University of Central Missouri (UCM, ) Introduction and Academics

Introduction

The University of Central Missouri, also referred to as UCM, is a four-year public state university located in Warrensburg, Missouri. The institute was originally founded in 1871 as State Normal School, District #2. After a few name and status changes, it was finally given its current designation on September 20, 2006. Since its inception, the UCM has remained committed to training students to become the business professionals, teachers, scientists, artists, and aviators of tomorrow.

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Information Summary

Ranks 23rd in Missouri and 793rd overall. See the entire top 2,000 colleges and universities list
Overall Score (about)	83.0
Total Cost On-Campus Attendance	$19,953
Admission Success rate	N/A
ACT 75%ile scores	24
Student Ratio Students-to-Faculty	18 : 1
Retention (full-time / part-time)	70% / 46%
Enrollment Total (all students)	11,487

Academics

UCM is fully accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. Some of the other national accreditations include AACSB–International; American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance; American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences; American Chemical Society; Educational Leadership Constituent Council; Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education; International Association for Management Education; International Reading Association; and National Association for Education of Young Children.

The university offers a wide variety of undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degree programs in diverse areas of study such as agriculture, art & design, aviation, biochemistry, chemistry & physics, and communication. The programs of study are specifically designed to give students a foundation of practical, real-world knowledge, expertise, and experiences. UCM is organized into the following academic units: College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences; College of Health, Science, and Technology; College of Education; Harmon College of Business and Professional Studies; and Honors College. Academic advising services are available for students to help them choose the right career, set both short- and long-term educational goals, and make the most of the campus facilities.

UCM Online

Recognizing the needs of students who are unable to attend regular classes, the university presents comprehensive online education programs. Through these online programs, students can take classes from the comfort of home or office, largely at their own pace. UCM provides a wide variety of online undergraduate degrees, graduate degrees, and several other certificate programs. Some of the entirely online programs offered by the University are Bachelor of Sciences degrees in Crisis and Disaster Management and Child and Family Development; Certificate in Educational Technology in Teaching and Learning; Certificate in Geographic Information Systems; MS in Occupational Safety Management; and PhD in Technology Management.

Most Popular Fields of Study

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Admissions

Freshman students seeking admission to the UCM must submit a completed application form along with their official transcripts. Students must also send their SAT or ACT score. Transfer students must submit their transcripts from all previously attended colleges and institutes, along with the ACT or SAT assessment score. All transfer credit is evaluated in the context of university requirements.

Each year, the student body at UCM boasts a good number of international students. International applicants must send all the required official transcripts along with the completed application form. Students whose first language is not English must submit TOEFL or IELTS test scores.

Financial Aid

The university offers generous financial aid programs for needy and deserving students. The Office of Student Financial Services provides financial assistance though various channels, including grants, scholarship, loans, and student employment. All students applying for financial aid must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Grants are a form of financial gift that students are not required to repay. Some of the federal and state grants offered at UCM are Pell Grant, Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG), Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG), TEACH Grant, National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent (SMART) Grant, Stateline Grant Program, and Access Missouri Grant. Residents of certain counties in Kansas may also be eligible for Missouri state grants.

Scholarships offered at UCM include Freshmen Scholarships, Non-UCM Scholarships, UCM Foundation Scholarships, Warren C. Lovinger Graduate Student Scholarship, Graduate Non-Resident Scholarship, President’s Diversity Scholarship, Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship, Gates Cambridge Scholarship, George J. Mitchell Scholarship, Harry S. Truman Scholarship, Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Graduate Scholarship Program, and Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship.

Loans are the type of financial aid that must be returned with interest. Some of the student loans offered at UCM include Stafford (student) Loans, Perkins (student) Loans, Private Educational (Alternative) Loans, UCM Short-Term Loans, PLUS (parent) Loans, and PLUS (graduate student) Loans. The university also offers a federal work-study employment program through which students can work part-time while attending classes.

Student Financial Aid Details

Ranks 4066th for the average student loan amount.
Secrets to getting the best scholarships and financial aid in Missouri.

Students

Apart from classroom education, UCM also offers diverse activities and events to promote the involvement of students in the life of the campus. There are more than 200 registered student organizations. The Student Government Association acts as the link between students, faculty members, and staff. It also functions as the voice of the students and promotes campus activities and events. The Office of Campus Activities provides opportunities in student government, sports and recreation activities, several weekly events including comedians, concerts, and movies. Students can also give back to their alma mater by participating in the various volunteer activities.

Some of the student organizations available on the campus include the American Association of Airport Executives, Arcade Magazine/Creative Writing Club, Central Society of Child and Family Development, College Student Personnel Association, Fashion Business Association, Graduate Student Association, Missouri National Education Association, National Residence Hall Honorary, Print and Graphics Student Association, Student Athletic Trainers’ Association, UCM Photographic Society, Student TRIO Association, Percussive Arts Society, and Church of Christ Campus Ministry.

The university has a strong Greek presence with more than 20 Greek organizations. The fraternities and sororities are governed by the Interfraternity Council, National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC), and National Panhellenic Conference. Some of the on-campus Greek organizations are: Delta Chi, Lambda Chi Alpha, Omega Psi Phi, Phi Beta Sigma, Alpha Sigma Alpha, Delta Sigma Theta, Delta Zeta, and Sigma Kappa.

Media and Publications

The Muleskinner is the student-operated weekly newspaper of the university. It contains information regarding the university and articles written by students.

UCM also has a KTBG 90.9 FM radio station. It is an NPR affiliate, which features the NPR newsmagazines, along with album-oriented music. The university also operates a KMOS-TV, a television station.

Library

UCM campus is home to the James C. Krikpatrick Library, which includes over 2 million materials in the collection. It has journals, books, and reference materials related to the course curricula. The library has study rooms where students can spend some quiet time with books. The university also houses a career and counseling center to help students make the right career decisions, assist them in finding a suitable job, and advise them in various personal and professional issues.

Housing & Dining

UCM offers excellent housing facilities within the campus in the form of residence halls, Greek houses, and apartments. Each of the on-campus communities provides special housing options to meet the different requirements of UCM’s assorted student population.

Residence halls in West Campus include Fitzgerald Hall, Houts-Hosey Halls, Nattinger-Bradshaw Halls, Nickerson Hall, South Todd Hall, South Yeater Hall, Yeater Hall, Nickerson Apartments, and Todd Apartments. The residence halls in East Campus housing include University Conference Center, Diemer Hall, Ellis Complex, and Foster/Knox Apartments.

The University offers apartment-style accommodation among its housing facilities: Foster/Knox, Todd and Nickerson Apartments, Central Village, and Greenwood Park. These apartments include general facilities such as furnished one-bedroom apartments, bathrooms, laundry facilities in hall, cable television, telephone, and paid Internet. UCM also provides Greek housing facilities. Sorority members live in the Panhellenic Hall, while the fraternity members live in the Fraternity Complex.

UCM offers a wide variety of dining options for the students. These eateries offer the perfect hangout zone for the students to meet during class breaks and enjoy a cup of coffee. Students from diverse backgrounds find something to match their taste in the varied dining outlets located throughout the campus. These dining centers serve the resident students, commuter students, faculty members as well as staff. Some of the popular dining locations include Ellis Dining Center, Westside Market in Todd Hall, Panhellenic Dining Center, Elliott Union, and Einstein Bros Bagels. There are also several retail and convenience stores situated on the campus.

Student Enrollment Demographics

Student Graduation Demographics

Athletics

Central Missouri’s athletic department sponsors men’s and women’s teams in several varsity sports, such as baseball, basketball, bowling, cross country, football, golf, soccer, softball, track and field, volleyball, and wrestling. The teams are nicknamed Mules (men) and Jennies (women). UCM athletes compete in the NCAA Division II and are members of the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association. Some of the sports and recreation facilities at UCM include Audrey J. Walton Stadium at Vernon Kennedy Field, the Multipurpose Building, Garrison Gym, James R. Crane Stadium at Robert N. Tompkins Field, the South Recreation Athletic Complex, Pertle Springs Golf Course, and the Ed Elliott University Union Recreation Center.

Intramural Sports:

UCM also offers intramural sports programs for thousands of students, faculty members, and staff. The intramurals department encourages everyone to participate in recreational sports and, most importantly, have fun. Recreation provides a platform for people to come together, get involved, and be a part of the university experience. Some of the popular intramural sports include softball, flag football, basketball, volleyball, tennis, bowling, racquetball, jogging, and swimming. The university houses several recreational facilities for students and faculty members to exercise while taking a break from classes.

Traditions

The traditional “Mule Train” is a form of booster club for the athletics teams. The participants and members of the club have access to the latest information on all the athletic teams, and special gifts and prizes. The members of the Mule Train also get season football tickets and free passes to several other events.

Local Community

UCM is located in Warrensburg, which has a population of just about 20,000. Though the setting is predominantly rural, the urban lifestyle of Kansas City is just an hour’s drive away. There are several small streams located nearby, and the Knob Noster State Park and Whiteman Air Force Base are also easily accessible.

Alumni

UCM graduates have established a reputation for excellence across the world in diverse fields. Some of the notable alumni are Dale Carnegie, author of How to Win Friends and Influence People; Russ Ball, an NFL executive; David Cook, winner of American Idol; David Holsinger, renowned wind ensemble composer; Allan Kayser, notable Actor; Chuck “The Dude” Palumbo, a professional wrestler; and Carrie Nation, leader of the Temperance Movement.

University of Central Missouri