States require that institutions be authorized to deliver university-level distance and online education to their residents.
As of February 2015, the University of Missouri - Columbia (Mizzou) has been approved to participate in the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA).
NC-SARA is a voluntary, regional approach to state oversight of postsecondary distance education, aimed at making the effort to obtain state authorizations more efficient for institutions and increasing student access to distance education courses and programs. NC-SARA also provides an additional oversight for student consumer protection.
Institutions participating in NC-SARA are able to offer educational opportunities in all 49 NC-SARA member states, as well as the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico. California is not a member of NC-SARA.
For contact information for each state portal entity, please visit our consumer protection information page.
For more information about the SARA initiative and progress of state and institutional membership, please visit www.nc-sara.org/sara-states-institutions
Distance Education Programs
In order to offer educational opportunities outside of Missouri, the University of Missouri - Columbia must comply with applicable state and federal regulations relating to state authorization, including via distance education and through courses such as internships, clinical placements, or student teaching.
Programs in licensed fields may not be available in every state due to state professional licensure board regulations. State professional licensure boards may have additional requirements or restrictions on student field placements, including, healthcare clinicals, practicums, internships, student teaching. Contact the State Authorization Coordinator for more information.
Authorized: Indicates programs that are available.
Authorized with Stipulations: Indicates programs that may be available. Students should contact us prior to applying.
Unauthorized: Indicates programs that are not currently available. Check back for status change or contact us for more information.
Please review the professional licensure map to see if your program of interest meets state educational requirements.
Please note: If a student's residency changes during their enrollment in an online program, the student may NOT be able to continue the program, depending on the institutional compliance requirements of the new state of residence. It is the student’s responsibility to notify the institution of a change in physical location to ensure that state requirements are met where the student is located. Please contact the State Authorization Coordinator for more information.
Professional Licensure
Are you interested in a program that requires a professional license in your state? Some professions require that you obtain licensure or certification beyond your degree in order to hold a position in that field. Professional Licensure regulations and requirements vary from field to field and state to state.