


Drury University is a private university founded in Springfield, Missouri, in 1873. It began as Drury College, with a liberal-arts education shaped by its church-related origins, and later adopted the Drury University name as its academic offerings expanded.
That history remains relevant to applicants: Drury combines a traditional residential undergraduate experience with professional programs, graduate study, and options for adults returning to college. Its longstanding Springfield campus is the center of the university, while some programs serve students through other locations and online formats.
Drury offers undergraduate and graduate study across the liberal arts, sciences, business, education, architecture, and health-related fields. Its academic organization includes the Breech School of Business Administration and the Hammons School of Architecture, alongside other academic divisions.
Representative undergraduate subjects include biology, psychology, communication, criminal justice, business, and the visual and performing arts. Applicants should use Drury's current academic catalog to check a program's credential, campus or online format, course sequence, and any separate admission requirements. This is especially important for architecture, teacher preparation, and other programs tied to professional standards or licensing.
Drury's main campus is in Springfield in southwest Missouri. Its city setting gives students access to local employers, health care organizations, arts venues, and community activities without requiring them to live in a major metropolitan area.
Students who commute can park a car on campus, including during their first year, though they should check current permit rules and costs. Springfield-Branson National Airport serves the region. Because Drury also offers programs outside the traditional residential setting, applicants should confirm where their particular courses and required activities meet.
Drury describes its educational purpose in terms of liberal-arts learning, professional preparation, and engagement with the wider world. Its stated approach connects study across disciplines with practical learning rather than treating a major as the whole of a student's education.
The university has church-related roots and describes itself as independent. Prospective students can assess how those stated priorities appear in the current general-education requirements, their intended major, and opportunities such as internships or study abroad. A mission statement expresses institutional aims; it is not, by itself, evidence of a particular student outcome.
Name of the institution
Drury 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 (Christian Church, Disciples of Christ)School type
Comprehensive higher education institutionMain student body
CoeducationalCalendar system
SemestersFoundation year
1873Drury University is institutionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, 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 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.