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Southeast Missouri State University

Cape Girardeau , Missouri , United States

National Ranking: 82

Founded: 1873
Establishment: University
Type: Public
Total Students: 10072+

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Southeast Missouri State University

Southeast Missouri State University was founded in 1873 when a group of prominent businessmen and politicians successfully lobbied the State of Missouri to designate Cape Girardeau as the home of the Third District Normal School. Originally known as Southeast Missouri State Normal School, the first classes were taught at the nearby Lorimier School until April 1875 when the first normal school building was completed.

The original Normal School building burned down on April 8, 1902, and was replaced in 1906 by Academic Hall, the school's domed landmark building. It was designed by Jerome Bibb Legg, who also designed the St. Louis Exposition and Music Hall, and includes light fixtures from the 1904 World's Fair.

In the 1950s Southeast Missouri State College had an enrollment of approximately 1,600 students and steadily increased to more than 7,000 students in the 1970s due to low tuition costs, aggressive recruiting, and the construction of Interstate 55 between St. Louis and Cape Girardeau. The College also moved away from its focus on training teachers and began to offer courses of study in business, nursing, and the liberal arts. Due to the expansion of curriculum and student body population, the college became Southeast Missouri State University in 1972.

The size of the campus also grew in this same period. In 1956, the institution had ten buildings on campus. By 1975, the number had increased to twenty-two buildings. In 1998, the university acquired the former St. Vincent's Seminary on the Mississippi River. This property has been redeveloped as the Earl and Margie Holland School of Visual and Performing Arts, which opened in Fall 2007.

Important Facts

Southeast Missouri State University is a comprehensive university with numerous national and international academic accreditations.

In addition to offering more than 145 undergraduate majors, 100 minors, and more than 75 graduate programs, Southeast continues to focus on staying ahead of changing market demands. Using technology to find new ways to feed the world is a top priority in agriculture, and industry professionals turn to our cybersecurity team to help defend against the latest cyber threats. A growing and stable healthcare industry are providing plentiful employment for more than 60 healthcare programs. 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 new feature of 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. This instills a strong sense of confidence and lays the foundation for all of their achievements to come.

With nearly 12,000 students, Southeast is an ideal size to take advantage of critical learning and extracurricular opportunities. Internships and experiential learning are available in 100 percent of majors. Study-abroad opportunities range from two-week to academic year study in a variety of countries.

Overlooking Mark Twain's mighty Mississippi River, Southeast is the kind of place people imagine when they think of college. The beautiful campus is an eclectic mix of old and new. Classic limestone buildings blend harmoniously with contemporary structures. Located in Cape Girardeau, the largest city between St. Louis and Memphis, Southeast is a great place to live and learn in a college-friendly community. Students come from all over the United States and from more than 40 countries around the world.

Ranking / Awards

Southeast Missouri State University's 2021 Rankings

Southeast Missouri State University is ranked #76 in Regional Universities Midwest. Schools are ranked according to their performance across a set of widely accepted indicators of excellence.