School Search Detail

Date First Approved:

Accredited By:

• Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs
• Council for Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP)
• Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
• Higher Learning Commission, North Central Association of Colleges and Schools

School Description:

Mission and History: Building on its foundation as a Christ-inspired community of grace and open inquiry, Ottawa University prepares professional and liberal arts graduates for lifetimes of personal significance, vocational fulfillment, and service to God and humanity.

OU was founded in 1865 as the result of the service of two American Baptist missionaries to the Ottawa Indian Tribe. Through a formal treaty, the Tribe donated 20,000 acres of land upon which a university would be built. Members of the Tribe were guaranteed a free education. The treaty is honored to this present day.

Scope of Operations: In addition to The College (the residential campus in Ottawa, Kansas), OU has established campuses devoted to the education of adult learners in Overland Park, KS (1974), and Brookfield, WI (1992). A second residential campus was opened in Surprise, AZ in August 2017. The Phoenix, AZ campus was closed in the spring of 2022 and relocated to the Surprise, AZ campus.

Educational Focus: Throughout its system, OU offers a wide variety of educational programs at the bachelor's and master's level within the following academic disciplinary areas: Business, Education, and Arts & Sciences. The Liberal Arts is the focus of the OU curriculum and is integrated into all of its educational programs. OU seeks to educate the whole person for not only a career but also for life.

Student Profile: Most OU students, outside of its residential campuses, are working adults between the ages of 25 and 45. These students typically have earned 40-60 university credit hours and wish to complete a four-year bachelor's degree. Others are enrolled in courses through which they will earn a graduate degree. Most students have worked professionally in a number of fields prior to their enrollment. Current prospective students are most interested in the length of time to complete, the financial cost, and the availability of online courses. On-ground courses are offered on weeknights in order to meet the scheduling needs of working adults. Six eight-week terms are scheduled per year. Students enroll for one or two course(s) per term.

Adult students draft an educational plan which will guide them to graduation. In addition to credit hours transferred from accredited institutions, students' plans may include credits through CLEP or DANTES testing or ACE approved courses or exams.