
Midwestern University-Glendale is the Arizona campus of Midwestern University, a private university focused on health professions education. The university traces its origins to an osteopathic medical college founded in Chicago in 1900; its Glendale campus developed in the 1990s as the institution expanded beyond Illinois.
The Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine was an early part of that expansion. Midwestern subsequently added professional programs in fields including pharmacy, dentistry, optometry, and veterinary medicine. That history explains an important distinction for applicants: despite its broad university name, Glendale is primarily a campus for students pursuing graduate and professional health-care training, not a conventional four-year undergraduate campus.
Midwestern University-Glendale organizes its academic programs around health professions colleges. Campus offerings include osteopathic medicine, pharmacy, dental medicine, optometry, veterinary medicine, health sciences, and graduate studies. The university operates a separate campus in Downers Grove, Illinois, so applicants should check the Glendale location of any program they are considering.
Representative credentials include the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, Doctor of Pharmacy, Doctor of Dental Medicine, Doctor of Optometry, and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. Health sciences and graduate programs include training in fields such as physician assistant studies, physical therapy, and biomedical sciences. Programs differ considerably in prerequisites, clinical training, length, and licensure pathways; admission to one Midwestern program does not imply eligibility for another.
Midwestern University-Glendale is in Glendale, Arizona, within the Phoenix metropolitan area. Its suburban setting gives students access to a large regional health-care market while making travel time to classes, clinical placements, and community sites a practical consideration.
Applicants should distinguish the Glendale campus from Midwestern University's Downers Grove campus when reviewing facilities or arranging a visit. Clinical education can also take students beyond the main campus, and a placement's location may affect transportation needs. For students arriving from outside the region, Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport is a major air-travel option; routine travel around Glendale generally requires separate planning.
Midwestern University describes its purpose in terms of educating health professionals to practice competently and serve patients with care. Its educational approach emphasizes professional preparation across health disciplines rather than a general liberal-arts undergraduate experience.
For prospective students, the mission is most relevant in the structure of the programs: substantial scientific preparation, professional coursework, and supervised clinical learning are central to many degrees. A stated mission describes institutional priorities; applicants should still evaluate the curriculum, placement requirements, and outcomes of their particular program.
Name of the institution
Midwestern University-GlendaleLevel of institution
Four or more yearsControl of institution
PrivateSetting type
Suburb: LargeInstitutional Category
Degree - granting, graduate with no undergraduate degreesInstitution size category
1,000 - 4,999Midwestern University-Glendale 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.
Postbaccalaureate certificate
Master's degree
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.