Degrees for the Future: Meeting the workforce needs of St. Louis
The University of Missouri–St. Louis is proud to be a leader in workforce development to rise up the St. Louis region.
The vast majority of UMSL students come from the metropolitan area and more than 77,000 graduates remain here to live, work and contribute to the success of our regional economy and collective well-being.
UMSL is successful in helping students launch and advance in their careers in St. Louis because we are constantly reviewing and adapting our academic offerings to respond to industry and workforce needs.
Over the last four years, UMSL has added nearly a dozen new, in-demand degrees in everything from actuarial science to international relations, computing technology to sport management.
For example, we have all seen the importance of cybersecurity in our connected world; and businesses continue to invest in the advanced tools and talent needed to protect valuable client and corporate data.
In 2016, UMSL was designated as the first Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education in the St. Louis region by the NSA and the Department of Homeland Security.
Aligning our expertise with industry demand, we’ve since added new bachelor’s and master’s degrees in cybersecurity where students can choose a degree emphasis in either computer science or information systems and technology.
The pandemic showed us all how vital global supply chains are to maintaining so many of the things we take for granted in everyday life. In response, UMSL launched a new master’s in supply chain analytics. This STEM-designated degree is already producing data scientists with an understanding of how to apply analytical skills to supply chains to maximize business efficiencies.
UMSL continues to foster entrepreneurship in the region and now requires that all new undergraduate students enrolled in our top-ranked College of Business Administration take a course in this area. Additionally, students may now earn an emphasis in entrepreneurship when pursuing a bachelor’s in business administration.
Our organizational leadership program launched in 2019 as an interdisciplinary program designed for adult learners already in the workforce who have an associate degree or some college credit, but need to obtain an accredited, four-year bachelor’s degree to move forward in their careers.
Finally, UMSL just received state approval to begin offering a new undergraduate degree in child advocacy studies. This degree will take advantage of UMSL’s expertise in child trauma for those seeking to become trauma-informed professionals in fields such as victim services, child protection, social services, mental health, health care, law enforcement and public policy.
The evolution of our degree programs will continue. But, this evolution will always be informed by industry needs in collaboration with our regional business leaders, many of whom serve on our academic and curriculum advisory boards.
This collaborative, informed and industry-focused approach will continue to build the future workforce that our region needs, demands and deserves.
Gratefully forward,
Kristin
The evolution of degree programs will continue with a collaborative, informed and industry-focused approach
