Southwest Missouri State University is one of
Missouri's regional state public university systems with its main campus located in
Springfield. It is Missouri's second largest university and its main campus is second only to the
University of Missouri, Columbia campus in student enrollment. In addition to its main campus, SMSU has a 2 year branch campus in
West Plains and a research campus in
Mountain Grove.
Founded in 1905 as the Fourth District Normal School as a teachers preparation college for the Missouri public schools, the name was change in 1919 to Southwest Missouri State Teachers College. In the early 1940s, the college expanded its curriculm and its name was changed to Southwest State Missouri College in 1945. Finally in 1972, the name was changed to its current name, Southwest Missouri State University.