Southwest Baptist University has adopted Mission, Vision, and Core Values statements that guide decision-making and daily operations. Additionally, the University's strategic plan, Pathways for Success, identifies seven initiatives to guide its planning process.
Southwest Baptist University is a Christ-centered, caring academic community preparing students to be servant leaders in a global society.
Southwest Baptist University fulfills its mission with specific care to guard its Christian distinctives and Baptist heritage as it demonstrates continuous improvement enlarges its ministry through consistent growth in student enrollment, retention, and ethnic and racial diversity markets the institution and its mission regionally and nationally fosters an environment of open communication and service to others and cares for employees through competitive compensation and benefits packages.
Be part of an academic community that encourages critical thinking, builds faith, and prepares you for a prosperous professional career. At SBU, you will get to know your professors well as both scholars and friends. You will learn from faculty who are not only great scholars but also committed Christians dedicated to both your academic and your spiritual growth. You will graduate with a degree respected by employers across the nation and be equipped for a lifetime of success.
With more than 80 academic study areas, SBU will help you pursue your academic and professional goals. Explore the undergraduate and graduate programs offered by SBU to discover how you can nurture your talents and achieve your SBU goals.
SBU offers undergraduate and graduate degrees, online education opportunities, and dual credit courses. The Gordon & Judy Dutile Honors Program provides enriched academic experiences, and the University Success Center mentors first-year college students as they transition from high school to college.
Whether you are a prospective student seeking online degree programs, a current student looking for flexible coursework options, a working professional hoping to return to school, or a high school student interested in college-level classes, Southwest Baptist University offers a variety of online options to make SBU academics convenient and available to you, no matter your location or schedule.
Online degree programs through SBU make achieving your educational goals more attainable than ever. You can pursue fully online degrees and programs incorporating some classroom time in a hybrid online format. Online degree programs are available in the areas of nursing/health sciences and graduate education. As an SBU student, you can incorporate online courses into your schedule to help you meet graduate requirements, alleviate a full semester, or study material at your own pace. Online classes are also open to high school students interested in beginning college coursework through Online Dual Credit.
The mission of the Honors Program is to prepare servant leaders who are recognized for their accomplishments and excellence in academics, intercultural experiences, and spiritual development.
You will thrive here in a Christ-centered, caring environment where faculty and staff encourage you to discover God's plan for your life. A vibrant campus life unites students in a close community as you build lifelong relationships and grow spiritually. Find your place at SBU.
Southwest Baptist University is committed to the success of its students, in and out of the classroom. Faculty and staff are dedicated to providing resources and assistance to help students reach their full potential.
Various academic resources are available to SBU students, including tutoring, study sessions, and one-on-one academic advisement. Class sizes are intentionally small, with an average class size of just 24 students, which allows for personalized instruction. Faculty maintain regular office hours and are easily accessible to students. Peer mentoring is available through the Run 2 Win program, and the University Libraries offers research assistance, study rooms, computer labs, and other resources.
Classes often include group projects, student presentations, community projects, guest speakers, and other opportunities that provide students with real-world experiences. SBU offers many academic-based clubs and organizations that allow students to connect based on shared academic interests and then use what they are learning in the classroom to make a difference in the community. The Gordon & Judy Dutile Honors Program offers additional opportunities for selected high-achieving students. In contrast, other students benefit from other unique academic experiences such as the Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) or attending professional seminars and conferences.
Many students also complete at least one internship during their time as a student at SBU. The relationships students develop with faculty often build connections that lead to these internship opportunities. SBU students have completed various internships, including opportunities at large IT companies, area businesses, professional sports organizations, churches, and so many more. Companies and organizations enjoy having SBU students as interns because of their academic preparedness and the work ethic instilled in them. For example, The Heritage Foundation in Washington, D.C., has just one accounting internship available each year and has given that position to an SBU student four of the past five years.
Internship opportunities, community involvement, and faculty connections all help lead to career placement upon graduation. Various career fairs and networking opportunities are held across campus each year, and the Career Services office helps provide valuable job search resources. Faculty encourage students to work hard and pursue great career opportunities while using their connections to build a student's network. For example, graduates from the computer and information science department have achieved 100% job placement within one month of graduation for 12 of the past 14 years.
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