Founded in 1973, the university initially followed a quite non-traditional course: students could design their own degree plans, evaluations took the form of written essays rather than letter grades, and much of the teaching was done by community faculty with practical knowledge in the field. While the university has recently moved towards a more traditional format, it retains the First College which allows students to design individualized degree plans.
Metro State has an enrollment of about 6,000 students per semester, 70% of which are part-time students. It offers the standard spectrum of undergraduate Bachelor's degrees, as well as Master's degrees in Administration, Management of Information Systems, Technical Communication, Nursing and Psychology. A Master's program in computer science will begin in Spring 2004.
Metropolitan State University offers the lowest tuition in the Twin Cities and accommodates the needs of working adults by scheduling most classes at night. It follows an open enrollment policy, accepting virtually all applying students.
In 2002, the Minnesota legislature approved funding for the construction of a library building in Saint Paul, and the building is scheduled to be opened in Summer 2004.