School Details
Southeast Missouri State University has come a long way since its humble beginnings as a teachers’ college with 57 students in 1873. Today, SMSU is a respected institution consistently recognized for its high-caliber education and excellence in research, creativity, and engagement.
The university offers more than 170 undergraduate and graduate degree and certificate programs. Each student receives personalized support and guidance to increase their confidence and help them find their pathway to success. Curricula are developed with the evolving needs of the marketplace in mind, so students are assured of career-ready skills and knowledge.
Students in diverse locations can choose a quality SMSU education through the school’s online degree programs. More than 40 programs can be completed entirely online with no campus requirements. Out-of-state students also pay the same rate as in-state students with SMSU Online.
Accreditation & Licensing
Southeast Missouri State University is accredited by:
Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
All Programs
Art & Liberal Arts
If you’re unsure where you want to go in life with your career, but want to establish professional skills, consider this online BGS from Southeast Missouri State. The convenience of online learning without having to select a traditional major, gives you the ability to complete a degree while forming the critical thinking, problem-solving and excellent communication skills to use in almost any job setting. This versatile program can enable you to use your existing credit, focus a scattering of prior coursework or change majors to complete your degree and earn your diploma!
Interdisciplinary Studies online at Southeast Missouri State give you maximum flexibility. Not only do you get the convenience of online learning with this degree program, but you have the ability to customize the program to your specific needs. Whether it is from a career or personal perspective, you can individualize a study plan to meet your goals. Pulling from over 18 subject areas, there are options to concentrate your studies in areas such as:
- Child development
- Economics
- ESL
- Mathematics
Business
Southeast Missouri State University offers an online Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree to prepare students for more opportunities in management and administration. The curriculum starts with business fundamentals to provide a strong foundation.
Open the door to a variety of business opportunities with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration focusing on Accounting. Students will learn business fundamentals alongside key Accounting skills.
With an AACSB-accredited program and faculty with real-world experience, you are assured of a quality and readily applicable education. Courses cover topics in business law, management information systems, marketing, business policy, and more. Opportunities exist for internships and study abroad programs for interested students.
A few of the job opportunities available to graduates include:
- Auditor
- Accountant
- Budget analyst
- Tax examiner
- Financial analyst
Climb the career ladder with this online computer engineering degree. This program leads to management and higher-level positions in many industries with this curriculum that builds on previous education or work experience. Students must transfer in with a technically oriented Associate of Applied Science degree or submit a portfolio that demonstrates their technical knowledge.
Study fundamental concepts in this field, including concepts in:
- Mathematics
- Physical sciences
- Technology
- Management
By earning this technology management degree online students have the freedom to continue working, complete an internship, or balance life’s other obligations.
Earn your MBA with an emphasis in Accounting online from Southeast Missouri State University.
The online MBA concentration in General Management program focuses on business administration coursework. The program emphasizes leadership, communication, information technology, and financial analysis. You will learn how to manage people and resources in the global marketplace. In the complex modern business world, professionals need to be able to keep up with local and global change while also developing their leadership and interpersonal competencies, enabling them to work with people at all organizational levels. The MBA program prepares students with these skills and knowledge, along with additional skills that guide them through all aspects of business and help them to succeed. Graduates are ready to interact productively with internationally diverse customers, employees, and suppliers; utilize the latest technology; and address global opportunities and competition.
Southeast Missouri State University offers an online Master of Public Administration degree. Students will learn more enhanced knowledge about the role of public service, to be able to advance in their careers.
Southeast Missouri State University offers an online Master of Science in Management degree for students who don’t already have a major in business but are employed in areas that require business and management duties. Students will learn how to better perform in their careers and learn advancement opportunities.
Computer Science & IT
Southeast Missouri State University’s Bachelor of Science in Computer Information Systems program provides students with a thorough understanding of the fundamental principles of computing, mathematics, software engineering, and programming. Graduates may pursue careers with companies such as Microsoft, Boeing, AT&T, Edward Jones, and Maritz.
The master’s degree in Applied Computer Science from Southeast Missouri State University trains students for an advanced role as a computing professional. The degree can prepare current Computer Science professionals to advance their career or students without a Computer Science background to enter the field.
The Computer Science online degree covers a broad range of courses in theoretical computer science, software construction, data analytics, cloud computing, and emerging technologies. Courses are designed to enhance students’ technical and professional skills. A wide range of electives are available so students can tailor their studies to the content area that interests them most.
A sample of elective topics available includes:
- Data mining
- Mobile computing
- Advanced web development
- Advanced robotics
- Machine learning
- Computer forensics
Criminal Justice, Safety & Law
Prepare for a career that will improve your community with this online criminal justice degree. You will study various aspects of criminal justice and communication, preparing for a career in law enforcement, corrections, juvenile justice, and more. Plus, this program is excellent preparation for graduate school and law school. The curriculum fosters critical thinking and analytical thinking, writing, confidence, leadership, and life-long learning. Graduates are also familiar with computer technology used in the field.
This online criminal justice degree is flexible, allowing students to continue working and balancing other responsibilities. Learn from experienced faculty who teach the same college courses as are taught online.
There is also a Law Enforcement Academy track available that provides specialized law enforcement training.
Learn about the criminal justice system and prepare for a career in law enforcement, court, correctional, and crime prevention settings with this online criminal justice degree. You will also be ready to advance your education and earn a doctorate. All of this is done through a flexible curriculum that allows you to balance your education, career, and other obligations.
Study the many facets of the criminal justice system, including policies and external influences. Graduates have a robust knowledge of the field. Customize your degree by choosing between three capstone options:
- Thesis
- Internship
- Higher-level leadership courses and a portfolio
This program is taught by the same expert faculty in the same reputable courses on-campus students benefit from.
Education
Pursue a career working with children during their earliest years with this online early childhood education degree. With this program, you will study child development which covers everything from conception through adolescence. Learn how to create healthy and supportive environments for children to learn in. Graduates are well qualified for positions as childcare workers and preschool teachers. This online early childhood education degree also serves as a strong foundation to build toward a bachelor’s degree in child development.
Pursue a career working with children during their earliest years with this online early childhood education degree. With this program, you will study child development which covers everything from conception through adolescence.
Learn to apply child development theory and experience to create healthy, supportive learning and care environments. Customize your degree by choosing between two tracks:
- Administrative
- Child and youth services
With either path, you will learn about the dynamics of families and how they affect children as you complete experiential learning in your community.
As you earn this online early childhood education degree you will be able to earn your Associate’s in Child Care and Guidance at no extra cost.
This online degree in education administration is designed for superintendents, principals, or career special education directors seeking to advance their careers. It will also help students become superintendents, principals, or career special education directors. Other graduates may pursue careers in non-certificated administration roles such as director of curriculum, director of finance, and director of transportation.
Whatever your future plans entail, this online education administration degree can help you get there while allowing you to continue working and meeting other obligations. As you balance your career and education you will learn about school improvement, transformational leadership, different management techniques, and overall how to best serve students and families. This innovative project-based curriculum provides real-world experience through an internship in your district.
Do you want to advance your career while simultaneously improving your school? If so, this online educational leadership degree may be for you!
While this online educational leadership degree covers five different areas of leadership in the education field, you will choose one of these areas of concentration:
- Operations Specialist
- Curriculum and Data Specialist
- Instructional Technology Specialist
- Human Resource Specialist
- Instructional Coach
All concentrations offer a well-rounded education with an innovative project-based curriculum. Students have the opportunity to interact with their peers from a wide range of districts and gain real-world experience through an internship.
Prepare for a career as a transformational leader in a school or school district with this online master’s in education administration. Take on administrative roles developing high-quality programs to inspire, empower, and prepare students to succeed.
As you complete this online education administration degree you will enjoy a rigorous, innovative project-based curriculum that focuses on continuous school improvement. You will explore the five Missouri leadership domains:
- Visionary
- Instructional
- Managerial
- Relational
- Innovative
Graduates have fulfilled the requirements for the K-12 Building Level Principal Missouri certification. They will have even completed test preparation that is built into the curriculum.
This online masters in elementary education was designed for candidates to assist their students with their needs and desires for growing to the next education level. Study the trends and issues affecting elementary education and learn the skills and assessment methods needed to thrive in the classroom.
There are a variety of options with this online elementary education degree. You can either deepen your field of expertise and conduct research that relates to challenges you face in your own teaching or you can branch out into a new area.
Choose one of these areas of emphasis:
- Reading
- Math/Science
- Early Childhood Education
Choose your own pace and even choose to add an additional teaching certificate as a Reading Specialist or Math Specialist.
This online special education degree offers busy teachers an opportunity to further their education. Gain the tools and methods to help students with special needs. It is for general teachers who are looking to help special needs students in their classroom or for special education teachers who wish to deepen their skills and knowledge.
Customize your degree by choosing one of the following areas of emphasis:
- Mild/Moderate Cross-Categorical
- Autism
- Early Childhood Special Education
While this program does not lead to an initial teaching certificate, it does provide an additional certificate in Autism Spectrum Disorder or the Missouri teaching certificate in Early Childhood Special Education.
Enroll in this secondary education degree online and advance professional opportunities. Advance your teaching career with this program. The tailored curriculum focuses on improving teaching and organizational abilities, allowing you to take your classroom instruction to the next level.
Choose between two areas of study:
- Educational Studies deepens your knowledge of either Art, Autism, English, or Science.
- Educational Technology expands your knowledge of technology in the classroom.
With both options, you will learn the latest technology and educational methods and become a leader in your school with your specialized knowledge.
Prepare for a leadership role in your school with this online educational leadership degree. This degree is for people who want to stay in the classroom rather than take positions as school administrators.
With this online educational leadership degree, you will learn from former educators and administrators, learning about different leadership opportunities and responsibilities within education. The curriculum covers such topics as:
- School improvement plans
- Teacher evaluation
- Plans for district and school-level budgets
- Schedules
This program was designed for full-time school employees. Balance your career and your education with flexible online learning. The courses and field experiences can be completed where you work as you plan for a leadership role that fits your needs and skills.
Enroll in this master’s in STEM education online degree and advance professional opportunities. Prepare for a career in the in-demand field of STEM education. This includes science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Not only will you learn STEM basics, but you will also learn best practices for teaching these complex subjects. Learn to create curriculum and instructional material, integrate technology, develop a classroom management plan, assess students, and build effective relationships with students, families, and educational partners.
Choose to earn certification in math or science for grades 5-9 or in biology, chemistry, earth science, math, or physics for grades 9-12. Regardless of your area of specialization, you will earn an initial teaching certificate in STEM education.
Engineering
Begin your technology-related career or work toward a technical bachelor’s or master’s degree with this online engineering degree. You will be able to work toward management positions in industrial-based environments.
This online technology management degree prepares you to take on a technically oriented role in manufacturing or industrial settings. These roles may include:
- Network administration
- Information technology specialist
- Production technician
All courses are taught by industry-experienced faculty.
Complete your bachelor’s degree and gain the knowledge and skills that lead to career advancement. This online engineering degree builds on an Associate of Applied Science in a technology field. Learn fundamentals in the field by learning concepts in mathematics, physical sciences, technology, and management. You can customize your degree to your needs by choosing electives in your area of interest.
Real-world experience is built into the curriculum through a capstone course and labs. By earning this technology management degree online, you are able to continue working, complete an internship, or balance other obligations as you study.
Learn research methods, leadership qualities, and critical thinking skills in this online engineering management degree that is designed with the help of industry leaders. Develop in-demand workforce skills and knowledge in production planning, applications for scientific techniques for quality control and assurance, and management of production processes.
As you earn this technology management degree online you are able to customize not only where you study but also what you study. Tailor the degree to fit your career goals and interests with options in:
- Cybersecurity
- Facilities management
- Industrial education/training and development
- Manufacturing systems
- Telecommunications systems
- Workplace environment and health safety
Graduates are ready to serve as effective leaders, supervisors, or managers in a technology-based enterprise.
Healthcare
Southeast Missouri State University takes its degree program in healthcare administration seriously—it falls under the College of Business & Computing. The Bachelor of Science in Business Administration / Healthcare Administration forges future leaders in healthcare through a robust business curriculum.
The program will build your skills in:
- Setting budgets and policy
- Managing people and resources
- Meeting industry regulations
- Improving the quality of patient care
This blending of business acumen and industry-specific insights improves the delivery of healthcare. You will make a difference for the patients within your organization.
The online healthcare administration program allows you to study anywhere and anytime. With this degree, you can reach beyond healthcare administrator with roles such as public health advisor, healthcare policy analyst, or insurance underwriter.
Southeast Missouri State University offers the online BS in Healthcare Management. This degree prepares students for a variety of administrative opportunities in the healthcare industry. It is targeted towards practitioners who desire to move up in clinical management or out of direct patient care into a support role.
There are two options within this major:
- Quality and Patient Safety – focused on patient safety issues and healthcare quality standards
- Informatics – focused on the gathering and reporting of medical information to providers, insurers and accreditation agencies
Southeast Missouri State University offers the online Graduate Certificate in Healthcare Management. This certificate allows individuals to continue their education without committing to a full master’s program. However, hours taken for this graduate certificate may be applied to the MS in Healthcare Management.
Concentrations available:
- Quality and Patient Safety
- Administration
- Informatics
The online MBA concentration in Health Administration program is targeted towards practitioners who desire to move up in clinical management or out of direct patient care into a supportive or administrative role. Coursework in finance, health administration, and management prepares graduates for leadership positions in various health-related organizations. In addition, students learn to keep up with local and global changes in business while developing leadership and interpersonal competencies that allow them to work with people at all organizational levels.
This unique program allows students to have the flexibility of learning online while being able to participate in coursework taught by the same faculty as those on-campus. Other unique program features include:
- Addressing global opportunities, universal competition, and regulatory concerns
- Utilizing the latest technology in production, controls, and communications
- Interact productively with internationally diverse customers, employees, and suppliers
Southeast Missouri State University offers a Master of Science in Applied Nutrition to prepare candidates to pass the Registered Dietitian credentialing exam. A graduate degree will be required to sit for this exam in the near future.
This intensive and rewarding online program in Applied Nutrition prepares you to thrive in this field. The in-depth coursework covers topics such as:
- Advanced medical nutrition therapy
- Strategic management of food service operations
- Metabolic considerations in performance and wellness nutrition
- Professional skills and emerging trends in dietetics practice
For those already holding the Registered Dietitian title, you can skip the supervised learning component, thereby completing your degree in less time.
Southeast Missouri State University offers the online MS in Healthcare Management. This program is ideal for persons currently employed in the healthcare industry who are seeking advancement in their field. By obtaining this degree, individuals will perform better in their current and future positions. This degree will help fulfill the need for non-clinical healthcare employees.
Study:
- Research methods, organizational behavior, and policy
- Healthcare operations and administration
- Informatics and database systems
- Healthcare quality and patient safety
Math & Science
Earn a degree that has been more than 122 years in the making, the online agriculture master’s degree. With this program, you will boost your skills, knowledge, and career in the rapidly changing Agribusiness field.
Gain the tools needed to become a transformative leader in a program that combines creativity, innovation, and analysis. Some of the topics covered in this online business administration degree include:
- Marketing
- International affairs
- Liability and risk
- Communications
After gaining a grant and performing research you will be able to improve agribusiness using regenerative and sustainable practices.
Nursing
The online RN to BSN degree program from Southeast Missouri State University recognizes the prior nursing knowledge and experience of licensed registered nurses through advanced placement into the nursing curriculum. Graduates are prepared to pursue a variety of advancement opportunities within the field of nursing, including:
- Management
- Leadership
- Community Health
- Nursing Education
Psychology & Human Services
Earn a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology online through Southeast Missouri State University. Enrolled students are prepared for entry-level careers in a variety of fields necessitating foundational knowledge in psychology. Studies cover topics including but not limited to:
- Developmental psychology
- Cognitive processes
- Social psychology
Courses are available 100% online and are led by the same faculty who teach on-campus. Students will develop an essential skill set including critical thinking and communication. Graduates with this online psychology degree from Southeast Missouri State University are prepared to pursue professions in counseling, law enforcement, and human resources.
Southeast Missouri State University offers an online Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Science to aspiring students. This program provides customizable concentrations tailored to student’s individual career and academic goals. Studies may include but are not limited to:
- Survey of Social Science
- Problems in Social Science
- Social Science Research Methods
Concentrations range from Criminal Justice and History or Psychology and Sociology. Courses are available 100% online, adding to the flexibility of an already accessible program. Online classrooms are led by the same expert faculty who teach on-campus. By taking on this online social sciences degree, students are expanding professional pursuits in research analysis, military, business, or government.
Earn your BS in Child & Family Studies degree online from Southeast MIssouri State University.
A Bachelor of Science degree in Family Studies is available to the working adult student through Southeast Missouri State University online. This program is customizable, and students may tailor studies to meet career and academic goals. Studies may cover topics including but not limited to:
- Relationships
- Child development
- Nutrition and safety
Courses are available 100% online and led by the same expert faculty who teach on-campus. Through this program students gain a foundational understanding of social issues, policy effect on families, and theory, research, and practice used in the field today. Graduates with this degree may pursue entry-level positions in advocacy, geriatrics, casework, victim assistance, and more. Take advantage of an accredited Certified Family Life Educator Program with Southeast Missouri State University online.
Southeast Missouri State University provides a Master of Arts degree in Applied Behavior Analysis to the online student. This rigorous academic program prepares students for professional work with those with neurodevelopment disabilities including ASD. Advanced studies include but are not limited to:
- Methods for Studying
- Conceptual Topics
- Disciplinary Systems
Courses are available 100% online, lending ultimate flexibility to the working adult. Throughout the course of study students are able to take on hands-on learning through internships, real-time client observations, feedback sessions, and group supervision meetings. Explore advanced research, practice, and ethics of behavioral analysis through Southeast Missouri State University online.