About Dual Credit
Get a head start with dual credit
Earn college credit while you're in high school through MSU dual credit.
Save money.
Dual credit and early college is an affordable option for starting on your bachelor’s
degree and building a college transcript. Pay $70 per credit hour (that’s a 70% discount). There are no textbooks to buy or supplemental course fees to pay.
Save time.
Receive both high school credit and college credit for the same course. 70% of first time students entering Missouri State have already earned some college
credit. Dual credit lets you start on your bachelor’s degree and build a college
transcript early. Earn general education and/or major specific course credit.
Eligibility
To be eligible, you must meet the following requirements:
Juniors and seniors: 3.0 GPA or higher. Or, 2.5-2.99 GPA, with a recommendation from your principal or
guidance counselor.
The following may be eligible upon special consideration and college review:
Sophomores: Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher and a recommendation from your principal or guidance
counselor.
Freshmen: 90th percentile or higher on the ACT or SAT, have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher,
and provide a signed letter of recommendation from your principal and guidance counselor.
You will also need written permission from a parent or legal guardian.
Note: All GPA’s mentioned above are on a 4.0 scale.
ACT scores and placement tests
Placement scores or required prerequisites will be used to determine placement for
Math and English courses. For fall 2022, ACT/SAT score requirements have been waived.
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ENG 110 Writing 1
Students must be a junior or senior in high school with a 3.25 or higher GPA on a
4.0 scale. Students can submit the ACT or SAT test score if that is available.
Note: An ACT English score of 18 or higher or SAT score of 471 or higher will meet the
prerequisite for enrolling in ENG 110.
ENG 210 Writing II: Writing Across the Disciplines
Successfully completed ENG 110 from MSU with a "C" or better
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Student must satisfy the following requirements for admission into the Math course:
Have a minimum high school GPA 3.00 (on a 4.0 scale) or higher and have an instructor
recommendation.
Math 134 (Algebraic Reasoning and Modeling)
Earn a "B" or better in high school Algebra I OR an ACT Math subscore of 22 or higher
OR earn an acceptable score on a Math assessment tool.
Math 136 (Precalculus 1)
Earn a "B" or better in high school Algebra I and II OR an ACT Math subscore of 22
or higher OR earn an acceptable score on a Math assessment tool.
Math 137 (Precalculus 2)
Earn a "C" or better in MTH 136.
Math 138 (Precalculus Mathematics)
An ACT Math subscore of 25 or higher for Math 138 OR an acceptable score on a Math
assessment tool.
MTH 261 (Analytic Geometry and Calculus 1)
An ACT Math subscore of 28 or higher for Math 261 OR earn an acceptable score on a
Math assessment tool.
Information and registration for the math placement exams are available from the math department.
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PHY 123 (Introduction to Physics)
Students must be a junior or senior in high school with a 3.00 or higher GPA on a
4.0 scale. Students must also have a C or better in MTH 136 or eligibility for enrollment
in MTH 261 (Math ACT subscore of 28 or higher)
Prerequisite: C or better in MTH 136 or MTH 287 or eligibility for enrollment in MTH 261.
EARN A SCHOLARSHIP YOUR FIRST YEAR
When you complete 9 or more hours of MSU dual credit, earning a cumulative MSU GPA
of 3.25, you qualify for the Missouri State Advantage Scholarship, to apply toward
your MSU degree when you register as a first-time student.
Making Higher Education Accessible
Students who qualify for free and reduced lunches are eligible for up to six credit
hours of dual credit per semester, at no cost, through a special scholarship.
Bringing the university to you
A new Missouri State program offering courses for high school students taught at a
distance by University faculty.
FOUR MORE REASONS
To take dual credit and early college courses
Start your career sooner.
Dual credit can help you graduate earlier from a bachelor's program or be available
for internships to earn professional experience.
Take additional paths.
Students can specialize and individualize degree paths. Students can pursue additional
majors or add minors.
Consider accelerated master’s programs.
You can earn your master’s degree alongside or immediately following the completion
of a bachelor’s degree.
Flexibility to study abroad.
Consider studying away. Travel abroad and earn credits without extending graduation
date.
Some basics about bachelor’s degrees.
A bachelor’s degree is a four-year undergraduate degree. A bachelor’s degree prepares
you for a wide range of career opportunities. There are many different types of bachelor’s
degrees, organized according to majors. A major describes what the majority of your
classes study. Majors usually relate to the career field a student wants to enter.
After you graduate with a bachelor’s degree, you might consider attending graduate
school. There, you will earn master’s or doctoral degrees. These degrees build off
of the undergraduate bachelor’s degree. So, it is an important first step!
A bachelor’s degree has two parts: general education requirements and courses in the
major. It takes 120 credit hours to earn a bachelor’s degree. General education courses
make up about half of a bachelor’s degree. At Missouri State, that’s 44-49 credit
hours. Most classes are three to five credit hours.