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±«Óãtv Academy

±«Óãtv Academy logoThe ±«Óãtv 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 ±«Óãtv college students.

The ±«Óãtv 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

  • 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.

  • 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, ±«Óãtv Academy Director.

How to Apply

  1. Create an account on our Application Management for the ±«Óãtv Academy
  2. Select "Start New Application"
  3. Complete all required fields and submit the online application
  4. Submit other required documents

For assistance with your application or more information about the ±«Óãtv Academy, please contact Dr. Tim DeClue at tdeclue@sbuniv.edu or (417) 328-1704.

Courses for the Spring 2026 semester

  • EDU 2113 Educational Psychology (3 hours credit/$375)
    • Description: Study of social and behavioral theory, including the nature of educational psychology, measurement, personality, the classroom as a social system, learning and instruction.
    • Meets in-person Mondays from 9-9:50 a.m.
    • Online Tuesday-Friday
    • This course counts at ±«Óãtv as General Psychology and transfers to many/most institutions as General Psychology.
    • Taught by Dr. Chuck Lentz
  • ENG 1113 English Composition I (3 hours credit/$375)
    • Description: Expository writing based on a study of essays. In addition to the writing of essays, a student will write a research paper. 
    • Meets in-person Mondays from 11-11:50 p.m.
    • Online Tuesday-Friday
    • Taught by Jennifer Hungerford
    • Must have 8 or more student enroll to offer the course
  • CIS 1144 Computer Science 1 (4 hours credit/$500)
    • Description: Introduces the concepts of computer programming and problem solving and the associated ideas of algorithms and data structures.
    • Meets in-person Mondays from 11-11:50 a.m. (lecture) & 12:30-1:55 p.m. (lab) 
    • Online Tuesday-Friday
    • Taught by Dr. Tim DeClue
  • POL 1113 American Government (3 hours credit/$375)
    • Description: Origin, organization and policy of United States government at the national, state and local levels.
    • Meets in-person Mondays from 2-2:50 p.m.
    • Online Tuesday-Friday
    • Taught by Dr. Kwasi Ofori-Yeboah
  • MAT 1163 Pre-Calculus (3 hours credit/$375)
    • Description: This course is a rapid and in depth review of algebra, trigonometry functions in the context that it will be used in Calculus.
    • Meets in-person Mondays from 2-3:45 p.m.
    • Online Tuesday-Friday
    • Taught by Mrs. Tarah Bohner
    • Must have 8 or more students enroll to offer the course
  • CIS 2953 Artificial Intelligence and Current Technologies (3 hours credit/$375)
    • Meets in-person Mondays from 2-3:45 p.m.
    • Online Tuesday-Friday
    • Taught by Dr. Benny Fong

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 ±«Óãtv campus in Bolivar
  • 9-9:50 a.m.. — Attend first class session
  • 10-10:50 a.m. — Attend Chapel with ±«Óãtv 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.

Tuition/fees

Participation in ±«Óãtv Academy costs $125 per credit hour for the 2025-2026 academic year. 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.

The tuition rate for 2026-2027 will be $140 per credit hour.

Additional information

In addition to the courses offered, additional planned activities hosted on-campus in the afternoons will help expose ±«Óãtv Academy students to other high-demand/high-urgency areas such as healthcare, nursing, and agriculture, for example.


Meet the Faculty

Dr. Julie Bryant

Dr. Julie Bryant

Dr. Bryant joined the ±«Óãtv faculty in 2002 and currently serves as a Full Professor and is the Lewis E. Schollian Endowed Chair of Education.  She has served as ±«Óãtv Faculty Senate President, was named the Orien B. Hendrex Distinguished Teacher of the Year, and she received the ±«Óãtv 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 ±«Óãtv Student Missouri State Teachers Association.

She graduated from ±«Óãtv 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

Tim DeClueDr. Tim DeClue has served as the ±«Óãtv 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-YeboahDr. 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 ±«Óãtv and expertise in the post-cold war Africa. 

 

 

 

Dr. Craig Endres

Dr. Endres is the chair of the Department of Biology at ±«Óãtv. Dr. Endres is a veteran 30+ year faculty member at ±«Óãtv and a well-known published author in the biological sciences. Degrees - B.S., John Brown University; M.S., University of Arkansas; Ph.D., University of Wisconsin.

Dr. Benny Fong

Dr. Fong is Assistant Professor of Education and Statistics. Dr. Fong is a recognized authority in artificial intelligence, particularly in educational applications. Degrees - B.S., California State University, East Bay; M.S., California State University, East Bay; Ed.D., Liberty University.

Mrs. Tarah Bohner

Mrs. Bohner is Adjunct Professor of Mathematics. Mrs. Bohner is an experienced high school mathematics teacher with experience in teaching high school students college algebra, pre-calculus, and calculus. Degrees - B.S., ±«Óãtv; M.S., Georgia State University.