MISSOURI SOUTHERN STATE UNIVERSITY J-3

3950 East Newman Rd.
Joplin, MO 64801-1595
Tel: (417)625-9300; (866)818-MSSU
Admissions: (417)625-9537
Fax: (417)659-4429
E-mail: admissions@mssu.edu
Web Site: http://www.mssu.edu/

Description:

State-supported, 4-year, coed. Awards associate, bachelor's, and master's degrees. Founded 1937. Setting: 350-acre small town campus. Educational spending 2003-04: $2115 per student. Total enrollment: 5,256. Faculty: 284 (200 full-time, 84 part-time). Student-undergrad faculty ratio is 18:1. 2,242 applied, 99% were admitted. 18% from top 10% of their high school class, 43% from top quarter, 74% from top half. Full-time: 3,621 students, 58% women, 42% men. Part-time: 1,635 students, 66% women, 34% men. Students come from 27 states and territories, 34 other countries, 14% from out-of-state, 2% Native American, 2% Hispanic, 2% black, 1% Asian American or Pacific Islander, 3% international, 38% 25 or older, 10% live on campus. Retention: 65% of full-time freshmen returned the following year. Academic areas with the most degrees conferred: business/marketing; education; protective services/public administration. Core. Calendar: semesters. Academic remediation for entering students, ESL program, services for LD students, advanced placement, accelerated degree program, honors program, independent study, distance learning, double major, summer session for credit, part-time degree program, external degree program, adult/continuing education programs, co-op programs and internships. Off campus study at Nevada Consortium. Study abroad program.

Entrance Requirements:

Options: Common Application, electronic application, deferred admission, international baccalaureate accepted. Required: high school transcript, standardized test scores; class rank, SAT or ACT. Recommended: ACT. Required for some: 2 recommendations, Michigan Test of English Language Proficiency. Entrance: moderately difficult. Application deadline: 8/1. Notification: continuous.

Costs Per Year:

Application fee: $15. State resident tuition: $3810 full-time, $127 per credit part-time. Nonresident tuition: $7620 full-time, $254 per credit part-time. Mandatory fees: $166 full-time, $83 per term part-time. Full-time tuition and fees vary according to course load. College room and board: $4770. Room and board charges vary according to board plan and housing facility.

Collegiate Environment:

Orientation program. Drama-theater group, choral group, marching band, student-run newspaper, radio station. Social organizations: 81 open to all; national fraternities, national sororities, local fraternities; 1% of eligible men and 1% of eligible women are members. Most popular organizations: Koinonia, Campus Activities Board, Residence Hall Association, Baptist Student Union, Student Senate. Major annual events: Spring Fling, Homecoming, Career Fair. Student services: health clinic, personal-psychological counseling. Campus security: 24-hour emergency response devices and patrols, late night transport-escort service, controlled dormitory access, security at campus events, emergency vehicle assistance, safety awareness information to students. 750 college housing spaces available; 530 were occupied in 2003-04. Freshmen guaranteed college housing. On-campus residence required in freshman year. Options: coed, men-only, women-only housing available. Spiva Library with an OPAC and a Web page. Operations spending 2003-04: $1.1 million. 448 computers available on campus for general student use. A campuswide network can be accessed from student residence rooms and from off campus. Staffed computer lab on campus.

Community Environment:

Located in southwest Missouri at the northern gateway of the Ozark Resort area, Joplin (population 46,000) is surrounded by numerous spring fed fishing streams in scenic hill country. The city has many manufacturing and wholesale firms as well as industry involving the mining and processing of zinc ore. All forms of commercial transportation are available. Part-time employment is available. There are over 100 churches, 14 elementary schools, 1 junior high school, 1 high school, 2 four-year colleges, and 2 hospitals.