Missouri State University
Springfield, Missouri
Missouri State University is a public university system founded in 1905. Even with an enrollment of 26,000+ students, the university provides a close-knit community of passionate and steadfast learners committed to ethical leadership, cultural competence, and community engagement. These are the pillars of the university’s unique public affairs mission, granted by the Missouri General Assembly. Students learn to emphasize a continued understanding of the world and how to make it a better place.
The system has four physical campuses—three in Missouri and one in Dalian, China—and an outreach program for anytime, anyplace learning.
Missouri State University’s regional accrediting body is the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). MO State has successfully maintained continuous regional accreditation with the Higher Learning Commission since 1915, and Missouri State University-West Plains has been a separately accredited campus with continuous accreditation since 1994.
Get to know Missouri State University
Student Activities
- Campus Ministries
- Choral groups
- Concert band
- Dance
- Drama/theatre
- International Student Organization
- Jazz band
- Literary magazine
- Marching band
- Model UN
- Music ensembles
- Musical theatre
- Opera
- Pep band
- Radio station
- Student government
- Student newspaper
- Student-run film society
- Symphony orchestra
- Television station
High-Impact Practices
- First-Year Seminars and Experiences
- Learning Communities
- Writing-Intensive Courses
- Collaborative Assignments and Projects
- Undergraduate Research
- Diversity/Global Learning
- Service-Learning, Community-Based Learning
- Internships/Coops/Practicums
- Capstone Courses and Projects/Senior Experience
Campus Resources
- Career Services
- Writing Center
- Academic Advisors
- Library Services
- Disability Services
- Multicultural Engagement Center
- Health Services
- Academic Tutors
- Financial Aid Advisors
- Student Success Initiative
- Veteran Services
- Counseling
College Highlights
“On my tour, people were yelling ‘Bear up!’ or simply saying hello to me. I never received that treatment at other university tour. After experiencing that, Missouri State was my choice, and not once have I regretted that. This campus is unlike any other institution and gives an individual experience to anyone and everyone.” – Logan Harrod, health communication major from Buckingham, Illinois
Missouri State University’s Public Affairs Mission sets it apart from other institutions through its three pillars: ethical leadership, cultural competence, and community engagement.
ETHICAL LEADERSHIP
Missouri State prepares students for the future by helping them understand the ethical dimensions of leadership. Learning how to lead allows them to be better able to employ what they learn in the classroom and help bring about change in their community.
CULTURAL COMPETENCE
Missouri State builds up students’ cultural knowledge in several ways:
- Study abroad programs
- Interaction with international students
- Opportunities to study different languages, histories, and religions
By expanding their cultural knowledge, students broaden their horizons, build relationships, and ensure overall competence and confidence in the future.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Community engagement gives students the opportunity to work to better their communities, see these communities through a different lens, and build their ability to lead in their careers.
CLASS SIZE
The number of sections of each class size.
2-9: 122 | 10-19: 339 | 20-29: 545
30-39: 351 | 40-49: 198 | 50-99: 181
100+: 53
ENROLLMENT BY ETHNICITY
Nonresident aliens: 3%
Hispanic/Latino: 4%
Black or African American, non-Hispanic: 5%
White, non-Hispanic: 82%
American Indian or Alaska Native, non-Hispanic: 0%
Asian, non-Hispanic: 1%
Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, non-Hispanic: 0%
Two or more races, non-Hispanic: 4%
Race and/or ethnicity unknown: 1%
FIRST-YEAR PROGRAMS
First-Year Programs helps new students transition successfully to Missouri State University’s community. Through GEP 101: First-Year Foundations, the Peer Leader program, and instructor professional development, First-Year Programs serves as a cornerstone of student success.
First-Year Programs accomplishes its mission by
- Promoting a deeper understanding of the Public Affairs Mission and its wider societal impact through a critical analysis of a common reader.
- Helping students build the necessary skills to be academically successful.
- Assisting students to establish campus connections and form a supportive network of faculty, staff, and other students.
- Developing ethical leaders and positive role models through the Peer Leader program.
- Offering professional development opportunities for instructors to collaborate and enhance their pedagogical skills.
BEAR CLAW
The Bear CLAW (Center for Learning and Writing) offers free academic support for Missouri State University’s education community, linking students, faculty, and staff alike to resources that help them succeed. Not only does the Bear CLAW provide formal tutoring, but it also cultivates a space for collaboration and workshopping among knowledgeable tutors, consultants, coaches, and leaders.
Services Offered
- Subject-Area Tutoring: Tutoring is provided for traditionally difficult courses, and drop-in tutoring is available for mathematics, science, business, economics, and more.
- Writing Center: The Writing Center strives to empower individual writing through personal consultation on any project. Undergraduate and graduate students, staff, and faculty use this service to workshop papers for academic courses, Master’s theses, creative writing, speeches, presentations, course syllabi, and articles for publication. The writing consultants are all trained, active writers who can aid in every part of the writing process, including brainstorming, researching, revising, and citing.
- Academic Coaching: Students work closely with an academic coach to examine their learning styles, habits, and current difficulties or barriers to success. Once they identify their strengths and challenges, they work together to create an effective strategy with which to tackle coursework.
- Peer Assisted Study Session (PASS) Program: PASS is a series of review sessions for students enrolled in historically difficult courses, including select Biology, Chemistry, Agriculture, and Biomedical Science classes. PASS sessions offer students the opportunity to meet with people in their class to compare notes, discuss important concepts, develop strategies for studying the subject, and test themselves before the professor does. At each session, students are guided through material by a PASS leader, a competent student who has previously taken the course.
- Absent Professor Program: The Absent Professor Program offers a variety of workshops designed to improve student success skills that impact student retention, including time management, study skills, and writing skills.
SPECIAL STUDY OPTIONS
Programs available at this institution.
Accelerated program
Cooperative education program
Distance learning
Double major
Dual enrollment
English as a Second Language (ESL)
Exchange student program (domestic)
Honors Program
Independent study
Internships
Liberal arts/career combination
Student-designed major
Study abroad
Teacher certification program
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Missouri State University’s Center for Community Engagement (CCE) serves as an interdisciplinary hub for publicly engaged service, education, and research. The Center promotes community engagement by:
- Encouraging faculty to utilize research and teaching activities that are associated with public interest.
- Administering a system that provides students with articulated public engagement experiences tied to the students’ academic and professional goals.
- Obtaining community input and feedback regarding public engagement.
- Fostering and promoting a more collective community impact and capacity building through better coordination.
The CCE is comprised of six areas:
- Service-Learning
- Involvement & Service
- Engaged Public Research
- eJournal of Public Affairs
- Immersion Trips
- Bonner Leader Program
The CCE aims to foster public engagement for all members of the Missouri State community.
LIVING-LEARNING COMMUNITIES
Missouri State University’s Living-Learning Communities (LLCs) are part of the on-campus residential experience. LLCs are offered in the residence halls and provide students with the opportunity to live with others with whom they have something in common.
SCHOOL LOCATION
Springfield, MO, is a thriving community. It’s a growing business center and a town known for college life, but it’s so much more than a college town. It’s an optimistic, developing city in which each student can expect active networking at the beginning of their career. It’s a place with a fun downtown, a supportive arts scene, great restaurants and farmers markets, professional and college sports teams, and recreation opportunities in the gorgeous outdoors.
ATHLETICS
Missouri State participates in NCAA Division I athletics, competing in 17 different sports. The Bears are members of the Missouri Valley Conference and participate in Baseball, Men’s & Women’s Basketball, Beach Volleyball, Women’s Cross Country, Football, Men’s & Women’s Golf, Men’s & Women’s Soccer, Softball, Men’s & Women’s Swimming and Diving, Women’s Tennis, Women’s Indoor Track & Field, Women’s Outdoor Track & Field, and Women’s Volleyball. Missouri State student-athletes are consistently recognized nationally for their athletic and academic accomplishments.
RESIDENCE LIFE
Percent of students living on campus.
First-time, first-year (freshman) students: 81%
Undergraduates: 22%
Campus housing options.
Coed dorms
Apartments for single students
Special housing for disabled students
Special housing for international students
Fraternity/sorority housing
Theme housing
CAREER CENTER
The Career Center at Missouri State has services for every student in any stage of their career journey. There are resources for students to start exploring majors and careers and hone their job search skills. Career counselors and peer mentors are available for résumé and cover letter review. Counselors are there to help students explore their options and take career assessments to understand and consider their interests.
SUCCESSFUL ALUMNI SPOTLIGHTS
Greg Illy graduated from the Professional Science Master (PSM) program at Missouri State University. While completing his degree, he interned for the Missouri Highway Patrol lab. As part of his internship, Illy worked on a new extraction method to analyze blood and urine that combines five drug tests into one. According to Illy, “I was given the freedom to work on such an enormous project which will be used across the state for years to come.” Read the full article.
Hannah Sheretz graduated from Missouri State University with a bachelor’s in entertainment management and a minor in marketing. Now, Sheretz is the Dallas Mavericks’ manager of community relations and Mavs Foundation. Sheretz lives the university’s public affairs mission through her work. Read the full article.
Theodore Melfi graduated from Missouri State University with a degree in construction, drafting, and design. Theodore Melfi wrote and directed “Hidden Figures.” The movie has won or been nominated for many awards, including three nominations for Academy Awards. Read the full article.
Admission
ADMISSIONS FACTORS
Very Important
Academic GPA | Standardized test scores | Class rank
Important
Rigor of secondary school record
FRESHMAN PROFILE
SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing
25th Percentile: 500 | 75th Percentile: 630
SAT Math
25th Percentile: 518 | 75th Percentile: 590
ACT Composite
25th Percentile: 20 | 75th Percentile: 26
ACT Math
25th Percentile: 20 | 75th Percentile: 26
ACT English
25th Percentile: 21 | 75th Percentile: 27
Missouri State University reviews completed applications for admission on a rolling basis. Students may apply to Missouri State beginning in the summer prior to their senior year of high school.
Apply early to get scholarships, priority housing, and preferred dates for SOAR (Student Orientation, Advisement, and Registration). The priority deadline is Dec. 1.
Tuition & Cost
Tuition (in-state): $6,540
Tuition (out-of-state): $14,850
Fees: $1,048
Room: $6,486
Board: $2,642
Aid
SCHOLARSHIPS
- Presidential Scholarship, $50,000
- University Scholarship, $24,000
- Board of Governors Scholarship, $20,000
- Provost Scholarship, $10,000
- Deans’ Scholarship, $6,000
- Inclusive Excellence Leadership Scholarship, $20,000
- Inclusive Excellence Recognition Award, $2,000/year
- Diversity in Education Scholarship, $2,000/year for first two years and $3,000 for years three and four
- Missouri State Advantage Scholarship, $2,000
- Hutchens/SGA Centennial Leaders Scholarship, $1,250 or $2,500/year
- Missouri State Promise Scholarship, $2,500
- A+ Recognition Scholarship, $2,000
- Missouri State Boys/Girls State Leadership Award, $1,000
- Out-of-State Fee Waiver/Midwest Student Exchange Program
- Continue the Tradition Fee Waiver Program
What Others are Saying
Contact Missouri State University
Contact Admissions
www.missouristate.edu/admissions
(800) 492-7900
info@missouristate.edu
Campus Information
901 S. National Avenue
Springfield, MO 65897
(417) 836-5000
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