Overview

In the Exploratory Studies program at South Dakota State University, students explore options by weighing pros and cons of majors and interest areas, and applying that knowledge to selecting a major.

Quick Facts:

Exploratory Studies is the most common program chosen by SDSU first-year students, and a good fit if you are unsure of your major and career focus.

Benefits of the academic and career success courses include:

Saving time and money by finding the right major early in your college career
Raising awareness of yet to be discovered majors and careers
Utilizing career research resources to make an informed major/career decision based on your interests
Selecting a major by the end of the first year at SDSU (on average, 80-90% of Exploratory Studies students declare a major by the end of their first year)
Experiencing greater overall satisfaction with your college experience by focusing on a holistic approach to success

Programme Structure

Exploratory Studies Course Tracks:

Education, Social Sciences, and Management (focusing on working with others)
Humanities, Fine Arts, and Design (developing and creating something meaningful)
Health Sciences (having a career that focuses on helping others)
Engineering, Technology, and Math (thinking in numbers and working with concrete resources)
Agriculture and Natural Sciences(working in a hands-on environment)

Key information

Duration

Full-time
- 48 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2026-08-24 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-06-15 00:00:00 , International
Starting 2027-01-11 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-11-01 00:00:00 , International

More details

National: SDSU accepts applications on a rolling admissions timeline.

Language

English

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IELTS

5.5

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Credits

120 SCH

Delivered

On Campus

Campus Location

Brookings, United States

Disciplines

Education General Engineering & Technology Fine Arts View 458 other Bachelors in Fine Arts in United States

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Academic requirements

GPA

2.6

English requirements

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TOEFL^® IBT

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PTE Academic

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IELTS

5.5

Prepare for Your English Test

Cathoven AI IELTS Preparation

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AI-powered IELTS feedback. Clear, actionable, and tailored to boost your writing & speaking score. No credit card or upfront payment required.

Trusted by 300k learners
98 accuracy using real exam data
4.9/5 student rating

Other requirements

General requirements

For admission to SDSU, we look for one of the following academic achievements:

An ACT composite score or ACT superscore of 18 or SAT Math and Reading/Writing subscore total of 970 or
Level 3 or higher on Math and English Language Arts Smarter Balance Assessment or
A high school cumulative GPA of 2.6 or higher or
A ranking in the top 60 percent of graduating class.

Students should also complete the following core courses with a “C” average or above:

4 years of English (or ACT English subscore of 18 or above).
3 years of advanced math—Algebra I and higher (or ACT math subscore of 20).
3 years of laboratory science (or ACT science reasoning subscore of 17).
3 years of social science (or ACT reading subscore of 17).
1 year of fine arts (or AP Fine Arts score of 3 or above) Includes vocal, instrumental and studio arts.

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees are shown in and the most likely applicable fee is shown based on your nationality.

International Applies to you

Applies to you

Non-residents

11610 USD / year

≈ 11610 USD / year
Out-of-State

11610 USD / year

≈ 11610 USD / year
Domestic

Applies to you

In-State

8010 USD / year

≈ 8010 USD / year

Additional Details

Minnesota Resident: $312.25 per credit.

Living costs

Brookings

United States

1085 - 1888 USD / month

The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.

Funding

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Scholarships Information

Below you will find Bachelor's scholarship opportunities for Exploratory Studies.

Available Scholarships

You are eligible to apply for these scholarships but a selection process will still be applied by the provider.

About

Overview

Quick Facts:

Programme Structure

Key information

Duration

Start dates & application deadlines

Language

Prepare for Your English Test

Credits

Delivered

Campus Location

Disciplines

What students do after studying

Academic requirements

English requirements

Prepare for Your English Test

Other requirements

General requirements

Tuition Fees

International Applies to you

Domestic

Additional Details

Living costs

Brookings

Funding

Need help with your student visa?

Scholarships Information

Available Scholarships

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