South Dakota State University (SDSU) and Northern State University (NSU) have joined forces in a unique partnership to enhance and enable curriculum offerings to students at both institutions. The partnership between SDSU and NSU is motivated by, and in response to, the need for community bankers to better understand the financial and banking services that are essential to South Dakota’s agricultural and agribusiness sector. By offering the courses that comprise SDSU’s agribusiness minor and NSU’s banking and financial services minor online, students at both institutions have the opportunity to graduate with significantly improved career preparation.
This initiative was made possible through the financial support of Dacotah Bank. The Dacotah Bank Scholars at each institution will lead the collaboration through curriculum development, recruitment and advising and engagement with industry. Nicole Klein, professor of agricultural marketing and farm and ranch management, is the SDSU Dacotah Bank Scholar in agricultural business. Joining her in the collaboration Todd Muehler and Robert Preston, assistant professors of banking and financial services, are the NSU Dacotah Scholars in banking and financial services.
The Dacotah Bank Scholars lead the collaboration and are responsible for its promotion, student recruitment and advising, industry engagement and course and curricula development. They will work with undergraduate and graduate students and faculty colleagues at SDSU and NSU, as appropriate, on case studies, consultancies, customized problem-solving investigations and research.
Banking and Financial Services Minor
SDSU students can receive a banking and financial services minor from NSU. The banking and financial services minor offers a broad understanding of the domestic and international financial services business and prepares students for careers as leaders in the global banking and financial services industry. SDSU students can complete the 18-credit Banking and Financial Services minor by taking four courses (all available online) beyond the SDSU Management Core.
Learn more about the Banking and Financial Services minor in the online catalog.
Agricultural Business Minor
NSU students can receive an agricultural business minor from SDSU. The agricultural business minor builds on a foundation of economic theory as it relates to South Dakota’s largest industry and prepares students for careers in production agriculture, rural banking, agribusiness, finance and marketing. NSU students can complete the 18-credit Agricultural Business minor by taking three agricultural economics courses (all available online) beyond the NSU core business classes.
Learn more about the Agricultural Business minor.