In 1959, the Louisiana Legislature authorized the establishment of LSUA as a two-year commuter college under the governance of the LSU Board of Supervisors. LSUA registered its first students in September of 1960. The first degree program, an Associate in Nursing degree, was initiated in the Division of Nursing in 1964.
The additional academic divisions of Liberal Arts, Business Administration, and Sciences were created in 1967. In 1974, LSUA was accredited by the Commission on 吃瓜直播s of the Southern Association of 吃瓜直播s and Schools (SACSCOC) to award associate degrees. This accreditation was reaffirmed in 1984, 1994, and 2004.
Only one associate degree was available at LSUA from 1964 to March 1986, when the Associate of Arts and Associate of Science transfer degrees were approved. Over the next 15 years, several associate degree and certificate programs were added that the university continues to offer including:
From 1976 through Spring 2003, Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical 吃瓜直播 offered the upper-level course work for select bachelor's degree programs on the LSUA campus through a program known as LSU Senior 吃瓜直播. Initially, the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Bachelor of General Studies were offered. The Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education was added in 1982-83.
ALEXANDRIA, LA - LSUA Chancellor Paul Coreil announced the development of a new Center for Technology Innovation that will provide hands-on cybersecurity training designed to equip graduates entering the central Louisiana workforce with specialized, in-demand technology skills. The State of Louisiana, with the support of the central Louisiana legislative delegation, provided initial funding for the 鈥淭echnovation Center鈥� project with a $561,000 Louisiana Economic Development award supporting workforce development in the state鈥檚 rapidly expanding tech sector.
鈥淲e are committed to growing and diversifying our economy by giving Louisianans the skills they need to get good-paying jobs,鈥� Gov. John Bel Edwards said. 鈥淟SUA and our other higher education institutions are building a talent pipeline for Louisiana鈥檚 expanding cybersecurity industry, and I want to encourage the people of Louisiana to take advantage of these workforce training opportunities.鈥�
Cybersecurity is a significant component of the 鈥淪cholarship First鈥� agenda developed and implemented by LSU System President Dr. William F. Tate IV. LSUA has embraced this priority to address the critical workforce demands of the digital economy. A key focus of the center will be a new cybersecurity lab environment offering real-time threat mitigation training, preparing graduates for full-time job placements at top-tier information security businesses across the region.
鈥淭he support of the state and this important LED program will significantly enhance our ability to further develop cybersecurity and advanced technology training so critically needed in the Central Region,鈥� Dr. Coreil said. 鈥淥ur goal is to provide the business community with well-trained cybersecurity graduates ready to meet the workforce demands that continue to grow across the region.鈥�
Additional academic programs supported by the Technovation Center will include:
Computer Science 鈥� training in systems and networks, database design and management, software engineering, and bioinformatics.
Professional Aviation 鈥� preparing students for certification as commercial pilots, to address the nation鈥檚 critical pilot shortage directly impacting Alexandria鈥檚 airport.
Unmanned Aircraft 鈥� preparing students for Unmanned Aerial Vehicle pilot certification, which will support economic development across various sectors including agriculture, forestry, insurance, and law enforcement.
LSUA also plans to utilize the Technovation Center for co-curricular programming and events for education, business, and government collaborators. Programming will include drone (unmanned aircraft) training and competitions at an on-campus drone park, robotics competitions, and access to the cybersecurity range and digital communication lab.
LSUA is developing the Technovation Center and supporting its other innovation initiatives through industry partnerships, including Ingalls Information Security for cybersecurity; the Rapides Parish School Board for robotics; the U.S. Department of Defense for the STARBASE program at Fort Polk; Louisiana State Police and the LSU AgCenter - Dean Lee Research & Extension Center for unmanned aerial vehicles; RoyOMartin for accounting and data analytics; and England Airpark for aviation management.
鈥淜eeping up with advances in technology is critical to Louisiana鈥檚 success,鈥� said Sen. Glen Womack, who was instrumental in building legislative awareness and support for the center. 鈥淲ith the financial investment from the State and the leadership of Louisiana Economic Development, LSUA鈥檚 Technology Innovation Center will position central Louisiana as a leader in educating our workforce in cybersecurity and other innovative technologies.鈥�
鈥淲e appreciate LED Secretary Don Pierson鈥檚 leadership and understanding of the need for innovation and this commitment to cybersecurity workforce training in the Central Region,鈥� Coreil added. 鈥淟SUA looks forward to continuing our LED partnership, which is equally beneficial to our students and Louisiana businesses that face ever-changing cyber threats.鈥�
About LED
Louisiana Economic Development is responsible for strengthening the state鈥檚 business environment and creating a more vibrant economy. It is the only state agency in the U.S. accredited by the International Economic Development Council, boasting like LED FastStart, rated the No. 1 customized workforce training program in the U.S. 13 years in a row. In , LED attracted 64 new economic development projects representing over 18,100 new direct and indirect jobs, 9,700 retained jobs, and more than $20.5 billion in new capital investment. Explore how LED cultivates jobs and economic opportunity for the people of Louisiana and employers of all sizes at .
On June 5, 2001, following approval by the Louisiana State University Board of Supervisors and the Louisiana Board of Regents, the Louisiana Legislature passed legislation (Senate Bill 853) allowing Louisiana State University at Alexandria to offer baccalaureate degrees. In December 2002, SACSCOC approved a substantive change request from LSUA, thereby accrediting the university to award both associate and baccalaureate degrees.
In Fall 2003, LSUA was reorganized into colleges and departments rather than divisions. The 吃瓜直播 of Arts and Sciences is comprised of the departments of Arts, English and Humanities; Behavioral and Social Sciences; Biological Sciences; and Mathematics and Physical Sciences. The 吃瓜直播 of Professional Studies is comprised of the departments of Allied Health, Business Administration, Education, and Nursing.
LSUA began offering four baccalaureate degrees in Fall 2003: Bachelor of Science in Biology, Bachelor of General Studies, Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education, and Bachelor of Liberal Studies. Because there were students at LSUA who had completed upper-level course work through LSU Senior 吃瓜直播, LSUA produced its first bachelor's degree graduates in December 2003.
A Bachelor of Science in Psychology, approved by the LSU Board of Supervisors in March 2005, and a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics, approved by the LSU Board in June 2006, are now offered. In 2008 the university began offering Bachelor of Arts degrees in English, Communication Studies, and History, along with Bachelor of Science degrees in Business Administration, Criminal Justice, and Nursing.
In addition to the Department of Education offering courses that lead to an Associate of Arts in The Care and Development of Young Children and the Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education, courses are offered for alternative certification in the following areas: Elementary Education, Grades 1-5; Health and Physical Education, Grades K-12; and Secondary Education, Grades 6-12 for the areas of biology, English, history, and mathematics. Students who major in biology, English, history, or mathematics may declare Secondary Education as a minor in these areas of study, earning certification to teach that subject in Grades 6-12. Add-on certifications are available for Early Childhood Education (PK-3) and Special Education in area of existing certification(s).
The Oaks, the university’s first student housing complex, opened in the fall of 2007. The complex, which includes four apartment buildings and a community center.
LSUA hired its first athletic director in January 2007 and began competing in NAIA men’s baseball and women’s fast-pitch softball in Spring 2008. In January 2010, LSUA’s new on-campus baseball-softball complex was unveiled in an opening day dedication and ribbon-cutting ceremony. The complex is located on the north side of campus adjacent to the Fitness Center and features seats transferred from the famed Alex Box Stadium on the Baton Rouge campus.
LSUA added five sports in 2014 including men’s and women’s basketball and soccer teams along with women’s tennis. LSUA joined the Red River Athletic Conference in 2014. The RRAC includes Bacone 吃瓜直播 (Okla.), Huston-Tilloston University (Texas), Jarvis Christian 吃瓜直播 (Texas), Langston University (Okla.), LSU-Shreveport, Our Lady of the Lake University (Texas), Paul Quinn 吃瓜直播 (Texas), Texas 吃瓜直播, University of St. Thomas (Texas), University of Texas-Brownsville, University of the Southwest (New Mexico) and Wiley 吃瓜直播 (Texas) in addition to LSUA.
The university’s newest building, Mulder Hall, was opened in August 2011. The building is a 70,000 square-foot facility that provides 18 classrooms, 4 academic department office suites, 52 faculty offices, 2 conference rooms, a computer lab and a writing lab, a painting and drawing studio, a ceramics studio, a photography suite, and a black box theater that seats 175 people.