The mission of the College of Natural and Applied Sciences (CNAS) at Missouri State University is to produce educated persons who, upon graduation, are prepared to make sound decisions relative to science and society.   Central to this effort is the College's commitment to develop students' capacities for lifelong learning in an increasingly technological world. 

CNAS has nine departments and approximately 230 full-time faculty and staff who are all dedicated to the university's statewide public affairs mandate and its six themes.  CNAS contributes to the overall mission of the University by providing quality instruction, research, scholarly inquiry, and service.  The College prepares graduates for professions, entry into professional schools, and continued study through its undergraduate and graduate degree programs in life, physical, earth, mathematical, social, and applied sciences, and teacher preparation.  It provides much of the structural foundation of the liberal arts and sciences on which the University's undergraduate programs rest.

The College is committed to excellence in teaching. It supports experiential learning through internships, laboratory and field experiences, undergraduate and graduate research, cooperative education, and science education programs.

These learning experiences improve the students' qualitative and analytic abilities which are necessary for critical thinking and informed decision-making.  The College endeavors to instill in each student a foundation of knowledge and the ethics needed to function responsibly in society.

The College is committed to research and scholarly activities which are integral to the educational process.  Research programs provide:

• opportunities for discovery
• interpretation and dissemination of new knowledge
• application of this knowledge in the solution of problems
• development of methodology to improve inquiry, teaching, and professional practice
• educational opportunities for students

Academic units and research centers on both the Springfield Campus and the Mountain Grove campus engage in fundamental and applied research and service.  The disciplines which make up the College provide a unique opportunity for an interdisciplinary approach to research and graduate education.  

The College of Natural and Applied Sciences supports public service activities, encouraging the faculty, staff and students to contribute their expertise in order to advance:

• scientific and technological industries
• environmental quality
• economic and community development
• public and private education

Through these actions, the College of Natural and Applied Sciences is furthering their mission to prepare students to become responsible members of society.