With 5,200 acres of flora and fauna, bisected by the shining Red Cedar River, Michigan State University is renowned for the natural beauty of its campus. But beneath the pines, Spartans and visitors alike are welcomed by learning and research facilities that support MSU’s mission of education, research and outreach. Spanning more than a century of construction history, this special edition of the Week in Photos highlights the constructed spaces that continue to transform higher education.
*Updated March 2025
Looks can be deceiving, which helps explain why the academic building with “Physics” and “Astronomy” carved into its facade is, in fact, the Psychology Building. The building is home to the Department of Psychology and a No. 2-ranked organizational psychology graduate program, according to U.S. News & World Report. The building, which became the department’s home in 2002, was built in 1946 and is decorated with images of famous physicists. Photo by Derrick L. Turner.
Located just steps away from the Red Cedar River, Baker Hall is home to the Department of Anthropology, School of Social Work and School of Criminal Justice. Among nearly 100 programs ranked nationwide, the MSU College of Social Science’s online graduate program in criminal justice ranks No. 10 overall and No. 6 among public institutions for the second year in a row. Photo by Derrick L. Turner.
Bridged by the skyway to the Chemistry and Biochemistry buildings and outfitted in 2021 with transparent solar glass panels, the Biomedical and Physical Sciences Building is a complex built with innovation and research. Completed in 2002, the building is home to U.S. News & World Report’s No. 2-ranked graduate nuclear physics program. Photo by Derrick L. Turner.
The sprawling complex housing the Eli Broad College of Business, including the vibrant 2019 addition of the Minskoff Pavilion, is filled to the brim with spaces designed for tomorrow’s business leaders to collaborate and learn. For 14 consecutive years, the Business College Complex has hosted the No. 1 supply chain/logistics undergraduate program according to U.S. News & World Report – a testament to the college’s commitment to educational excellence. Photo by Derrick L. Turner.
While students may come and go, the Communication Arts and Sciences Building remains. The 2024 ShanghaiRanking’s Global Ranking of Academic Subjects lists MSU No. 5 in communication, an honor held for two consecutive years. The massive brick building also is home to the No. 13 global and No. 8 U.S. rankings for communication and media by QS World University Rankings. ComArtSci, as it’s affectionately known, is also home to WKAR Public Media, the Spartan Newsroom and the Games for Entertainment and Learning Lab, which serve as hubs for real-world student learning and experiences. Photo by Derrick L. Turner.
Ranked No. 1 in the nation for elementary and secondary teacher education for 30 consecutive years by U.S. News & World Report and ranked No. 3 in education by ShanghaiRanking’s Global Ranking of Academic Subjects, the College of Education — housed in Erickson Hall (pictured) and IM Circle — is a place where future educators and health professionals flourish and grow. Photo by Derrick L. Turner.
Home to the only Packaging doctoral program in the nation, the School of Packaging finds its home in the Packaging Building, a newly renovated space that was completed in early 2023. The $10 million renovation helped modernize the facility, adding flexible classrooms, new technology and collaboration-friendly spaces for students to connect with industry partners. Photo by Derrick L. Turner.
Looks can be deceiving, which helps explain why the academic building with “Physics” and “Astronomy” carved into its facade is, in fact, the Psychology Building. The building is home to the Department of Psychology and a No. 2-ranked organizational psychology graduate program, according to U.S. News & World Report. The building, which became the department’s home in 2002, was built in 1946 and is decorated with images of famous physicists. Photo by Derrick L. Turner.
Located just steps away from the Red Cedar River, Baker Hall is home to the Department of Anthropology, School of Social Work and School of Criminal Justice. Among nearly 100 programs ranked nationwide, the MSU College of Social Science’s online graduate program in criminal justice ranks No. 10 overall and No. 6 among public institutions for the second year in a row. Photo by Derrick L. Turner.
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