Southwest Missouri State University

Southwest Missouri State University is a state university situated in Springfield in Missouri. It is the state's second largest university in student enrollment. This university is next to the University of Missouri. From 1972-2005, the university was known as Southwest Missouri State University. But after 2005, the university changed its name to Missouri State University or MSU to reflect its mission. In addition, to its main campus, it has two-year branch campus in West Plains, a research campus in Mountain Grove and various other programs in China. TheSouthwest Missouri State University was founded under the name Fourth District normal School on March 1905.

The school's primary aim in those days was to prepare teachers for the public school system. The original campus was composed of a single building, and Academic Hall which was constructed on National Avenue in 1908. The Fourth District normal School became Southwest Missouri Teacher's Training collegein 1919. by 1985 the Southwest Missouri State University has grown as the second largest public university in the state.

The academic divisions of the Southwest Missouri State University is as follows:

• College of Arts and Letters
• College of Continuing Education and the Extended University
• College of Natural and Applied Sciences
• College of Business Administration
• College of Education
• College of Health and Human Services
• College of Humanities and Public Affairs
• Graduate School

The university campus consists of nine residential halls with over 250 student's organizations. These organizations srange from ethnic to political, religious and special interests. The Standard is the university's student-run newspaper. It is published every Tuesday and Friday during the Fall and Spring semesters. The Growl? is the university's student run internet radio station. It is the first radio station in Missouri that offers 24-hours netcast a day.