NDSCS History	About NDSCS home

1903 The North Dakota State College of Science was provided for in the Constitution of the State of North Dakota and began actual operation making it one of the oldest public junior colleges in the United States.
1905 The Arts and Science Division was the first division to be organized; the Business Division began operation in 1905.
1922 The first trade and technical programs were offered and since that time the College has become widely accepted by employers from North Dakota, the upper Midwest, and the entire United States.
Since 1922, NDSCS has followed the principles described in the “Babcock Plan” and in the “North Dakota Plan.” The plan of four interacting curriculum divisions was the result of a survey conducted in 1921 by Dean Earl J. Babcock of the school of Mines of the University of North Dakota. In 1922, the North Dakota State College of Science was named the central trade and technical institution for the state of North Dakota. Under the North Dakota Plan, all trade-technical training in the state was for many years centralized in this institution-a method which proved very satisfactory in a state with sparse population and where agriculture continues to be the primary industry.
Since 1922 when these plans became operative, the North Dakota State College of Science has provided practical, hands-on education for thousands of students who, upon graduation, became available to meet business, professional, and industrial needs.
1987 North Dakota State School of Science changed its name to North Dakota State College of Science.
1992 The North Dakota State College of Science converted from the quarter system to the semester system. This conversion was the result of a North Dakota University System initiative for all state colleges to operate under one system.
1997 Established the Skills and Technology Training Center (STTC) as a regional workforce training center located in Fargo, North Dakota.