Arkansas State University is a public university and was founded in Jonesboro in 1909 by the Arkansas General Assembly. The ASU system includes campuses Jonesboro, Beebe, Mountain Home and Newport, where associate degree programs are offered and at Heber Springs, Marked Tree and Searcy. Total current enrollment is around 17,700. Programs at the specialist's, master's, bachelor's and associate's degree levels are available through the various colleges: Agriculture, Business, Communications, Education, Engineering, Fine Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, Nursing and Health Professions, Sciences and Mathematics and University College.