Continuing and Distance Education improves the lives of Missourians and students, nationally and internationally, by bringing the University of Missouri-Columbia’s high quality programs and services directly to individuals and groups through partnerships for continuing and distance education.

The University of Missouri offers a vast array of continuing education programs through MU Extension (Center for Distance and Independent Study, and MU Direct: Continuing and Distance Education).  MU Extension's continuing education units provide courses, degrees, certificate programs, conferences and seminars, along with other professional development activities tailored to the needs of individual employers and industries of all sizes.

Among the services available are management training, event planning, online degrees for professionals, on-site courses and programs, independent study courses, industrial safety instruction and continuing education for professionals in law, public safety, medicine, nursing, veterinary medicine and organized labor. 

University of Missouri specializes in serving students, including adult learners and working professionals, through courses at the university, high school, and noncredit levels.
The University of Missouri CDIS offers flexible learning options at a distance to meet student’s goals and needs. All students can enroll in distance learning courses, anytime, anywhere, work at their own pace, and take up to 9 months to finish the studies.

Financial aid
Financial aid is available to competent degree candidates who are enrolled at University of Missouri. Financial aid comprises: student loans, grants, curators' and university scholarships (as well as other scholarships), some third-party billings and vocational rehabilitation. Graduate students in a degree-seeking program who hold a qualifying assistantship or fellowship may be eligible for a GSSP fee waiver, which waives their resident and non-resident tuition for courses which are applicable and relevant to the student’s degree programme.