A Guide to U.S. Master's Degree Programs for International Students
Higher Education in Missouri
Missouri’s system of higher education consists of 13 public four-year college and university campuses, 19 public two-year campuses, 1 public two-year technical college, 25 independent colleges and universities, and 120 proprietary schools, serving more than 360,000 students.
Missouri Public Institutions
The public institutions of higher education are regionally accredited and
located in Missouri. These institutions receive a portion of their operating
funds directly or indirectly from state appropriations. Missouri’s public
institutions include two-year colleges, four-year colleges and universities,
and a two-year technical college.
Missouri Independent Institutions
The independent institutions of higher education are accredited, nonprofit
colleges and universities directly controlled by a board or other system of
governance outside of state and/or local government. Missouri’s independent
institutions include two-year colleges, four-year colleges and universities,
technical and professional institutions, theological schools, and seminaries.
Missouri Proprietary Institutions
The proprietary institutions of higher education are privately owned and controlled,
based in Missouri, and certified to operate by the Missouri Department of
Higher Education. Proprietary institutions generally offer education and training
designed to prepare graduates for direct entry into a specific occupation
or profession. In Missouri, certain types of schools are required by law to
be "certified to operate" by the Missouri Department of Higher Education
in order to offer courses of instruction or recruit students in the state.
Schools that are required to obtain certification include:
Missouri located, privately owned postsecondary institutions that offer occupational
training or collegiate level education,
all non-Missouri postsecondary institutions that offer courses or programs
of instruction in the state, and all non-Missouri postsecondary institutions
that employ recruiters in the state.
The purpose of the certification program is to ensure that schools under the Postsecondary School Certification Program's authority are legitimate education providers, implement appropriate policies and procedures, and operate as represented in school publications and advertisements.
