For more than 140 years, Sam Houston State University (SHSU) has been preparing students for meaningful lives of achievement. Its motto, "The measure of a Life is its Service," echoes across SHSU's eight colleges and beyond campus through student research, creative endeavors, service learning, volunteering and more. SHSU is an inclusive institution whose mission is to provide high quality education, scholarship, and service to student and to regional, state, national and international constituencies.  SHSU offers over 90 bachelor degree programs, over 55 masters and 11 doctoral programs, including the nation’s first PhD in Forensic Science, SHSU offers an exceptional college experience. SHSU is classified as a "Doctoral Research University" by the Carnegie Commission on Higher Education. The Chronicle of Higher Education named Sam Houston State University among the nation's best universities to work for in nine consecutive years "Great Colleges to Work For" survey results. SHSU is a university that thinks big but feels small. With a student population of over 21,500 students, SHSU prides itself with creating a close community. Located in the "piney wood" region of East Texas,... Huntsville is less than an hour's drive north of Houston, which enables the university community to maintain a small town atmosphere with easy access to the nation's fourth largest metropolitan area.  Sam Houston State University is an Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action Plan Employer and Smoke/Drug-Free Workplace.   A member of The Texas State University System