Missouri State University would like to acknowledge the work of the Missouri General Assembly in passing the program approval bill (HB 1465). This was a multi-year effort that required significant perseverance by the coordinating board and our state’s legislative and executive branch leaders.

The bill creates a framework to reform degree offerings and program approval processes for public universities and community colleges throughout the state. The framework eliminates unnecessary and costly program duplication and encourages collaboration. The bill sets the State of Missouri on a trajectory to lead the country in higher education by encouraging streamlining, efficiency and reduction of administrative costs.

Missouri law currently prohibits Missouri State University from offering new professional doctorate degrees. The program approval bill eliminates these prohibitions and replaces them with a statewide framework that includes a pathway for Missouri State to expand its professional doctorate degree offerings.

Special thanks to Commissioner of Higher Education Zora Mulligan, Sen. Ron Richard, Sen. Jay Wasson, Sen. Gary Romine, Rep. Todd Richardson, Rep. Kevin Austin, Rep. Steve Cookson, and Rep. Donna Lichtenegger for their work to reform Missouri’s system of higher education by passing this important legislation.