Academics
Missouri Western State University is a public educational institution located in St. Joseph, MO that has a history dating all the way back to 1915. Inaugurated as the St. Joseph Junior College in the Fist World War-era – offering two-year liberal arts programs – MWSU started its four-year programs in 1969. In 1977, MSWU joined the Missouri public school system and later received full university status in August of 2005. Annual enrollment is typically over 5,000 students, a far cry from the original St. Joseph’s Junior College, which started out with 35 pupils and 8 faculty members. The annual budget today is close to $50 million.
Accreditation for Missouri Western State University comes from the Higher Learning Commission of NCACS (the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools). In addition to this university accreditation, separate programs receive accreditation from bodies like the American Bar Association (ABA), the Council on Social Work Education, the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher’s Education and the American Chemical Society, among others.
At Missouri Western, students have 70 different degree programs to choose from, with 54 bachelor’s degrees, 4 master’s, 10 associate’s, 2 certificates and 1 post-bachelor certificate open for enrollment. In addition to the 94 majors offered at MSWU, there are 41 minors for students to take advantage of.
While MSWU has retained its liberal arts focus as it approaches its centennial celebration, it has expanded its reach into business and professional studies as well. The Criminal Justice, Education and Nursing/Health Information Technology Programs are constantly growing in popularity. The Steven L. Craig School of Business is also growing by the year. The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences continues to carry the torch, offering degrees in Art, Biology, English, History, Psychology, Music, Theatre, Political Science and more. For graduate work, students are welcome to purse the Master’s in Applied Science in Assessment, Integrated Media, Written Communication and Chemistry.
