University of Minnesota Duluth

Course Description

On April 2, 1895 Minnesota Governor David. M. Clough signed legislation approving the creation of the State Normal School at Duluth. Eight years later, in 1903, seven women graduated with teaching degrees. In 1921, the Normal School became the Duluth State Teacher’s College and in 1947, the Teacher's College was named the Duluth Branch of the University of Minnesota. Today, the University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD) is a mid-sized comprehensive regional university that offers students a supportive atmosphere and access to the resources of the larger University of Minnesota system. UMD’s stellar teaching and research have earned UMD high rankings in U.S. News and World Report's America's Best Colleges issue. UMD often attracts students looking for a personalized learning experience on a medium-sized campus of a major university. UMD offers more than 93 undergraduate and post-baccalaureate degree programs in more than 20 different fields within its colleges: College of Arts, Humanities, & Social Sciences, College of Education & Human Service Professions, Labovitz School of Business & Economics, and the Swenson College of Science & Engineering. UMD’s business programs are AACSB Accredited (The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business) and the following engineering degree programs at UMD are accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET: Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering, Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering, Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering, Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering, and the Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering. The University of Minnesota Duluth campus is spread over 244 acres (~1 km²) and overlooks Lake Superior, the largest freshwater lake in the world. There are more than 50 buildings that are connected by concourses and hallways. Enrollment at UMD is approximately 9,500 undergraduate and 1,100 graduate students, including over 300 international students from over 40 countries. Living on the western shore of Lake Superior, UMD students get all the benefits of city life, while enjoying endless access to the great outdoors. Indeed, beyond academics, there are a number of seasonal and year-round activities that students may choose to explore and enjoy, including, but not limited to: athletics, sports, and recreational activities including sailing, skiing, rock climbing, hockey, soccer, and even surfing! UMD’s campus also has its own performing arts theater, art museum, music hall, and planetarium. Duluth’s city center is located roughly 3 miles (4.8 km) away from campus and is easily accessible by bus. The population of Duluth was 86,697 at the 2020 census, making it Minnesota's fifth-largest city. Duluth forms a metropolitan area with neighboring Superior, Wisconsin. The two cities are commonly called the Twin Ports. Duluth has a humid continental climate, slightly moderated by its proximity to Lake Superior. Winters are long, snowy, and very cold, normally seeing maximum temperatures remaining at or below 32 °F (0 °C) on 100 days, falling to or below 0 °F (?18 °C) on 38 nights and bringing consistent snow cover from late November to early April. Summers are warm, though nights are generally cool, with daytime temperatures averaging 78 °F (26 °C) in July, with that figure being a few degrees warmer inland. A tourist destination for the Midwest, Duluth has the nation's only all-freshwater aquarium, the Great Lakes Aquarium. Canal Park in Duluth is a district with recreation activities, restaurants, cafés, hotels, and shops, especially those dealing in antiques. A 2.6-mile (4.2 km) walking path offers views of Park Point's sand dunes and swimming beaches and the lighthouse pier. The path passes under the Aerial Lift Bridge, a vertical lift bridge spanning the Duluth Ship Canal into Duluth's harbor. The Duluth Lakewalk, expanded and improved beginning in the 1980s, is a seven-mile walking/biking path that begins in Canal Park and follows the lakeshore, crossing through Leif Erickson Park and the Duluth Rose Garden, and ending at the Bayfront Festival Park, an area with a covered pavilion where festivals, concerts, and other events are held. The premiere community art center in Duluth is the Duluth Art Institute, with galleries, a fiber studio and darkroom in the Depot downtown and ceramic and multi-purpose studios in the Lincoln Park neighborhood. A number of local art galleries are also located downtown and in Canal Park. The Duluth Public Library has three locations. Duluth is also home to a professional ballet company, the Minnesota Ballet. Duluth shares a symphony orchestra—the Duluth Superior Symphony Orchestra—with Superior, Wisconsin. In summer free concerts are often held in Chester Park, where local musicians play for crowds. The Bayfront Blues Festival is held in early August. Duluth is also home to several local theater companies, including The Duluth Playhouse, one of the oldest operating community theaters in the United States.

Why University of Minnesota Duluth

• Support: University of Minnesota Duluth’s International Student Services (ISS) is the office dedicated to serving UMD's international community. Their primary mission is to assist international students in successfully accomplishing their academic and personal goals.
• Network: Along with the great academic opportunities, University of Minnesota Duluth offers something for everyone. From exciting sports and outdoor activities, world-class speakers, 200+ student clubs to join, and much more.
• New Infrastructure: Nine new buildings have been added to University of Minnesota Duluth’s campus since 2000: the Kathryn A. Martin Library, James I. Swenson Building, Weber Music Hall, UMD Sports and HealthCenter Addition, Labovitz School of Business and Economics, James I. Swenson Civil Engineering Building, Bagley Classroom, Ianni Hall, and the Heikkila Chemistry and Advanced Materials Science Building.
• Accreditation: The University of Minnesota Duluth’s business programs are accredited by AACSB, while University of Minnesota Duluth’s engineering programs are accredited by ABET.
• Recreation: University of Minnesota Duluth’s location on the western shore of Lake Superior offers almost unlimited and unique outdoor recreation opportunities.