As the comprehensive public university in a metropolitan region, UM-St. Louis serves students who are in many ways nontraditional in their demographic make-up, their approach to higher education, and their educational needs. Meeting the requirements of these nontraditional students while extending the expertise of the university to the community is the mission of Continuing Education and Outreach.
Through Continuing Education and Outreach, the university's schools and colleges administer a wide variety of credit courses, noncredit programs, and problem-oriented research for the benefit of the greater St. Louis metropolitan area and beyond. Programs are offered both on and off campus. Research, generally of an applied, urban-related nature, is designed to solve specific problems of client groups.
Arts and Sciences
Continuing Education and Outreach in the College of Arts and Sciences
includes credit courses and noncredit programs for the college's departmental
disciplines, including courses and workshops in the arts, microcomputers,
music appreciation, writing, languages, history, and science. Interdisciplinary
teaching and research programs deal with such fields as social work, the
humanities, and economics. Programs for ongoing professional development
provide targeted, concentrated information to area employers and to the
general public regarding scientific and technological advancements. Informational
lectures and workshops on current issues are offered to the interested
public.
Continuing Education and Outreach in the College of Arts and Sciences also sponsors the Center for Entrepreneurship and Economic Education, which provides programs and curriculum consultations to local teachers and schools.
The Microcomputer Program, which develops and teaches applied computer courses and offers the Chancellor's Certificate on the Computer, along with other certificate programs, is also a unit of Arts and Sciences Continuing Education and Outreach.
The Advanced Credit Program, administered by Arts and Sciences, provides an enrichment experience for university-bound secondary students by providing freshman-level courses for credit in selected high schools.
The Gateway Writing Project offers credit and noncredit programs on writing improvement for classroom teachers.
A variety of credit courses offered at locations throughout the St. Louis metropolitan area enables students to obtain academic credit at locations convenient to where they live and work.
The Annual St. Louis Storytelling Festival is also sponsored by Continuing Education and Outreach. The College of Arts and Sciences partners with area cultural institutions to offer credit and noncredit programs for symphony, opera, and theater fans.
Business Administration
Continuing Education programs through the College of Business Administration
are offered in several areas, including organizational and management
development and individual professional growth. Programs include a certificate
program for first-line supervisors and a certificate program for human
resource administrators. Special seminars and conferences are offered
regularly on specific topics of current interest.
Education
The overall aim of the College of Education's outreach activities
is to provide services that bring about better teaching and learning situations
in educational settings. The programs and courses help students complete
Missouri teacher certification requirements as well as provide work either
toward advanced degrees or for in-service professional growth. The college
extends instructional research and service to educational personnel in
other parts of Missouri and the Midwest in addition to the St. Louis metropolitan
area.
The College of Fine Arts and Communication offers a variety of Continuing Education and Outreach activities to the community. Four endowed professorships are focused on community outreach in the arts. The award-winning E. Desmond Lee Music Education Collaborative, and other collaborative activities undertaken by the College in conjunction with arts organizations in the greater St. Louis area, all contribute to the college mission.
A range of credit and non-credit fine arts outreach programs are offered in partnership with the Saint Louis Symphony, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, and the Muny. The Arianna String Quartet, in residence at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, as well as other faculty and student ensembles, engage the St. Louis community in arts performances, clinics, and other activities. The Premiere Performances concert series presents high caliber chamber music artists and ensembles from around the world.
Graduate School and Public Policy Administration
The Nonprofit Management and Leadership Program offers comprehensive
education and training for professional staff, board members, and other
leaders of nonprofit and voluntary organizations, as well as students
and others wishing to explore a future in the field. The program offers
noncredit seminars and credit courses leading to undergraduate and graduate
certificates.
Nursing
Barnes College of Nursing and Health Studies at UM-St. Louis offers
a variety of continuing education programs for nurses and other health
care professionals. Undergraduate Nursing and Arts and Sciences credit
courses are offered for those wishing to complete their B.S.N. or finish
prerequisites to begin work on a master's degree. Selected graduate courses
are also offered.
Optometry
The University of Missouri-St. Louis offers Continuing Education and
Outreach programs for optometrists through the UM-St. Louis College of
Optometry. Diagnostic and therapeutic classes are held with doctors coming
from a variety of states.
Outreach Sites
Continuing Education and Outreach offers selected graduate and undergraduate
credit courses at UM-St. Louis Lindbergh, a satellite center located at
Lindbergh High School in south St. Louis County. Continuing Education
and Outreach offers credit courses at other metropolitan sites, including
St. Charles West Senior High School, Jefferson College in Hillsboro and
South County Educational Center.
The UM-St. Louis St. Charles County Educational Center has been established on the campus of St. Charles Community College. Junior- and senior-level courses are offered at this site. In the Jefferson County Educational Center, courses are offered at Fox High School in Arnold and Jefferson College in Hillsboro. The university offers additional junior- and senior-level courses at Mineral Area College in Park Hills and at East Central Community College facilities in Union and Washington, Missouri, respectively.
In-house Training
Specialized research and technical assistance and in-house training
programs are available to local businesses and organizations. With the
help of expert faculty and staff consultants, the university is equipped
to deliver specialized training on an in-house basis.
J.C. Penney Conference Center
This large conference facility at UM-St. Louis houses a 435-seat auditorium,
as well as six large conference rooms, designed to provide an excellent
academic environment and maximum convenience for course participants.
A complete conference staff provides administrative support for seminars
and conferences, as well as coordination for hundreds of hosted programs
each year. For more information on programs and services offered by Continuing
Education and Outreach, call (314) 516-5961.