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University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
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University of Minnesota - Twin Cities - Academics - Academics - College ProwlerCollege Prowler3.85

Academics

B+
Where does this grade come from?View all Academics rankingsReview this school to add your opinion

Comparable Schools' Academics Grades:

Quick Stats

Student-Faculty Ratio 21:1
Full-Time Student Population 38,094
Part-Time Student Population 13,565
Full-Time Instructional Faculty 1,834
Part-Time Instructional Faculty 937
Total FT Faculty 4,097
Faculty with Terminal Degree 81%
Average Faculty Salary $92,387
Full-Time Retention Rate 89%
Part-Time Retention Rate 60%
Graduation Rate 70%
Programs/Majors Offered 251
Average Course Load 14-16 credits
Academic/Career Counseling? Yes
Remedial Services? Yes
Class Sizes
  • Fewer than 20 students: 38%
  • 20 to 49 students: 43%
  • 50 or more students: 19%

Student Author OverviewWhat's This?

The University of Minnesota is known for its good academic standing. With more than 130 undergrad majors and minors to choose from, students tend to find their niche. The U of M also offers an option for students to design their own major if the two choices are in two different colleges. ICP (Inter-College Program) allows for students to concentrate on one major for two to three years and then onto the next. The College of Liberal Arts is the biggest college at U of M, while the most difficult majors seem to be the engineering ones. The most common major for students entering the U is "undecided, " which is why U offers classes in career exploration. One of the most common academic majors is psychology. Another viable option that many students take advantage of is the study abroad or national exchange programs. There are many options to study in other places, with substantial financial aid available and flexible class schedules, too. Other students like to research or do internships with various opportunities available on campus and in the surrounding area.

The most common problem that students encounter is the class sizes. A lot of the popular introductory courses are in big lecture halls with between 100 and 400 students. Therefore, it is obviously difficult for the instructor to provide individual attention to all, but such classes tend to have a recitation/lab component with a TA. This is a good place to address any concerns and questions. The classes get more personal as one advances in his or her major classes. Grading is at the discretion of the TA, so sometimes it can be unfair based on who grades the assignments. The professors can be reached via email or in person during their office hours. Overall, professors and TAs are highly educational contributors to the community and willing to help students learn.

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UMN Student ReviewsWhat's This?

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Academics at University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

lane0334

Biochemistry and Molecular Biology '15

3.8
B+

Good Academics

I think the University of Minnesota has pretty good academics. Many different options for majors and many different class options. Professors are generally good, but intro classes might kill you if you are not careful. There are lots of job and research opportunities if you look in pretty much any area of interest. Workload depends on the class. I am a biochemistry major so I take a lot of science classes which tend to have a heavy workload associated with them (labs, lecture, discussion, reading, reading, reading) but thats probably the same at any school.

May 19, 2012

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Academics at University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

AwesomeRAWR

Microbiology '15

4.6
A

Very Many Choices

The number of classes available is staggering and they are scheduled so it is easy to fit as many classes as possible into your schedule. I have a friend who is triple majoring with two minors, taking 26 credits a semester, and he has had no problems finding classes to fit into his schedule.

May 18, 2012

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Academics at University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Niklas1993

Kinesiology and Exercise Science '15

4.6
A

School

Great major with allot of support from advisor and teacher. Facilities are great.

Mar 21, 2012

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User rating for University of Minnesota - Twin Cities - Academics is 4.6 out of 5 based on 80 user reviews.

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University of Minnesota - Twin Cities - Carlson School of ManagementCarlson School of Management
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Student Survey Poll ResultsWhat's This?

Rate your school’s professors on the following topics

Rate your school’s academic environment on the following topics

Facts

Instructional Programs Occupational: No
Academic: Yes
Continuing Professional: Yes
Recreational/Avocational: Yes
Adult Basic Remedial: No
Secondary (High School): No
Special Credit Opportunities Advanced Placement (AP) Credits: Yes
Dual Credit: Yes
Life Experience Credits: Yes
AP Test Score Requirements Possible credit for scores of 3, 4, or 5
IB Test Score Requirements Credit only for scores of 5, 6, or 7
Undergraduate Schools/Divisions
  • Carlson School of Management
  • Center for Allied Health Programs
  • College of Biological Sciences
  • College of Design
  • College of Education + Human Development (CE+HD)
  • College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences (CFANS)
  • College of Liberal Arts
  • College of Pharmacy
  • College of Science & Engineering
  • College of Veterinary Medicine
  • Humphrey School of Public Affairs
  • School of Dentistry
  • School of Nursing
  • School of Public Health
Degrees Awarded
  • Bachelor's degree
  • Certificate
  • Doctorate - Professional practice
  • Doctorate - Research/scholarship
  • Master's degree
  • Post-bachelor's certificate
  • Post-master's certificate
Most Popular Majors
  • Business Administration and Management: 3%
  • Journalism: 1%
  • Psychology: 1%
  • Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods, Other: 1%
Graduation Requirements
  • Arts/fine arts
  • English (including composition)
  • Foreign languages
  • History
  • Humanities
  • Mathematics
  • Sciences (biological or physical)
  • Social science
Special Study Options
  • Distance learning opportunities
  • Study abroad
  • Teacher certification (below the postsecondary level)
  • Weekend/evening college
Other Academic Offerings
  • Accelerated program
  • Cooperative education program
  • Cross-registration
  • Double major
  • Dual enrollment
  • English as a Second Language (ESL)
  • Exchange student program (domestic)
  • External degree program
  • Honors program
  • Independent study
  • Internships
  • Liberal arts/career combination
  • Student-designed major
Best Places to Study
  • The “Grassy Knoll," the mall area across from Coffman
  • Coffee shops
  • Coffman Student Union (multiple floors with study areas)
  • Libraries
  • Northrop Mall
  • The riverside frats, grassy area by the river
  • Science Teaching & Student Services (STSS) Building
  • Study lounges in dorms

Online Courses

The College of Continuing Education offers online alternatives to many popular classes, such as microeconomics and Shakespeare. Some online courses such as "Sleep Eat & Exercise" and "Alcohol & College Life" are introductory-level classes offered by the public health program, intended to help freshmen and sophomores cope through college pressure in the healthiest ways possible. The online classes are subject to either be self-paced (about nine months) or have scheduled deadlines (lasting only a semester). The teachers and TAs of online classes provide their contact information and hold office hours for students, if need be. Otherwise, they are always available to answer any concerns over email.

Did You Know? The University of Minnesota is credited with inventions and tech advances such as: Haralson apple in 1922, Wangensteen suction tube in 1931, "Black Box" flight recorder in 1953, first open heart surgery and bone marrow transplant 1966–1968, Honeycrisp apple in 1991, whole organ decellularization (a beating heart was made from the stem cells of one's own body) in 2008.

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Most Recent Student Author View all

Name
Vishakha Mathur
Hometown
New Delhi, India
Major
Communication Studies
Grad Year
2014

College Prowler is seeking talented student authors to assist with writing and updating the College Prowler guides to their schools. This is a great opportunity for a student to gain experience and tremendous exposure, utilize new media techniques, and share advice with high school students about what life is really like at your college.

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How do we get our information? Find out here or report an error here. The statistics on our site are from the National Center for Education Statistics IPEDS database.
We update this information twice annually, most recently in May 2012, but it may not be the most recent information available for a particular school.
For additional information we encourage you to visit school websites or contact the schools directly.