Introducing Missouri State

Our institution has unique defining traits that set us apart. We want to tell different audiences who we are and what we offer to them. We hope they’ll attend Missouri State or engage with us in other positive ways. These quick overviews describe Missouri State. We hope you will tailor these general points to your audiences using details or accomplishments from your own area or unit.

The basics

This is the most basic description of Missouri State. If you use this statement, also incorporate other elements of the messaging on this page to bring these basic facts to life for your audience.

Missouri State University is a public university system with an enrollment of more than 25,000 students who come from around the state and the world. The main campus is in Springfield, Missouri. There are three other physical campuses, two in Missouri — West Plains and Mountain Grove — and one in Dalian, China.

Reach your audience in 30-seconds

If you’re ready to make a great statement during college, you’re ready to meet Missouri State University. We’re a big state university, but we won’t make you feel small. Just visit our campus. You’ll find a close-knit community. We value diversity, and our students come from around the state and the world. Our academics will inspire, challenge and prepare you in ways that matter. When you’re here, you’re a citizen Bear. You’ll learn about making the world a better place. When you graduate, you’re prepared to start a great career and be an ethical leader in your community. You’ll always be ready to Make Your Missouri Statement.
The finish line for your degree is in sight. You just need a university that is a leader in serving transfer students. At Missouri State, transfer students make up more than one-third of our enrollment. That means we know what you need to transfer credits, succeed in class and thrive in college life. You will find resources like scholarships, academic advisement, transfer-focused housing and advice for commuters. We also have orientation and a student resource fair just for transfers. We’re here to make the transfer process easy as you become a Bear!
You’re ready to change careers, stay competitive in your field or just keep learning. At Missouri State, we empower adult learners to reach any educational goal. We know you may juggle school, work and family. Whether you are just starting a degree or have college experience, we have services for you. You can find info about scholarships, online programs, child care, advisement, camaraderie and more. Missouri State is proud to be an award-winning supporter of adult students.
If you are not from the United States, we invite you to become an important member of the Missouri State community! More than 1,000 students from 70+ countries call our university home. We support international Bears with scholarships, English classes, student success tools and other resources. We can help you gain a sense of American culture. We also love when you share your heritage with us at university cultural events. Your education will be better because you studied in another country. Our campus will be better because you are here. We’re excited to welcome you as an international Bear!
When you’re a Missouri State graduate, you’re part of something bigger. We seek to be a source of inspiration and connection for our 134,000+ graduates around the globe. If you’re an alum, we offer you networking, socializing, fun and personal development. Missouri State also makes a positive impact in our community through innovation, civic engagement and good stewardship. We support high-tech jobs, provide cultural offerings and partner with business and nonprofit stakeholders. We know our alumni are the next generation of citizen leaders. We’re proud of our maroon and white community!

What should people know about us?

Here are some broad, general messages you can use to highlight our defining traits.

At Missouri State, we have a mission. It’s why we do education differently.

Did you know that Missouri State has a university-wide public affairs mission? When you’re here, you’re a citizen Bear. That means you’ll find an emphasis on making the world a better place. No matter your major, you will learn about ethics and leadership. You will notice our commitment to diversity and inclusion. Missouri State strives to be a welcoming place for everyone. When you graduate, you’re prepared to be a global citizen who can work and live with people from different backgrounds.

Where will you take the world, Citizen Bear?
- 420,000+ hours of volunteer service provided by MSU each year in recent school years
- 70+ international destinations in which students may take part in short-term or long-term education abroad programs
- 1,000+ international students on the Springfield campus
- Engage with the mission through public affairs events, including the annual Public Affairs Conference
- 190+ academic courses that address sustainability — students can even minor in sustainability
Our students learn and compete at the highest levels.

Your statement to the world starts with the academic path you choose. Here, you’ll find robust programs with a focus on you. Many of your instructors worked, or still work, in the areas they teach – so you can count on their expertise and connections. The Missouri State campus is a vibrant and energetic community of scholars and mentors. It’s a place where students discover who they are and where faculty shape and encourage the leaders of tomorrow. And it all starts with academic excellence.
- 170+ bachelor’s degree options; a growing number can be completed entirely online
- 100+ graduate degree options, including master’s and doctoral degrees
- 30+ accelerated graduate programs (students can earn credit toward a master’s or doctoral degree while completing a bachelor’s degree)
- 65+ undergraduate certificate programs
- Missouri State’s academic programs are housed in our colleges and schools.
  - College of Business
  - College of Education
  - College of Humanities and Public Affairs
  - College of Natural and Applied Sciences
  - Darr College of Agriculture
  - McQueary College of Health and Human Services
  - Reynolds College of Arts and Letters
  - Graduate College
You live in the real world. So should your education. We want you to have a great time in class. But we know that’s not the only thing you need to prepare you for your profession. We believe in experiences: internships, networking, educational trips and more.
Our #BearGrads are ready to take on the world.

We know students are here to start their careers. We connect them to the people, places and resources that get them ready to work.

Bears make a difference in a lot of places. You can find alumni at Fortune 500 companies like Amazon, Apple, Boeing and more. They also start their own businesses, or work at the places that make a city into a community.

Our alumni often come to campus, or visit virtually, to share their expertise with current students.

Students can access free career-development help at our Career Center. The professionals here can help students search for jobs, find internships, build a résumé and more.

We’re here to help students make the most of their future.
- 90% of Missouri State graduates report a successful outcome within six months of graduating. That means they are employed, continuing their education or are in other career-focused roles, such as the military.
- 134,000+ alumni live around the globe. This means you can find a graduate who could be your mentor almost anywhere you go.
Are you ready to turn ideas into action? At Missouri State, our faculty members envision new ideas, then bring them to life through research, service and scholarly activities. As a Bear, you’ll be a part of the process. You may find opportunities to contribute in a high-tech lab facility, in a new city or in the field. You’ll have opportunities to work on real, publishable research, or present at national conferences.
- 500+ research projects are presented by MSU students each academic year
We’re building a destination campus.

New buildings and amazing renovations have changed the face of Missouri State University in recent years. We have great news: More improvements are on the way. Our goal is to give students, faculty and staff the spaces they need for learning and research. We are dedicated to providing the tools and technology needed for today’s workplace.
An MSU degree prepares you at the highest possible level. Bears have become senators, governors, CEOs, leaders in Fortune 500 companies, four-star generals, doctors, entrepreneurs, professional athletes and actors.
- 134,000+ alumni live around the globe. That’s great for networking possibilities!
You’re in the land of the Bears!

Get ready to thrive in this close-knit community. Here, you’ll feel like you’re part of something bigger – because you are. You are sure to find fun, camaraderie and leadership opportunities. Our traditions combine fun, such as Homecoming, with meaning, such as the community engagement service project. What else would you expect from a university with a public affairs mission?
Go Bears!

Our 17 NCAA Division I athletic teams will give you plenty to cheer about. Students get in free to most home athletics events. The sports memories you’ll have forever will be made in great venues, including baseball’s Hammons Field, basketball’s Great Southern Bank Arena, soccer’s Allison Stadium and football’s Plaster Stadium.
- 60+ NCAA team championship appearances since 1982-83
Live like a Bear!

If you live on campus, you can have the full college experience with lots of benefits. You’re close to classes, friends, educational resources and Springfield’s vibrant downtown. Our residence halls have lots of amenities like free Wi-Fi, free laundry facilities and 24-hour front desk service.
- 10+ options for university housing. Each option is unique – we have everything from traditional halls to apartments.
- We offer living-learning communities, which allow you to live and study with students who have similar interests or goals.
- 4,000+ students can live in university housing.
- Making the (better) grade: You’ll likely live on campus as a first-year student. It’s not only convenient, it’s smart! Studies show most students are more successful academically when they live on campus.
Your safety is a priority. There is a Springfield Police substation on campus, and we have well-lit walkways, cameras in parking lots and safety phones across campus. Our residence halls are equipped with many safety features, such as card-access security systems and front-desk staff available 24 hours a day/seven days a week. We offer the Missouri State Alert notification system, which can contact you and/or family members to inform you of university closings, severe weather alerts, security alerts or emergency situations.
We have many services and facilities to help keep you well, fit and active. Campus recreation offers fitness and wellness classes. The Foster Recreation Center has a pool, rock-climbing wall, basketball courts, cardio machines and more. Need to see a doctor or fill a prescription? Magers Health and Wellness Center has doctors, nurses and pharmacists.
You make your statement. We’ll put the cost within reach.

College is the first step in your future success, and we know it’s a major investment. For more than 100 years, Missouri State’s philosophy has been: A quality college education should be within the financial reach of all students. Our total costs are lower than most other universities in the state and well below the national average. We invite you to compare.
Springfield 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 where you can expect active networking as you start a 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 our gorgeous outdoors. Springfield is all this and more. What will it become to you?
- Springfield is the third-largest city in the state
- 460,000+ people live in the five-county metro area