The goal of Midlands State University is to be a leading, forward-thinking, commercially focused, technologically advanced, development-oriented, stakeholder-driven university that produces highly regarded graduates for the advancement of society and the generation of wealth. Aiming to be a premier, well-respected university that values diversity and community involvement while also encouraging a culture of lifelong learning, MSU is guided by its vision.
About Midlands State University
Government-owned Midlands State University is a university in Zimbabwe. The university’s nine faculties—including those of agriculture, arts, commerce, education, engineering, law, science, social sciences, and medicine—offer a wide range of general education courses as well as numerous specialized programs. The National Council for Higher Education, which is a division of Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, has certified the university.
The main campus is situated in Gweru, Zimbabwe’s third-largest city. As a result of the university’s adoption of a multiple-campus system, it also has campuses in the city of Gweru and the mining town of Zvishavane. After the Main campus, the TelOne campus is the most well-known campus. The National University of Science and Technology was established after Gweru, which had been considered a potential location for a second university campus in the nation, lost out to Bulawayo. This is when the notion of a university in the Midlands Province first emerged.
The Midlands Province also missed out on two additional chances to host academic institutions (the Open University and the Catholic University) when they relocated to Harare. Amid these setbacks, two initiatives came together to create the Midlands State University that exists today.
On the prodding of the Midlands’ provincial political leadership, President R. G. Mugabe agreed to the proposal of establishing a national university there. This was in line with the devolutionary program of the previous Ministry of Higher Education and Technology, which was designed to increase access to higher education by transforming teachers’ and technical colleges into degree-granting schools. Devolution allowed Gweru Teachers College to begin enrolling students in 1998 who were pursuing the University of Zimbabwe’s Bachelor of Commerce with Education and Bachelor of Science with Education degrees.
In the meantime, there was a strong perception, particularly in the Province, that what was being done did not quite amount to the President’s promise of a fully-fledged state university in the province, although the devolution policy launched an irrevocable process of bringing university education to the Midlands. The State University in the Midlands Act of April 1999, which was passed in response to these sentiments while keeping in mind the limitations placed on the government by the decline in national funding, transformed the Gweru devolution project into Zimbabwe’s third state university. The Gweru Teachers College grounds were to serve as the home of the new institution, whose name was later changed to the Midlands State Institution.
The Chancellor, who also serves as President of Zimbabwe, is the institution’s nominal leader. The main officers of the university, senatorial representatives, staff members, students, nominations of the minister of higher and tertiary education, and representatives from various business and civil society sectors make up the University Council, which oversees the institution. The Vice-Chancellor, who is chosen by the Chancellor with input from the University Council, the Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, and other stakeholders, serves as the university’s main executive. One or more Pro-Vice-Chancellors, chosen by the University Council with the Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education’s permission, assist the Vice-Chancellor.
The Senate, which is made up of the university’s top administrators, deans of faculties, all full professors, chairs of departments, and staff and student representatives, has control over the university’s academic programs. An executive dean oversees the university’s faculties, which are administered by a Faculty Board made up of all lecturers and professors.
Faculty and Departments At Midlands State University
Faculty of Arts
- Department of African Languages and Culture
- Department of Archaeology, Cultural Heritage and Museum Studies
- Department of Development Studies
- Department of English and Communication
- Department of Film and Theatre Arts Studies
- Department of History
- Department of Religious Studies
- Communication Skill Centre (The Centre teaches students basic aspects of academic writing and communication)
Faculty of Business Sciences
- Department of Accounting Sciences
- Department of Economic Sciences
- Department of Information and Marketing Sciences
- Department of Supply Chain, Insurance, and Risk Sciences
- Department of Management Sciences
- Department of Tourism, Hospitality, and Leisure Sciences
- Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation
- Graduate School of Business Leadership
Faculty of Education
- Educational Foundations, Primary Education and Pedagogy
- Educational Policy Studies and Leadership
- Educational Technology
- Humanities, Business Development, and Arts Education
- Science, Technology, and Design Education
Faculty of Engineering and Geosciences
- FUELS AND ENERGY ENGINEERING
- GEOSCIENCES
- MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
- METALLURGICAL AND MATERIALS ENGINEERING
- MINING ENGINEERING
Faculty of Law
- Private Law
- Procedural Law
- Public Law
Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences
- Anatomy
- Psychiatry
- Biochemistry
- Physiology
Faculty of Natural Resources Management And Agriculture
- Agricultural Economics and Development
- Agronomy and Horticulture
- Animal and Wildlife Sciences
- Land and Water Resources Management
Faculty of Science and Technology
- APPLIED BIOSCIENCES & BIOTECHNOLOGY
- APPLIED MATHEMATICS AND STATISTICS
- APPLIED PHYSICS AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS
- CHEMICAL SCIENCES
- COMPUTER SCIENCE
- FOOD SCIENCE AND NUTRITION
- SURVEYING AND GEOMATICS
Faculty of Social Sciences
- Applied Psychology
- Community Studies
- Geography, Environmental Sustainability, and Resilience Building
- Governance and Public Management
- Human Resource Management
- Music Business, Musicology, and Technology
- Peace and Security Studies
- School of Social Work
FAQS about Midlands State University
Q. How many Students Does Midlands State University admit per year?
A. This is at the discretion of the school but it is the largest university in Zimbabwe in terms of student numbers with a student population of about 23000.
Q. Is Midlands State University a Federal or State School?
A. It is a public university.
Q. What is the cut-off point for Midlands State University?
A. Check the school website to find out about the cut-off point.
Q. What is Midlands State University Official Website?
Q. Is Midlands State University a good school?
A. Yes. The university ranked 4th in Zimbabwe, 5910th in the global 2023 rating, and scored in 29 research topics.
Q. Are there hostels at Midlands State University?
A. Yes.
Q. When is the admission form coming out for Midlands State University?
A. Visit the university website to find out.
Q. Who founded Midlands State University?
A. The university is government-owned.
Q. What are the requirements for Midlands State University?
A. Admission Requirements:
For any first degree program at Midlands State University, a student must have the following scores on the Cambridge School test or an equivalent to be admitted:
- All applicants must have completed five ‘O’ Level subjects or equivalent, including English language and mathematics with a grade of C or better for the Faculties of Science and Technology, Commerce, Natural Resources Management and Agriculture, and the Department of Geography in addition to the required passes in relevant subjects at GCE A Level or equivalent. To enroll in the psychology department, you must have passed ‘O’ level biology and math. For all other programs, applicants must have taken mathematics at the “O” level and received an “E” or higher.