

Courtesy of Belhaven University
Belhaven University traces its origins to 1883 and began as a women's college. Its transition to coeducation and later expansion into graduate, adult, and online education help explain why today's Belhaven serves both residential students and working adults.
Formerly known as Belhaven College, the institution adopted the name Belhaven University in 2010. Its Presbyterian heritage remains visible in its Christian educational mission, although applicants should distinguish that institutional identity from the requirements of any particular degree program.
Belhaven offers undergraduate and graduate study across the liberal arts, professional fields, and performing arts. Its program offerings include business, education, nursing, psychology, computer science, biblical studies, and the visual and performing arts.
Students can also find programs in fields such as biology, social work, sports-related studies, and communication. Availability depends on the credential and format: a subject offered to traditional undergraduates in Jackson may have different options for online or adult students. Applicants should use the current academic catalog to check the exact degree, required courses, clinical or fieldwork components, and delivery location before applying.
Belhaven's main campus is in Jackson, Mississippi. Its city setting puts students near the state capital's employers, schools, health care facilities, and cultural institutions - potentially useful connections for internships and field placements.
The university also serves students through online and other nontraditional formats, so a program's location should not be assumed from the university's Jackson address. For students traveling to the main campus, Jackson-Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport is the area's principal commercial airport. Commuters should account for their own travel and parking needs; first-year students are permitted to register or park a car on campus.
Belhaven describes its educational purpose in explicitly Christian terms, combining academic study with preparation for service in careers, relationships, and public life. Its Presbyterian heritage informs that approach.
For prospective students, the practical question is how that mission appears in the curriculum and campus experience. Applicants who want a religiously affiliated education - or who prefer a different environment - should review their intended program's course requirements alongside the university's community policies. The mission is a statement of institutional aims, not evidence that every student will have the same experience.
Name of the institution
Belhaven UniversityLevel of institution
Four or more yearsControl of institution
PrivateSetting type
City: MidsizeInstitutional Category
Degree - granting, primarily baccalaureate or aboveInstitution size category
1,000 - 4,999Religious affiliation
Protestant (Presbyterian Church of U.S.A.)School type
UniversityMain student body
CoeducationalCalendar system
SemestersFoundation year
1883Belhaven 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.
Certificate of less than 1 year
Certificate of at least 1 year, but less than 2 years
Associate's degree
Bachelor's degree
Postbaccalaureate certificate
Master's degree
Post-master's certificate
Doctor's degree - research/scholarshipData last updated on November 5, 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.