The annual University of Missouri course catalogs, announcing the schedule of courses and the other relevant information for current and incoming students has been published annually since 1843, shortly after the founding of the university and the year that Mizzou saw its first graduating class. Since 2004, University of Missouri course catalogs are published completely online by the University Registrar and are comprised primarily of lists of degrees requirements and courses. However, for more than 150 years, the course catalogs were published in print volumes that contained a wealth of information – much more than just courses.

In addition to descriptions of courses offered by the university over the years, the volumes contain maps and include news and announcements from various university departments and schools. Many catalogs include reports to the governor of the State of Missouri from the Board of Curators. Some catalogs include separately published volumes with lists of students and scholarships and awards.

In partnership with the University Registrar, Digital Services has undertaken a project to digitize and make publicly available the entire collection of University of Missouri course catalogs. The University of Missouri Course Catalog collection project has already produced 90+ university catalogs and 100+ department and college specific catalogs, all of which are freely and publicly available on MOspace.

This project is one part of an ongoing effort by Digital Services to make books, maps, photographs, and other resources related to the University of Missouri’s history and academic legacy freely and widely available. We are adding new volumes to the University of Missouri Course Catalog collection as fast as we can digitize them, so check back often to see new additions.

About the Exhibit

University of Missouri Course Catalogs: a hidden resource was curated in 2019 by Mitch Sumner and the Digital Services department. The exhibit draws on digitized materials in MOspace originally housed in MU libraries Special Collections, University Archives, and the Office of the Registrar.

Learn more about the University of Missouri course catalog collection at MOspace.