Southeast Missouri State University is a public institution that was founded in 1873. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 10,541, its setting is suburban, and the campus size is 400 acres. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. Southeast Missouri State University's ranking in the 2014 edition of Best Colleges is Regional Universities (Midwest), 86.

Southeast Missouri State University is a comprehensive, regional university offering more than 200 areas of study with numerous national and international academic accreditation. Students study business, education, the health professions, liberal arts, science, technology, agriculture, and the visual and performing arts. Within these programs of study, students may choose majors such as cybersecurity, marine biology, historic preservation, entrepreneurship and sustainable energy systems management.