Types of Program Agreements
UMKC’s international and domestic agreements create collaborative opportunities that encourage the exchange of innovative ideas, research and program growth.
Types of Agreements
The global community strengthens when united in academic pursuit. Academic partnerships between UMKC and other institutions are valued relationships and commonly created through the following agreements.
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
An MOU is a written agreement signed by two parties that does not legally bind the parties to action. Rather, both parties simply agree to work together toward an agreed-upon goal. An MOU can facilitate certain types of visa applications or prove inter-institutional collaboration for joint grant proposal submissions.
Memorandum of Agreement (MOA)
An MOA is a formal agreement, usually legally binding, that is grounded in the original MOU and expands upon the established institutional partnership between UMKC and an international or domestic partner. The MOA is specific to individual academic units and describes in clear language the role of each partner institution in the proposed program or project.
The MOA identifies:
- The academic mission.
- Necessary criteria for the admission/participation of students into particular academic programs.
- Costs and fees.
- Coursework.
- Teaching responsibilities.
- All other relevant information for the implementation of the program.
MOAs include, but are not limited to:
- 1+1 programs (one year of English as a second language through the Applied Language Institute and one year of academic coursework).
- 2+2 programs (two years at home institution + two years at UMKC, and receive a degree from UMKC).
- 3+1+1 (three years at home institution + one year of upper-level coursework at UMKC + one year of graduate-level coursework at UMKC, receiving a bachelor’s degree from the home institution and a master’s degree from UMKC).
To initiate an MOA, the dean or dean’s delegate must send the draft to the transfer and agreement project manager.
If the MOA involves transfer credits, the program should provide syllabi to coursework for transferable courses to the transfer and agreement project manager. The syllabi should include the number of home-institution credits and number of contact hours. The transfer and agreement project manager will seek approval for the coursework from the relevant academic units.
Specialized Partnership Agreements for Study Abroad and Global Engagement
Reciprocal Student Exchange Partner Agreement (RSEP)
An RSEP is an agreement that includes specific information about how the program will work and is a two-way student exchange facilitated by UMKC’s Office of Study Abroad and Global Engagement (SAGE). Students participate for a minimum of one semester and take classes for credit. Outgoing UMKC students pay tuition and fees to their home institution. These funds are then used to cover tuition and fees for the incoming exchange student from the partner institution. Participating students normally cover all other expenses, including travel to and from the destination country, health insurance, accommodations and living expenses. Equal numbers of participants from each institution are necessary to maintain financial and exchange parity over a three-year period.
Partner exchange
Incoming only. non-degree, not reciprocal, incoming pay resident tuition and fees.
Study abroad affiliation
Affiliates offer a wide range of services, program lengths, disciplines and destinations. Students will not only receive support from SAGE staff and faculty leaders, but they will also work directly with the affiliate organization's staff. On-site support and staff will include those from the affiliate organization. Some affiliated providers have automatic discounts, additional scholarship options, or both. An affiliate is one of the following:
- An education abroad organization or company.
- A non-profit organization or private company.
- A U.S. university with education abroad programs open to students from other institutions.
- A non-U.S. university with an established program for visiting international students, a language institute, a summer school, or all the above.
Affiliation contracts
Study abroad affiliation contracts set in place a formal and legally binding document between affiliates and the university. They protect and minimize legal, financial and operational liability for UMKC and its faculty members, students and staff. For any activity or relationship requiring the commitment of university resources, including staff, faculty, students, space, transportation or funding, a contract must be in place. Current affiliates provide essential logistical support for UMKC-led programs. Program leaders may work with SAGE to find an appropriate affiliate as part of the proposal process.
Determine transfer course equivalency