The University Community

The University of Missouri-Columbia (MU) is the flagship campus of the University of Missouri system. With over 30,000 students and a wide diversity of colleges and programs (including agriculture, law, medicine, veterinary medicine, journalism, education, engineering, and numerous programs in the arts and sciences), MU is a vibrant and exciting place to study. The Truman School of Public Affairs is located in Middlebush Hall on the University of Missouri campus.

Columbia

Columbia is known as one of America’s best places to live. It combines a small town feel with the diversity and cultural opportunities often found only in large cities. Located on Interstate 70 midway between St. Louis and Kansas City, Columbia is a college community with a population of about 85,000. Besides MU, Columbia is home to two other institutions of higher education - Columbia College and Stephens College; the city's five hospitals and several major insurance company operations provide Columbia with a substantial base in the medical and insurance industries as well.

Campus and community resources

Sports and Recreation

Columbia has Big 12 conference football and basketball (MU) as well as NCAA Division I baseball, soccer, gymnastics, wrestling, softball, volleyball, and track and field.
During the late summer, Columbia hosts the statewide amateur Olympic-style "Show-Me State Games." Over 35,000 athletes compete in 34 different events in what has become the largest state games in the nation.
Bikers, hikers, and joggers can enjoy the MKT Nature and Fitness Trail, a pea-gravel-coated path constructed along the route of the former MKT railroad tracks.
Finger Lakes State Park is a 1,110-acre area for swimming, diving, off-road motorcycling, and canoeing.In addition, the city maintains 40 parks and recreation facilities with over 1,850 acres of land on which to fish, boat, or picnic.
Other outdoor sites in the area include Rock Bridge Memorial State Park (2,100 acres featuring a natural rock bridge formation and an underground cave system), Gans Creek Wildlife Area, Three Creeks State Forest, and Shelter Insurance Gardens (growing more than 15,000 flowers and 300 varieties of trees and shrubs).
Because Columbia is only about a two-hour drive from St. Louis or Kansas City, sports fans can take a short drive to enjoy watching professional sports teams such as the St. Louis Cardinals, Rams and Blues or the Kansas City Royals and Chiefs.

Library Facilities

MU has an outstanding library system. Ellis Library contains more than 3,000,000 volumes and 21,000 periodicals. Professional staff are available to answer questions and help solve research problems. Additional services include meeting rooms students can reserve online, literature search services, numerous on-line databases, a computer lab, and library services for persons with physical disabilities.

A Wired (and Wireless) Campus

MU's Division of Information Technology (DoIT) operates numerous computer labs at various locations on the campus. Wireless Internet services are available on the Columbia campus in many buildings and outdoor areas across campus.

Career Services

The University of Missouri Career Center offers many placement services. The on-line services include career assessments, job search preparation information, job search databases, and on-line resumes. For more information on the Career Center, please visit the Career Center website. The Truman School of Public Affairs does not maintain a separate placement office; job openings, internship opportunities and placement information are posted outside the School's main office in Middlebush Hall and should be checked on a regular basis.

Living Accommodations

Graduate students may choose to live on or off-campus. In addition to abundant off-campus apartments in a variety of price ranges, students can choose to live on-campus in the University Student Apartments, which are operated by the Department of Residential Life. The apartments are "for students who are married, have children, are single graduate students, or are students over the age of 21." For more information, visit the University Student Apartments website. The Student Parent Center is an infant and toddler child care center offered only to MU students. For child care information, contact the center at (573) 882-4224.

Student Life

There are more than 400 student-run organizations at MU, reaching a wide spectrum of interests. From sports clubs, special interest groups, religious and service organizations to the Graduate Professional Council and the Truman School’s own student group AMPAS, there are many different opportunities for student involvement.