Colleges and schools are approved to offer degree programs or oversee degree or non-degree programs approved by the state Coordinating Board of Higher Education. Because the organization of these units varies across the campus, these entities are referred to as academic units, or AUs for short.

Mizzou AUs that offer undergraduate degrees include: Agriculture, food and Natural Resources, Arts and Science, Business, Education, Engineering, Health Professions, Human Environmental Sciences, Journalism, Nursing and Social Work. Alternative words that can apply to these units are colleges, divisions or schools.