Contact: Joe Farris
MISSISSIPPI STATE--Mississippi State ranks among the top 15 in the nation in awarding bachelor's degrees in both engineering and education to African-Americans, according to Black Issues in Higher Education.
Based on the most current figures from 2004 published in the national magazine's June 2 edition, the university is 11th in awarding education degrees and 14th in engineering degrees at the baccalaureate level to African-Americans. The land-grant institution also ranks in the top 50 nationally in other fields: 25th in psychology, 32nd in business management and related areas, and 37th in mathematics and statistics.
In all disciplines combined, MSU is 48th among all institutions, including historically black institutions, and 28th among traditionally white universities.
The annual rankings published by Black Issues are based on U.S. Department of Education data.
The latest listing reflects bachelor's degrees given during the 2003-04 school year, when MSU awarded 448 to African-Americans, representing 17 percent of the total. The number was up from 392 during the previous year.
Mississippi State bachelor's degrees awarded to African-Americans in 2003-04 included 68 in education, 40 in engineering, 51 in psychology, 141 in business, and four in mathematics and statistics.
African-Americans make up about 18.5 percent of MSU's total enrollment.