
Centenary College of Louisiana traces its founding to 1825 in Jackson, Louisiana. It later combined with the College of Louisiana, adopted the Centenary name, and moved to Shreveport in 1908. Those changes help explain why its history predates its present campus.
The college has a longstanding affiliation with the United Methodist tradition. Today it operates as a private liberal arts college rather than a church seminary: students can study subjects ranging from biology and business to music and political science. Its small enrollment and residential campus remain central features of the institution.
Centenary organizes its undergraduate education around the liberal arts and sciences, with specialized study in business, music, education, and other professional fields. Prospective students should look at the requirements of a particular major rather than assume that every subject follows the same course sequence.
Representative options include biology, chemistry, psychology, English, history, business administration, accounting, theatre, and music. The Frost School of Business and Hurley School of Music give students two identifiable academic homes within the broader college. Centenary also offers graduate-level study, including education-related programs; graduate applicants should check the credential and admission requirements for their intended program separately from undergraduate policies.
Undergraduates generally complete courses outside their major as part of a liberal arts education. For students considering a tightly sequenced field, such as a laboratory science or teacher preparation, a four-year course plan can be especially useful when comparing programs or evaluating transfer credits.
Centenary College of Louisiana is in Shreveport, in northwestern Louisiana. Its campus is at 2911 Centenary Boulevard, within an established part of the city rather than on an isolated rural site.
Shreveport offers hospitals, schools, arts venues, and employers that may be relevant to internships, clinical experiences, or part-time work. Students considering those opportunities should check transportation requirements: a placement elsewhere in the city may not be as easy to reach as a campus activity. Shreveport Regional Airport is the area's commercial airport and may be useful for students traveling from farther away.
Centenary describes its purpose in terms of liberal arts learning, intellectual development, and preparation for responsible participation in a changing world. Its United Methodist affiliation is part of its institutional identity, but the college offers a broad academic curriculum rather than restricting study to religious subjects.
Prospective students can assess how that stated approach appears in practice by examining general education requirements, opportunities to study across disciplines, and the structure of their intended major. A mission statement describes the college's priorities; it is not, by itself, evidence of an individual student's educational outcome.
Name of the institution
Centenary College of LouisianaLevel of institution
Four or more yearsControl of institution
PrivateSetting type
City: MidsizeInstitutional Category
Degree - granting, primarily baccalaureate or aboveInstitution size category
Under 1,000Religious affiliation
Protestant (United Methodist Church)School type
Comprehensive higher education institutionMain student body
CoeducationalCalendar system
SemestersFoundation year
1825Centenary College of Louisiana 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
Master's degreeData 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.