The largest undergraduate programs at Southwest State are elementary and early childhood education and accounting. Wellness and human performance, computer science, literature, business administration, biology, and psychology are other popular programs. The university also takes special pride in its regional and rural studies, global studies, honors programs. Southwest State University strives to be responsive and play an important role in meeting the higher educational demands and needs of Southwest Minnesota and this region of the Upper Midwest. In 1996 the university began offering its first graduate degrees.
Students can pursue master's degrees in education and business management.
The Southwest State campus features a total of 46 buildings. The campus also includes a child care facility and a religious center. Facility design, coupled with services available to students, makes the university well-suited for people with physical disabilities. These additions have allowed the university to develop into a regional destination for athletic tournaments, recreation, conferences, and meetings. Southwest State University graduated its first four year class in 1971.