Founded in 1855 as an experiment in higher education focused on advancing new fields of scientific study and extending the promise of higher education, Michigan State University has been advancing knowledge and transforming lives through innovative teaching, research, and outreach for more than 150 years. MSU enrolls more than 46,000 students in 200 programs of undergraduate and graduate study, and its 17 degree-granting colleges attract scholars from around the world who are interested in combining education with practical problem solving. With more than 465,000 alumni worldwide, MSU is recognized as a major public university with global reach and extraordinary impact.