Northern Michigan University was founded in 1899 as Northern State Normal School. And in 1963, under a state constitution, Northern, like all public institutions in Michigan, was granted university status and an autonomous Board of Trustees.

Northern's campus houses a university theater, an award-winning library, a university center, two art galleries, and a three-structure sports and recreation complex of which one is the Superior Dome, the world's largest wooden dome.

Recognized for providing outstanding personal attention, more than 80 percent of NMU's 300-plus faculty members have doctorates or the highest degree in their fields, and a hallmark of the NMU experience is that full-time faculty members teach at all levels. Northern is also one of three universities in the state of Michigan to serve a community college role for its region.

Among NMU's highly recognized programs are its Student Leader Fellowship Program (SLFP); First Year Experience (FYE) program; Honors Program; Freshman Fellows, a program that pairs incoming freshmen with faculty members for collaborative research; and its outstanding study abroad program.

Online Learning
Northern Michigan University offers online learning. This type of learning is much more convenient for busy people than on campus. With it you can easily earn a degree and advance in your career. Our tradition of high-quality academics and outstanding personal attention to students doesn’t just happen on campus. Study with Northern from afar or supplement your on-campus studies by letting NMU come to you.

Northern Michigan University has a growing list of online and hybrid (part online, part on-campus) programs and courses – each semester, NMU offers dozens of courses online from its departments.

All NMU online courses are taught through WebCT, which is a course management system. WebCT is software that allows educational institutions to create and host courses on the Internet.

Accreditation
Northern Michigan University is accredited by the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education of the North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools.

Financial Aid
Northern Michigan University offers Financial Aid for eligible students. The financial need is calculated by subtracting the expected family contribution from the total cost of your education. We are prepared to assist you in meeting your financial need by awarding grants, scholarships, employment or low-interest loans.