Kansas's largest western university offering exceptional academics at 50% below national average tuition.
FHSU comprises five colleges: Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences; Business and Entrepreneurship; Education; Health and Behavioral Sciences; and Science, Technology and Mathematics. Together they house 31 departments offering more than 60 undergraduate majors and 20 graduate programs. The university maintains a 17:1 student-faculty ratio and reports a 96% job or graduate school placement rate. The Docking Institute of Public Affairs conducts research in survey methodology, public policy, strategic planning, and community development.
The 200-acre main campus sits on the former Fort Hays military reservation and features over 40 limestone-faced buildings. Big Creek, a tributary of the Kansas River, winds through campus and serves as a natural laboratory for biology students. The Sternberg Museum of Natural History is a major attraction, housing over 100,000 square feet of fossil displays and 3.7 million specimens spanning paleontology, geology, history, archaeology, and natural sciences. Student life includes 18 intercollegiate varsity sports, student organizations, and the annual Oktoberfest celebration honoring the region's Volga German heritage.
FHSU markets itself as 'the best value in higher education,' with tuition more than 50% below the national average for most students. The university awards $59 million in financial aid annually and offers extensive online education options with over 200 degree and certificate programs. Career Development services begin on day one, creating four-year career plans to prepare students for immediate employment or further education upon graduation.
Fort Hays State competes in NCAA Division II, primarily in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) with 18 varsity sports. The Tigers have won eight national championships: men's basketball (1984, 1985 NAIA; 1996 NCAA Division II with a 34–0 record), women's basketball (1991 NAIA), and men's cross country (1963, 1965, 1968, 1969 NAIA). The baseball team was NCAA Division II runner-up in 2000.