Career Education Corporation (CEC) has announced it has acquired Missouri College, located in St. Louis, for approximately $6.1 million in cash. The acquisition expands CEC's core curricular programs into the allied health fields.

Founded in 1963, Missouri College has approximately 425 students and offers a variety of associate degree and diploma programs in the disciplines of healthcare, business and information technology.

"Missouri College is an ideal fit with CEC and provides a new plank for our strategic growth platform," said John M. Larson, chairman, president and chief executive officer of CEC. "Missouri College provides us with an opportunity to expand into the high-growth healthcare education field and further enhances our leadership position in IT and business studies.

Larson said CEC plans to transplant allied health programs pioneered at Missouri College to other schools throughout its system. CEC has an extensive network of 43 campuses located throughout the United States and in Canada, the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates.

Career Education Corporation (www.careered.com) is a provider of private, for-profit postsecondary education in the career-oriented disciplines of visual communication and design technologies, information technology, business studies, culinary arts and healthcare. CEC operates 43 campuses throughout the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and United Arab Emirates, and offers a full online program through AIU Online, its E-learning division. Total student population as of July 31, 2002 was approximately 41,000 students.