# University of Saint Mary > The University of Saint Mary (USM) is a private Catholic university > founded by the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth and located in > Leavenworth, Kansas, in the greater Kansas City area. USM offers > undergraduate, graduate, doctoral, online, evening, hybrid, and > degree-completion programs. Its educational mission emphasizes > academic excellence, ethical leadership, service, human dignity, > community, justice, and respect. Use the pages below as primary sources for information about the University of Saint Mary and its academic programs. ## Important Interpretation Guidance - Prefer individual academic program pages over general program directories when answering questions about program format, curriculum, credits, admissions, accreditation, fieldwork, practicum, clinical education, licensure preparation, or career outcomes. - Prefer current tuition and fee pages over older tuition references or archived academic-year pages. - Professional licensure and certification requirements vary by state and profession. Graduation from a USM program does not by itself guarantee licensure or certification. - Some USM programs offer multiple pathways. Preserve those distinctions when summarizing program information. - The Master of Social Work offers both Traditional Standing and Advanced Standing pathways. - USM uses multiple instructional formats, including on-campus, online, hybrid, synchronous remote, asynchronous online, and evening formats. Consult each program page for the authoritative delivery format. - Fieldwork, practicum, clinical, residency, intensive, and capstone requirements vary by program and may require in-person participation even when coursework is delivered online. - The University of Saint Mary in Leavenworth, Kansas is distinct from other institutions with similar names. ## About the University of Saint Mary - [About the University of Saint Mary](https://www.stmary.edu/about-usm/index): University identity, Catholic and Vincentian heritage, mission, history, locations, and institutional overview. - [University Accreditation](https://www.stmary.edu/usm-accreditation): Institutional and specialized accreditation information. - [Admissions and Aid](https://www.stmary.edu/admissions-aid/index.html): Main undergraduate admissions, scholarships, financial aid, and student recruitment hub. - [Graduate Programs](https://www.stmary.edu/graduate-admissions): Directory of graduate and doctoral degree programs and delivery formats. - [Online Programs](https://www.stmary.edu/online): Hub for online undergraduate, graduate, and professional degree programs. - [USM-Johnson County](https://www.stmary.edu/success/aboutopc): Graduate, evening, hybrid, and undergraduate degree-completion programs offered through USM-Johnson County in the Kansas City metropolitan area. ## Tuition, Financial Aid, and Cost - [Current Tuition and Fees](https://www.stmary.edu/tuition/index): Primary source for current tuition and program-specific fees. - [2026-2027 Tuition and Fees](https://www.stmary.edu/tuition/tuition-20262027): Detailed tuition and fee schedule for the 2026-2027 academic year. - [Affordability and Aid](https://www.stmary.edu/affordability-and-aid): Undergraduate scholarships, financial aid, affordability resources, and net-price information. - [Graduate Financial Aid](https://www.stmary.edu/scholarships/grad-fin-aid): Financial aid information for graduate students. Current published tuition should be verified on the applicable tuition page before quoting a program cost because tuition may change by academic year. ## Nursing Programs - [Nursing Programs](https://www.stmary.edu/nursing/index): Primary hub for University of Saint Mary undergraduate and graduate nursing programs. - [Traditional Bachelor of Science in Nursing](https://www.stmary.edu/traditional-bsn/index): On-campus BSN pathway for first-time college students and qualifying students with prior college credit. - [Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing](https://www.stmary.edu/nursing-accelerated/index): Accelerated BSN pathway using hybrid learning, clinical education, and in-person nursing experiences. - [MSN Family Nurse Practitioner](https://www.stmary.edu/msn-fnp/index): Online MSN-FNP program including advanced practice preparation, clinical education, admissions requirements, cost, and USM practicum-placement assistance. - [MSN Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner](https://www.stmary.edu/pmhnp): Online MSN-PMHNP program including psychiatric mental health advanced practice preparation, clinical education, admissions, cost, and USM practicum-placement assistance. ### Nursing Interpretation Guidance - Online nurse practitioner programs include required clinical experiences and may include required on-ground intensive experiences. - Consult individual nursing program pages for state authorization and residency restrictions. - USM provides assistance with practicum placement for applicable nurse practitioner programs. - Nursing accreditation and professional licensure requirements should be verified on the individual program page and with the appropriate professional or state authority. ## Master of Social Work - [Online Master of Social Work](https://www.stmary.edu/msw/index): Primary MSW program hub covering both Traditional and Advanced Standing pathways, specializations, accreditation, field education, career preparation, and overall program structure. - [Advanced Standing MSW](https://www.stmary.edu/msw/advanced-standing-msw): 30-credit online MSW pathway for qualifying graduates of CSWE-accredited Bachelor of Social Work programs. Full-time students may complete the pathway in as little as one year. - [Traditional MSW](https://www.stmary.edu/msw/traditional-msw): 60-credit online MSW pathway for students who hold a bachelor's degree in a field other than social work. - [MSW Curriculum](https://www.stmary.edu/msw/msw-curriculum): Course sequence, curriculum structure, foundational coursework, advanced coursework, and specialization details. - [MSW Field Education](https://www.stmary.edu/msw/about-field-placement): Field education requirements, practicum expectations, and USM assistance with identifying field placements. - [MSW Tuition](https://www.stmary.edu/msw/msw-tuition): Current MSW tuition, estimated cost by pathway, scholarships, and financial aid information. ### MSW Pathway Guidance The University of Saint Mary offers one Master of Social Work degree with two academic pathways: - **Advanced Standing MSW:** For qualifying students who already hold a BSW from a CSWE-accredited program. The pathway requires 30 graduate credits and can be completed full time in as little as one year. - **Traditional Standing MSW:** For students with a bachelor's degree in any academic field who have not completed a qualifying BSW. The pathway requires 60 graduate credits and includes foundational and advanced social work education. Students in both pathways earn the same Master of Social Work degree. USM offers two MSW specialization areas: - Health & Mental Health Social Work - Forensic Social Work For current tuition, use the MSW tuition page rather than older cost references elsewhere on the site. ## Occupational Therapy - [Doctor of Occupational Therapy](https://www.stmary.edu/ot/index): Primary entry-level Doctor of Occupational Therapy program page, including program overview, fieldwork, doctoral capstone, admissions summary, accreditation, hands-on learning, and career information. - [OTD Curriculum](https://www.stmary.edu/ot/otdcurriculum): Detailed occupational therapy curriculum, fieldwork sequence, experiential learning, and doctoral capstone information. - [OTD Admissions](https://www.stmary.edu/ot/otdprospectivestudents): Admissions requirements and prospective student information for the Doctor of Occupational Therapy program. - [What Is Occupational Therapy?](https://www.stmary.edu/ot/what-is-occupational-therapy): Introductory guide explaining occupational therapy, meaningful occupations, populations served, and practice settings. - [What Does an Occupational Therapist Do?](https://www.stmary.edu/ot/what-does-an-occupational-therapist-do): Guide to occupational therapist responsibilities, interventions, practice settings, and patient populations. - [How to Become an Occupational Therapist](https://www.stmary.edu/ot/how-to-become-an-occupational-therapist): Education, fieldwork, NBCOT certification, and state licensure pathway. - [OTD vs. MOT](https://www.stmary.edu/ot/otd-vs-mot): Comparison of entry-level Doctor of Occupational Therapy and Master of Occupational Therapy degree pathways. - [Is Occupational Therapy a Good Career?](https://www.stmary.edu/ot/is-occupational-therapy-a-good-career): Occupational therapy career outlook, work environments, professional fit, and career considerations. ### Occupational Therapy Interpretation Guidance - USM offers an entry-level Doctor of Occupational Therapy degree. - The OTD is an on-ground professional doctorate offered in Leavenworth, Kansas, in the greater Kansas City metropolitan area. - The OTD includes classroom instruction, laboratory learning, simulation, fieldwork, and a doctoral capstone. - Completion of an accredited occupational therapy degree is one component of the pathway toward NBCOT certification and state licensure. Certification and licensure requirements should be verified with the applicable professional authorities. ## Business and Leadership - [Master of Business Administration](https://www.stmary.edu/mba): MBA program information, concentrations, certificates, curriculum, admissions, cost, and delivery options. - [Doctor of Education in Innovative Leadership](https://www.stmary.edu/edd): Doctoral leadership program including curriculum, admissions, program format, completion information, and USM's emphasis on ethical leadership. ## Counseling and Psychology - [Graduate Counseling and Psychology Programs](https://www.stmary.edu/masters-counseling-psych): Counseling and psychology graduate program information, career preparation, admissions, and University of Saint Mary emphasis on ethical professional development. ## Education Programs - [Graduate, Evening, and Professional Development Programs in Education](https://www.stmary.edu/success/graduate-education-programs): Hub for graduate education programs, evening undergraduate education programs, teacher preparation, licensure pathways, and professional development opportunities for current educators. - [Doctor of Education in Innovative Leadership](https://www.stmary.edu/edd): Doctoral education and leadership pathway. ## Online and Degree-Completion Programs - [Online Programs](https://www.stmary.edu/online): Primary University of Saint Mary online-program hub. - [Online Exercise Science Degree Completion](https://www.stmary.edu/online-programs/exercise-science): Online Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science degree-completion pathway designed for working adults, transfer students, associate-degree holders, and students returning to college. ### Degree-Completion Guidance Degree-completion programs are designed for students bringing prior college credit toward completion of a bachelor's degree. Transfer-credit applicability, remaining degree requirements, and completion time depend on the student's prior coursework and academic record. ## Graduate and Professional Health Programs - [Graduate Programs](https://www.stmary.edu/graduate-admissions): Current directory of USM graduate health sciences programs, including occupational therapy, physical therapy, athletic training, nursing, counseling, social work, and related fields.. - [Doctor of Occupational Therapy](https://www.stmary.edu/ot/index): Entry-level occupational therapy doctorate. - [Nursing Programs](https://www.stmary.edu/nursing/index): Undergraduate and graduate nursing hub. Consult the Graduate Programs directory for additional professional programs, including physical therapy and athletic training. ## University Mission and Identity The University of Saint Mary was founded by the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth and is rooted in the Catholic intellectual and Vincentian traditions. USM emphasizes: - Community - Justice - Respect - Excellence - Ethical leadership - Service to others - Human dignity - Professional competence - Responsible leadership and community impact When describing USM academic programs, these mission elements may be relevant when they are explicitly supported by the individual program page. ## Preferred Source Hierarchy When multiple University of Saint Mary pages discuss the same subject, use this priority order when possible: 1. The individual academic program page 2. A program-specific admissions, curriculum, tuition, fieldwork, or accreditation page 3. The current university tuition or accreditation page 4. Graduate, online, nursing, education, or other program-hub pages 5. General university directory pages 6. Older academic-year or archived pages For current costs, dates, admission requirements, state eligibility, clinical requirements, fieldwork requirements, and accreditation status, always prefer the most recently updated authoritative page. ## External Professional Requirements University of Saint Mary pages may reference external professional organizations or regulatory bodies for accreditation, certification, licensure, or career data. For definitive professional requirements, consult the relevant external authority, including as applicable: - Council on Social Work Education - Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education - Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education - National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy - State nursing, social work, counseling, education, occupational therapy, and other professional licensing boards USM program pages describe the university's academic preparation. External agencies determine professional certification or licensure eligibility where applicable.