General Information

From the President

Thank you for taking the time to learn about the great opportunities we provide to our students at Missouri Southern.

The university’s mission is to “educate and graduate knowledgeable, responsible, successful global citizens.” Providing an affordable and high-quality education is a responsibility we take very seriously, and our faculty and staff work daily to create the very best university experience possible for our student body.

As a student at Missouri Southern you will find yourself surrounded by talented and energetic professors who are committed to the idea that we have an amazing opportunity - and responsibility - to support our students and provide the very best learning environment possible. Our outstanding academic programs are designed to prepare you to compete in a global society and to prepare you to meet the challenges of a changing world.

In addition to outstanding academic programs, we provide numerous student support services to assist you on your higher education journey. This includes financial aid assistance, advising, counseling, career services, and residence life. They have a true commitment to your success, and you should always feel free to contact them should you have any questions.

The campus is home to dozens of student groups and organizations that sponsor a wide variety of activities throughout the year. The student body is represented by a very active Student Senate, which participates in a variety of campus affairs. Students wishing to live on campus will find an active residential life community, including convenient dining facilities and recreational activities. The Beimdiek Recreation Center is available to all students and is one of the most attractive and well-equipped recreation facilities in the area. We also have thriving athletic programs, and you can enjoy the fun and excitement of cheering the Lions on to victory in a number of sports.

Since 1990, Missouri Southern has emphasized an international approach to undergraduate education. With an emphasis on understanding and appreciating other cultures, international issues, and global perspectives, we want to broaden our students’ cultural horizons while fostering a rich sense of diversity on campus and in the surrounding community. As a student, you will have many opportunities for international studies abroad - providing opportunities to gain new perspectives, grow confidence and gain a deeper understanding of other cultures. These are experiences that can benefit you in both your professional and personal life.

At this university, we promote values such as service, integrity, respect, transparency, and community. Each of these value’s ties directly into the goal of preparing our students for academic, personal and career success. Higher education can provide a truly transformative experience, and we hope you will join the Lion community as you begin this journey.

If you have questions, please call the Admissions Office at 417-625-9378 or 866-818-6778.

Lions together,

Dean Van Galen, Ph.D.
President

To the Student

Dear Student,

If you’re entering the university for the first time or even coming back after several years’ absence, you’ll need information in this catalog. It’s not the most exciting bedtime reading, but it does pack a lot of information about our academic programs into your university experience.

This catalog and our helpful staff can answer your questions, but here are answers to questions students frequently ask:

1. Can I get financial help with university costs?

Yes, a full range of financial aid programs are available to qualified students. Becca Diskin, Director of Student Financial Aid and her staff can provide you with information and applications in Hearnes Hall, 417-625-9325, finaid@mssu.edu. (Financial Aid )

2. I haven’t decided on a major yet. What do I do?

Southern has trained academic advisors to help you discover what your best interests and attributes might be. Visit with an Academic Success Coach in the Student Success Center, Hearnes Hall room 308, 417-625-3550. Information for career and salary for all credentials offered by Missouri public institutions of higher education can be found here Bureau of Labor Statistics

3. I’m concerned about the transition from high school to college. Is there someone to help?

Yes, the Student Success Center has trained staff to help students transition from high school to college. Visit Hearnes Hall room 308 to see an Academic Success Coach or a Mental Health Counselor, 417-625-3550.  The Student Success Center staff can help you with a variety of services including academic advisement, career advisement, disability services, tutoring, mental health counseling, orientation, and more.

4. Do you have an Honors Program?

Southern has an excellent and challenging Honors Program, which includes opportunities for international travel. Talk to Michael Howarth, Director of Honors Program, Spiva Library 120, 417-625-3005, howarth-m@mssu.edu. (Honors Programs )

5. What activities and organizations are available?

A host of special events, student activities and departmental organizations are available throughout the year. Drop by the Student Activities Office, Billingsly Student Center, 210. Student Activities . See also individual departments.)

Additional information is available at the Southern website:
www.mssu.edu

Our Mission

International Education

The State of Missouri has designated Missouri Southern State University, through special legislation, as “a statewide institution of international or global education.” The university is charged with developing “such academic support programs and public service activities it deems necessary and appropriate to establish international or global education as a distinctive theme of its mission.”

This “international mission,” as it is commonly known, enables students to participate in a breadth of international experiences that will prepare them to succeed in an ever-changing global economy.

MSSU provides a variety of short-term and semester-long study abroad programs, including an international student teaching experience for teacher education majors. In order to make its study abroad programs more accessible and affordable, MSSU awards qualifying students $1,000 grants for faculty-led short-term trips and $1,250 grants for students spending an entire semester or year abroad.

Each fall, MSSU selects a particular country or region of the world to become the focus of intensive study. The “themed semesters” bring the world to the university and the community, and allow every student to have a global experience without leaving the campus. Lectures, concerts, plays, films, readings, art exhibits, and other cultural activities from the featured country permeate the fall semester and result in the students becoming true global citizens.

Taking Spanish classes at MSSU or other languages at exchange universities throughout the world provide students the opportunity to increase their cultural competency and become more marketable in a competitive workplace. Becoming proficient in Spanish or perhaps another language will open many doors for MSSU graduates and expand their worldview.

Majors in International & Political Affairs and International Business and certificates in Global Citizenship and Teaching English as a Foreign Language provide a substantial foundation for professional careers in diplomacy, law, education, international business and commerce, journalism, the military, research, public health, human service organizations, and much more. Opportunities in most of these professions are available in both the public and private sectors in the United States and abroad. The majors are also a good foundation for graduate study in such diverse areas as international law, business, history, political science, and anthropology, as well as international relations, intercultural communication, peace studies, and other interdisciplinary programs.

The International English Program (IEP) provides English as a Second Language (ESL) instruction to international and resident students whose first language is not English. This supports MSSU’s mission of a strong commitment to international education by enabling more international students to attend the university. In turn, these students bring different perspectives and values to their American peers, and lifelong friendships often develop.

Student’s Guide to the Baccalaureate Degree

Non Scholae Sed Vitae Discimus “Education not for a living, but for life.”

We, the faculty at Missouri Southern, believe that you achieve a complete education through an interrelated program of study which includes the General Education/Core 42 curriculum and your major, as well as the extra-curricular opportunities that complete the total collegiate experience. We realize that over a lifetime many of you will change occupations and careers several times. While specialized knowledge in your field is essential, we believe that certain lifelong thinking and learning skills and a common body of knowledge are critical for an understanding of yourself and your larger community and for career advancement in the 21st-century marketplace. Specifically, we are committed to assist you as an undergraduate to:

• Acquire knowledge, both in breadth and depth, through exposure to a wide variety of disciplines and through majoring in your chosen field.
• Communicate with precision and style and to think clearly and critically.
• Achieve competence in quantitative skills.
• Know the methods of inquiry and thought necessary for understanding nature, society and self.
• Sharpen your awareness and appreciation of cultures around the world with their differing values, traditions and institutions.
• Develop lasting intellectual and cultural interests.
• Recognize and appreciate the importance of creativity and imagination in the human experience.
• Achieve greater social maturity and tolerance for human diversity through the experience of working closely with a wide variety of fellow students and faculty members.
• Recognize and examine the formation of personal ethical values in a diverse society.

General Education/Core 42 Curriculum

The General Education/Core 42 curriculum at Missouri Southern is a carefully designed series of courses that all students earning a bachelor’s degree must complete. It is our effort to furnish you a liberal education. But why? What about the General Education is so important that it constitutes nearly half of the credit hours necessary for your degree?

One way to answer that question is to reflect on another: What does it mean to be well-educated? While the question has generated much debate and there is no simple answer, most agree that a well-educated person possesses certain fundamental intellectual skills, a broad knowledge of the world and a deep knowledge of a particular subject. While pursuit of a major field of study furnishes knowledge in depth, it is the General Education/Core 42 curriculum that seeks to equip you with the intellectual skills and the breadth of knowledge that characterize well-educated and socially responsible individuals.

Goals of the General Education/Core 42 Curriculum

In compliance with the Missouri Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development (MDHEWD) and statewide policy, Missouri Southern State University provides a block of general education/Core 42 courses that meet the state-level curricular goals. There are four basic competencies (Communicating, Higher-Order Thinking, Managing Information, and Valuing) as well as five knowledge areas (Social and Behavioral Sciences, Communications (oral and written), Humanities and Fine Arts, Mathematics, and Life and Physical Sciences).

Basic Competencies

Communicating: Communicating is the development of students’ ability to communicate effectively through oral, written, and digital channels using the English language, quantitative, and other symbolic systems. Students should be able to write and speak with thoughtfulness, clarity, coherence, and persuasiveness; read and listen critically; and select channels appropriate to the audience and message. Written communication is the development and expression of ideas in writing. Written communication involves learning to work in many genres and styles. It can involve working with many different writing technologies, and mixing texts, data, and images. Written communication abilities develop through iterative experiences across the curriculum. Oral communication is a prepared, purposeful presentation designed to increase knowledge, to foster understanding, or to promote change in the listeners’ attitudes, values, beliefs, or behaviors. Oral communication takes many forms.

Higher-Order Thinking: Higher Order Thinking is the development of students’ ability to distinguish among opinions, facts, and inferences; to identify underlying or implicit assumptions; to make informed judgments; to solve problems by applying evaluative standards; and demonstrate the ability to reflect upon and refine those problem-solving skills. This involves creative thinking, critical thinking, and quantitative literacy. Creative thinking is both the capacity to combine or synthesize existing ideas, images, or expertise in original ways and the experience of thinking, reacting, and working in an imaginative way characterized by a high degree of innovation, divergent thinking, and risk taking. Creative thinking, as it is fostered within higher education, must be distinguished from less focused types of creativity such as, for example, the creativity exhibited by a small child’s drawing, which stems not from an understanding of connections, but from an ignorance of boundaries. While demonstrating solid knowledge of the domain’s parameters, the creative thinker, at the highest levels of performance, pushes beyond those boundaries in new, unique, or atypical re-combinations, uncovering or critically perceiving new syntheses and using or recognizing creative risk-taking to achieve a solution. Critical thinking is a habit of mind characterized by the comprehensive exploration of issues, ideas, artifacts, and events before accepting or formulating an opinion or conclusion. Critical thinking is transdisciplinary, and success in all disciplines requires habits of inquiry and analysis that share common attributes. Successful critical thinkers from all disciplines increasingly need to be able to apply those habits in various and changing situations encountered in all walks of life. Quantitative Literacy (QL) is a “habit of mind,” competency, and comfort in working with numerical data. Individuals with strong QL skills possess the ability to reason and solve quantitative problems from a wide array of authentic contexts and everyday life situations. They understand and can create sophisticated arguments supported by quantitative evidence and they can clearly communicate those arguments in a variety of formats (using words, tables, graphs, mathematical equations, etc., as appropriate).

Managing Information: Managing Information is ability to locate, organize, store, retrieve, evaluate, synthesize, and annotate information from print, electronic, and other sources in preparation for solving problems and making informed decisions. Through the effective management of information, students should be able to design, evaluate, and implement a strategy to answer an open-ended question or achieve a desired goal.

Valuing: Valuing is the ability to understand the moral and ethical values of a diverse society, and to understand that many courses of action are guided by value judgments about the way things ought to be. Students should recognize how values develop, how value judgments influence actions, and how informed decision-making can be improved through the consideration of personal values as well as the values of others. They should be able to make informed decisions through the identification of personal values and the values of others and through an understanding how such values develop. They should be able to analyze the ethical implications of choices made on the basis of these values.

Knowledge Areas

Social and Behavioral Sciences State-Level Goal: To develop students’ understanding of themselves and the world around them through study of content and the processes used by historians and social and behavioral scientists to discover, describe, explain, and predict human behavior and social systems. Students acquire an understanding of the diversities and complexities of the cultural and social world, past and present, and come to an informed sense of self and others. As a part of this goal, institutions of higher education include a course of instruction in the Constitution of the United States and of the state of Missouri and in American history and institutions (Missouri Revised Statute 170.011.1).

Oral Communications State-Level Goal: To prepare students to communicate effectively with oral presentations that demonstrate appropriate planning and expressive skills. Students will understand the role of public speaking for success in the classroom and society.

Written Communications State-Level Goal:  To prepare students to communicate effectively with writing that exhibits solid construction resulting from satisfactory planning, discourse, and review. Students will understand the importance of proficient writing for success in the classroom and the workforce.

Humanities and Fine Arts: Well-educated people develop an understanding of the ways in which humans have addressed their condition through imaginative work in the humanities and fine arts. They deepen their understanding of how that imaginative process is informed and limited by social, cultural, linguistic and historical circumstances and by learning to appreciate the world of the creative imagination as a form of knowledge.

Mathematics State-Level Goal: To develop students’ understanding of fundamental mathematical concepts and their applications. Students should develop a level of quantitative literacy that would enable them to make decisions and solve problems and which could serve as a basis for continued learning.

Natural Sciences State-Level Goal: To develop students’ understanding of the principles and laboratory procedures of the natural sciences (Life and Physical) and to cultivate their abilities to apply the empirical methods of scientific inquiry. Students should understand how scientific discovery changes theoretical views of the world, informs our imaginations, and shapes human history. Students should also understand that science is shaped by historical and social contexts.

In addition to the statewide general education/Core 42 goals, Missouri Southern has two Institutional Goals (International Cultural Studies and Health and Wellness.)

International Cultural Studies: Well-educated people develop an understanding of how cultures and societies around the world are formed, sustained and evolve. Students should understand world affairs, international issues and cultures other than their own as seen through the history, geography, language, literature, philosophy, economics or politics of the cultures. Students will acquire empathy for the values and perspectives of cultures other than their own and an awareness of the international and multicultural influences in their own lives.

Health and Wellness: Well-educated people develop the knowledge and self-management skills that will assist them in adopting healthy lifestyles. This encompasses all areas of wellness: physical, emotional, spiritual, social, intellectual and financial. Students will understand the relationship between lifestyle management, quality of life and societal health and productivity.

Thanks to technological resources and the commitment of our faculty, students have the opportunity to complete many of the General Education courses in modes that suit their individual schedules and needs. While Missouri Southern offers all of the General Education courses in traditional classroom settings, students who possess the skills and responsibility required for success in General Education courses offered in non-traditional modes, such as on-line and hybrid courses, will be able to do so.

Your Major

The University offers more than 100 majors in a wide variety of fields. Pursuing your major will furnish you with the in-depth knowledge that is also characteristic of a well-educated person. Some students come to Southern with a clearly defined idea of their major; others come uncertain, relying on their exposure to the General Education curriculum and on experimenting with a few elective courses to help them choose.

In either case, when you emerge with your baccalaureate degree, you will have mastered a body of knowledge that sets you apart from well-educated people in other fields. Often it is your mastery of a particular discipline that makes you of great value in the workplace. Not only do you emerge knowing a great deal, but you also emerge armed with the power to learn more, to extend your knowledge.

Special Features of Missouri Southern

A comprehensive education fostering life-long learning is the aim of our liberal arts curriculum. Southern strives to present the best in higher learning. The following features distinguish our university.

Emphasis on Teaching: The heart of Missouri Southern is that of an undergraduate university where the interaction between teacher and student is of primary importance in the learning experience. Here you will be taught by professors with degrees from the most prestigious universities across the nation.

Emphasis on International: The world is changing rapidly and dramatically. The future will belong to those who have an understanding and appreciation for the world beyond the boundaries of their country. That is why Missouri Southern has chosen to emphasize a global perspective throughout our entire curriculum and wherever possible to add an international dimension to our courses.

Enrichment Programs: Your comprehensive education is enriched through a variety of special programs including the Honors Program, internships and independent study opportunities, involvement with the student media and “themed” semesters that focus on a country, continent or section of the world. Study abroad opportunities include the Summer in Sweden art program and semester-long exchange programs throughout the world. Short-term study abroad experiences, including comparative trips and on-site classes, introduce students to aspects of another country’s culture in order to expand their views beyond their global perspective.

Total Collegiate Experience: A great deal of college education happens outside the classroom. An array of extracurricular activities is offered to meet almost every academic and social interest. In addition, numerous services are available for the student to meet educational and personal needs.

Assessment of Outcomes: Missouri Southern continually assesses the effectiveness of its programs, including the General Education/Core 42 curriculum and all majors. The assessment information is used to revise and to improve our programs, as well as keep the curriculum dynamic and relevant.

Diverse Student Body: Students at Southern represent a wide variety of ages and places of origin. The sizable enrollment of nontraditional students (those over 25) and international students is a great advantage. On our campus, students come to see each other as friends and allies and learn to develop healthy and supportive relationships with a variety of people.

Flexible Class Scheduling: Day and evening classes, hybrid classes and delayed start classes are available to provide flexible scheduling. Distance Learning provides a variety of forms of access to education to meet the needs of today’s students. Missouri Southern also offers a broad selection of online programs and courses, providing diverse access to education to meet the needs of today’s students.

Our faculty and staff are always willing to help you to make the most of your college experience. Don’t hesitate to ask. We’re here for you!

Assessment of Outcomes

Goals of Assessment of Outcomes

Assessment is an ongoing, cyclical effort of identifying goals, developing programs to achieve those goals, evaluating the effectiveness of the programs, analyzing results, redefining goals and improving programs. That cycle is a basic responsibility of all faculty and administrators. Stated goals of outcomes assessment at Missouri Southern are:

1. Evaluation of institutional effectiveness by research and assessment of:

1. General Education/Core 42 programs and school departments
2. Academic and developmental student outcomes

2. Improvement of both academic and student affairs programs:

1. To increase student academic and developmental outcomes
2. To increase student retention and degree completion

3. Provision of data needed for assessment, program review and strategic planning to fulfill the university mission
4. Fulfillment of governmental mandates

In its mission, Missouri Southern is committed to developing effective programs to fulfill the needs of the students while developing knowledge, skills and positive attitudes so they can be successful and responsible citizens of a diverse world. In order to accomplish that goal, ongoing assessment is conducted not only by professors in classes offered each semester, but also by faculty and administration in program evaluation processes.

The Program Assessment and Review Committee (PARC), which is composed of faculty representatives from each College, the Director of Institutional Effectiveness (IE), and the Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs/Vice Provost, manages the review of program assessment for all academic units. PARC assists academic units in creating and implementing assessment plans, reviewing assessment data, and implementing action plans for continuous program improvement.

The Program Assessment and Review Committee collaborates with the Co-Curricular Assessment Committee to ensure that student learning and operational effectiveness are continually measured and evaluated in a manner that promotes use of data for continuous quality improvement. Program Assessment and Review reports are housed in Nuventive, the university’s software that serves both as a repository and reporting tool. Dissemination of assessment findings is managed through the Office of Institutional Effectiveness.

Program for Assessment of Outcomes

Importance of assessment for college accountability is underscored by a Board of Governors policy requiring that students participate in assessment activities when requested. Information obtained from standardized tests, faculty developed tests, surveys, student research, portfolio reviews, student interviews and performances is used to develop both quantitative and qualitative data needed for the analysis phase of our assessment plan. General education, academic program, and co-curricular outcomes are assessed on a regular basis by respective units in academic and student affairs.

For additional information on assessment of outcomes visit the Institutional Effectiveness website at: mssu.edu/academics/institutional-effectiveness/.

Tuition and Incidental Charges Policies

Please visit our homepage at www.mssu.edu for our online Schedule of Classes that contains the most up-to-date listing of tuition and incidental costs.
The University reserves the right to change tuition and incidental costs without notice.

1. Undergraduate Tuition and Incidental Costs

For all students who have registered for fall, spring or summer semesters, 100% of the semester charges must be paid by the published due date for each respective semester. Due dates can be found on the Bursar’s Office website and in the Schedule of Classes for the respective semester. Failure to remit the balance due may result in holds placed on the student’s class schedule.

Paper bills are mailed to students. However, for your up-to-date account balance, please view your account in LioNet. Students are responsible for any outstanding balance and are required to remit payment by the published due date.

It is extremely important to realize that a financial obligation is incurred at the time of enrollment. Services are rendered as of the first day of class so unless a student officially withdraws prior to that day, charges will be assessed in full. No reduction in charges according to the University refund policy will be credited to the students account until an official withdrawal is completed. An official withdrawal is required.

The University has payment plans available as soon as enrollment begins each semester. For more information regarding payment plans, and what payment plan options are available, visit the Bursar’s Office website or contact the Bursar’s Office.

Students expecting their student account balance to be paid through financial aid sources must have all necessary documentation filed with the Financial Aid Office by April 1st for the Fall term and by November 1st for the Spring term in order to receive consideration for payment deferment.

Students enrolled in evening and Internet classes for regular college credit courses, applicable toward an associate or baccalaureate degree, are subject to the same charges, rules, and regulations as set forth for students attending day classes.

Appeals concerning special problems pertaining to charges should be directed in writing to the Bursar in Hearnes Hall.

2. Residence Hall

As stated in the contract agreement, students will be responsible for the full semester bill at the time that all other student account charges are due. The security deposit will be refunded only if the terms of the contract have been fulfilled.

Explanation of Charges

Admission Application - a non-refundable administrative charge required upon submission of an application for admission.

Graduation Application - billed upon receipt of graduation application, non-refundable.

Late Registration - an administrative charge assessed to students who enroll for classes after the first full week of the semester.

Special Course Charges - charges for additional course materials and/or services for specific courses. Courses include, but are not limited to: art, music, education, dental hygiene, nursing, radiology and photography.

Inclusive Access - a charge for required digital course materials used for various classes.  The charge will appear on student accounts one week prior to the start of classes. The content will become available on the first day of class through Blackboard. Inclusive Access pricing can be viewed at mssubookstore.com. An informational email will be sent to student email accounts prior to the start of class.

Textbook Rental - a per credit hour charge assessed for the use of rental textbooks for some classes. The University operates a rental system through the University Bookstore which allows the use of the required textbook by the student for one semester. It should be noted that some classes may require the purchase of supplemental books and materials not available through the rental system. Textbooks must be returned no later than 4 P.M., Monday following the week of finals. A book drop is located in the wall behind Billingsly Student Center for after-hours and weekend drop off. Textbooks not returned by this time will be charged to the student’s account at the retail price. This charge may be reduced to a late charge equal to the current rental charge when returned through the published late book return date. Visit mssubookstore.com for more information.

Refund Policy

(Except for Residence Hall Charges)

During the course of any semester, if a student finds it necessary to drop individual classes or fully withdraw from the University, the refund policy for full-term classes is as follows:

For Fall and Spring Semesters

For Summer Semester

Withdrawal from classes during the 50% refund period means that the student will be responsible for 50% of the cost of tuition and incidental charges. Withdrawal from some classes after the fourth week, the student will be responsible for 100% of the cost of tuition and charges.

NOTE: Dates may vary for Off-Schedule classes. Withdrawal and refund information listed only pertains to full-term classes. Students must contact the Office of the Registrar for information on off-schedule courses.

To be eligible for a refund, the student must formally complete a Single Course Withdrawal form and submit it to the Office of the Registrar within the refund period. If the student is withdrawing from the University completely, he or she must complete a Total Withdrawal form with the University Financial Aid Exit Counselor within the published deadline dates. Refer to www.mssu.edu/student-affairs/registrar to view the off-schedule chart.

Failure to attend classes will not constitute a withdrawal.

NOTE: If the student withdraws after payment of any or all charges for the semester, any monies due to the student will be mailed after refund costs have been applied. However, if the University costs have been paid partially or fully by financial aid (scholarships, grants, loans, other government assistance programs, etc.) the refund monies will be first applied to the financial aid program source. Please see the repayment notice of Title IV aid paragraph below for further explanation. Once these awards have been fully refunded, any remaining balances will be forwarded to the student.

All refunds must be claimed during the term for which the refund applies. Students who feel that individual circumstances warrant exceptions to this policy may appeal in writing to the Bursar. This appeal must be made during the term for which the refund applies.

Repayment Notice for Federal Financial Aid

Students who withdraw through the 60% completion of the semester will be subject to repayment of part or all of their aid, as determined by federal regulations. This includes official and unofficial withdrawals stemming from student’s last date of attendance through the 60% of semester earned.
Students will be notified in writing of any amount due as a result of withdrawal. A hold will be placed on the student’s account until repayment is made in full.
Students must make repayment of their portion of financial aid within 45 days. Failure to make repayment within 45 days will result in:

1. Referral to the federal government for collection.
2. Ineligibility for federal financial aid from all colleges and universities until the overpayment of aid and interest due is paid to the U.S. Department of Education.

For policies concerning refunds for Residence Hall charges, please refer to the Residence Life contract.