Missouri Western State University was established in 1915 as St. Joseph Junior College, a two-year institution that held classes at the original location of Central High School at 13th and Patee. The junior college moved to the Robidoux Polytechnic High School building on 10th Street between Edmond and Charles in 1933, when Central High School relocated to its current location. In 1917, the Griffon became its mascot.
When Warren Hearnes of the Bootheel ran against Hilary A. Bush of Kansas City in the 1964 Democratic gubernatorial primary, the establishment of a four-year college was a central campaign issue. Hearnes promised to transform the school into a four-year institution despite the presence of another state university 40 miles (64 km) to the north in Maryville (then Northwest Missouri State College, now Northwest Missouri State University).
Hearnes won the primary by a razor-thin margin and then the general election. One year later, the college was renamed Missouri Western Junior College and transferred from the St. Joseph School District to the Missouri Western Junior College District, which consists of eleven school districts and five counties. During Hearnes' second term as governor, the college was granted four-year status as Missouri Western College in 1969. The district of Missouri Western Junior College funded the first two years, while the state funded the last two.
Years later, Missouri Western named its library after Hearnes; school officials stated that without Hearnes, Missouri Western would never have become a four-year college.
Shortly after the conversion, the school purchased the farm of St. Joseph State Hospital No. 2 on the east side of Interstate 29 for its campus on the city's eastern edge. It was originally intended to be constructed across from the hospital, west of Bishop LeBlond High School, and closer to downtown St. Joseph.
In 1973, the institution was renamed Missouri Western State College, and in 1977, it received full state funding. It was granted university status in 2005, and graduate degrees were first offered in 2007.
In 1988, Shalia Aery, the commissioner of higher education under Governor John Ashcroft, recommended the closure of Northwest and the survival of Missouri Western. This plan was eventually abandoned.
2005 legislation renamed the institution Missouri Western State University.
This legislation designated Missouri Western University as the state's Applied Learning Institution and authorised the university to grant master's degrees. In May 2009, the university hooded its first twelve master's degree recipients. In the first six years that Western has offered graduate degrees, graduate enrollment has increased by at least 100 percent annually. Western offers 18 master's degrees and 6 graduate certificates as of 2016.
The Stephen L. Craig School of Business received accreditation from AACSB International in 2010.
As of April 2020, the institution will discontinue or significantly alter nearly sixty of its degree programmes. These changes are a result of years of "declining student enrollment trends, strained state funding resources, rising costs, deferred maintenance needs, and long-term debt"
The university's most prominent corporate affiliation is with the cleaning supplies company Hillyard, Inc.
The school's Spratt Memorial Stadium is named for company executive Elliot "Bub" Spratt. Leah Spratt Hall is named after one of Elliott's sisters. The institution hosts the Hillyard Tip Off Basketball Classic.
Why Missouri Western State University?
- The ratio of students to faculty is 17 to 1.
- 96% of first-year college students receive financial aid, and students receive more than $47 million annually.
- 94% of full-time professors hold doctorates in their respective fields.
- The university offers certificates, associate degrees, bachelor's degrees, and master's degrees, with a focus on experiential learning and community service.
Missouri Western State University Tuition Fees
| Courses | Duration | Tuition Fees |
|---|---|---|
| Engineering (1 Courses) | 2 year | USD 10663 |
| Arts (1 Courses) | 2 year | USD 13032 |
| Information Technology (IT) (1 Courses) | 2 year | USD 11847 |
Missouri Western State University International Students Admissions
It is home to more than 5,600 students, eight percent of whom are international students. The admissions procedure for international and domestic students is nearly identical. However, international students must meet additional requirements.
Application Portal: Missouri Western State University Application Portal
Application Fee: 50 USD
Admission Requirements:
- Official Transcripts
- High school/equivalent
- Bachelors/Masters Degree ( Graduate)
- Should be accompanied by Foreign Credential Evaluation by WES.
- Should be accompanied by certified translations if not in English.
- SAT/ACT Scores (Optional, Undergraduate Admissions)
- Unless applicants meet the minimum eligibility GPA requirements
- Minimum GPA requirements - Similar to those for U.S. citizens (Mentioned in subsequent sections)
- GMAT/GRE (Graduate Admissions)
- International Student Financial Aid Application – Required if applying for need-based financial aid
- Certification of Finances
- Verification of Financial Support
- Copy of Passport
Missouri Western State University English Language Proficiency Scores
International applicants are required to submit English language test scores as evidence of their proficiency in the language. Scores are valid for two years following the test date. The following are the minimum scores required by the university:
| Exam | Minimum Scores Required (Undergraduate ) | Minimum Scores Required (Graduate ) |
|---|---|---|
| TOEFL-iBT | 72 | 79 |
| IELTS(Academic) | 5.5 | 6.0 |
| Pearson’s Test of English (PTE) | 44 | 53 |
| Duolingo English Test (DET) | 95 | 105 |
| iTEP | 3.7 | 3.9 |
