Dakota State University is a public, four-year university in South Dakota, located in Madison. It specializes in programs in computer management, computer information systems, and other graduate and undergraduate programs, and requires all freshman and sophomore students to use tablet PCs in general education courses. It is under the governance of the South Dakota Board of Regents.

The university was founded in 1881 as Dakota Normal School and was the first teacher education institution in the Dakota Territory. It is accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools and in 2004 was designated by the National Security Agency as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance Education.

DSU offers associate's, bachelor's, and master's degree programs through the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Business and Information Systems, and the College of Education.

Associate's degree programs are offered in:

• Application Programming
• Business Management
• General Studies
• Health Information Technology
• Office Management
• Respiratory care.

Bachelor's degree programs are offered in :

• Biology Education (Grades 7-12)
• Biology for Information Systems
• Business Administration in Accounting
• Business Administration in Finance
• Business Administration in Management
• Business Administration in Management Information Systems
• Business Administration in Marketing
• Business Education (Grades 7-12)
• Computer Graphic Design
• Computer Science
• Computer Education (Grades K-12)
• Computer Information Systems
• E-commerce and Computer Security
• Elementary Education (Grades K-8)
• Elementary Education and Special Learning and Behavioral Problems (Grades K-8)
• English Education (Grades 7-12)
• English for Information Systems
• Health Information Administration
• Mathematics Education (Grades 7-12)
• Mathematics for Information Systems
• Multimedia/Web Development
• Physical Science
• Physical Science Education (Grades 7-12)
• Professional Accountancy
• Respiratory Care.

Master's degree programs are offered in:

• Educational Technology
• Information Assurance
• Information Systems.

In addition to the degrees offered above, Dakota State University offers several minors and pre-professional programs.

DSU is home to the Smith-Zimmermann Heritage Museum and the Karl E. Mundt Library and Archives. Its athletic mascot is the trojan. Its current president is Dr. Douglas D. Knowlton. As of fall 2004, its total student enrollment was 2,295, of whom 52.7% were women, and its total faculty count was 84, of whom 33.3% were women.