About the University
Continue to main contentSoutheast Missouri State University is a comprehensive university, recognized for excellence in education, research, engagement, and creativity.
At Southeast Missouri State, we take pride in our will to do: the commitment and heart to find success, no matter what it takes. We give every student personal support that instills a strong sense of confidence and helps them exceed their potential. We offer groundbreaking academics that are comprehensive and dynamic. And because we anticipate the needs of the marketplace, we ensure that our students are ready to launch extraordinary careers.
Outcomes
This is a place for people who are driven to do. That mindset, along with our groundbreaking academics, personalized support system and real-world opportunities, makes our students more likely to graduate on time and launch fulfilling careers.
Affordability
We are living proof that high quality doesn’t have to mean high cost. Our tuition rates are lower than the national average—and combined with our abundant real-world learning opportunities, Southeast is a smart investment in any student’s future.
Career Preparation
Southeast students start building their resumes almost as soon as they set foot on campus. Here, the real-world opportunities begin on day one—and that’s why our graduates are ready to excel in their chosen careers from day one, too.
What We Offer
In addition to offering more than 170 degree programs, including 129 undergraduate majors and options, 33 master’s and specialist’s degree programs, and 11 certificate programs, Southeast continues to focus on staying ahead of changing market demands.
- Industry professionals train our cybersecurity team to help defend against the latest cyber threats.
- Approximately 30 healthcare programs provide a pipeline to feed a growing and stable healthcare industry with qualified professionals.
- P-12 educators from around the country look to us for the cooperative program we have with Apple that integrates technology in classrooms.
- The Jeanine Larson Dobbins Conservatory of Theatre and Dance is a top 30 national program, located on our River Campus — Missouri’s only campus dedicated to art, dance, music, and theatre.
Students receive unparalleled personal support from their first time on campus to the day they receive their diplomas. With 10,000 students, Southeast is an ideal size to take advantage of critical learning and extracurricular opportunities.
Southeast by the Numbers
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80%
A proven institution of higher learning, recognized in our field.
Southeast Missouri State University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, a commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. In addition, 80 percent of our academic programs hold specific accreditations with various accrediting bodies around the nation.
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75%
Eligible for Scholarships
We know the value of a college education and we think everyone should be able to afford that value. It’s the reason we designed a scholarship program where 75% of our students are eligible. Each year, Southeast awards more than $20 million in scholarships.
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5
Location. Location. Location.
There will be plenty of challenges along your college journey, finding a convenient campus location shouldn’t be one of them. We’re local. We’re helpful. And we have five campus locations across Southeast Missouri — including the Cape Girardeau campus near the banks of the Mississippi River — to make attending class as convenient as possible.
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55%
The courage to be first. The will to do.
Are you blazing a new path as the first in your family to go to college? You won’t be alone. More than half of the first-time freshmen in 2020 (about 55%) were first generation students. Our commitment to your success will be evident from day one.
Our Values
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Student Success
Southeast Missouri State University values student-centered education and experiential learning through engaged and adaptive modes in and beyond the classroom in a safe, friendly, supportive environment that offers academic and career achievement for our students. -
Excellence
Southeast Missouri State University values sustained commitment to quality teaching, service, research, and creative activities integrated into impactful academic and cocurricular programs that offer students a transformative educational experience. -
Access and Diversity
Southeast Missouri State University values access to high quality, affordable education with a broadly representative student body, faculty, and staff that respects and celebrates a diverse learning community in a global society. -
Community
Southeast Missouri State University values an engaged campus learning community committed through shared purposes and service; sustained by respect, accountability, and adaptability; and strengthened through collaborative partnerships that extend the expertise and accomplishments of faculty, staff, students, and alumni beyond the campus.
About Southeast
Southeast Fact Book
Institutional Research publishes a Fact Book each year reporting the institutional data for the University.
Campus Traditions
Southeast is a pretty special place, and there are some things you can only do here. Tackle Cardiac Hill between the Towers Complex and Crisp Hall. Show your support for the football team as they take the Redhawk Walk. Sign the dome. Campus traditions are what make a place special. They add layers to our story and connect us as a community. Maybe you’ll fall in love under the Engagement Tree, race a sled down at the old band practice field or sing the alma mater after the big game. Whatever tradition you experience, it’s sure to show what makes Southeast so special.
Cape Girardeau
Located between St. Louis and Memphis, Cape Girardeau is a 250-year-old city rich with history and heritage. It’s a town founded along the banks of the mighty Mississippi in the days of pioneers, trading posts, and steamboat captains. Yet Cape Girardeau certainly does not live in the past. It’s a vibrant community that mixes old-town charm with modern comfort. Students come to Cape from all over the United States and from more than 40 countries around the world.
Become a Redhawk.
Do more than dream about the future. Take the first steps to make it all happen.