate programs were initiated in 1955, and ASU began offering its first doctoral degree, in educational leadership, in the fall of 1992. A second doctoral program, in environmental science, was begun in the fall of 1997, and the doctoral program in heritage studies began in the fall of 2001. Newer doctoral programs are in environmental science, molecular biosciences, and physical therapy. In the fall of 2016, Arkansas State enrolled the first class of approximately 115 students to its branch of the New York Institute of Technology's medical school. The medical school is located on campus in the historic Wilson Hall.
In 2018, Arkansas State was classified among Doctoral Universities – High research activity". The university nevertheless maintains a focus on undergraduate instruction and small class sizes, with a student-faculty ratio of 16:1, ranked #76 in undergraduate teaching nationwide as of 2020.
