Sure, your diploma will have our name on it, but what will really mark you as a Ball State graduate is your confidence. Our curriculum is designed to give you the challenges and experiences you need to feel ready for anything—no matter what your major. And we've got a number of special programs that will help you make the most of every minute you spend here.
Ball State offers about 120 majors--including 12 preprofessional programs--but even though choosing a major is a major decision, don’t stress if you don’t have it all figured out the moment you step on campus. We offer the tools you need to explore your career opportunities.
The Honors College is a rigorous academic program. You’ll work closely with faculty in seminar-style courses and have unique opportunities for independent study, research, study abroad, and lectures from distinguished speakers. As a freshman, you’ll live and study together in an honors residence community. And as a senior, you’ll complete a capstone thesis or creative project. Each year, the college accepts about 350 new high-ability students who also benefit from priority registration and compete for the university’s most prestigious merit awards, the full-tuition Whitinger Scholarship. Honors students who don’t win a Whitinger immediately qualify for half-tuition Presidential Scholarships.
If you’re focused on the finish line and willing to give up a couple of summers, you may be able to earn your degree in just three years. Benefits include the savings of a year’s worth of college living expenses and increasing your lifetime earnings by one year’s salary. Check out if Degree in 3 is for you.
Part of being entrepreneurial is having the flexibility to understand and think about things from a number of perspectives. To give you that flexibility, Ball State’s University Core Curriculum provides a solid foundation in writing, mathematics, history, natural and social sciences, and the arts. The broad range of classes also gives you the opportunity to explore different disciplines before declaring a major without throwing off your graduation date.
Not sure how to start on that big paper? Go to the Learning Center. That problem from calculus keeping you up at night? Go to the Learning Center. Just want to make sure you’re making the most of your classroom and study time? Go to the Learning Center. Our internationally certified Learning Center offers coaching in specific courses, study strategies, and writing; group workshops in topics such as test preparation, math, and study skills; and study sessions for various Core Curriculum classes. It’s here to make you a better student.