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University Overview


2023-2024 UNDERGRADUATE STUDIES CATALOG

Effective 1 June 2023 through 31 May 2024

Please see the Undergraduate Catalog Archives for PDF versions of past catalogs.

 

Webster University is an independent, nonprofit, multicampus, international institution offering a wide variety of undergraduate and graduate programs. The University's headquarters is located in Webster Groves, a major suburban center of the St. Louis metropolitan area. Webster students enjoy the advantages traditionally associated with a small undergraduate college, as well as alternative options normally provided only by larger institutions.

In addition to the programs offered at the Webster Groves campus, the University provides undergraduate study opportunities at the following St. Louis locations:

  • The historic Arcade Building in downtown St. Louis.
  • In St. Louis County at Westport.

Webster University also offers undergraduate education at the following extended-campus locations in the United States: Los Angeles Air Force Base, California; and Columbia, South Carolina.

Students may also study at Webster’s international campuses in Vienna, Austria; Accra, Ghana; Tbilisi, The Republic of Georgia; Athens, Greece; Leiden, The Netherlands; Singapore; Geneva, Switzerland; or Tashkent, Uzbekistan.


Mission

Webster University, a worldwide institution, ensures high quality learning experiences that transform students for global citizenship and individual excellence.

Vision

Our vision is to be a premier U.S.-based international university setting a distinct standard for global education.


Core Values

Students

By sustaining a personalized approach to a global, student-centered education through small classes, close relationships with faculty and staff, and attention to student life.

Learning

By developing educational programs that join theory and practice, provide an international perspective, encourage creativity and scholarship, and foster a lifelong desire to learn and actively serve communities and the world.

Diversity and Inclusion

By creating an environment accessible to individuals of diverse cultures, ages, and socioeconomic backgrounds and instilling in students a respect for diversity and an understanding of their own and others’ values.

Global Citizenship

By educating a diverse population locally, nationally, and internationally, acting responsibly toward the environment to foster a sustainable future, and strengthening the communities we serve.


Statement of Ethics

Webster University strives to be a center of academic excellence. The University makes every effort to ensure the following:

  • The opportunity for students to learn and inquire freely.
  • The protection of intellectual freedom and the rights of professors to teach.
  • The advancement of knowledge through scholarly pursuits and relevant dialogue.

The University community is by nature pluralistic and diverse. Those who elect to participate in the Webster University community--students, faculty, staff, administrators, alumni, and directors--accept the responsibility of sharing in the effort to achieve the University’s mission as an institution of higher learning. Each member is expected to respect the objectives of the University and the views of its members.

Participants in this shared enterprise strive to be governed by what ought to be rather than by what is. To accomplish its goals, members of the University community aspire to a higher standard than mere compliance with formalized University requirements and local, state, and federal laws.

Webster University endeavors to fulfill the following expectations:

  • Preserve academic honor and integrity by repudiating all forms of academic and intellectual dishonesty.
  • Treat others with respect and dignity.
  • Respect the rights and property of others.
  • Act with concern for the safety and well-being of its associates.

Inquiry, discourse, and dissent, within the framework of an ordered academic environment, are seminal elements of a university community and of a free democratic society. Members of the Webster University community recognize this and are consequently supportive of democratic and lawful procedure and dedicated to rational approaches to solving problems. This assumes openness to change as well as commitment to historical values.


Accreditation

Webster University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission, 230 South LaSalle Street, Suite 7-500, Chicago, IL 60604, hlcommission.org • 800.621.7440.

Webster University has been accredited continuously since 1925, and this accreditation includes undergraduate and graduate levels at all campuses and locations where the University offers programs.


General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR)

Webster University takes seriously the new General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) that will affect our students and employees who are EU residents and/or citizens. Please be aware that all personal data you provide is subject to our privacy policy which can be found at www.webster.edu/gdpr.


Online Licensure

Missouri participates in SARA which creates a system of reciprocity for the oversight of distance education. The following student complaint process is in effect with this system.

  • Students with a complaint must first attempt to resolve the issue at the school by completing the school's complaint process. Exhaustion of all informal and formal institutional processes, including both campus processes and any applicable system processes, is a prerequisite to filing any formal complaint with the Missouri Department of Higher Education & Workforce Development. (MDHEWD)
  • If dissatisfied with the resolution of the grievance, the student may contact the department by calling (573) 751-2361 and selecting option 2.
  • The student will be directed to submit the complaint in writing, using a complaint form provided by the MDHEWD. It may be mailed or faxed to the department and must include supporting documentation. If there is no indication institutional remedies have been exhausted, the complaint will be returned for that purpose. Complaints that fall within the jurisdiction of the department will be investigated and resolved as appropriate by the relevant unit of the MDHEWD. All parties to the complaint will be notified of its resolution by mail.

State Licensures

California

Webster University is an independent institution approved to operate by the California Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education, with a campus at Los Angeles Air Force Base. Approval to operate means the institution is compliant with the minimum standards contained in the California Private Postsecondary Education Act of 2009 (as amended) and Division 7.5 of Title 5 of the California Code of Regulations. All programs offered at these campuses are instructed in English.

"Notice of Student Rights" in California—You have the right to cancel your agreement for a program of instruction, without any penalty or obligations, through attendance at the first class session or the seventh calendar day after enrollment, whichever is later, as described in the Notice of Cancellation form that will be given to you. After the end of the cancellation period, you also have the right to receive a pro rata refund if you have completed 60 percent or less of the scheduled days in the current program period in your program through the last day of attendance. Read the Notice of Cancellation form for any explanation of your cancellation rights and responsibilities. If you have lost your Notice of Cancellation form, ask the school for a sample copy. After the end of the cancellation period, you also have the right to stop school at any time, and you have the right to receive a refund for the part of the course not taken. Your refund rights are described in the contract. If you have lost your contract, ask the school for a description of the refund policy. If the school closes before you graduate, you may be entitled to a refund.

Any questions a student may have regarding this catalog that have not been satisfactorily answered by the institution may be directed to the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education at 2535 Capitol Oaks Drive, Suite 400, Sacramento, CA 95833, www.bppe.ca.gov, by telephone at 888-370-7589 or by fax at 916-263-1897.

A student or any member of the public may file a complaint about this institution with the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education by calling 888-370-7589 or by completing a complaint form, which can be obtained on the bureau's internet website www.bppe.ca.gov. While students are encouraged to use Webster University internal complaint processes first for grievances, it is not required and students may contact the Bureau at any time. 

California students have the right to cancel their agreement for a program of instruction, without any penalty or obligations, through attendance at the first class session or the seventh calendar day after enrollment, whichever is later. After the end of the cancellation period, California students also have the right to receive a pro rata refund if they have completed 60 percent or less of the scheduled days in the current program period in their program through the last day of attendance.

The student tuition refund rates apply when a student drops or withdraws from a course in accordance with University enrollment policies and the refund has been approved. Students attending on-campus classes in California will receive a refund on tuition as dictated by the following State requirements:

Refund Schedule
 
Class Length
Date 9 weeks 8 weeks
Drop
Week 1 100% 100%
Withdrawal
Week 2 89% 89%
Week 3 78% 78%
Week 4 67% 67%
Week 5 56% 56%
Week 6 44% 44%
Week 7 0% 0%
Week 8 0% 0%
Week 9 0% N/A

 

The State of California established the Student Tuition Recovery Fund (STRF) to relieve or mitigate economic loss suffered by a student in an educational program at a qualifying institution, who is or was a California resident while enrolled, or was enrolled in a residency program, if the student enrolled in the institution, prepaid tuition, and suffered an economic loss. Unless relieved of the obligation to do so, you must pay the state-imposed assessment for the STRF, or it must be paid on your behalf, if you are a student in an educational program, who is a California resident, or are enrolled in a residency program, and prepay all or part of your tuition. 

You are not eligible for protection from the STRF and you are not required to pay the STRF assessment if you are not a California resident or are not enrolled in a residency program.

It is important that you keep copies of your enrollment agreement, financial aid documents, receipts, or any other information that document the amount paid to the school. Questions regarding the STRF may be directed to the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education, 2535 Capitol Oaks Drive, Suite 400, Sacramento, CA 95833, 916-431-6959 or 888-370-7589.

To be eligible for STRF, you must be a California resident or are enrolled in a residency program, prepaid tuition, paid or deemed to have paid the STRF assessment, and suffered an economic loss as a result of any of the following:

  1. The institution, a location of the institution, or an educational program offered by the institution was closed or discontinued, and you did not choose to participate in a teach-out plan approved by the Bureau or did not complete a chosen teach-out plan approved by the Bureau.
  2. You were enrolled at an institution or a location of the institution within the 120 day period before the closure of the institution or location of the institution, or were enrolled in an educational program within the 120 day period before the program was discontinued.
  3. You were enrolled at an institution or a location of the institution more than 120 days before the closure of the institution or location of the institution, in an educational program offered by the institution as to which the Bureau determined there was a significant decline in the quality or value of the program more than 120 days before closure.
  4. The institution has been ordered to pay a refund by the Bureau but has failed to do so.
  5. The institution has failed to pay or reimburse loan proceeds under a federal student loan program as required by law, or has failed to pay or reimburse proceeds received by the institution in excess of tuition and other costs.
  6. You have been awarded restitution, a refund, or other monetary award by an arbitrator or court, based on a violation of this chapter by an institution or representative of an institution, but have been unable to collect the award from the institution.
  7. You sought legal counsel that resulted in the cancellation of one or more of your student loans and have an invoice for services rendered and evidence of the cancellation of the student loan or loans.

To qualify for STRF reimbursement, the application must be received within four (4) years from the date of the action or event that made the student eligible for recovery from STRF. 

A student whose loan is revived by a loan holder or debt collector after a period of non-collection may, at any time, file a written application for recovery from STRF for the debt that would have otherwise been eligible for recovery. If it has been more than four (4) years since the action or event that made the student eligible, the student must have filed a written application for recovery within the original four (4) year period, unless the period has been extended by another act of law.

However, no claim can be paid to any student without a social security number or taxpayer identification number.

NOTICE CONCERNING TRANSFERABILITY OF CREDITS AND CREDENTIALS EARNED AT OUR INSTITUTION

The transferability of credits you earn at Webster University is at the complete discretion of an institution to which you may seek to transfer. Acceptance of the degree you earn in the BA in management is also at the complete discretion of the institution to which you may seek to transfer. If the credits or degree that you earn at this institution are not accepted at the institution to which you seek to transfer, you may be required to repeat some or all of your coursework at that institution. For this reason you should make certain that your attendance at this institution will meet your educational goals. This may include contacting an institution to which you may seek to transfer after attending Webster University to determine if your credits or degree will transfer. 

For more information on the transferability of credits into Webster University, please refer to the Transfer Credit policies, found within the Academic Policies and Information section of this catalog.

Missouri

Campuses at Webster Groves, Gateway (Downtown St. Louis) and Westport are authorized by the Missouri Department of Higher Education.

Missouri Department of Higher Education
301 W. High Street (Suite 840, 860, 870, 580)
Jefferson City, MO 65101

The Missouri Department of Higher Education serves as a clearinghouse for postsecondary student complaints. The MDHE complaint policy contains information about the complaint process and includes instructions for how to file a formal complaint. The policy provides that a student who wishes to file a complaint with the department must first exhaust all formal and informal avenues provided by the institution to resolve disputes.

South Carolina

Campuses at Columbia and Myrtle Beach are licensed by the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education.

SC Commission on Higher Education
1122 Lady Street, Suite 300
Columbia, SC 29201
Telephone: 803-737-2260

Licensure is not an endorsement or guarantee of quality. If students at the Columbia or Myrtle Beach campuses have complaints about a classroom situation, they should first attempt to resolve the situation with the instructor. If resolution cannot be made with the instructor, or if the complaint is about a general school policy over which the instructor has no jurisdiction, then they may contact the school director for mediation. If the complaint cannot be resolved at the school level through its complaint procedure, students may file a complaint with the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education. The complaint form is available here. https://sc.edu/about/system_and_campuses/sumter/internal/documents/complaint_form.pdf

Texas

The metropolitan campus at San Antonio is approved by the Texas Higher Education Coordinator Board.

The student tuition refund rates apply when a student drops or withdraws from a course in accordance with University enrollment policies and the refund has been approved. Students attending on-campus classes in Texas will receive a refund on tuition as dictated by the following State requirements:

Refund Schedule
 
Class Length
Date 9 weeks 8 weeks
Drop
Week 1 100% 100%
Withdrawal
Week 2 80% 80%
Week 3 80% 80%
Week 4 25% 25%
Week 5 0% 0%
Week 6 0% 0%
Week 7 0% 0%
Week 8 0% 0%
Week 9 0% N/A

 


Specialized Accreditations

  • Business and Management programs are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP).
  • Webster University is designated as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education (CAE-CDE).
  • Webster University has been accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) since 1952.
  • The baccalaureate nursing program at Webster University located in Saint Louis, Missouri is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)
    3390 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 1400
    Atlanta, GA 30326
    404-975-5000
    www.acenursing.org

    The most recent accreditation decision made by the ACEN Board of Commissioners for the baccalaureate nursing program is continuing accreditation. 

    View the public information disclosed by the ACEN regarding this program at http://www.acenursing.com/accreditedprograms/programsearch.htm 
  • Education programs that lead to state licensure and a degree are accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).
  • Educator preparation programs at Webster University are approved by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE).
  • Webster University is registered as an Approved Continuing Education Partner (ACEP) with the National Board for Certified Counselors, Inc. (NBCC).
  • The BA, MA in legal studies and paralegal certificates at the St. Louis campus only are approved by the American Bar Association (ABA).
  • National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA).

International Accreditations and Recognitions

  • Austria: Webster University in Vienna is accredited by The Agency for Quality Assurance and Accreditation Austria (AQ Austria) as an Austrian Private University.
  • Ghana: Webster University Ghana is full accredited by the National Accreditation Board of Ghana.
  • Georgia: The National Center for Educational Quality Enhancement’s Authorization Council for Higher Education Institutions in the Republic of Georgia has granted the higher education institution status to Webster University Georgia (I/D 405424526).
  • Greece: Webster University, through its Athens Campus, Webster Athens, has been accredited/licensed by the Ministry of Education, Research and Religious Affairs of the Hellenic Republic to operate in Hellas [Greece] under permit 127051/K1/01.08.2016 [Government Gazette 2585/B/22.08.2016].
  • The Netherlands:Webster Leiden Campus is recognized as an institute of higher education. 
  • Singapore: Webster University partners with PSB Academy in Singapore to deliver undergraduate and postgraduate degrees that are registered with the Committee for Private Education (CPE).
  • Switzerland: Webster University Geneva is a nonprofit university established and recognized in Geneva since 1979 as a Swiss Foundation (Fondation Webster).
  • Uzbekistan: By resolution of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan and through the Ministry of Higher and Secondary Specialized Education, Webster University is registered to operate, and its diplomas, transcripts and other academic awards are recognized as documents of higher education in the Republic of Uzbekistan.