The SBU Academy is a transitional collegiate experience for academically talented
high school juniors and seniors. The Academy offers an in-person, on-campus dual credit
classroom experience on Mondays and online support for the course the rest of the
week. All schools are welcome to participate; however, the format is especially useful
to districts operating on a four-day school week.
Academy students learn from experienced professionals with outstanding expertise and have the opportunity to interact with current SBU college students.
The SBU Academy has a professional focus, offers a collegiate experiences, and prepares select high school students for lives of service and leadership. The Academy's purpose is to offer an early introduction to high-demand professional careers and disciplines.
Program details
General Enrollment Guidelines
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Students in the 11th and 12th grades with an overall minimum grade point average of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) are automatically eligible for dual credit courses.
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Students in the 11th and 12th grades with an overall grade point average between 2.5-2.99 (on a 4.0 scale) must provide a signed later of recommendation from their principal or guidance counselor and provide written permission from a parent or legal guardian (CBHE 6.3) to Dr. Tim DeClue, SBU Academy Director.
How to Apply
- Create an account on our Application Management login page for the SBU Academy
- Select "Start New Application"
- Complete all required fields and submit the online application
- Submit other required documents
For assistance with your application or more information about the SBU Academy, please contact Dr. Tim DeClue at tdeclue@bltbaby.com or (417) 328-1704.
Courses for the Spring 2025 semester
- POL 1113 American Government
- Meets in-person Mondays from 9-9:50 a.m.
- Online Tuesday-Friday
- Taught by Dr. Kwasi Ofori-Yeboah
- PSY 1013 General Psychology
- Meets in-person Mondays from 9-9:50 a.m.
- Online Tuesday-Friday
- Taught by Dr. Bill DuVall
- CIS 1144 Computer Science 1
- Meets in-person Mondays from 11-11:50 a.m. (lecture) & 1-1:50 p.m. (lab)
- Online Tuesday-Friday
- Taught by Dr. Tim DeClue
- MAT 1163 Pre-Calculus
- Meets in-person Mondays from 2-3:30 p.m.
- Online Tuesday-Friday
- Taught by Mrs. Tarah Bohner
- CIS ____ Artificial Intelligence and Contemporary Technologies*
- Meets in-person Mondays from 2-3:30 p.m.
- Online Tuesday-Friday
- Taught by Dr. Benny Fong
* - Course number to be determined
Courses for the Fall 2024 semester
- EDU 2313 Foundations of Education
- Meets in-person Mondays from 9-9:50 a.m.
- Online Tuesday-Friday
- Taught by Dr. Julie Bryant
- CIS 1163 Personal Cybersecurity
- Meets in-person Mondays from 9-9:50 a.m.
- Online Tuesday-Friday
- Taught by Dr. Jim Cain
- HIS 2213 U.S. History
- Meets in-person Mondays from 9-9:50 a.m.
- Online Tuesday-Friday
- Taught by Dr. Kwasi Ofori-Yeboah
- CIS 1033 Foundations of Computer Science
- Meets in-person Mondays from 11-11:50 a.m. for lecture and 12:40-2:30 p.m. for lab
- Online Tuesday-Friday
- Taught by Dr. Tim DeClue
- ENG 1113 English Composition I
- Meets in-person Mondays from 11-11:50 a.m. and 12:40-1:30 p.m.
- Online Tuesday-Friday
- MAT 1243 Alg Reasoning & Modeling
- Meets in-person Mondays from 2-2:50 p.m.
- Online Tuesday-Friday
- Taught by Dr. Tarah Bohner
Schedule
Classes will meet every Monday of the fall semester unless designated as an official holiday by the University
Sample Monday on-campus schedule:
- 8-9 a.m. — Travel to SBU campus in Bolivar
- 9-9:50 a.m.. — Attend first class session
- 10-10:50 a.m. — Attend Chapel with SBU community
- 11-11:50 a.m. — Attend second class session
- 12-12:50 p.m. — Lunch
- 1-3 p.m. — If enrolled in a course with a scheduled afternoon lab, attend the lab. If not, work on homework, meet with professors, or attend Academy events and field trips.
Program fees
Participation in SBU Academy costs $125 per credit hour. This includes all course fees and covers the cost of lunch during the Monday in-person sessions. Students also receive access to University events (concerts, performances, etc.) and NCAA Division II athletic events.
Additional information
In addition to the courses offered, additional planned activities hosted on-campus in the afternoons will help expose SBU Academy students to other high-demand/high-urgency areas such as healthcare, nursing, and agriculture, for example.
Submit an online application now
Meet the Faculty
Dr. Julie Bryant
Dr. Bryant joined the SBU faculty in 2002 and currently serves as a Full Professor and is the Lewis E. Schollian Endowed Chair of Education. She has served as SBU Faculty Senate President, was named the Orien B. Hendrex Distinguished Teacher of the Year, and she received the SBU Faculty Life Beautiful award. Dr. Bryant is a member of the Missouri State Council of the International Literacy Association, the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, the Literacy Association for Christian Educators, and the National Association for the Education of the Young Child. She co-sponsors the SBU Student Missouri State Teachers Association.
She graduated from SBU with her Bachelors in Elementary and Early Childhood Education, from the University of Missouri with her Masters of Science in Curriculum and Instruction. Her doctoral work was completed with Liberty University in Educational Leadership and Reading. She has authored or co-authored over 20 peer-reviewed publications and presentations during her career.
Dr. Tim DeClue
Dr. Tim DeClue has served as the SBU Computer and Information Sciences Department
Chair, Faculty Senate President, ABET (Accrediting Board for Engineering & Technology)
Commissioner, Advanced Placement Computer Science team leader, Code.org facilitator,
and authored over 20 published peer-reviewed research or experience papers.
Dr. Kwasi Ofori-Yeboah
Dr. Kwasi Ofori-Yeboah is a published author with his doctoral degree from Queen’s
University in Ontario, Canada. Dr. Yeboah has over 30 years teaching experience at
SBU and expertise in the post-cold war Africa.