

Barry University is a private Catholic university founded in 1940 in the Miami area by the Adrian Dominican Sisters. It opened as Barry College, a women's college, and later became coeducational. The institution adopted the name Barry University in 1981, reflecting its expansion beyond undergraduate study.
Barry now offers undergraduate, graduate, and professional education. Its history helps explain two features that remain relevant to applicants: a Dominican educational tradition centered on learning and service, and a range of programs extending well beyond its original liberal arts curriculum. Applicants considering a professional program should distinguish the requirements and location of that program from those of the main undergraduate campus.
Barry University offers programs in the arts and sciences, business, education, health professions, social work, law, and podiatric medicine. Students can pursue bachelor's degrees as well as graduate and professional credentials, but admission and course requirements differ substantially by program.
Undergraduate choices include fields such as biology, psychology, criminology, nursing, business, and communication. Barry also has professional programs in law and podiatric medicine; its law school is in the Orlando area rather than on the main Miami-area campus. Prospective students should use the catalog for their intended degree level to check prerequisites, clinical or fieldwork requirements, and where courses are taught. A university-wide list of programs does not mean every degree is available at every location or online.
Barry University's main campus is in Miami Shores, a municipality in the Miami metropolitan area of Florida. It has a residential campus setting within a region where commuting is also common.
The location provides access to South Florida employers, clinical sites, and community organizations, though travel times can vary considerably with traffic. Miami International Airport is a useful regional connection for students traveling from farther away. Barry also teaches at locations beyond its main campus, so applicants should confirm the location and delivery format of their particular program before making housing or transportation plans.
Barry University describes its mission through its Catholic and Adrian Dominican identity, emphasizing education, service, social justice, and the development of the whole person. These are the university's stated priorities, not measures of any individual student's experience.
That identity can appear in service opportunities, campus ministry, and coursework that asks students to consider ethical and social questions. Applicants need not assume that every program has the same religious content or participation expectations; the relevant curriculum and student-life policies provide the more useful answer for a particular degree.
Name of the institution
Barry UniversityLevel of institution
Four or more yearsControl of institution
PrivateSetting type
Suburb: LargeInstitutional Category
Degree - granting, primarily baccalaureate or aboveInstitution size category
5,000 - 9,999Religious affiliation
Catholic (Roman Catholic Church)School type
UniversityMain student body
CoeducationalCalendar system
SemestersFoundation year
1940Barry University is institutionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, an accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Accreditation confirms that the school meets quality standards and is required for students to receive federal financial aid.
Bachelor's degree
Postbaccalaureate certificate
Master's degree
Post-master's certificate
Doctor's degree - research/scholarship
Doctor's degree - professional practiceData last updated on November 2, 2026
Data sources: IPEDS 2024-25, Peterson 2026, College Scorecard 10/2026, Clery 2024 (2023-24), OpenAlex 2026
Figures on this profile come from federal and third-party datasets in the editions listed above and are refreshed periodically, so they may differ from what the institution currently reports. Confirm costs, deadlines and requirements with the school before making decisions.