Our mission is to promote learning through the discovery, preservation and dissemination of knowledge of public value across a broad spectrum of disciplines and fields of study. UMKC celebrates the individual and embodies opportunity for all by intertwining these goals with innovation to enable transformational impact aimed at bringing cultural, social, health and economic prosperity to the metropolitan, regional and global communities we serve.

Vision

Our vision is to aspire to be an exemplary public, urban research university of the 21st century, pursuing excellence as a human-centric learning and discovery community that fosters opportunity for all as we enrich the lives of the people and regions we serve.

Values

Our values make us proud to contribute to a student-centered, urban university, serving our mission of learning, discovery, research and service, inspired by our commitment to respectful interaction and opportunity for all.

Our key values:

• Accountability
• Learning
• Respect
• Opportunity
• Collaboration
• Integrity

School of Graduate Studies Mission Statement

The School of Graduate Studies (SGS) provides a support network that promotes excellence in graduate
education, and supports current and prospective graduate students in achieving their full potential. We
do this by:

• Advocating for graduate education
• Recruiting and retaining students
• Assuring quality control in graduate programs
• Managing and distributing financial support
• Providing support services for graduate students
• Partnering with others to promote graduate education

School of Graduate Studies Vision Statement

Program Goals

Students in the Interdisciplinary Ph.D. program will acquire:

• Grounding in the primary and co-disciplines
• The ability to integrate the principles and theories of each of the disciplines
• The ability to effectively communicate findings and approaches to solving interdisciplinary research problems
• Research skills in each discipline such as approaches, methods, ethical principles, and tools to pursue a research line of inquiry
• The ability to form effective teams with diverse scholars across disciplines to solve novel research questions

Mission and Philosophy

The Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Program at University of Missouri-Kansas City prepares the students to investigate some of the most complex and pressing problems of the world today through independent research that integrates two or more disciplines perspectives and methodologies. Because of its focus on collaboration, problem-solving, boundary-crossing, academic excellence, and innovation, the mission of this program reinforces the UMKC’s core values: Discovery and Innovation; Education First; Integrity and Accountability; Diversity; Inclusiveness and Respect; and Energized Collaborative Communities.

Program Core Values and Attributes

The core values and program attributes for the Interdisciplinary Ph.D. program are:

Learning is enhanced by a search for knowledge across discipline boundaries. Therefore, the program:

• Is student-centered
• Enables students to acquire the skills of interdisciplinary scholarship and research
• Broadens students’ exposure to multiple academic fields.

Interdisciplinary research draws on discipline-based knowledge, generating integrated solutions to problems that cross discipline boundaries. Therefore, the program:

• Is problem-oriented
• Integrates the attributes of a broad-based interdisciplinary approach with the grounding of a traditional academic focus
• Provides a solid grounding in theories, concepts and methodologies of two or more disciplines

Learning thrives in an environment open to a diversity of ideas, cultural backgrounds, discipline perspectives, and approaches to problems. Therefore, the program:

• Instills an appreciation of different disciplines
• Integrates the disciplinary perspectives to give students the methodological and theoretical tools to thrive in a wide range of scholarly and professional environments

Society derives great benefit from collaborative efforts that transcend discipline boundaries to solve problems. Therefore, the program:

• Prepares individuals to be multi-functional; to combine disparate skills to solve problems
• Provides opportunities for individuals to gain skills in working within a collaborative environment

Student Learning Outcomes

Student performance in the program will measured by the following learning outcomes:

• Students will demonstrate a thorough degree of knowledge in the primary discipline and secondary discipline.
• Students will demonstrate interdisciplinarity in their writing by integrating methods, theories, paradigms, concepts, etc. from more than one discipline.
• Students will demonstrate an ability to use proper investigation techniques for their chosen disciplines.
• Students will effectively use oral and written forms of communication to convey their ideas.

Biomedical and Health Informatics:

• Dr. An-Lin Cheng, chenga@umkc.edu

Cell Biology and Biophysics:

• Dr. Jeffrey Price, pricejl@umkc.edu

Chemistry:

• Dr. David Van Horn, vanhornj@umkc.edu

Computer Networking and Communication Systems:

• Dr. Baek-Young Choi, choiby@umkc.edu

Computer Science

• Dr. Yugyung Lee, leeyu@umkc.edu

Curriculum and Instruction:

• Dr. Candace Schlein, schleinc@umkc.edu

Economics:

• Dr. Scott Fullwiler, scottf@umkc.edu

Educational Leadership, Policy and Foundations:

• Dr. Eric Camburn, camburne@umkc.edu

Electrical and Computer Engineering:

• Dr. Ahmed Hassan, hassanam@umkc.edu

Engineering:

• Dr. Ceki Halmen, halmenc@umkc.edu

English:

• Dr. Anthony Shiu, shiua@umkc.edu

Geosciences:

• Dr. Fengpeng Sun, sunf@umkc.edu

History:

• Dr. Matthew Osborn, osbornmw@umkc.edu

Mathematics:

• Dr. Liana Sega, segal@umkc.edu

Molecular Biology and Biochemistry:

• Dr. Jeffrey Price, pricejl@umkc.edu

Music Education:

• Dr. Joseph Parisi, parisijo@umkc.edu

Oral and Craniofacial Sciences:

• Dr. Mary Walker, walkermp@umkc.edu

Pharmaceutical Sciences:

• Dr. Kun Cheng, chengkun@umkc.edu

Pharmacology:

• Dr. Gerald Wyckoff, wyckoffg@umkc.edu

Physics:

• Dr. Paul Rulis, rulisp@umkc.edu

Social Science Consortium:

• Dr. Marc Garcelon, garcelonm@umkc.edu

Student contacts the discipline advisor(s) to review past academic record and plan a tentative schedule for the student’s first two semesters in the program.

Sometime in the first two semesters, the student meets with the primary advisor to complete an Individual Develop Plan, which assesses the first year progress and details the coming goals (academic, research, career, etc.). This document should help set expectations for timelines and for advisor/advisee communications throughout the program.

In the subsequent years, advisor and student will meet to review and revise the Individual Development Plan, also providing progress updates for each stated goal.

An additional piece specifically for this Interdisciplinary Ph.D. program entails an online survey sent from SGS to students, typically each November, for feedback on advisor effectiveness and any additional commentary, feedback, and/or needs outside of the primary advisor.

The Plan of Study should be discussed between the advisor and student prior to its completion in Kuali, such that both parties are in agreement about the program’s required coursework, exams, dissertation, etc.

The primary advisor begins the completion of the Plan of Study online in Kuali, through GradProRoo. The advisor selects the necessary program components. The advisor can then fill in the required coursework, or instead can select an option for the student to fill in the coursework. The form is then forwarded to the student for review and approval (“send back” is also an option if the student needs clarification on a particular piece of the Plan of Study). Other needed approvals are completed after the advisor and student steps.

The final Plan of Study will remain on record with the Registrar’s Office. Any later changes must be submitted through GradProRoo for approval.

The Supervisory Committee shall consist of at least four members, composed of at least one doctoral faculty from each designated discipline, with a maximum of three from any one discipline.

Up to two of the remaining members of each committee can hold either graduate or adjunct graduate faculty status. Where graduate or adjunct graduate faculty are included, the Advisor shall provide a strong justification for their inclusion.

The Supervisory Committee Formation is an online form in Kuali, accessible through GradProRoo.

Final approval of the composition of each Supervisory Committee rests with the School of Graduate Studies.

The Preliminary Research Plan (2-4 pages) must be developed and submitted to the Supervisory Committee for review via email. The committee members should not agree to serve on the committee until after they have reviewed the Preliminary Research Plan.

The approved Supervisory Committee information will be saved in the student’s files. Any later changes to this Committee must be submitted and approved through GradProRoo.

To advance to degree candidacy, Interdisciplinary Ph.D. students are required to pass a comprehensive examination that integrates components of each discipline to which they have been admitted. The comprehensive exam may include written and/or oral components and must include an evaluation of the student’s ability to integrate content, theory, and/or methods from each specified discipline. The doctoral comprehensive examinations must be completed at least seven months before the date of graduation.

The following requirements must have been met before a student can take the comprehensive examination:

• Successful completion of all qualifying requirements (such as residency requirement) and full admission to the School of Graduate Studies.
• Filing and approval of the Plan of Study and completion of essentially all coursework or other study required for the degree.
• Appointment and approval of a Supervisory Committee.
• The student must be enrolled when taking the Comprehensive Examination.

Process steps include:

1. Advisor completes the Application for the Comprehensive Examination through GradProRoo.
2. The application will go through an approval workflow, then a task will remain in the queue of the primary advisor to complete the Examination results.
3. Upon completion of the examination, the primary advisor initiates the results process in Kuali. Each member of the Supervisory Committee will need to “pass” or “fail” the student’s exam attempt. The primary advisor and program director will review and approve these results before sending to the Registrar’s Office for the student’s official files.
4. In addition to the online pass/fail results, the Interdisciplinary Ph.D. program requires an evaluation from each Supervisory Committee member, for the purposes of program assessment (FORM: IPHD-4). Committee members should complete these evaluations either during the exams or during the completion of the online pass/fail evaluation, and send by email to the primary advisor. The primary advisor should submit all committee members’ evaluations to SGS upon online approval of the pass/fail results.

Candidate submits the Dissertation Research Plan to the Supervisory Committee.

When the plan is approved by the Supervisory Committee members (and the appropriate Institutional Review Board, if applicable), the candidate’s Supervisory Committee Chair sends the completed Research Plan Approval forms with a copy of the Research Plan to the School of Graduate Studies.

The candidate begins/continues dissertation research and analysis of data according to the plan.

Candidate continues to work with the Supervisory Committee to complete the dissertation research and to write the final dissertation.

The candidate seeks approval from the Supervisory Committee Chair to apply for graduation in Pathway.

At least six weeks prior to graduation, the candidate and advisor complete the online Preliminary Approval process through GradProRoo. This process includes the preliminary approval by the advisor and the signing of the MOspace license agreement (and embargo request if needed). The student also sends a copy of the dissertation to the School of Graduate Studies for a format review.

Candidate works with the Supervisory Committee Chair in conjunction with the student’s Supervisory Committee members to schedule the defense of the dissertation and to announce the date, time, and location to doctoral faculty at least 2 weeks prior to the defense.

The defense must take place during the regular semester (Fall, Spring, Summer). Any exceptions must be approved by the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies. The defense is open to all doctoral faculty members.

Supervisory Committee members will complete an online examination approval through GradProRoo.

Supervisory Committee members will each complete an evaluation after the student has made all necessary changes to the dissertation document. The Supervisory Committee Chair collects these online from the committee to submit to the School of Graduate Studies when all final changes to the dissertation have been made.

After the formatting check, the candidate completes all revisions to the dissertation communicated by the School of Graduate Studies. Once the corrected dissertation has been received from the student and the Final Approvals have been received from the supervisory committee, the dissertation is certified by the School of Graduate Studies and instructions are communicated to the candidate for uploading a final copy to ProQuest.

A Canvas course also exists that contains a graduation-related survey, and the student will be invited to the appropriate Commencement and Hooding Ceremonies.

The Plan of Study is due by the end of the first year. It includes the required coursework and exams for the degree. Please navigate to the GradProRoo site to find this form online in Kuali. The primary advisor should initiate the form - students may not see it in their version of the site.

Any later changes to coursework on the Plan of Study will simply require a resubmission of the online form.

The Comprehensive Exam passing deadline is five years from admission. Please navigate to the GradProRoo site to complete the application form online in Kuali. The primary advisor should initiate the form - students may not see it in their version of the site. After the application is approved, the results will be later submitted by the Examining Committee.

Examining Committee: You will need to complete an online simple evaluation when prompted in Kuali. In addition to that online component, there is an evaluation component needed for program assessment. That form is here.

The Preliminary Approval Form is online. Please navigate to the GradProRoo site to complete the form online in Kuali. This should be submitted in conjunction with submitting a draft of your dissertation to the School of Graduate Studies by email. Please see this web page for further instructions.

The Dissertation Defense examination should be evaluated by the Supervisory Committee within 48 hours. Please navigate to the GradProRoo site to complete the form online in Kuali. This process is started by the primary advisor.

The primary advisor will also begin the online process to collect approvals from the Supervisory Committee that solidify the necessary revisions to the dissertation have been made, and to recommend its approval by the School of Graduate Studies. The primary advisor should navigate to the GradProRoo site to complete the form online in Kuali. The Supervisory Committee members will receive a notification to complete the online assessment in Kuali, and they should also completed the needed Dissertation Defense Evaluations at this time to submit to the primary advisor. After the committee approvals have been received, the student will receive a "task" assignment to verify the final title for the dissertation prior to approval for the final document upload to ProQuest.

The School of Graduate Studies will notify the student when the final document can be uploaded into ProQuest. After this, the School of Graduate Studies will notify the Registrar's Office that the dissertation has been accepted.

Any student who needs to declare a secondary discipline within the first semester or later request to change a primary or secondary discipline should utilize the Change of Discipline form. Please navigate to the GradProRoo site to complete this form online in Kuali.

An extension may be requested in some circumstances to the five-year deadline for Comprehensive Examination completion or for the five-year deadline from Comprehensive Examinations to degree completion. Please navigate to the GradProRoo site to complete the Request for Extension form online in Kuali.

Other student forms may be applicable to Interdisciplinary Ph.D. students, such as a request to take an undergraduate course, a petition to revalidate coursework more than seven years old, a request for full-time status exception, or a request for student employee positions to total more than 0.5 FTE. Please see this web page for access to those general Graduate Studies forms.

Interdisciplinary Ph.D. students must satisfy the doctoral residency requirement by satisfactory completion of at least 18 credits, exclusive of dissertation research, in no more than 24 months. When satisfying the residency requirement, all Interdisciplinary Ph.D. students are subject to the following restrictions:

• The doctoral residency requirement must be satisfied no later than the end of the semester in which the student completes his or her comprehensive examinations.
• Students must achieve a cumulative graduate grade-point average of at least 3.0 in all courses counted toward satisfying the residency requirement.
• Dissertation research credits (5696-5699) may not be counted toward satisfying the doctoral residency requirement.

Interdisciplinary Ph.D. plans of study are tailored to the needs of individual students based on their prior academic work as evidenced by transcripts and other credentials. An approved plan of study may recognize class work from other institutions (up to 50%), or from a previous UMKC degree, as determined by the student's advisor and discipline Coordinator(s).

The chair and a majority of the members of a student's supervisory committee must be from disciplines certified as eligible to participate in the Interdisciplinary Ph.D. program. The student's committee chair must be a regular doctoral faculty member from the student's primary discipline and has the final authority over the student's program. The research advisor/committee chair assists the student in identifying other members of the doctoral faculty to form a supervisory committee appropriate to the student's research goals.

Within 12 months (1 year) of initial admission, a student chooses a research advisor and they work to submit the Plan of Study. Prior to the third year or Comprehensive Exams (whichever comes first) the Supervisory Committee formation and preliminary research plan are filed. If modifications to discipline- specific requirements are made after the student is admitted, the student has the option of proceeding under either the requirements in place at the time he or she entered the Interdisciplinary Ph.D. program, or proceeding under the modified requirements.

Guidelines

• The plan of study must include coursework from all the student's disciplines (including courses completed prior to admission that are being credited toward discipline-specific requirements) and must satisfy all the applicable discipline- specific core requirements.
• The plan of study must note the total of didactic hours beyond the baccalaureate degree, exclusive of thesis or dissertation research hours (minimum of 30 hours).
• Didactic coursework on the plan of study will include a minimum of nine credit hours in a secondary discipline area.
• All plans of study must include a minimum of 12 hours of dissertation research (5696-5699) credit.
• At least two-thirds of the total courses included on the plan of study must be numbered 5500 or above if taken at UMKC, or, if taken from an institution with a course-numbering system that differs from UMKC's, they must be courses intended primarily for graduate students.
• UMKC courses at the 100 and 200 levels, and courses with equivalent lower- division numbers taken at another institution, are not available for graduate credit and may not be applied toward the hours required for the degree.
• At least 75 percent of the coursework on the plan, exclusive of dissertation credits, must be in disciplines certified as eligible to participate in the Interdisciplinary Ph.D. program.
• Students' needs will be examined on a case-by-case basis by their supervisory committees, and appropriate language or related research skill requirements will be incorporated into each student's plan of study.
• The plan of study will include a brief description of the course focus and the name of the supervising professor for any independent study courses listed.
• The plan of study will specify which courses are being used to satisfy the residency requirement.
• The plan of study will outline the comprehensive examination expectations.

Approval Process

Once the advisor and student have agreed on and approved the plan of study, appropriate academic officers corresponding to the student's choice of disciplines [dean(s) or program director(s), department chair(s), division head(s), etc.], must then review and certify by approval that the courses and all other resources are currently available at UMKC and in the respective units for the student to initiate the plan of study. The plan of study then moves to the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies for review and approval.

The plan of study will be accepted for review only if:

• The Ph.D. coursework falls within the guidelines outlined above.
• The student will enroll at UMKC for dissertation credit under the supervision of a UMKC member of the UM doctoral faculty.
• The plan includes written assurance from the appropriate academic officers that:
  • adequate faculty, laboratories, library support and all other necessary resources are presently available at UMKC to support the proposed Ph.D. plan of study
  • the courses included in the plan are either presently available at UMKC or can be taken by the student as a visiting student in a time period less than that required to satisfy the residency requirements on the other campus.

To advance to degree candidacy, Interdisciplinary Ph.D. students are required to pass a comprehensive examination (written, oral, or both) that integrates components of each discipline to which they have been admitted. The comprehensive examination must include an evaluation of the student’s ability to integrate content, theory, and/or methods from each specified discipline. The doctoral comprehensive examinations must be completed at least seven months before the date of graduation.

The following requirements must be met before students can take the comprehensive examination:

• Successful completion of all qualifying requirements and full admission to the School of Graduate Studies.
• Appointment of a research advisor and supervisory committee.
• Filing and approval of the Interdisciplinary Ph.D. plan of study and completion of essentially all coursework or other requirements for the degree.

The doctoral student must take and pass the doctoral comprehensive examination and advance to candidacy within five years from the beginning of doctoral coursework. Students will typically not enroll in dissertation credit hours until they have passed the comprehensive examinations.

Students should then remain continuously enrolled until the dissertation work is completed and successfully defended. Exceptions to this policy require documentation from the student’s chairperson, with support from the program director and dean. Final approval will be provided by the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies.

The student's supervisory committee must approve the research activities associated with a dissertation. These activities must be performed under the direct and continuing supervision of the committee chair. If the proposed research involves the use of human subjects, animals, or radioactive materials, the student and the research advisor must obtain prior written approval of the proposed research by the appropriate Institutional Review Board, the Animal Care and Use Committee, or the Radiation Safety Committee.

For the approval process, the Ph.D. candidate must submit a brief dissertation research plan. The dissertation research plan shall include the following:

• An abstract.
• A statement regarding the general purpose of the research.
• Background information, including a review of the relevant literature, the rationale for the research and a concise statement of the hypotheses to be investigated and/or the research questions to be answered.
• Methods.
• Appropriate protocol or application if human subjects, animals, or radioactive materials are to be used in the research.

All UMKC Ph.D. degrees require a dissertation as the final component of the program. For regulations pertaining to formatting the dissertation and the process for approval, please see the appropriate section of the School of Graduate Studies website. The doctoral faculty view the dissertation as one of the most important aspects of the student's experience because:

• It is a work of original research or scholarship that makes a contribution to existing knowledge.
• It is an educational experience that demonstrates the candidate's mastery of research methods and tools of the specialized fields.
• It demonstrates the candidate's ability to address a major intellectual problem.

Final examinations in defense of the dissertation are open to all members of the doctoral faculty, who may attend as interested observers. The format and procedures of the defense are determined by the supervisory committee and its chair. The date, time, and location must be announced and published at least two weeks before the final examination takes place. This examination may be conducted only after the dissertation has been approved by the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies and may not be administered when UMKC is not officially in session.

The defense of the dissertation is approved when a majority of the supervisory committee recommend approval and submit the results to the chair online. Within 48 hours of the defense, the supervisory committee chair will report the results of the final dissertation examination to the School of Graduate Studies, and notification is sent to the candidate.

Deposit of Approved Dissertation with Libraries

GradProRoo

GradProRoo is your one-stop shop to information about your graduate program and progress to earning your degree. Bookmark the page on your computer or other device.

Pathway

Pathway is the main tool UMKC students use to register for classes, see grades, update contact information, review financial aid and scholarships, pay bills, and more.

Students can visit Pathway and log in using their UMKC username and password. They will need to follow prompts to complete E-Consent and statement of financial responsibility, as well as set up UMKC Alert notifications. Click here for more information about Pathway Onboarding.

Students should also review:

• How to enroll
• How to view holds
• How to add a preferred name
• Pathway Help

The UMKC Academic Calendar houses all major campus events in one place.

Graduate Writing Initiative

The Graduate Writing Initiative collaborates with graduate writers, departments, and offices around campus to provide resources and learning opportunities to improve the understanding and mastery of writing. The focus is on skills such as reflecting on the writing process, analyzing and writing in new academic modes, providing and receiving feedback with peers, and developing language to talk about writing.

GWI provides graduate students support through:

•  One-on-one writing consultations, writing groups, writing retreats, writing workshops, and online resources.
• See their events schedule online

Office of Research Services

ORS supports the university’s scientific, scholarly, and creative endeavors. Visit their website for more information about proposal services, Institutional Review Boards, responsible conduct in research, and more.

Academic Support and Mentoring

Academic Support & Mentoring (ASM) offers a wide range of free services and programs to help students meet their academic goals. Services include Writing Studio, Supplemental Instruction, Tutoring, Summer Bridge Scholars Program, Jumpstart, and Roo Up Seminars. 

Main office located on the 4^th floor of Miller Nicholas Library

Supplemental Instruction and Tutoring offered

Academic Support & Mentoring Website

Email: umkcasm@umkc.edu

Phone: (816) 235-1174

Libraries

Miller Nichols Library:

800 E 51st Street, Kansas City, MO 64110

Located on the Volker campus, is UMKC’s largest library and houses the general collection, Music/Media Library, LaBudde Special Collections and University Archives, and Marr Sound Archives.

Health Sciences Library:

UMKC School of Medicine, 2nd floor, 2411 Holmes St, Kansas City, MO 64108

Located on the Hospital Hill Campus, the Health Sciences Library serves students and researchers in those disciplines.

School of Law Leon E. Bloch Library

UMKC Central

UMKC Central is a place for students to take care of their core business transactions related to admissions, financial aid, scholarships, billing, registration, and transcripts. Our staff is cross-trained in a variety of functions to help make the student experience a breeze. With key services in one location, they can help students at all levels with questions about their financial aid, scholarships, records, enrollment and billing.  

Administrative Center, Room 120

Phone: (816) 235-6000

Email: umkccentral@umkc.edu

UMKC Central Website

Career Services

UMKC has three career offices (UMKC Career Services, Law School Center Services, and Bloch Career Center) to assist UMKC undergraduate, graduate, and alumni in discovering their unique career paths and obtaining internships and professional positions. Whether you are starting your first internship search or sharpening your interview skills, our staff is here to help.

Career Services oversees a software site called Handshake, where students can find open positions on and off campus. We encourage all departments on campus to post their open positions on this site. Create an account and profile to search and apply for these positions throughout your UMKC journey.

Services offered by Career Services include 1:1 Career Coaching; assistance with resumes, cover letters, interviewing, and negotiating; major specific/career specific workshops & programs; site visits to local employers; out-of-town employers’ visits; career fairs and other employer interactions; thousands of internship and professional job postings via Handshake; 24/7 Access to multimedia career discovery & planning resources; and networking events to get to know professionals in your chosen field.

Dr. Raj Bala Agrawal CARE Center

The Dr. Raj Bala Agrawal CARE Center serves members of our UMKC community who are facing food insecurity, unstable living conditions, and other crisis brought on by a lack of basic needs. The Dr. Raj Bala Agrawal CARE Center works to provide services, resources, and education centered around maintaining basic needs that will lay a foundation for both personal and academic success. 

Along with providing food, students are also welcomed to reach out to our Basic Needs Coordinator, who can assist students with matters of finding stable housing, financial assistance or applying for SNAP benefits.

Location - Student Union, First Floor, Room 102

Satellite Pantry locations:

Follow us out on social media for more great updates!
•    Facebook: UMKC Kangaroo Pantry
•    Instagram: @umkckangaroopantry

Visit link here for more information about appointments and hours of the CARE Center.

Financial Wellness Center

The Financial Wellness Center helps empower students to confidently navigate their personal finances and achieve their goals. These services include:

• information about investing, credit, student loan repayment, and employee benefits.
• 1 on 1 coaching appointments for assistance with
  • reviewing employee benefits (health insurance, retirement benefits, etc.)
  • determining whether to take out student loans and reviewing options to repay them
  • improving credit
  • budgeting
  • FAFSA
• Presentations for various student groups

To learn more or to set up a coaching appointment, please contact our Financial Wellness Coordinator, Anna Zimmerman, at financialwellness@umkc.edu

Financial Wellness Center website

Parking Operations

Parking Operations provides parking options for students, employees, and visitors. The office develops parking programs, maintains parking structures and surface lots, and enforces regulations to ensure that on-campus parking is available to UMKC students, faculty, staff and campus visitors paying for parking services. More information on student permits can be found here.

Student parking options include:

• Semester parking permits
• Park and pay in metered areas with the AMP Park app
• Single-day permits for occasional parking needs

Other transportation options:

• Campus shuttle bus (complimentary with student ID)
• Metro bus (complimentary with student ID)
• Bike rental, repair, routes, lockers and stands on campus

Bookstore

The UMKC Bookstores are your University-owned and -operated providers of faculty requested course materials and supplies, technology, school supplies and Kangaroo clothing and gift items. We are committed to lowering the cost of educational materials for our students and are a nationally recognized leader in that mission. To meet these goals, we have developed several innovative strategies to make course materials more affordable, including AutoAccess, Open Educational Resources, digital, used, and rental book options. 

Technology Services

• The UMKC Bookstores are an authorized Apple and Dell reseller. We offer low, educationally discounted pricing on laptops, software, and offer an affordable accidental damage warranty plan to help protect your investment.

Tax Free Weekend:

• Students can reserve their laptops and pay for them during Missouri's "Tax Free Weekend" in early August. Reservations are made online.

Student Charge Account:

• Every student can "student charge" up to $1,250 per semester at the UMKC Bookstore for their course material, technology and school suppluy needs. All student charge purchases must be paid off by the end of each semester to avoid account holds, enrollment delays, and associated late fees. Eligiibility is based on each student's financial standing with the University.

Student Employment

• The UMKC Bookstore employs 25 students each semester. We offer flexible scheduling, competitive hourly pay, course material scholarship, and a friendly on-campus work environment.

Click here to learn more about UMKC Dining Services, meal plans, and hours of operation.

Study Abroad and Global Engagement

Contact the Study Abroad Office to learn about program options, scholarships, eligibility requirements, and the application process.

UMKC is a member of the Mid America Universities International (MAUI) – Utrecht student exchange consortium, among others. We have reciprocal student exchange agreements with more than 30 universities. 

Study Abroad and Global Engagement Website

Email: international@umkc.edu

International Student Affairs Office

ISAO is committed to helping international students make the most of their time in the United States and providing culturally sensitive services of the highest quality.

They provide application process assistance, F-1 and J-1 immigration advising and status letters, a new student orientation for international students, cultural and social events, and community outreach and programs.

Student Conduct and Civility

Student Conduct & Civility  enforces the University of Missouri-System Standard of Conduct and all UMKC rules and regulation with the goal of promoting student growth and development, and a safe campus community.

UMKC’s Culture of Care means that we meet each student exactly where they are. The UMKC CARE (Campus Assessment Response and Education) Team is an interdisciplinary team that serves the University of Missouri-Kansas City community by responding to students of need. The CARE Team assesses, responds and recommends referrals to students identified as being in distress in a coordinated and comprehensive manner with dignity, respect and confidentiality to help students succeed in the classroom and outside and to ensure the safety of the student and university community as a whole.

Roo Wellness

Roo Wellness supports and promotes the wellbeing of all UMKC students through the provision of Acute and Chronic Health Care, and Health Promotion activities. Offices within Roo Wellness include Health and Wellness, Accessibility Services and Counseling Services. Bookmark this link to quickly access office hours, contact information, and schedule appointments

Counseling Services supports the holistic personal growth, mental health, and emotional well-being of UMKC students. Our office offers a wide range of services including individual therapy, group counseling, psychological assessment, Mind Over Mood Workshops, BASICS alcohol/substance use evaluations, and more. We have Crisis Walk In Consultation appointments available Monday-Friday at 10 AM and again at 2 PM where no appointment is needed. Students can make an Initial Consultation appointment by calling our front desk at 816-235-1635.

Student Accessibility Services are here to support you in reaching your goals. Your disability does not have to be a barrier to your success. By partnering with you, we can ensure you have equal access to all that UMKC offers. Whatever your accessibility need, we are here to help you!

Office of Student Veteran Support Services

Campus Recreation

Student Organizations/ Office of Student Involvement/ Student Government Association

Kansas City Athletics

LGBTQIA Programs and Services

Multicultural Student Affairs

Union Programming Board

Women’s Center

UMKC Conservatory Events

UMKC Police

UMKC Police Department

UMKC PD RAVE Guardian

Police Services

Forms and Resources

Contact Information

• Phone: (816) 235-1515
• Email: umkcpd@umkc.edu
• Location: Cherry Street Parking Garage (5005 Oak St, Kansas City, MO 64112)

Office of Equity and Title IX

The mission of the Office of Equity and Title IX is carried out each day by dedicated staff members who are committed to inclusion and equity, as well as UMKC's key values of learning, diversity, integrity, accountability, respect, and collaboration. Our team receives reports of discrimination and harassment because of race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, disability, protected veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable state or federal law, and enforces UMKC's policies against such behaviors. We also address all forms of sex-based misconduct, including sexual assault, stalking, and dating and domestic violence and abuse.

Our team also serves UMKC by providing training on inclusiveness in hiring practice and monitoring such practices to ensure equal opportunity, coordination the University's annual Affirmative Action Plan, offering a conflict management program for students and employees, partnering to provide campus-wide training on such matters as disability accommodations for students and bystander intervention, and consulting on a wide array of matter involving our campus community. 

RISE: Resources, Intervention, Support, Education

The mission of RISE: Resources, Intervention, Support, & Education is to positively impact UMKC’s response to all forms of sexual harassment, including sexual assault and sexual violence, gender-based violence, stalking, and relationship abuse, through support services, advocacy, training, educational programming, and outreach to our campus and the Kansas City community.

RISE offers confidential support services to all UMKC students and employees who are victims and survivors of sexual assault and sexual violence, gender-based violence, stalking, and relationship abuse. RISE also provides information and assistance to family members, friends, colleagues, and allies of all victims and survivors.

RISE focuses their efforts in four areas:

• Crisis intervention and continuing situational management
• Advocacy and allyship for victims and survivors
• Resource referrals

UMKC Alert

The University of Missouri System uses an automated, rapid notification system to supplement the communication tools currently used to notify students, faculty, and staff about campus emergencies and closings, as well as class cancellations due to inclement weather. The University of Missouri System partners with Rave Mobile Safety, a national provider for mass message notification services. Students can download the Rave Guardian App in the App Store  or through Google Play.

UMKC Helpline

Satisfactory Progress

The UMKC Graduate Academic Regulations establish the maximum timeline for academic progress (see policy KC-ACA-3786) and ineligibility due to unsatisfactory progress or performance (see policy KC-ACA-3741). The satisfactory progress of doctoral students in the Interdisciplinary Ph.D. program is assessed annually by a student's primary doctoral mentor, discipline coordinator, supervisory committee (when appropriate) and the Interdisciplinary Ph.D. program director on the basis of academic performance, as well as by meeting the various deadlines for language examinations, qualifying and comprehensive examinations, dissertation proposal defense, and any other discipline specified requirements.

A student who fails to maintain satisfactory progress will be advised in writing by the Discipline Coordinator and the Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Program Director of the corrective steps needed, the timeline for meeting those steps, and apprised of the consequences of failing to take those steps. Failure to satisfactorily take corrective action by the established timeline could result in a recommendation by the Program Director to the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies for program dismissal and ineligibility for further graduate study. A student who fails to maintain satisfactory progress may also lose eligibility for financial aid or funding (e.g., assistantship, fellowship).

A student can be classified as "not making satisfactory progress" and recommended for possible dismissal at any point in their academic training, regardless of whether they are within the maximum time constraints outlined in the UMKC Graduate Academic Regulations.

Students who fail to make satisfactory academic progress and are consequently recommended for dismissal and ineligibility for further study have the right to submit documentation to the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies for review and consideration when determining the student’s eligibility status. Per the UMKC graduate academic regulations, students have the right to appeal the Graduate Dean’s decision to the Provost.

Academic Dishonesty

https://www.umsystem.edu/ums/rules/collected_rules/programs/ch200/200.010_standard_of_conduct 

Research Misconduct

https://www.umsystem.edu/ums/rules/collected_rules/research/ch420/420.010_research_misconduct 

Conflict of Interest

https://www.umsystem.edu/ums/rules/collected_rules/personnel/ch330/330.015_policy_on_conflict_of_interest 

Plagiarism

Academic dishonesty, including cheating, plagiarism or sabotage, is adjudicated through the University of Missouri Student Conduct Code and Rules of Procedures in Student Conduct Matters.

General Graduate Academic Regulations

All graduate students are governed by the General Graduate Academic Regulations, found here:

https://catalog.umkc.edu/general-graduate-academic-regulations-information/ 

Student Standard of Conduct

Students enrolling in the University assume an obligation to behave in a manner compatible with the University's function as an educational institution, and abide by the University of Missouri Standard of Conduct (200.010), and the Rules and Procedures of Student or Student Organization Conduct Matters (200.020). Both codes of conduct are linked below.

https://www.umsystem.edu/ums/rules/collected_rules/programs/ch200/200.010_standard_of_conduct