Missouri Southern State University is a public, state university which is located in Joplin, Missouri. MSSU was formerly Missouri Southern State College and is also known as Missouri Southern or MoSo for short. It was established in 1937 as Joplin Junior College, and became a four-year college in 1968. In 2003, the Missouri General Assembly authorized the renaming of the college to Missouri Southern State University - Joplin, and in 2005 the university dropped Joplin from its name.

Academics
You will find more than 100 majors and degree options, new cooperative graduate programs, more than 80 student organizations, exciting and competitive NCAA Division II athletics programs, a beautiful 373-acre campus, a stimulating international mission, a vigorous and extensive distance learning program, modern state-of-the-art facilities, and much, much more.

Missouri Southern State University's commitment to the liberal arts is reflected in a comprehensive program of general education requirements for all students to ensure that they have a breadth of educational experiences which will enable them to develop communication and critical thinking skills and to acquire and apply aesthetic, contemporary, civic, international, historical, mathematical, scientific and value-oriented perspectives.

The faculty and staff of Missouri Southern State University emphasize quality teaching and learning as the most important attributes of the institution, complemented by scholarly and creative expression and dedicated community service. Community service involves responsiveness to the Southwest Missouri region as well as serving as the intellectual, creative and cultural center of the area.

Distance Learning
Missouri Southern has been offering affordable distance learning opportunities for over 30 years. Regardless of your location you will generally be charged only the same rate as is charged to Missouri residents.

The Division of Lifelong Learning can provide you with distance courses that make degrees available to you anywhere, and anytime. Whether you choose DVD, Internet, Blended or Televised courses you can be assured of student support through our Blackboard help desk that can be reached via phone, online Chat, or email. Plus, MSSU also provides a student customer service representative to help you administratively or with advising.